Creative Expressions Dance Studio, Inc.
®
Meet Our Director
Sheila Miller-Graham
Founder and CEO, Director, Choreographer, and Instructor
Sheila Miller-Graham is the daughter the late J.W. and Nina Miller, wife of Rodney Graham, mother of a beautiful daughter Natasha Lyle (Toure' Lyle), and the proud grandmother of 3 handsome grandsons. She is a graduate of The University of Michigan - Ann Arbor where she earned her Bachelors of Fine Arts Degree in dance. Her post graduate studies include University of Kansas special education, Eastern Michigan University education certification studies, and Marygrove College teacher certification. Sheila is a founding member of the Flint Chapter of Pierians Inc., member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. Zeta Beta Omega Chapter, member of the NAACP Flint Chapter, and member of the National Sorority of Phi Delta Kappa Inc. Gamma Delta Chapter. Known for her outstanding work through teaching, dance, and the community; Phi Delta Kappa inducted Sheila into the Living Legends Women's Hall of Fame in 2004. Mrs. Graham began teaching at Mott Adult High School and continued teaching her art form at McCree Theater, Pontiac M.I. Recreation Center, Ann Arbor M.I. Recreation Center, Dukette Catholic Schools, and Flint Community Schools. Upon the closing of the McCree Theater department of dance, Sheila was commissioned to start dance classes for The Flint Department of Recreation and founded Creative Expressions Dance Studio.
Creative Expressions Dance Studio, Inc. was founded on September 6, 1982 by Mrs. Sheila Miller-Graham in Flint, Michigan. While starting with only 30 students, Mrs. Graham grew to nurture and educate over 8,000 students and parents through the arts for well over 41 years. Sheila serves as the founder/director of this illustrious studio where she is also an instructor and choreographer. Creative Expressions is one of "Flint's Best Kept Secrets" that has National Award - Winning Recognition in competition. In 1999, Sheila returned back to her Alma mater Flint Northwestern High School to teach dance in the Fine Arts Department and served as the Chair before her retirement in 2018. In addition, she was the Director of the Wildcats In Motion Dance Team, glee club choreographer, and choreographed for the Mighty Marching Wildcats Band's Majorettes and Color Guards. Grace Emmanuel Baptist Church is just another place where she serves as Director of the Fine Arts Ministry Dance Department and has for over 25 years. Sheila's motto for teaching is " My job is to teach you to take my job" which her students have done.
The relentless efforts by Mrs. Graham has helped to train students who have appeared in music videos, movies, national award shows, Apollo, Broadway, the Rockettes, and much more. Several of these students still teach dance today in some form of capacity and have went on to open dance studios and start dance companies of their own. Creative Expressions Dance Studio, Inc. of Flint MI, recognizes the needs for the underprivileged minority youth of the Flint area to improve their self-esteem. Therefore, we have set as our mission statement: to provide cultural enrichment and awareness through the arts in the community by providing a positive mental and physical creative outlet for children and youth, particularly minorities. Creative Expressions strives to provide dance as a lifelong talent, personal discipline, positive peer influence, role model, and respect for diverse cultures. CEDS will continue to fulfill its obligation by continuing to expose dancers to professional companies and instructors throughout the community. The goal of this institution is to offer an annual scholarship to student(s) who show a talent and a desire to advance in the art of dance.
At Creative Expressions we are passionate about producing dancers that are confident, innovative, compassionate, and well knowledgeable about each genre of dance. More importantly, CEDS prides itself on making a difference in the lives of each dancer as well as the lives of those who witness God's blessings as it unfolds through the art of dance.
"To Dance is to Live, To Live is to Dance"