The New Tampa Dance Theatre Is Celebrating 30 Years Of Success! 

The New Tampa Dance Theatre, located on Cross Creek Blvd. (across from the Heritage Isles community), has been providing dancers of all ages in the New Tampa & Wesley Chapel area with professional instruction in many different dance disciplines. (All photos provided by Dyane Elkins IronWing) 

For 30 remarkable years, the New Tampa Dance Theatre (NTDT) on Cross Creek Blvd. (across from the Heritage Isles community) has been a beacon of joy and artistic excellence, nurturing young dancers and helping them discover the transformative power of dance. Whether their students come with dreams of performing on the world’s grandest stages or simply to experience the joy of movement, NTDT is proud to offer a world class, professional and versatile program experience that is truly unmatched in the Tampa Bay area. 

NTDT is the largest professional dance training facility in the New Tampa/Wesley Chapel area. Owner and Artistic Director Dyane Elkins IronWing is in her 30th season of creating dance memories and futures for her students, many of whom have gone on to study dance in college and/ or dance professionally. 

“As always, I’m beyond proud of our students,” says Elkins IronWing. “Our dancers become excellent college students, with their impressive time-management skills, perseverance, and creative thinking. As we kick off our 30th Anniversary Celebration, we plan to continue giving back to our community with the ‘Pay It Forward’ program and offering all new students $25 per month tuition for every class!” 

Growth Was Inevitable 

With the bigger location built in 2006, eleven years after NTDT first opened, Elkins IronWing was off and running, offering smaller class sizes and larger, more varied schedules. 

She says NTDT has an even larger pool of students today, with the ongoing explosive growth in Wesley Chapel, as well as in New Tampa. 

“Our name might say New Tampa,” she says, “but our location is much closer to Wesley Chapel than one might assume. We are extremely convenient to all of the current growth (there). Wesley Chapel families are shocked when they discover just how close we are and excited about how quickly they can drive to our facility.” 

Not Just For Future Pros! 

NTDT caters to both the recreational dance lover (even adults) as well as the devoted pre-professional — and every level in between. The school’s leveled curriculum offers multiple art forms for students to explore. Through personalized attention and professional expertise, NTDT’s professional faculty strives to provide a positive educational experience. 

Children ages 3-4 can participate in the school’s Early Childhood Program, ages 5-8 can take part in the Children’s Program and ages 9-18 are invited to join NTDT’s Youth Program. 

In addition to classical ballet training, NTDT also offers full programs in creative movement, modern, jazz, tap and hip-hop. 

Each program has its own directors and specific syllabuses guiding students in a structured manner through their studies. 

The facilities at NTDT are as top notch as the instructors, and include maple flooring for the tap classes, 20-25-ft.-tall mirrored walls, student locker rooms and a large studio space that can accommodate up to 200 people. 

Sprung floors provide shock absorption to protect the dancers’ joints and an on-site physical therapist ensures the health of the dancers. NTDT also features a café for a break, meal, or homework. 

World-Class Credentials 

NTDT has developed a reputation for creating strong, professional dancers with alumni who have moved on to highly respected dance companies, Broadway productions, national tours, and the Walt Disney Company. 

Because NTDT students learn to be proficient in multiple art forms, they have an edge in the competitive world of dance and many of them have been accepted into prestigious summer intensive programs, including the School of American Ballet and American Ballet Theater in New York City, The Harid Conservatory in Boca Raton, the Joffrey Ballet in Chicago, Cincinnati Ballet and the Boston Ballet. 

“Reflecting on 30 years in our community, it’s beyond words the gratitude and love I have for the amazing people who have been a part of our dance programs and family,” says Elkins IronWing. 

One local former student certainly agrees with that assessment. “I credit all of my success as a professional dancer to the foundational training I received at NTDT from ages 6-18,” says Victoria DeRenzo, who today is a professional dancer and choreographer who has toured internationally in 28 countries on four continents, most notably with the renowned Pilobolus Dance Theatre in Washington Depot, CT. 

“I loved every second of my experience growing up there,” DeRenzo adds, “but I had no idea how spoiled I was until I graduated. Not many people receive a top-notch dance education in multiple artforms during their lifetimes, let alone at the age of 6.” 

