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The Women's Page
Tales from the adult dance student avant garde

National Dance Champion, 40+
I never took dance class as kid, but was a singer and an actress. I was a cheerleader for many years, so I could move well. I did lots of musicals and dinner theatre and could usually fake my way through every dance audition I went to -- until five years ago.

The audition I went to required improvisation -- and I freaked. After all my years of stage experience, for the first time I totally choked. It was that experience that made me take the bull by the horns and start taking dance class.

The first year, I took an adult jazz class. At the recital -- my first, of course -- I was never so nervous in my whole life! But I got through it. The next year, my teacher had me do a jazz solo. Interestingly enough, at the recital, about a minute or so into the dance, I blanked -- but was able to improvise the next eight counts to get myself back on track. Even though I messed up, I was so proud of the fact that I was able to cover it up.

That same year I added tap class, and continued with both jazz and tap at the same studio for two more years, performing in recitals (in group numbers) for the remaining time I was there. But, I started to get bored because the other adult students weren't as serious about it as I was. They came pretty much for the social and exercise aspects. I wasn't learning enough, especially in tap, and I thought it was time to add ballet to my repertoire, while this studio didn't offer adult ballet.

My decision to change studios was the best one I ever made. The studio I dance for now, Broadway Bound Dance Academy in Media, Pennsylvania has a thriving adult population. Donna Ranalli, the studio owner (and my tap and jazz teacher) is just fantastic. She has some really well-seasoned adult dancers, and I was rather intimidated when I first came. But, both Donna and the other students have been very encouraging and inspirational. The studio also has an absolutely wonderful ballet teacher who teaches our adult class.

Our adult tap class danced in the Philadelphia Thanksgiving Day Parade, and I never worked so hard as I did to learn that routine! I felt like I had really accomplished something when I did that parade.

This year, I participated in competitions with all three of my adult classes in tap, jazz and ballet. And our tap class went on to win the National Championship in the I Love Dance Competition Forty-Plus(!) Division in NYC this past August. What a blast that was!

In addition to group recital numbers in tap, jazz, and ballet, I wound up doing a fourth number in our June show. Our tap teacher, Donna, had taken some master classes with Savion Glover and devised a routine in his style to the rap number "Let Me Clear My Throat." What a completely different experience this was after coming from the Broadway tap style. We all wore baggy jeans and t-shirts, and baseball caps. The audience went nuts on it!

Classes have started up again and our goal is to get to the Nationals in Las Vegas this year. My 9-year old daughter asked me if I was still going to dancing when I was 80! As long as I can move my legs I'll be dancing for the rest of my life.

I've never worked so hard for something as I have for dance, but I'm having an absolute blast (and at 40 years old, I feel that's a real accomplishment)! -- Janet