Mirror Image Dance Company builds community in Davis

PHOTO: Senior Keilana Catolos soars through the air.

By Gwynn Canfield

BlueDevilHUB.com Staff–

From a group of 30 dancers in a rented studio space to a team of over 300, the Mirror Image Dance Company has become a staple of the Davis dance community over the past 15 years.

Founder Marlaina Schroeder-Spivey started Mirror Image in 2009.

“I worked at a couple of dance studios (before), and it wasn’t the right fit for me,” Schroeder-Spivey said. “I wanted to bring the competitive dance market to Davis.”

Mirror Image currently features over 200 classes a week, with dance styles ranging from hip-hop to ballet.

Alongside their recreational and competitive programs, the company offers services for dancers with disabilities. “Our mission is all about inclusivity,” Schroeder-Spivey said. “We make sure that everybody, no matter what, has a place to dance and express themselves.”

Mirror Image also includes classes for all ages, meaning many members often dance from before elementary school to the end of high school. The company also started offering classes to adults.

“I just really enjoy getting to know our young people and teaching lifelong skills,” Spivey said. “Being able to connect with hundreds of dancers is really a gift.”

The company’s studio expansions have allowed such a large array of classes to be offered. Starting in August, Mirror Image will have four separate dance floors and over 70,500 square feet of dancing space. 

“When I first started, it was a smaller (team), but more room has allowed more people to join,” said Lizzie Butler, a Davis High sophomore and Mirror Image dancer.

Many dancers are also part of Mirror Image’s more demanding competitive dance program, which attends regional and national competitions to perform a variety of routines. Competitive team members spend 10 or more hours per week perfecting their craft.

This increased time allows for the construction of closer bonds between teammates. 

“You meet a bunch of new people,” Butler said. “I feel like you (form) special bonds because you spend so much time dancing together.”

Every May Mirror Image holds a showcase, an event in which every class has a chance to perform. This provides all dancers with an opportunity to show off their skills.

“It’s just so nice to watch little humans get out on the stage,” Schroeder-Spivey said. “Whether it’s the 3 year old who might do the dance backward or a senior who is performing for the last time.” 

The performance also serves as a recruitment opportunity for the company. “I joined from watching the showcase,” Butler said. “It shows people what we do and gets a lot of people interested.”

As opposed to competitive performances, which are held in other cities, the showcase also offers a chance for the local community to enjoy MirrorImage. 

“It’s like home court advantage, because everybody in there is really rooting for you and cheering you on,” Schroeder-Spivey said.

Starting next season, Mirror Image will hold a “winter benefit show,” which serves as a smaller version of the showcase and similarly aims to further interest the local dancers.

“I’m so proud and humbled by all the young people in the dance community,” Schroeder-Spivey said. “I hope that we can continue to do good for the world.”