Jamestown dance teacher turns 80 and vows to keep teaching

Jackie Sather marked her 80th birthday in late December, but the milestone did not slow her steps. Sather has run Top of the Stairs Dance Studio in downtown Jamestown for more than fifty years and has taught dance for over sixty years, continuing to lead classes for students ages 3 through adults and presiding over long-standing studio traditions.

Sather’s teaching philosophy centers on ballet as a technical foundation, paired with an emphasis on discipline and musical appreciation. Students progress through structured dress codes, regular recital participation and workshops designed to reinforce practice and performance skills. The studio combines classical technique with expectations that instructors say build life skills such as poise, discipline and confidence alongside dance ability.

The studio’s continuity of staff and volunteers is notable in a small city arts scene. Assistant teachers and volunteers include people who were once Sather’s students, preserving institutional knowledge and mentoring relationships that span generations. Current students and staff describe Sather’s mentorship as steady and formative, crediting the studio for creating a reliable space for young people to develop self-esteem, teamwork and a sustained interest in the performing arts.

Sather’s background includes decades of training, competition and performance, and work with well-known instructors that informed her approach to teaching. That experience has translated into a local program that aims to make dance accessible to a wide age range while maintaining standards that prepare students for public recitals and community events.

Beyond artistic development, the studio contributes to public health and social wellbeing in Stutsman County. Regular dance classes provide physical activity that supports heart health, balance and coordination, especially for children and older adults. The social routines of classes and recitals offer mental health benefits through community belonging and structured activity. In a rural region where access to arts and recreation can be uneven, long-running community institutions like Top of the Stairs help reduce disparities by offering stable programming and mentoring.

Sather’s continued leadership also carries implications for local arts policy and small business support. Sustaining multigenerational arts education requires consistent volunteer engagement, affordable class options and municipal recognition of arts programming as part of health and community development strategies. Preserving such programs may call for local investment in space, transportation access and outreach to ensure all families can participate.

Top of the Stairs Dance Studio operates in downtown Jamestown and continues to enroll students in classes across age groups. For those interested in schedules, registration and community performances, contact the studio directly to learn current hours and offerings. As Sather moves forward into her ninth decade, the studio remains a quiet anchor for arts, discipline and connection in the heart of the community.