If a student doesn’t choose to pursue a career in dance after high school, they can still reach a level of artistry to be accepted into many college dance programs, says Elkins IronWing. 

“Believing in yourself, respecting the process of working towards a goal, and having a well-rounded dance education give our students the tools and confidence to continue discovering new passions throughout their lifetimes,” she says. 

Participating In Productions 

All students have the opportunity to perform in NTDT’s “Spring Production” and — through the studio’s nonprofit partner, the Dance Theatre of Tampa (DTT) — in the winter production of “The Nutcracker (photo below)” as well as the “Summer Concert Series,” held in June at the USF Tampa campus. 

DTT provides more than 300 free tickets to NTDT’s corporate sponsors, local community supporters, alumni members and students. 

New Tampa residents Brian and Trisha Mangan enrolled their daughters Mattie and Mikayla at any early age with NTDT. 

“What began as tentative steps has blossomed into a journey of incredible growth, thanks to the dedicated and caring instructors,” Trisha says. “NTDT has not only shaped them into skilled dancers, but into confident and determined young women embodying the values of hard work and perseverance — attributes that extend far beyond the dance studio.” 

Every holiday season, Elkins IronWing says local residents look forward to the community’s largest and longest-running interpretation of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s classic ballet, “The Nutcracker,” now in its 25th DTT Anniversary season. This year, “The Nutcracker” will be performed Friday-Sunday, December 20-22, at the USF Tampa College of Arts Theater 1. 

Prior to the on-stage performances at USF, DTT also will again perform “The Nutcracker Suite” on Saturday & Sunday, December 7-8, at 6, 7 & 8 p.m., at The Shops at Wiregrass. 

“It’s all about the children at NTDT, always has been and always will be,” Elkins IronWing says. “We are a company that enables children to succeed. The key is setting high expectations, all while having fun and building self-confidence. With this 30th Anniversary celebration season ahead of us, we would like to thank all of our trusting and loyal families over the years and organizations that continually support our vision. Without their recognition and time, NTDT wouldn’t be the magical place it has become!” 

The New Tampa Dance Theatre offers year-round free trial classes for prospective dancers of all ages. To tour the facility or to rent it for a meeting, party or function, visit NTDT at 10701 Cross Creek Blvd. For more information and to check out the exciting lineup of Fall 2024 classes, visit NewTampaDanceTheatre.com or call (813) 994-NTDT (6838). You also can follow NTDT on Facebook and Instagram at “New Tampa Dance Theatre.”

University Boba Tea House Coming To Palms Connection! 

Although it appears to be primarily catering to the USF crowd, the University Boba Tea House, located at 2828 E. Bearss Ave. (just west of BBD Blvd.), in the Palms Connection plaza, looks to be a pretty cool place. 

I stumbled upon this still-under-construction tea room when I went to see if anything had yet been announced coming to the other empty spaces that formerly housed Woodfired Pizza, Bearss Tavern & Tap and Mint Cocktail Club, but no such luck, at least not yet. 

A quick search of the UniversityBobaTeaHouseTampa.com website reveals that not only will the new tea house offer 40 different types and flavors of hot and iced teas, as well as coffee, it also will feature a USF student art gallery and different activities every night, from trivia on Tuesdays, karaoke on Thursdays, Open Mic Night on Fridays and Band Night on Saturdays. 

Although the exterior signage is already nicely done, a photo taken on Aug. 31 still showed a dirt floor inside, but we’ll keep you posted. — GN. 

Dummy Crabby Opens Third Location In Tampa Palms & More 

The former location of Super Hot Asian & BBQ and Fushia Asian Bistro before that in the Shoppes at Amberly plaza in Tampa Palms is now the third location of Dummy Crabby, which has been a success in the Wesley Chapel Village Market since it opened a few months ago. 

Back in June, we told you about a new restaurant that opened in the Wesley Chapel Village Market on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. at S.R. 54. 

That was the second location of Dummy Crabby, which has already developed a cult following of sorts for anyone who loves fresh seafood in those boil-in bags, especially the buy-one-pound-get-the-second-pound-for-free offer on snow crab legs. 

