The Edge School of the Arts (ESOTA) was founded in 1996 and modeled after the prominent Bernice Johnson Cultural Arts Center. That school, where all the Edge's trained, stood as a beacon of cultural and artistic excellence in Southeast Queens for almost 50 years and produced such talent as Ben Vereen, choreographers Michael Peters, Lester Wilson, and Camille A. Brown, actors Valarie Pettiford and Shaun Baker-Jones, R&B singer Ashanti, Creative Directors Kevin Iega Jeff, Obediah Wright, Roger Jeffrey and Brice D. Vick, and dancers Nasha Thomas and Leonard Meek to name a few. ESOTA co-owners Beverly, Donna, Wendy and Kerri struck out on their own on a mission to continue the legacy of their mentor and teacher Bernice Johnson. This year, ESOTA is celebrating is 23rd season! That's over 2 decades of dance in Laurelton, Queens. The school is family-owned, and operated by management and teachers with years of professional dance training and experience. ESOTA is also home of the award-winning children's dance company KECDE (The Kerri Edge Children's Dance Ensemble).
We offer classes in Ballet, Tap, African, Jazz, Modern, Hip Hop, Pointe, African Drum, and other specialty classes. We are also proud to announce another season of our Legacy Workshop Series with professionals and masters from the worlds of Broadway, commercial dance, concert dance, and many other genres, bringing their knowledge and experience to the children of Queens.
Contact us for further information about classes, bookings, lecture demos, private lessons, rental inquiries, and choreography for weddings, Sweet Sixteens, and other special events.