Madison Ellis, Biography

Born and raised in Richmond, Miss Madison’s passion for dance began at West End Academy. From student, to faculty, to now studio owner, she is delighted to carry on the legacy that Miss Mary Munroe began in 1976.

Growing up a dancer

As a child, dance always came first in Miss Madison’s life. Having been a WEAD student for thirteen years, she understood that being a dedicated dancer meant making choices. Performing on weekends, attending out of town conventions, and rehearsing after school were all choices.

Off to college and the real world

After graduating high school and temporarily putting her dance career on pause, Madison attended the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, where she made the choice to let dance take a back seat for the time being. While dance was still a part of her life, it was no longer her primary focus. She participated in a hip-hop group on campus as a choreographer, dancer, and executive member, but ultimately pursued her education and found herself in the corporate world shortly after graduating.

The skills Miss Madison acquired will be pivotal as she transitions into her new role as studio owner. She learned the importance of teamwork, collaboration, and communication, but also the necessity of confident and decisive leadership. These skills, coupled with her work ethic and intrinsic motivation will allow Miss Madison to exceed the standard of care required to operate a successful dance studio.

Back to West End Academy

Two years went by and Miss Madison found herself feeling the need to fill a void. That’s when she made the choice to let dance back into her life by joining WEAD as a faculty member. After a few years teaching hip-hop at West End, Miss Madison found herself getting more and more involved at the studio. Between guest choreographing to directing hip-hop crew, to assisting with recital, it was clear what was becoming her number one priority again. Then she made the ultimate choice, the best decision of them all, to whole-heartedly commit to West End Academy as the studio owner.  

In the summer of 2018, Miss Madison chose to make dance her number one priority again. And not just dance, but the West End Academy. She is committed to the success of WEAD and wants to ensure the experience for our dancers is as fulfilling as hers, so current and future WEAD students will choose to love the art of dance as much as she does.