You get 1 lb. of snow crab free when you buy a lb. at the regular price of just $30.95. Dummy Crabby III also serves crisp sweet potato fries, ice cold beer & more. 

The original Dummy Crabby is located on W. Hillsborough Ave. in Tampa, but there is now a Dummy Crabby III, located in the space at 15317 Amberly Dr. previously occupied by Super Hot Asian & BBQ and by Fushia Asian Bistro before that in the Shoppes at Amberly plaza in Tampa Palms. 

Like the other links in this growing local chain, the newest Dummy Crabby also offers everything from clams, crawfish, scallops, black and green mussels, shrimp and even lobster tails and king crab legs in their seafood boils., all served with corn on the cob and potatoes. There also is a huge selection of lunch specials and combination meals, daily specials and raw and steamed oysters and wings. “Appetizers” include fried catfish, shrimp, scallops and oysters, three kinds of fries (French, Cajun and sweet potato), as well as a crab cake appetizer, mozzarella sticks and more. 

And, in addition to soft drinks, there’s also a variety of bottled beers offered. 

Dummy Crabby III is open every day from 11 a.m.-11 p.m. (until midnight on Thursdays). For more information, call (813) 447-4465 or visit DummyCrabby.com and tell them that the New Tampa Neighborhood News sent you!. 

Shake-A-Salad To Take Over For Island Fin Poké Co.? 

In other news, the owners of Shake-A-Salad, the popular salad eatery at the KRATE at The Grove container park in Wesley Chapel, have announced that they are reviewing a lease for the space at 6417 E. County Line Rd. (at BBD) that previously was occupied by Island Fin Poké Co., in the Winn-Dixie-anchored plaza. 

We mentioned before that a popular KRATE might be coming to the Island Fin space, but we couldn’t elaborate because it wasn’t a done deal or announced by the Shake-A-Salad owners (who also have a location on Little Rd. in New Port Richey)…until this recent Facebook post: 

“We would love to hear additional feedback from our neighbors in the Chapel and New Tampa, as well as from members of the LA Fitness next door on whether we would be welcomed in this area.” 

For more info, call (813) 501-8340 or visit ShakeASaladFL.com. — GN 

Mixed Bag Of Results For New Tampa Candidates In The August 20 Primary Election 

Electioneering at the New Tampa Regional Library on Primary Election Day (Aug. 20), were (above) County Commission candidate Jim Davison (with daughter Allie), Dist. 67 Florida House candidate Rico Smith (below right) and Pebble Creek activist Leslie Green and her husband, Dr. Mike Green (below left). 

On Aug. 19, the day before the Primary Election throughout Florida, New Tampa resident Dr. Jim Davison told me that he felt he had run his best campaign yet — and believed that he would defeat Hillsborough County Fire Rescue Battalion Chief Chris Boles in his bid for the Republican nomination for countywide District 6, where incumbent Democrat Pat Kemp was leaving her seat to challenge for the U.S. Congressional seat held by Dist. 15 incumbent Laurel Lee. (Note – Rep. Lee easily earned the Republican nomination on Aug. 20 to face Kemp on Tuesday, November 5). 

“It’s in the hands of the voters,” Davison told me that day. “My fate is already sealed. But either way, I’m going to light a cigar, see what happens and be satisfied with what I’ve worked to accomplish this time around.” 

Unfortunately for Davison — who previously has run for both the County Commission (against current District 2 incumbent Ken Hagan; more on him below) and Tampa City Council (losing by 65 votes in a runoff election to now-two-term incumbent Luis Viera in Dist. 7) — it again wasn’t meant to be. Davison lost 59%-41% to Boles, who will now face Democratic Primary winner and former State Rep. Sean Shaw for the Dist. 6 seat in Nov. 

And, although he was a lot stronger in New Tampa’s 25 voting precincts (see chart below) — where he earned nearly 48% of the vote — than he was countywide, Davison still finished behind Boles on the local ballots, too, despite being a strong-voiced advocate for New Tampa at both City Council and County Commission meetings for more than two decades. 

