We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Ashley Packard a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Ashley , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today How did you come up with the idea for your business?

Opening Dance Images began when I was 18 years old. After a fire damaged my family’s business, we were left with a large empty space. Having grown up dancing, I approached my mother and stepfather with the idea of turning that space into a dance studio. After some discussion, they agreed, and we began the work of cleaning, restoring, and transforming it into what would become our studio.

At the time, I was teaching at another dance studio and working at Union Bank, but in 2006 we officially opened our doors with 35 students. Today, in 2025, we are proud to celebrate our 20th season with 150 students, and my daughter now joins me as an instructor, helping to continue the growth of our program.

From the beginning, my mission was to create an environment where children could feel supported, valued, and inspired while learning the art of dance. Over the years, I have had the privilege of watching my students grow, attending their school events, graduations, weddings, and celebrations. They have truly become an extension of my family, and I am grateful each day for the opportunity to share my passion with them.

It has always been important to me that the studio serve as a safe and welcoming place—somewhere students can feel free from outside pressures, whether at school, socially, or at home. My goal has been, and continues to be, to ensure that every dancer who walks through our doors feels seen, encouraged, and supported in both their personal and artistic growth.

Ashley , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

A little about myself: I am 38 years old and opened the dance studio when I was just 18. I began dancing at the age of 7 and started teaching by 16. Teaching has always been a true passion of mine, and I have always loved working with children. I have been married to my high school sweetheart for 15 years, and we have two children, ages 12 and 15.

In addition to running the studio, I have worked as a Master Trainer for Beachbody and represented major fitness brands such as Quest Nutrition. I am also an IFBB professional athlete, which has allowed me to travel across the country and work alongside top professionals in the fitness industry. I firmly believe in continuous growth, education, and self-improvement so I can better support and inspire my students.

My mission at the studio is to offer high-quality instruction at a reasonable rate. Over the years, our students have earned numerous awards, scholarships, and invitations to major events. I am extremely proud of the achievements we have accomplished together.

At Dance Images, we place great emphasis on kindness and giving back to our community. We organize fundraisers for local families during Christmas, coordinated large donation efforts for Asheville, North Carolina after the flood, and send our competition team out during the holidays to hand out flowers to people in our local towns. Our goal is to spread as much kindness as we can and to teach our dancers the importance of compassion and community.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

One of the most defining moments in my journey came when I was 22 years old and pregnant with our daughter, Faith. In the middle of our dance season, I was unexpectedly hospitalized when she attempted to arrive at just 28 weeks. Faith was born prematurely and spent two months in the hospital, which was an hour and forty-five minutes away from the studio.

Despite the overwhelming stress and the distance, I was committed to being there for both my newborn daughter and my students. Every day, I drove back and forth—spending time with Faith, then returning to the studio to teach, and then heading back to the hospital again. It was an exhausting and emotional season of my life, but it taught me the true meaning of resilience and dedication.

During that time, I understood how important it was to remain present, focused, and dependable. I didn’t want life’s challenges to diminish the experience or progress of my students. Maintaining the studio’s reputation and ensuring its continued success required strength, consistency, and heart—and I was determined to uphold that responsibility.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

I believe our reputation has grown from consistently being reliable, genuinely caring for our students, and prioritizing their learning, growth, confidence, and safety. As a parent, I understand the importance of feeling comfortable with where you leave your children, and I take that responsibility seriously.

At our studio, we treat every student as if they were our own—supporting them, encouraging them, and showing them love in everything we do. I truly believe that leading with my heart, rather than focusing solely on financial success, has played a significant role in the studio’s growth. Feeling blessed to do what I love and pouring my whole heart into this studio has been the foundation of who we are and why we continue to thrive.

Contact Info:

• Facebook: Dance Images By Ashley

Image Credits

Skylar carr
Ashley Packard
Natalie Simmons