Local Business Focus: Vertical Dance

“Dance like no one is watching.” A phrase often attributed to Mark Twain, whether accurately or not, feels quite fitting for Vertical Dance, a local studio filled with music, movement and a whole lot of heart. Founded by lifelong dancer and devoted community builder Staci Rodriguez-Funez, opening Vertical Dance was more than just launching a business. It was about sharing a lifetime of skills and creating a community for those wanting to experience the magic of motion.

“I’ve been dancing since I was two,” Rodriguez-Funez said. “My mom owned a dance studio in Carson City called Dance Spirit, then she moved to Montana so we closed it down. But when [my family] moved to Dayton, I was taking my kids into Reno and Carson for dance and just kept thinking to myself, ‘Why am I having someone else teach my kids when I can teach my own kids?’”

Rodriguez-Funez grew up competing, winning numerous awards, then once she was in her late teens, she started teaching in her mom’s dance studio.

“It’s always been a passion of mine,” Rodriguez-Funez asserted. “For me, dance has brought me a lot of memories and a lot of friends that I’ve known since I was five and are still friends with.”

However, Rodriguez-Funez took a break from dance life after her mom moved back to Montana. Around 2020, an old friend asked Rodriguez-Funez to teach a class in Reno, which got the ball rolling.

“I started teaching a ballet class up in Reno, then added another class, then I did competition with them – I was just hooked from then on and fell back into my love for dancing.”

That realization, combined with a spark of opportunity in the form of an open space off Occidental Drive in 2021, was the beginning of a new chapter.

Rodriguez-Funez runs Vertical Dance alongside a small but powerful team of teachers, including hip-hop instructor Kaytlain, creative dance and jazz teacher Coach T (Tatanya), plus ballet and teen jazz instructor Edeanna. And Rodriguez-Funez’s mother Sandi, who moved back to Northern Nevada, now teaches and supports her daughter’s studio.

“If it wasn’t for my mom, I wouldn’t be in any of this,” Rodriguez-Funez stated. “She always told me, ‘You have a gift for this, this is what you’re made for,’ and she never let me quit.”

Vertical Dance offers a wide variety of classes including jazz, tap, ballet, acrobat, creative dance and musical theater. With students ranging in age from three all the way up to 73, there is truly something for everyone. They also have a competition dance team, currently supporting nearly 30 dancers. Competitors can do group numbers, solos and duos and the team attends competitions in Carson City, Reno, Lake Tahoe, Las Vegas and they have plans for a Sacramento competition this year.

“We try to keep it very based on group effort, you know, it needs to be about the group instead of just about themselves,” Rodriguez-Funez explained. “I want the kids to know it’s not just about the competition; it’s about the memories you make with it and it’s about standing up for what you believe in … and it gives them confidence when they get older.”

That philosophy of connection and personal growth is woven into everything at the studio. From the way new dancers are welcomed into class to how routines are choreographed using meaningful music, there is a deeper purpose behind every plié and pirouette.

Rodriguez-Funez has seen the impact of dance from every angle—as a student, teacher, competitor and dance mom. All three of her children dance at the studio, including her middle son who did not start until he was 12.

“I get these kids from five all the way up to teenagers and knowing the impact that I have on their lives in the future, I just hope it’s a positive impact for them and they can always come to me,” Rodriguez-Funez said.

The studio starts enrolling for the 2025-2026 season Aug 14-16 from 4-6 p.m. each day, with classes beginning Aug 18. New this year are expanded ballet offerings, acrobrat classes and classes for younger kids. The studio also hopes to participate in Dayton Valley Days, bringing their energy and talent to the community stage. It is just one more way Rodriguez-Funez and her dancers continue to connect with Dayton, where the studio has already made a lasting impression.

“When you have someone that you have no idea who they are come up to you and say, ‘you’re great’, or ‘your emotion for this lyrical touched my heart’, that’s what really got me when I was that age – it wasn’t the winning, it was how I impacted other people,” Rodriguez-Funez explained.

For registration forms, schedule, fees and general information about Vertical Dance, visit verticaldancenv.weebly.com. First class is free for kids. Follow Vertical Dance on Facebook for class and competition updates.