Fairmont, WV

Stephanie Lopez is the Founder and Artistic Director of Movements in Dance in Fairmont, WV. For more than 37 years, she has been dedicated to providing excellence in dance training. She began her love of dance at the age of three and, at 16, graduated from Dance Educators of America Teacher Training School in New York City, igniting her passion to offer quality dance education to children.

Ms. Lopez is a graduate of Point Park University and is certified to teach by Dance Educators of America and Dance Masters of America.

As Founder of the Movements in Dance Company, Ms. Lopez has led her students to many scholarships, high-score awards, and regional and national titles. She has received choreography awards from numerous dance organizations across the nation.

Ms. Lopez has served as a faculty member, teacher, and adjudicator for dance conventions and competitions nationwide. She was a judge for the final round of the DEA Ballet Seminar Competition and is a past faculty member of the West Virginia University Department of Creative Arts. In recognition of her contributions to the arts in her community, she has received the City of Fairmont Arts and Humanity Award and the Marion County Chamber of Commerce Creative and Cultural Impact Award.

Her commitment to excellence is reflected in the accomplishments of her students, who have performed on television and in film, with regional theaters, ballet companies, university dance departments, the final round of the Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP), the Prix de Lausanne International Ballet Competition in Switzerland, the World Ballet Competition, the Radio City Rockettes, Rock the Ballet international tour, and the Metropolitan Opera Ballet.

Since 1992, Ms. Lopez has produced the full-length Nutcracker ballet at Movements in Dance, utilizing all dance genres, providing performance opportunities for students of all ages while featuring guest artists from New York City Ballet.

Among her greatest professional accomplishments is the training of her daughter Sophie Silnicki, Co-Artistic Director of Movements in Dance, who is currently dancing at the Metropolitan Opera Ballet at Lincoln Center in NYC.

Ms. Lopez remains committed to advancing the art of dance through excellence. Her enduring goal is to inspire her students to be the best they can be in the dance world and in everyday life.

Attending Tremaine Dance Conventions for over 34 years and being inspired by Joe Tremaine, Ms. Lopez is honored to be Tremaine 2026-27 Teacher of the Year.