Victoria Luella Lloyd

Known fondly as “Miss Vicky”, Vicky Lloyd leaves behind her beloved community of families that grew up at the Centre of Movement School. Her legacy is her role model as artistic director, teacher, neighbor, and friend.

Portland- Victoria Luella (née Coster) Lloyd, known in the community as Vicky or “Miss Vicky”, passed away on Sunday, July 24, 2022.  Following a period of illness, Vicky passed away peacefully in Portland, at the home of her daughter with family at her side. In the days leading up to her death, she was lovingly surrounded by her family and close friends.

Vicky was born on May 19,1941, in Sacramento, California, the only child of Oril Rose (Dodge) and Granville B. Coster. She attended public and parochial schools in Sacramento, graduating from C.K. McClatchy High School, and then attended Sacramento College, where she studied philosophy. 

At the age of 8 Vicky began studying dance. She took quickly to dance, excelling, adding genres to her studies, and coming to study with renowned teachers. By age 13, she entered professional musical theater as an apprentice with Broadway at Music Circus, where she would later earn her Actors’ Equity card. When she was 15, while still at Music Circus, Vicky became the first local dancer accepted into the Sacramento Ballet Company.

Vicky married and left the stage to focus her energies on home and family. However, before too long, the call of the music beckoned her back to her first and most enduring love, dance - this time as a teacher. In 1968, Vicky opened her first dance school by converting her garage into a studio, where she could work from home, while parenting her young children. In 1971, Vicky and family moved to Ellsworth, A.F.B., South Dakota, where Vicky then opened a professional studio that she called Vicky’s School of Dance, which grew and evolved into Vicky’s School of Dance ~the Centre of Movement.

With another family move several years later to Maine, Vicky opened The Centre of Movement, School of Performing Arts in 1978, and it took root in the heart of Gorham. With Vicky as the owner and artistic director the school thrived, took new form, and expanded. The Centre of Movement, School of Performing Arts operated for over 40 years in Gorham village, with satellite studios and programs in many surrounding towns, the most recent of those in Limington. During this time, many students went on to become professional dancers, singers, actors, choreographers, and teachers of the arts.

It was for much more than excellence in teaching that Vicky became known and appreciated. The unique and big-hearted way that Vicky cared for people endeared her to the community. She continually stepped up to lend a helping hand when needed, and to give back to her community through civic and philanthropic activities.

Vicky is survived by her daughter Jenifer A. Lloyd of Portland, Maine, and son Louis R. “Randy” Morton, of Fryeberg. “Grammy” Vicky is survived by 5 grandchildren Graham B. Lloyd, and wife Brooke, of Portland; Avery Lloyd Galarraga, and fiancé Kayla Meijer, of Scarborough; Nicole DeVries (née Fitzgerald) and husband Ryan; Edward Joseph “EJ” Morton, and wife Savannah, all of North Waterboro; and Andrew Morton, and fiancé Misty Sanborn, of Fryeberg; and 7 great-grandchildren Natahli; Gabreil; Rolando; Finley; Jedediah; Colten; and Carlos. Vicky was blessed to have all of her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren living locally as of recent.

Vicky’s family has established a small charitable fund, the Miss Vicky Fund, to continue what they saw as her life’s work: promoting the arts, supporting children and their families, and enriching the lives of special needs individuals. In lieu of flowers, it is asked that individuals consider a contribution to the Miss Vicky Fund at missvickyfund.org, or make a contribution to their preferred charity in Vicky’s name.

A celebration of Vicky’s life will be held in the near future, notice will be shared via the Facebook page, at cmdans.org, and through word of mouth.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Victoria Luella Lloyd, please visit our floral store.