Meanwhile, Hagan, the former New Tampa resident, easily defeated Melissa Nordbeck 78.2%-21.8% (Hagan was even stronger in New Tampa, where he earned 82.1% of the vote), and will face Democrat Patricia Alonzo in his attempt to keep alive his 22-year streak of serving either in District 2 or a countywide Commission seat — the longest tenure of any current Hillsborough commissioner. 

In one of the more contentious races last month, Tampa Palms resident and incumbent District 3 Hillsborough County School Board member Jessica Vaughn convincingly defeated Myosha Powell — 59%-41% — to retain her seat. Vaughn, who won nearly 63% of the vote in New Tampa’s 25 precincts, survived a number of nasty attack ads (including being called a Hamas terrorist) and Gov. Ron DeSantis’ endorsement of her opponent to retain her seat. 

“The race was unfortunately ugly and had me more concerned about my safety and my family’s safety,” Vaughn told me a few weeks before the election. “I’ll be relieved when it’s over either way.” 

In the other School Board race where New Tampa residents had a vote — District-wide Dist. 7 — incumbent and long-time former teacher Lynn Gray advanced to a November runoff against Karen Bendorf in that four-candidate race. Neither Gray (35.1%) nor Bendorf (30.3%) received close to the 50% + 1 vote needed to win the seat outright. In fact, if the rest of the county voted the same way New Tampa did, Bendorf would not have even advanced to the runoff, as third-place finisher Johnny Bush received more votes in our 25 precincts (24.1%-23.7%) than Bendorf did. 

Also winning handily in Aug. was New Tampa resident and former County Commissioner, State Rep. and State Sen. Victor Crist, who defeated Melony Williams with more than 68% of the vote (nearly 71% in New Tampa), to secure the Republican nomination for Clerk of the Court & Comptroller. Crist will face incumbent Clerk (and former School Board member) Cindy Stuart. Crist, who is still recovering from a serious car accident that occurred not long before the Primary, is far behind Stuart in fund raising, but he also is a well-known local name, so that Nov. race should be interesting. 

State & National Races 

Republican incumbent U.S. Senator and former Gov. Rick Scott faced little resistance from his Primary Election opponents Keith Gross and John Columbus, but his campaign against Democratic primary winner Debbie Mucarsel-Powell — a former U.S. Representative from Miami-Dade County, could be an interesting one with truly national implications, with the split in the Senate currently sitting at 50 (46 Democrats and four independents who either caucused or are considered to be with the Dems for committee purposes) to 49 Republicans, and one seat open. 

If Mucarsel-Powell (who easily defeated three opponents in Aug.) can flip that Senate seat in Nov. — and some recent polls do show her as being ahead by a few percentage points — the Democratic Party could retain control of the Upper House of Congress. Of course, a lot will depend upon the outcome of the Presidential election between former President Donald Trump and current Vice-President Kamala Harris and whether or not the winning candidate proves to have coattails that flip other seats in both houses. 

Meanwhile, U.S. Rep. Laurel Lee, who maintains an office in Tampa Palms, grabbed 72.5% of the vote (70.6% in New Tampa) to easily outdistance opponents James Judge (18.2%) and Jennifer Barbosa (9.3%) to face off against Kemp, who had to give up (due to term limits) the countywide Dist. 6 County Commission seat she has held since first being elected in 2016. Kemp, who also was an aide to current Dist. 14 U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor (when Castor served on the County Commission) and former U.S. Rep. Sara Romeo, has been a popular Hillsborough commissioner, but will also have to be able to earn votes from Republican-leaning areas like Wesley Chapel and parts of Polk County to unseat Rep. Lee, will have her work cut out for her. 

And, in the battle to face incumbent Democrat (and State House Minority Leader) Fentrice Driskell for her Dist. 67 Florida House seat in Nov., two New Tampa Republicans squared off — Dr. Lisette Bonano, who lost to Driskell in the 2022 election, and Rico Smith (who previously planned to run for the Dist. 6 Hillsborough Commission seat being given up by Kemp but who switched to vie for Driskell’s seat in January, after conferring with party leaders in Tallahassee). Smith, an engineer and a U.S. Air Force vet, defeated Bonano (a retired U.S. Army officer) 56.5%-43.5% in Aug. (57.5%-42.5% in New Tampa). But, according to TransparencyUSA.org, Smith was far behind Driskell in terms of fund-raising and will surely have his hands full trying to unseat this rising star in the Democratic party.

