Meet Us
SUZANNE LABOUNTY | Dance Fitness, Adagio™, Ballroom, Latin
Suzanne has been teaching dance and fitness classes since 1980. Her background encompasses ballet, jazz, modern dance, and ballroom. Suzanne began studying ballet at age 7 in West Palm Beach at Norton Gallery and School of Art under the tutelage of Flanders Holland and Benedict Chamby.
At 22 she entered the world of ballroom dance, first as a teacher and subsequently as a teacher trainer and performer for Roberto’s Dance Studio, working from both the Palm Beach and Fort Lauderdale locations.
In 1981 she moved to Fort Myers and began teaching aerobics and dance exercise for the Nautilus Fitness Center, then located in downtown Fort Myers. The facility later opened their Cape Coral location for which Suzanne provided teacher training and choreography for both facilities.
In 1984, she opened Suzanne’s Dance Fitness and enjoyed teaching group dance exercise and ballet to a robust student body. After closing the studio, Suzanne continued to teach her popular classes at various locations throughout Fort Myers, including the well-known Studio Bochette. While there, Suzanne continued her study of ballet, jazz, and modern dance, and achieved her Cecchetti Level 1 certification. A member of the studio’s performing company, Gulfcoast Dance, she danced in numerous stage productions, working with such distinguished choreographers as Alyce Bochette, Ellie Potts, Sabatino and Barbara Allegra Verlezza, and Marc Platt.
From 2006 to 2011 she returned to teaching ballroom and latin dance at Studio Bochette and, later, at Aki’s Ballroom Dance Studio.
In 2014, she reopened the doors of Suzanne’s Dance Fitness in its current location at beautiful Royal Palm Square off historic McGregor Boulevard in the heart of Fort Myers.
Her vision for the "new" Suzanne's is that of being a "boutique" studio, offering unique classes in a warm and welcoming environment for adults of all ages and ability levels.
In addition to her signature DanceFit classes, Suzanne is the creator of Adagio™. This flowing, rhythmic mind-body workout is a fusion of ballet, contemporary dance, and ballroom focused on developing balance, grace, and strength.
At 22 she entered the world of ballroom dance, first as a teacher and subsequently as a teacher trainer and performer for Roberto’s Dance Studio, working from both the Palm Beach and Fort Lauderdale locations.
In 1981 she moved to Fort Myers and began teaching aerobics and dance exercise for the Nautilus Fitness Center, then located in downtown Fort Myers. The facility later opened their Cape Coral location for which Suzanne provided teacher training and choreography for both facilities.
In 1984, she opened Suzanne’s Dance Fitness and enjoyed teaching group dance exercise and ballet to a robust student body. After closing the studio, Suzanne continued to teach her popular classes at various locations throughout Fort Myers, including the well-known Studio Bochette. While there, Suzanne continued her study of ballet, jazz, and modern dance, and achieved her Cecchetti Level 1 certification. A member of the studio’s performing company, Gulfcoast Dance, she danced in numerous stage productions, working with such distinguished choreographers as Alyce Bochette, Ellie Potts, Sabatino and Barbara Allegra Verlezza, and Marc Platt.
From 2006 to 2011 she returned to teaching ballroom and latin dance at Studio Bochette and, later, at Aki’s Ballroom Dance Studio.
In 2014, she reopened the doors of Suzanne’s Dance Fitness in its current location at beautiful Royal Palm Square off historic McGregor Boulevard in the heart of Fort Myers.
Her vision for the "new" Suzanne's is that of being a "boutique" studio, offering unique classes in a warm and welcoming environment for adults of all ages and ability levels.
In addition to her signature DanceFit classes, Suzanne is the creator of Adagio™. This flowing, rhythmic mind-body workout is a fusion of ballet, contemporary dance, and ballroom focused on developing balance, grace, and strength.
DAVID FLORY | Ballroom, Latin
David is a competitive pro-am ballroom dancer on regional and national levels. In 2010 he won Top Male Instructor in the United States. He teaches everything from ballet and modern, to jazz, ballroom, and Latin.
David received a Top Teacher award at the 2014 Spring Fling Dance Competition in Tampa. And two of his students received Top Competitor and Top Dance Excellence Awards.
David teaches a variety of dances: East Coast and West Coast Swing, Fox Trot, Rumba, Cha Cha, Waltz, and more.
He was the top male instructor at Fred Astaire in Ft. Myers for 7 years. He is the owner of Island Ballroom on Sanibel Island and teaches at Suzanne's and across Lee County.
Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned pro, David has the experience to take your dancing to new levels.
David received a Top Teacher award at the 2014 Spring Fling Dance Competition in Tampa. And two of his students received Top Competitor and Top Dance Excellence Awards.
David teaches a variety of dances: East Coast and West Coast Swing, Fox Trot, Rumba, Cha Cha, Waltz, and more.
He was the top male instructor at Fred Astaire in Ft. Myers for 7 years. He is the owner of Island Ballroom on Sanibel Island and teaches at Suzanne's and across Lee County.
Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned pro, David has the experience to take your dancing to new levels.
LINDA VALYO | Flex, Flow & Firm
Linda fell in love with dancing when she was a little girl in Cranford, NJ. Every Saturday morning her mom would take her to Yvette's Dance Studio where she would immerse herself in the beauty of dance.
Over the years, she developed a discipline and desire to perform and teach others how to express themselves through dance. To Linda, there is nothing better than sharing the floor or stage with other dancers and communicating with them, as well as the audience, by generating joy through physical movement.
In 1997, Linda became a certified aerobics instructor and incorporated dance into her routines. In 2004, she and her husband, Jay, moved to Florida where she continued to dance in musicals at the Cultural Park Theater in Cape Coral. Last year, Linda and Jay moved to Ft Myers and discovered Suzanne's, where she instantly felt at home.
