Company Owner

Ashley has resided in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan for 14 years. She attended Lake Superior State University, where she received a Bachelors Degree in Law Enforcement. After college, Ashley worked as a social worker in the fields of child abuse and neglect and substance abuse recovery. Later, she continued her career as an Administrator and Executive Consultant in federally accrediting Home Health agencies.  ASAO is now her full time occupation! When not in the dance room, she is working on staff organization and training, billing, curriculum development, choreography, event coordination, customer relations, community outreach, media design, and studio building management. 

ASAO was started in 2017  by Ashley with Darryl Bowerman II as an avenue for teaching dance lessons to adults in the Eastern Upper Peninsula. With Darryl's disc jockey experience and Ashley's love of organization, adding event planning and coordination services just seemed to fit under the name "All Styles, All Occasions." 

As the events grew, and the classes filled, it was time to expand into teaching all ages and abilities. ASAO offered classes in a variety of recreational styles in Hessel, Pickford, and Sault Ste. Marie. Exponential growth at pop up locations led to finding the perfect space to settle into, which was made possible by Les & Kelli Townsend, Island Books & Crafts owners, of Sault Ste. Marie in 2018. This was when the ASAO Elite Performers: Community Performance Troupe started booking gigs in the area! 

In 2019, Dance Convention Attendance, Competitive Dance, and Work Study were added for dancers. In 2020, ASAO started online dance wear sales, personalized dance shoe fittings, and classes were moved to hybrid format with a Dancer Portal and access to Zoom lessons at any time. 

Ashley expanded the company again in 2021 with out of state staff training and enough students to hire independent teachers! The Boutique expanded with lots of studio merchandise and teachers gained a variety of new curriculum resources from around the world. 

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 Ashley has taken recreational dance classes for 27 years, most from mentors Dede DeCamp, Lindsay DeCamp, Sandra Brewer, Melanie Eashoo, Kara Hajak-Meier, and Heather Coleman. Her training is largely in Ceccetti technique, with additional training and certification from Marie Walton-Mahon's Progressing Ballet Technique and CLI Studios Studio Partnership Program. She danced competitively for 10 years, attended 4 years of UDA camp and various dance conventions, as well as performed en pointe for 6 years. 

Ashley believes in using classical teaching methods, with heavy emphasis on safe body mechanics and dance theory. She is currently studying pedagogy and technical skill acquisition through the National Dance Education Organization's Online Professional Development Institute as well as the International Dance Teaching Standards Certification Program.  

Ashley's passion for teaching has led to extensive curriculum development, community education, and expansive opportunities for area dancers. Ashley currently teaches 22 weekly classes, a variety of private lessons, and special event classes for community groups.