Judicial & Other Races 

One of the most closely-watched races in November will be between former twice-elected Hillsborough State Attorney Andrew Warren, the Democrat who was suspended from his seat (for allegedly not following his duties), and the Republican Gov. DeSantis replaced him with — Suzy Lopez. Warren easily dispatched Elizabeth Martinez Strauss on Aug. 20 (70.3%- 29.7%), so it remains to be seen if Warren can keep Lopez from winning a full term in Nov. 

There also were two judgeships up for election, including New Tampa resident Linette “Star” Brookins, who lost the County Court Judge Group 11 seat to Christine Edwards by 57.4%-42.6%, but who lost in New Tampa’s 25 precincts by less than 2% (50.9%-49.1%). 

Voter Turnout 

Whether it’s always been deserved or not, New Tampa’s voters have long been known in both the city and county for apathy and not showing up to vote — except for in Presidential Election years — but the Primary Election voter turnout countywide was 19.53% and New Tampa was barely behind that with 19.49%. 

When you consider that Pasco County as a whole — and the Wesley Chapel area, as well — had only about a 16% turnout, New Tampa didn’t fare too badly this time around and, with both a contentious Presidential election and a controversial county School Tax on the ballot, it may be possible for both the county and New Tampa to surpass the 2020 turnout of 76+%. 

Stitching Together A Unique Legacy — Meet Kathy Gillespie Of ‘Stitch Happens’ 

(Above) Kathy Gillespie of Stitch Happens can help you create unique Christmas stockings for your pets (right) and so much more. 
(All photos provided by Kathy Gillespie) 

Kathy Gillespie never imagined her life would take such a creative turn. She began her journey as a skilled seamstress, crafting parachutes with precision and care. Kathy explained that alongside her late husband, Rob Jones, she “co-owned Morpheus Technologies, a business that combined our passion for skydiving with the art of making parachutes.” Together, they built a life filled with adventure and hard work. “But, when Rob passed away,” Kathy says, “I found myself at a crossroads, uncertain about the future of the business.” 

As time went on, she began to feel the weight of her loss and the reality of aging. “I wasn’t sure,” she explains, “if I wanted to continue running Morpheus Technologies full time, especially since I knew I wouldn’t be jumping out of planes as often as before.” Little did she know that a new passion was just around the corner, waiting for her to take a different kind of leap. 

In 2011, the couple who owned the business that embroidered their parachutes had mentioned that they were thinking about retiring. The couple asked Kathy if she would be interested in purchasing the business. “This sparked many thoughts” Kathy says. “What if I took over the business and ventured into the world of embroidery?” It was a big decision, and it took her a year to think it through. But, in 2012, she decided to take the plunge and purchase the business. 

Kathy was now the proud owner of both Morpheus Technologies and a new company. 

“I wanted to give this new company a name that people would remember and smile,” she says. “I thought about it for a while and finally came up with the perfect name: ‘Stitch Happens.’” It is playful, catchy and a little bit cheeky, a perfect reflection of Kathy’s personality. 

Although Kathy still makes parachutes, Stitch Happens quickly became her focus. 

“The business offers more than just embroidery,” Kathy explains. “We also provide silk screening and a variety of other services.” She can make just about anything you can think of — shirts, hats, scrubs, personalized backpacks, pens, team uniforms, magnets, stickers and even dog collars. “If you can dream it, I can stitch it.” she says. 

Business Branding, Too 

One of Kathy’s favorite things about her work is helping companies promote their brands. “I especially enjoy working with the medical industry, creating custom scrubs for healthcare professionals,” she says. “Two of my clients are AdventHealth and Florida Medical Clinic.” 

When you see Kathy’s Jeep, you know some cool promotional items are being delivered. 

But, what really sets Stitch Happens apart from other companies is Kathy’s commitment to building personal relationships with customers. 

