Candace M. Murphy has over 30 years of dance experience. At the age of three, she was accepted into an elite New Orleans dance academy, McKenna Academy of Dance, where she remained until age 15. While under Ms. McKenna’s tutelage, Ms. Murphy studied all areas of dance, as well as gymnastics. During her tenure at the academy, she received a solid technical foundation, developed her love of dance and more importantly, teaching dance. This love has continued throughout her life and led to her becoming the youngest apprentice at the academy.

At 15, Ms. Murphy transferred to the New Orleans Academy of the Arts. While at the Academy, she expanded her knowledge base by studying African Dance. She continued at the Academy with apprenticing and competitive dance until her college years. Also, while at the Academy, she was also a high school cheerleader and was selected as the dance instructor/choreographer for several school competitions and intramural programs.

Further, Ms. Murphy expanded her knowledge base and attended Barbizon International where she studied modeling, acting, personal development, skin care and exercise. Her skills were first utilized as a model for local New Orleans Department Stores; and later, as a runway instructor for Nu Images Modeling Agency.

Another aspect of Ms. Murphy’s training is her completion of Barbizon International Program. At Barbizon, she studied modeling, acting, personal development, skin care and exercise. She utilized her skills as a department store/commercial model and also as a runway instructor for Nu Images Modeling Agency.

While in college, Ms. Murphy became a certified aerobics instructor and worked as a personal trainer, fitness coach and adult exercise instructor. Her responsibilities included designing exercise programs to assist adults in achieving their exercise and weight-loss goals. This work transitioned into her position as a strength and conditioning coach for schools in the New Orleans area. Additionally, her reputation led her to coach competitive cheerleading and to judge many try-outs and competitions throughout the region.

“Miss Candy,” as her students call her, received a B.A. in Secondary Education with concentrations in Speech, Drama and English. While in college, Candace had the pleasure of acting in various theatrical and musical productions, as well as learning the intricacies of staging and lighting.

Upon passing the National Teacher’s Exam, Candace relocated to Atlanta where she was afforded the opportunity to travel extensively throughout the United States, Europe and parts of the Pacific Rim.

After her extensive travels, she enrolled in >Loyola University Law School and returned to her passion of dancing while pursuing her law degree. She accepted a position with the TKD Dance Company whose focus was promoting the arts in urban schools and environments. This allowed her to expose inner-city children, to the cultural and artistic options available to them. Additionally, this company was also a permanent fixture at city-sponsored and VIP events. For several years, during this time, Ms. Murphy was a featured teacher with the National Praise Dance Convention which was held at Tulane University.

Later, she accepted a position with Saint Francis de Sales Catholic Church as their Praise Dance Coordinator and Youth Minister. In that role, she instructed, mentored and ministered to girls ranging from ages 3 to 20. Her groups at St. Francis de Sales received many accolades and performed in many venues and at many functions, including those on a national level. She continued in this capacity until she relocated to Texas.

Community Service has always been a cornerstone in Ms. Murphy’s life. While in Louisiana, she has chaired and worked with such events as: the “Christmas in July” homeless event; community dinners and fund-raisers, volunteering for the Catholic Youth Organization, and facilitating a weight loss and exercise program for overweight teens and adults through “First Place,” a Christian weight-loss program. In the Dallas-Fort Worth (Metroplex), Ms. Murphy has worked with such organizations as Girls, Inc., Kinsgley Place Assisted Living Facility, Holy Family School, and First Presbyterian Church.

Because of her service, Ms. Murphy has received distinguished honors from The City of New Orleans, Catholic Youth Organization (C.Y.O.), Knight’s of Peter Claver Ladies’ Auxiliary, and St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church. She was also named as one of the Top 25 Community Leaders by The New Orleans City Business Magazine because of her ongoing commitment to community service. One of her most selfless acts was volunteering to work with the victims of Hurricane Katrina, when she herself was also a victim of that natural disaster. She felt it would be better to take her mind off herself and focus on others who may not have been as fortunate as she.

Ms. Murphy started U Can-DANCE for those in the entire DFW area: including Dallas, Denton and Collin County areas including, but not limited to: McKinney, Allen, Frisco, Plano, Prosper, Denton, Melissa, and points to the North, South, East and West. Her concept was a different type of studio that focused on the technical development of the dancers, as well as the dancer’s overall well-being. She believes that dancing could increase academics and societal relationships and make dancers overall better students, as well as successful citizens. As such, she started U Can-DANCE. It is her belief that all dancers should be challenged to be the best that they can be whether they decide to be competitive or not.

In addition to running U Can-DANCE, Ms. Murphy is also a full-time attorney, licensed to practice in Texas and Louisiana. She is a member ofThe Murphy Law Firm which offers legal services in the areas of non-profit law and governance, family law, personal injury, and credit/consumer law.

Ms. Murphy is so excited about bringing something new and different to the community in which she lives and looks forward to the opportunity to share and educate you and your children at the “Mecca of the Performing Arts.”