Jennifer Hazelwood, Director/owner

Jennifer has been teaching dance for over 20 years. She holds a Bachelor's degree in education and attended Ohio University's dance teaching program. In 2015, she opened First Landing Dance Center with the forethought to create a unique dance studio where dancers can flourish in their technique and individual talents. She has skillfully orchestrated numerous production numbers, dance showcases, and created countless dances for competition performances winning multiple regional and National accolades and awards. Jennifer is talented in instructing multiple styles of dance including ballet, modern, tap, jazz, lyrical, and contemporary. Additionally, she is intimately familiar with the dance competition community and continually strives to learn the newest and most challenging movements in the current dance world so that she may share her knowledge with her students. 

"It is my belief that a dancer should always feel they are a welcome and important part of every class they take. Each time a dancer steps into a classroom, they should feel energized and motivated to take on new challenges. It is my job to make that environment a reality."
                                                        -Jennifer Hazelwood
​

Elizabeth hazelwood, instructor/choreographer

Elizabeth brings a very demanding demeanor to the classroom here at FLDC; pushing her students to succeed in many areas. She specializes in coaching ballet, stretch/conditioning, turns/leaps, contemporary, and is widely known for her award-winning choreography. 

Elizabeth was born and raised in Virginia Beach, Virginia and is a 2017 graduate from the Governor’s School for the Arts. Throughout her well-rounded dance training she specialized in ballet. Elizabeth performed in numerous classical works such as La Bayadere, Swan Lake, and Les Sylphides; while also participating in several contemporary and neoclassical pointe pieces, and performing with the Richmond Ballet three years in a row. At FLDC, Elizabeth had the opportunity to choreograph her first national winning group dance at the age of 15, which expanded her focus to the field of choreography. In 2017, she was undefeated, winning the overall highest scoring routine at every competition attended by FLDC as a soloist; along with choreographing two group dances that were undefeated as well. This success allowed her to be featured in Dance Spirit Magazine as a “Future Star.” She continues to choreograph regional and National winning competition numbers as she strives to challenge her FLDC dancers every day!  

Lauren Sinclair, Master Class Ballet Instructor

Lauren Sinclair began her ballet training at Eastern Virginia School for the Performing Arts. She is a graduate of the Kirov Academy of Ballet. Lauren danced professionally with Ballet Austin, Virginia Ballet Theatre, Todd Rosenlieb Dance, and Elbert Watson Dance Company. She received her Bachelor degree from Old Dominion University in Communication and Psychology. Lauren is a Registered Yoga Teacher and Certified Pilates Mat instructor. She teaches at the Governor’s School for the Arts in the Dance, Musical Theater, and Vocal Departments.  ​

​Jessica Hazelwood, instructor/choreographer

Jessica Hazelwood is a graduate of the Governor's School for the Arts. She is a national dance competition  winner, solo title winner, and accomplished dancer. After earning multiple scholarships, she competed at the World Dance Championship in the summer of 2019. Jessica has created numerous award winning works of choreography including the styles of jazz, contemporary, hip hop, lyrical, and more. 

Currently, she is earning her personal trainer license and continually adds to her knowledge of crafting the body to perform at its best through exercises and nutrition. She also works as a stage manager/tabulator for Star Dance Alliance competitions.

Jessica has a great report with her students. She is able to draw each dancers talent out to highlight their strengths. 

​Cassie swartz, Instructor/Choreographer

Cassie began dancing at the age of 3 and knew at a very young age she would one day pursue a career in dance.  As a member of her childhood studio for over 15 years, Cassie studied under countless professional choreographers, attended multiple conventions/workshops each season in her dance training, as well as won numerous titles and awards both individually and with her team on the regional and national levels.  She performed for various festivals, parades, and other special events, including the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity of performing for the Beijing International Cultural Tourism Festival.  Cassie later on became a dance instructor, organized her own Adult Tap group, and has continued to choreograph for multiple dance teams all over the Virginia area, including becoming the Head Coach and Choreographer of both her former Junior and Senior High schools.  She has created several award-winning pieces of choreography, and is an avid believer in the importance of having a well-rounded dance education, thus her continued studies and teaching in the styles of tap, ballet, jazz, lyrical, contemporary, modern, hip hop, acro, and several different technique and conditioning classes.  Cassie is forever grateful for the entire First Landing Dance Center family and is excited to continue to reach the youth of our community through her love for dance and all of the positive life skills and other wonderful things the dance world has to offer!