Shellie Bliss Pearson: From Beauty Queen to Beloved Dance Teacher

In the late 1960s, Shellie Bliss was known across the valley as a striking young woman with both beauty and talent. Shellie was known for her stage presence, having starred in a lead role in Bye Bye Birdie at her school. Her charisma, talent, and poise helped her stand out among the contestants.

In 1967, at just 17 years old, she was crowned Magna’s July 4th Queen and also named second attendant to Miss Copper at the Salt Lake County Fair. The following year, in 1968, she earned the title of Miss Granger, a crown that cemented her place as one of the community’s most admired young women.

But Shellie’s story didn’t end with pageants—it was only beginning. A gifted dancer since childhood, she combined her natural grace with a passion for teaching. In 1970, while still in high school, she founded Shellie’s School of Dance in her mother’s basement, pushing back the living room couch and charging neighborhood kids fifty cents an hour for lessons. Over the next five decades, her small basement studio blossomed into a West Valley City institution, now serving hundreds of students each week with a team of instructors.

For more than 55 years, Shellie has dedicated her life to helping children and teens find joy, discipline, and confidence through dance. Her annual concerts, including the milestone 50th anniversary show “Dancing Through the Decades,” have become community traditions.

Beloved first as a beauty queen and later as a teacher, Shellie Bliss Pearson remains a treasured figure in West Valley City—a woman whose crowns may have faded, but whose impact on generations of dancers continues to shine.

In the late 1960s, Shellie Bliss was known across the valley as a striking young woman with both beauty and talent. Shellie was known for her stage presence, having starred in a lead role in Bye Bye Birdie at her school. Her charisma, talent, and poise helped her stand out among the contestants.

In 1967, at just 17 years old, she was crowned Magna’s July 4th Queen and also named second attendant to Miss Copper at the Salt Lake County Fair. The following year, in 1968, she earned the title of Miss Granger, a crown that cemented her place as one of the community’s most admired young women.

But Shellie’s story didn’t end with pageants—it was only beginning. A gifted dancer since childhood, she combined her natural grace with a passion for teaching. In 1970, while still in high school, she founded Shellie’s School of Dance in her mother’s basement, pushing back the living room couch and charging neighborhood kids fifty cents an hour for lessons. Over the next five decades, her small basement studio blossomed into a West Valley City institution, now serving hundreds of students each week with a team of instructors.

Shellie’s School of Dance

For more than 55 years, Shellie has dedicated her life to helping children and teens find joy, discipline, and confidence through dance. Her annual concerts, including the milestone 50th anniversary show “Dancing Through the Decades,” have become community traditions.

Beloved first as a beauty queen and later as a teacher, Shellie Bliss Pearson remains a treasured figure in West Valley City—a woman whose crowns may have faded, but whose impact on generations of dancers continues to shine.

From Miss Granger to Mentor: The Legacy of Shellie Bliss Pearson

Shellie’s School of Dance