Terri Burns, an Orlando, Florida native, began dancing at the age of four. In the early 1970s, her mother enrolled Terri and her siblings in the Orlando School of Black Performing Arts, where they were introduced to various dance styles including ballet, hip-hop, jazz, African, tap, modern, and creative dance.

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In the late 1970s, Terri's mother formed a dance group with her and her siblings called the Non-Stop Express Dancers. This group traveled and won numerous dance competitions, and they also performed on the Ted Mac Show. Eventually, they became weekly performers on a televised show called the Rock-n-Roll Sundance Show.

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After graduating from Jones High School in 1983, Terri further honed her dance skills by enrolling in the Performing Arts Program at Valencia Community College. She continued her dance education through various programs and shows sponsored by the college.

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In 1997, Terri founded the Standing Ovation Talent Group, Inc. (SOTG), which broadened dance education by offering classes in ballet, jazz, hip-hop, tap, African dance, tumbling, lyrical, musical theater, modern, and creative dance. Over the years, Terri Burns and SOTG have achieved significant milestones, including performing on the Bobby Jones Gospel Show in Las Vegas and participating in the Chocolate Nutcracker, where Terri choreographed the "Gospel" scene and designed its costumes based on her extensive dance knowledge. SOTG has also won numerous awards in competitions such as Showstoppers, Star Quest, and the Cunningham Dance Competition, with Terri Burns herself winning 1st Place Overall in her solo category. Demonstrating her versatility, Terri also acted in the stage play "I've Got Something to Praise God for" as Aunt Lillie Mae.

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Since 1998, Terri has produced annual dance productions with SOTG. In 2000, she enriched her dance productions by including male dancers alongside female dancers, as well as young girls and boys. Terri has also taught dance to preschoolers at The Good Samaritan Preschool and choreographed for the Rosettes of the Spring Phi Delta Sorority, Inc., Alpha Phi Chapter. Additionally, she serves as a dance instructor/teacher for the "Breaking Down the Walls" workshop.

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In 2002, Terri Burns was appointed Dance Director for Saint Mark A.M.E. Church.

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In 2010, Terri received The Distinguished Service Award from the City of Orlando, presented by Mayor Buddy Dyer and Commissioner Samuel B. Ings of District 6.

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Terri and her husband Stoney have been married for 32 years and have two sons and four grandchildren.