how it all started
In 1943, Martha Douce started the Marion studio in her parent’s home teaching baton twirling to 15 students. While just a teenager, Martha studied ballet, tap, and jazz. In 1950, Martha married Joseph Maniaci and together they studied ballroom in New York City, and added this to their repertoire of dance.
After years and years of dance instruction to thousands of students, Marilyn, LuAnn, and Suzanne, their daughters, have carried on over five decades of dance to students including Miss Ohio representatives to the Miss America Pageant, major college drum majors, cheerleaders, and performers on Broadway to name a few of their students’ accomplishments.
Since being founded in 1943, Douce Dance Studios has become well known throughout the State of Ohio and today there are Douce Dance Studios in Marion, Cincinnati, Bucyrus, Galion, Mt. Gilead and Waldo.
Joe & Martha (Douce) Maniaci