Linda sees dancing is a language anyone can learn because it's about expressing yourself through music and opening and connecting with your own heart.
Over the years, she developed a discipline and desire to perform and teach others how to express themselves through dance. To Linda, there is nothing better than sharing the floor or stage with other dancers and communicating with them, as well as the audience, by generating joy through physical movement.
In 1997, Linda became a certified aerobics instructor and incorporated dance into her routines. In 2004, she and her husband, Jay, moved to Florida where she continued to dance in musicals at the Cultural Park Theater in Cape Coral. Last year, Linda and Jay moved to Ft Myers and discovered Suzanne's, where she instantly felt at home.
Linda sees dancing is a language anyone can learn because it's about expressing yourself through music and opening and connecting with your own heart.
BRENDA PERRY | GYROKINESIS®
A veterinarian for 42 years, Brenda first discovered dancing as a hobby, or outlet, when she started aerobic classes in the early 1980s. Loving the joy of music and movement, her dance studies expanded to ballet, tap, jazz, and modern dance, including performing in Gulfcoast Dance productions locally until 2006.
In 2016, she expanded her dance studies to ballroom dancing, both rhythm and smooth, and is currently active in lessons, coachings, and competitions.
Always an avid student and eager to learn new modalities of movement, Brenda discovered The GYROTONIC EXPANSION SYSTEM® in 2015. She immediately loved the work and how it complemented her dance endeavors, as well as how it made her feel in everyday life. Upon retiring from practicing veterinary medicine, Brenda chose to share this love with others and began her studies toward official teacher certification. She received her GYROTONIC® certification in July 2019 and her GYROKINESIS® certification in November 2019.
In 2016, she expanded her dance studies to ballroom dancing, both rhythm and smooth, and is currently active in lessons, coachings, and competitions.
Always an avid student and eager to learn new modalities of movement, Brenda discovered The GYROTONIC EXPANSION SYSTEM® in 2015. She immediately loved the work and how it complemented her dance endeavors, as well as how it made her feel in everyday life. Upon retiring from practicing veterinary medicine, Brenda chose to share this love with others and began her studies toward official teacher certification. She received her GYROTONIC® certification in July 2019 and her GYROKINESIS® certification in November 2019.
RAVAH DALEY | Jazzed Up! Jazz Fitness
Ravah began her dance career as a classical ballerina in Los Angeles, California. By the age of 16, she was working on television as a professional jazz dancer and singer, with ballet as her foundation. She regularly appeared on variety shows including The Carol Burnett Show, Sonny & Cher, The Osmonds, and more. She also performed on several television specials including those of Ann Margaret, Goldie Hawn, Liza Minnelli, and John Denver. Highlights of Ravah’s career include partnering with Mikhail Baryshnikov in two television specials and singing and dancing as a member of Tina Turner’s act all over the world for several years. Choreographers Ravah worked for include Edward Villella, Ron Fields, Michael Peters, Lester Wilson, and Joe Bennett. She also performed in several Broadway shows including Pal Joey as lead dancer.
Ravah teaches the authentic Luigi Jazz Technique created by the famed “Luigi” (Eugene Faccuito), the world’s greatest teacher of jazz dance. Luigi taught essentially every star of Broadway and film, but what made him special was that his unique technique of movement and dance resulted from his own rehabilitation from a paralyzing accident. After a skull fracture left him paralyzed on half of his body, he had to relearn how to stand, how to walk, and how to dance, and in the process developed an exercise and a dance technique that is both aesthetically beautiful and medically correct.
Ravah has taught Luigi-style jazz dance in New Jersey, New York City, and now in Sanibel and Fort Myers, Florida.
Ravah teaches the authentic Luigi Jazz Technique created by the famed “Luigi” (Eugene Faccuito), the world’s greatest teacher of jazz dance. Luigi taught essentially every star of Broadway and film, but what made him special was that his unique technique of movement and dance resulted from his own rehabilitation from a paralyzing accident. After a skull fracture left him paralyzed on half of his body, he had to relearn how to stand, how to walk, and how to dance, and in the process developed an exercise and a dance technique that is both aesthetically beautiful and medically correct.
Ravah has taught Luigi-style jazz dance in New Jersey, New York City, and now in Sanibel and Fort Myers, Florida.
BOBBY LOGUE | Tap
Most recently, Bobby served as Artistic Director of BIG Arts, Strauss Theater on Sanibel Island for eight seasons. Before relocating to Southwest Florida, Bobby traveled the world as a performer, dance captain, and choreographer for Chazzam Entertainment, the nation's largest international production company. He has performed in more than 150 productions nationally and internationally.
In addition to theater, Bobby has also served as the tap teacher at BIG Arts for over a decade and couldn’t be prouder of the work that he and all of his students accomplished together.
Favorite among his many credits include Swing Dance "This Joint is Jumping" Edison Theater NYC, and Bobby in "Let's Fall In Love" Red's Upstairs, NYC. Regional credits include Jesus in "Godspell," Leading Player in "Pippin,” Paul in "A Chorus Line," and Bobby Child in "Crazy for You."
In addition to theater, Bobby has also served as the tap teacher at BIG Arts for over a decade and couldn’t be prouder of the work that he and all of his students accomplished together.
Favorite among his many credits include Swing Dance "This Joint is Jumping" Edison Theater NYC, and Bobby in "Let's Fall In Love" Red's Upstairs, NYC. Regional credits include Jesus in "Godspell," Leading Player in "Pippin,” Paul in "A Chorus Line," and Bobby Child in "Crazy for You."
