A passion for dance led Misty Lown to open Misty’s Dance Unlimited in 1998. Classes are available for children age 2 all the way to adulthood on a variety of dance styles including ballet, jazz, tap, hip hop, and modern. Other offerings include one-day mini camps, private lessons and group performances. Misty’s staff of 22 people instruct and encourage more than 750 students, and many take multiple classes per week. Misty’s students also take part in community involvement activities and outreach events. Over the years, their efforts have raised over $400,000 for the local Red Cross.
Misty used the 504 program a number of years ago to finance the facility she started to outgrow a few year ago. After considerable planning and a continued increase in demand, Misty and her husband Mitch pulled the trigger on building a larger dance studio. Utilizing another SBA 504 loan provided by WBD, and financing from Bremer Bank, Misty and Mitch constructed a new facility with nearly 22,000 square feet of space. The new building is nearly double the size of the former studio with a lot of parking and enough room to house competitions and other dance events. The new secure facility features sprung floors and spaces for students to study when they are not dancing. It also adds three new jobs to the Onalaska community.