Congratulations to Mountain Valley Elite Dance for being chosen as our March 2026 Spirit of Alamosa Winner!

Learn a little about what they do:

Tell us a little about your business/organization and what you’re most proud of.

Mountain Valley Elite Dance Company (MVEDC) is more than a dance studio, it’s a family, a legacy, and a place where confidence is built one eight counts at a time. We offer classes for ages 2 through adult in ballet, jazz, hip hop, lyrical, acro, color guard, and competitive dance.

What I’m most proud of isn’t trophies or titles (though we’re proud of those too!) It's the culture. We have built a studio where dancers feel seen, challenged, supported and loved. Watching students grow not just as dancers but as leaders and kind humans, is everything.

What inspired you to open your business or choose this line of work?
I grew up in this very studio. Dance shaped who I am. It carried me through childhood, championships, college, marriage, motherhood and every season in between.

Opening MVEDC wasn’t just a business decision, it was a calling. I felt deeply led to continue the legacy of dance in this community and create a space where the next generation could fall in love with it the way I did.

What does “Spirit of Alamosa” mean to you personally?
To me, the Spirit of Alamosa means grit, heart, loyalty, and community.

It’s showing up for each other. It’s small-town pride with big dreams. It’s businesses cheering each other on instead of competing. It’s families investing in their kids and believing in something bigger.

It means we rise together.

How does your business contribute to the Alamosa community?
At Mountain Valley Elite Dance Company, we’re proud to provide another positive outlet for kids in the San Luis Valley. Not every child connects with traditional sports, and the arts give students another place to belong, grow and express themselves.

Dance offers structure, discipline, creativity and confidence, we’re passionate about bringing strong arts education back into our community. Our goal is to help keep the arts alive and thriving in the Valley by giving young people access to quality training, mentorship and performance opportunities.

We also love representing Alamosa outside of our community. When our dancers compete or perform across Colorado, they carry the pride of the San Luis Valley with them. It’s incredibly special to watch our students grow into confident young leaders while also helping revive and celebrate the arts in the place we call home.

What’s one thing you wish more people knew about your business or industry?
Dance is not just about glitter and recitals.

It teaches discipline, time management, teamwork, resilience and work ethic.

It builds athletes. It builds leaders. It builds confidence that carries into classrooms, careers and life.

This industry changes lives in ways people don’t always see.

What’s your favorite part about being a member of the Alamosa Chamber?
The connection.

Being part of the Chamber means being part of a network of leaders who genuinely want to see this community thrive. The collaboration, the encouragement and the visibility it brings to small businesses like mine is invaluable.

It reminds me I’m not building alone.

Can you share a memorable moment you’ve had with a customer, client, or community member?
One moment that will always stay with me happened when a parent was visiting the studio and stopped at our memory wall. The wall is filled with photos of dancers who trained in this very building, dating all the way back to when Mrs. Mozzetti first opened the studio in the 1970s.

As she looked closer, she suddenly found a photo of herself from when she was a young dancer here. She was completely shocked and then she started to cry. She called her daughter over and showed her the picture, telling her stories about dancing in this very space when she was a child.

She thanked me for opening the doors again and bringing life back into the studio, saying this building held so many memories for her and that seeing her daughter now dancing here felt magical and nostalgic.

That moment reminded me that this studio isn’t just a place to take dance classes, it's part of our community’s story, and being able to continue that legacy is incredibly special.

What values guide your business or leadership style?

Integrity. Excellence. Kindness. Accountability. Growth.

I believe in high standards and warm hearts. I believe you can demand discipline while leading with compassion. I believe in building strong teams, clear communication, and always choosing the long game over shortcuts.

We do things the right way, even when it’s hard.

What’s something new or exciting happening at your business this year?
This year we are continuing to expand our competitive programs, building larger community performances, and producing a full-scale theatrical recital experience.

We’re dreaming bigger, elevating technique, and investing back into our dancers at every level.

MVEDC is just getting started.

Who has been a key influence or mentor on your journey, and why?
There have been a few incredibly important influences in my journey. First and foremost, my family. Without their support and encouragement, I would never have opened this studio. Owning a business comes with long days, late nights, and sometimes missing family events or my kids’ activities, which is never easy on my mom heart, but I’m supported 100% by the people who love me most.

Another major influence has been my high school dance coach. She saw something in me that I didn’t yet see in myself. She pushed me, expected excellence and at the same time led with genuine compassion and belief in her dancers.

She was the one who led me to my very first coaching job and her mentorship is one of the biggest reasons I’ve been able to navigate and survive this industry the way I have. Her leadership and belief in me shaped the way I lead my own dancers today.

What’s one challenge your business has overcome that made you stronger?
One of the biggest challenges has been rebuilding and reopening a studio that carries so much history in this community. This building holds decades of memories for dancers in the San Luis Valley, and stepping into that legacy came with both incredible pride and a lot of responsibility.

There were many moving pieces, rebuilding programs, earning the trust of families and bringing new energy back into a space that means so much to so many people. It wasn’t always easy, but it pushed me to grow as a leader and stay focused on the bigger vision.

Seeing the studio full of dancers again, hearing music in the halls and watching the next generation create their own memories here has made every challenge worth it.

In what ways do you and your team stay connected to the community?

As a newer chapter of our studio continues to grow, this is a season we are just beginning to expand into in a bigger way. Over the past year our focus has been building strong programs, preparing our competition teams, producing our recital, and creating meaningful connections with our students and families inside the studio.

Now that we have that foundation, one of our biggest goals this year is to become even more engaged throughout the community. We’re excited to participate in more local events, performances, and partnerships that allow our dancers to represent the studio and show how proud we are of the momentum we’re building.

We want MVEDC to be something the community can see, celebrate, and feel proud of right alongside us.

What do you love most about Alamosa and the San Luis Valley?
The people.

The way this community shows up for kids. The way families support local businesses. The pride in our schools and programs.

There’s something powerful about raising your family and building your dreams in the same place that raised you.

If you could give one piece of advice to other local businesses, what would it be?

Build relationships before you build revenue.

Serve with integrity. Be consistent. Stay involved.

And don’t be afraid to dream bigger than what’s been done before. Small towns deserve big visions.

What’s next for you or your business? Any goals or dreams you’re excited about?

Growth. Expansion. Continued excellence.

I dream of expanding our space, offering even more programs, and continuing to put Alamosa on the map in the dance world.

But above all I want to keep building confident, strong, kind humans through dance.

That’s the real legacy.