The Fossemalle family
Tap right into Fossemalle Dance Studio, located at 3595 Numancia St. in Santa Ynez. Call (805) 688-8494 for information about dance classes or visit fossemalledancestudio.com.
Sarah Longoria has spent much of her life in a dance studio. Growing up in Solvang, she remembers putting on a pink petal-sleeved leotard for the first time and then reveling in her excitement when she was promoted to the more professional black costume.
“Receiving our certificates at the end of each school year was very memorable, and it was particularly exciting if you found out that you were promoted to a higher level for the next year,” Longoria said in an email interview with the Sun.
Those memories and many more were made at the Fossemalle Dance Studio in Santa Ynez, where Longoria danced from age 4 to 17 as part of the company’s first class of students. Now, after living away for many years, Longoria is back.
The dancer returned to teach at the studio alongside her original instructor and the company’s founder, Christine Fossemalle, who celebrated her 40th year of business last season. Longoria leads adult classes, beginner and advanced ballet, and rhythm lessons for 4- and 5-year-olds. She arrived just in time for a couple of big moments.
‘We stayed in touch all along. … Whenever she was coming back to the valley, we would see each other.’
—Christine Fossemalle, Fossemalle Dance Studio owner
Select dancers from Fossemalle Dance Studio perform for community events and put on an annual recital every summer. Most recently, the group wrapped up its Danish Days routine and is now preparing choreography for holiday numbers.
“Right now, I’m really looking forward to choreographing for the Christmas performances,” Longoria said.
Last December, she came back to teach a class for Fossemalle. Then, Longoria assisted with stage management for a summer performance and asked Fossemalle about returning permanently.
“I hadn’t been teaching for a while, but I kept having dreams that I was teaching and rehearsing for performances, and I was missing the valley, so I decided to reach out to Miss Christine,” Longoria said. “I love that it’s kind of a small studio, and the students and families were all so wonderful to work with. I felt like I belonged here, and so I decided to come back and work as a regular teacher.”
Before her return, she directed her own nonprofit ballet company in Salt Lake City and taught various classes in Utah. She’d earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in ballet at the University of Utah, even studying African dance abroad at the University of Cape Town for one semester.
Longoria enjoyed staying in touch with Fossemalle throughout her career because she knew her former teacher would love the fact that she continued professionally.
At the Santa Ynez studio, the young dancer internalized the ballet basics, a philosophy that its namesake prioritizes. Longoria said she learned muscle memory in her early training that pops up in her dancing and choreographing.
“Miss Christine is a good teacher because she has high expectations, but she also appreciates it when her students are having fun and being themselves as well,” Longoria said.
Even in the early days, Fossemalle said she could see Longoria’s enthusiasm for being onstage. As the studio founder remembers it, Longoria never missed a class.
“It’s hard work physically to teach day in and day out for 40 years,” Fossemalle told the Sun. “But when you see a youngster like Miss Sarah blossom and end up being such an amazing dancer, that’s just what kept me going and keeps me going for so long.”
Running the dance company all these years has taken a toll, Fossemalle said. Having a former student take over some of the classes gives her peace of mind because she’s certain Longoria has the proper foundations.
“She knows everything she needs to know,” Fossemalle said. “All the things that I’ve done, you know, for 40 years, and she’s just following so well. It’s just amazing. I can’t say enough good things for her and my team overall.”
With an extra set of hands at the studio, adult students now have the option to take Longoria’s beginning ballet class on Thursday nights. The company hasn’t been able to offer it in “a very long time,” Fossemalle said.
“[Longoria] has the energy to teach as many classes as I used to teach,” Fossemalle said.
Another instructor, Sonia Ibarra, has been leading lyrical, jazz, hip-hop, and tap at Fossemalle’s studio for around 25 years, according to the owner.
“Miss Sonia and Miss Sarah were in the same original class from 40 years ago, so it’s just amazing. And it’s very heartwarming,” Fossemalle said.
Four additional instructors have their own classes every week, boosting the studio’s offerings to also include en pointe, rhythm, and ballet. All but one are graduates of the Santa Ynez program, and Fossemalle said she couldn’t keep the business running without them.
Dance and the community it weaves are meaningful to the group of teachers. They built bonds over the years, and the owner remembers inviting Longoria to guest teach classes while visiting her family after moving away.
“We stayed in touch all along,” Fossemalle said. “She did not disappear from my life for all these years, and all of a sudden, she’s coming back. Whenever she was coming back to the valley, we would see each other.”
Having Longoria back at Fossemalle Dance Studio is like a full-circle moment for each of them.
“There is no word that I can say to describe how amazing it is,” Fossemalle said. “I just feel it was meant to be.”
Reach Staff Writer Madison White at mwhite@santamariasun.com.