“I don’t just take orders,” Kathy says, “I collaborate with my clients, and help them refine their ideas and create the perfect design. My customers know they can count on me to be creative and add that special touch that makes their products stand out.” 

She recently created promotional items for Black Sheep Restaurant in Lutz, including shirts for the restaurant’s anniversary celebration. 

“Helping people grow their businesses through branding is something I find deeply rewarding,” she says “I love hearing back from them and knowing I was a part of their success story.” 

Building relationships with her customers is at the heart of Kathy’s business philosophy. She knows that even a small job can lead to bigger opportunities down the road. For example, she might start by creating a personalized item for a newborn baby and as the child grows, she continues to provide items like embroidered backpacks and school uniforms. 

“Over time, these small connections grow into lasting partnerships that I cherish,” she says. 

And, Kathy’s customers rave about her services, too, giving her a 4.8-out-of-5-star overall rating on Google. Here is just one of those raves: 

“We at Crown Insurance Group have been working with Kathy and Stitch Happens for over 5 years and she has yet to disappoint. The quality of her work and her attention to detail are second to none, but more importantly, Kathy brings a passion to her work and goes out of her way to ensure customer satisfaction. Stitch Happens has made polo shirts for the entire Crown Insurance Group team, dress shirts and ‘swag,’ including cups, koozies, magnets and table runners, just to name a few. Even when we have given her short timelines to work with, she delivers every time. We regularly receive compliments on everything that Stitch Happens has done for us. So much so, that we refer Stitch Happens constantly and everyone raves about Kathy and Stitch Happens. Thank you!” — Manuel Saldana, agency principal, Crown Insurance Group, Inc. 

Pet Products & More 

Pets are a big part of many people’s lives and Kathy knows just how to make them look special, too. “I offer custom embroidery for dog collars,” she says, “and I create unique designs that pet owners love.” Some collars have playful sayings like, “If you find me, call my Mom,” complete with a phone number, while others simply display the pet’s name.” Kathy enjoys helping her customers come up with just the right words to make their pet’s collars one-of-a-kind. 

While Stitch Happens does have a website — StitchHappensPromo.com — Kathy says it’s more for inspiration than for shopping. Her site doesn’t have a shopping cart because she prefers to work directly with her customers. The website is a place where people can browse for ideas and once they know what they want, they can reach out to her. 

Kathy & Stitch Happens can turn simple items like book bags & backpacks into personalized keepsakes. 

“I take pride in finding the best prices for my customers.” she says, adding that she often searches for local businesses to source products, avoiding extra shipping costs whenever possible. 

The holiday season is a busy time for Kathy, especially when it comes to Christmas stockings. 

“These personalized items are always in high demand,” she says. “I enjoy creating festive designs that bring joy to my customers.” She’s also worked on more sentimental projects, like embroidering messages on quilts for military families. “These quilts often feature squares with special memories or messages,” explains Kathy, “creating a beautiful and lasting tribute to loved ones.” 

Weddings are another occasion where Kathy’s talents shine — from embroidered bathrobes for the wedding party to personalized ties with messages for the groom — Kathy helps couples add a personal touch to their big day. She can even stitch wedding dates and names inside bridal dresses, creating a hidden keepsake that brides can cherish forever. And, the possibilities don’t stop there, as Kathy’s embroidery has graced everything from menus to initials on glassware, making each wedding truly unique. 

In addition to her work with Stitch Happens, Kathy also is an active member of the Main Street Zephyrhills group which organizes events and fund raisers. She has created logos for the group and enjoys giving back to her community. Kathy also has embroidered golf towels and created logos for golf tournaments that support underprivileged children. 

Kathy’s motto is “Making Stitch Happen Since 2012.” This sums up her journey perfectly, as she took a leap of faith by leaving behind the parachutes she once made to create something for an entirely new adventure. Kathy Gillespie has built a business that’s more than just a place to get something stitched. It’s a business where relationships are woven together one stitch at a time. 

For more information, call Kathy Gillespie of Stitch Happens at (813) 679-9355 or email her at StitchHappensKat@gmail.com.