Our Directors
Beverly Sumner & Meg Peak​
Co-directors of The Junior Assembly of Gastonia, N. C., teaching etiquette and dance to fourth, fifth , sixth, seventh, and eighth grade students.
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​Beverly is past president of the Gastonia Debutante Club, past president of the First Presbyterian Church Women, a Deacon and an Elder at First Presbyterian Church and a member of the Junior League of Gaston County. She is on the Membership Committee for Gaston Country Club. She is a graduate of the College of Charleston and taught English at Ashbrook High School for thirteen years. She has been active in the social, business, educational, and religious community for over 30 years and have taught etiquette to private city clubs and country clubs in North Carolina- as well as Gaston College. She is married to Bobby Sumner and has four married children and thirteen grandchildren! Beverly is currently substituting in Charleston, SC.
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Meg is a second grade school teacher at Gaston Day School. She is married to Hunter Peak and has two children.
The Original Founders
Ellen Maxwell & Beverly Sumner
Directed together until the end of the 2024-2025 Season​
Our Instructors
Dennis Ritchie
Dennis started dancing when he was 17 years old. He began teaching for Grose School of Dance in Charlotte shortly thereafter. He has been teaching cotillions for 40 years and has taught Junior Assembly in Gastonia for 28 years. Dennis’ professional career started at Carowinds and quickly led him to Las Vegas, Atlantic City and dancing with Dick Van Dyke on television specials. He has choreographed and performed in shows throughout the Southeast for 35 years.
Dennis and Ellen were proud to raise money for The Boys and Girls Club of Greater Gaston and came in second place in Dancing for the Future Stars 2016.
