Miss Gretchen Stanton grew up in Chicago and moved to Memphis as a young girl. She was enrolled in a classical ballet academy at the age of two because her grandmother was a dancer. She moved on to a ballet company in high school and began participating in musicals as well. Gretchen is a graduate of Webster University and holds a BFA in dance.  She has trained and performed with the Tennessee Ballet Company, The Memphis Ballet Company, and the Nashville Ballet. In the St. Louis area, Gretchen has performed with MADCO and in several shows at Stages St. Louis as well as numerous industrials in and around the city. She is the director of the RJ's Ellisville award-winning competition team and loves competition season! One of her favorite parts of teaching is watching students grow at our studios from minis to seniors- that progression. "I also believe that teachers have to give respect in order to get it. My hope is that my students feel safe in my class and feel encouraged to try new things and push themselves to be their best." She is also on faculty at Webster University teaching jazz in the dance department. When she is not at the studio, she is spending time at home with her husband, two kids, and two bonus kids. She spends a lot of time being a baseball mom to her son, Walker. Daughter, Mary Grace, is currently teaching at RJ's as well!​