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For many local dance studios, fall means lots of little ones eager to take their first forays into the art of dance—usually ballet, tap or jazz. But interest from adults has grown in recent years, and instructors are embracing the challenges that come with the diverse expectations—and needs—of today’s adult dance students.
As a dance studio owner and a former performer, Alissa Bachand thinks about this daily. She feels compelled to respect the integrity of the traditional dance forms. But she is also a businesswoman who owns the Movement Box, 914 State Fair Blvd. There are currently about 25 adult dancers taking jazz and tap classes at her studio—a bright, busy space with a definite emphasis on community.
“People are starting to realize that dance is a healthy way to stay fit, without the monotony of the gym,” Bachand says. “There’s even evidence that memorizing dance steps helps with maintaining cognitive function. Your brain has to think differently. But, everyone is there for a different reason. Some are there for the art of it, and want something that’s more focused on technique. Others are there basically for a workout.”
Heather Sciara, falls somewhere in between. “I started dancing when I was 2 years old,” says the Cortland native, now 33. “I took every class I could.” When she moved to the Syracuse area several years ago, Sciara found the Movement Box and has since taken tap, jazz and now hip-hop lessons at the studio. She loves having a supportive environment in which she can continue to pursue her lifelong love of dance.
“I love dance as an art form,” Sciara says. “And I love that it’s an activity that I can do forever.”
Sciara has sampled most of the Movement Box’s adult classes, but her current favorite is tap. “It’s all about the rhythm,” she says.
Denise Bajish, 35, of Syracuse has taken jazz classes at the Movement Box for two years. She was initially motivated by her children’s participation, but now expects to continue for as long as she can. She plans to try a hip-hop class in the near future.
“I would recommend dance to any adult,” Bajish says. “If you can do something that’s this active and have the kind of fun we’re having, it’s great.”
Bachand warns students who are seeking quick physical transformations to go elsewhere. “I get calls from people who want to schedule a ballet class as a way to get toned. I tell them that ballet is about technique, and you don’t want to drift too far from that. Ballet is never a quick fix. It takes so many years to get the dancer’s body. Even with jazz, we still teach the importance of technique.”
Bachand says for most adults, the most difficult aspect of learning dance is allowing oneself to be completely open to the moment—and nothing else. “I tell them to turn off their brains and enjoy it. To me, that’s the most difficult thing to teach.”
Happy Feet
The Syracuse School of Dance, located in Erwin United Methodist Church, 920 Euclid Ave., has always supported the adult dancer, particularly those interested in the traditional forms of ballet, jazz and modern. Mary Pat D’Angelo, co-owner and artistic director of the school, notes that adults usually have a different approach than children, and it is important to respect those differences to keep adult dancers motivated.
“Years ago, our adult classes were jampacked,” says D’Angelo. “Now, the gyms are cutting in, but the people who do dance here know they are getting classes that are designed for them. Adults don’t want to just join in with a youth class; the adult classes are taught differently here and they appreciate that.”
D’Angelo says some of her students have been studying for years, and are serious about perfecting their technique. Others are happy to be trying it for the first time and just want to keep moving. Parents of the school’s youth participants sometimes get the bug, and decide to try a class for themselves.
“When you come to dance class, you can totally escape from what you’re coming from, be it work, kids, whatever,” says D’Angelo. “Those who are looking for something more up-tempo usually like the jazz, while the ballet is relaxing—they like the classical music and the focus.”
Not all adult dancers have aspirations of taking to the stage, but the opportunity is there. The Syracuse Contemporary Dance Company is based at the school, and some adults audition for its annual spring performance. The company currently includes dancers in their 40s and 50s, and the oldest member is 64. “As long as they can cut it, they can be in the company,” says D’Angelo.
The company performs annually at Onondaga County’s Mulroy Civic Center. “That’s kind of special,” D’Angelo says, “and some adults who never thought they would be interested in performing discover that they actually love being on stage.”
D’Angelo, who has been running the school with administrative director Patty Brundage for the past 28 years, does incorporate other dance styles into the schedule as demand and time permit. She also has offered more unusual options such as belly dance or line dance.
D’Angelo says the advantage of taking these classes through a dance studio, as opposed to a gym, is the attention the instructors can give to students’ individual needs. “It’s more personalized, and the classes are taught with a dancer’s perspective, and they know how to keep injuries down. Dancers are trained to reduce impact as needed to avoid injury.”
In return, D’Angelo says the adults bring a different kind of inspiration to the studio. She loves to see moms who perhaps danced as children, or maybe even performed regularly in their youth, come back to dance after they’ve started families. “It’s a great thing they can do that’s just for them,” D’Angelo notes.
Like Bachand, D’Angelo often struggles to balance her love for dance in its more traditional forms with the ever-increasing demand for hybrid, or improvised, dances. “The interest from shows like So You Think You Can Dance is great, but hybrid styles can take away from the traditional forms,” she says.
D’Angelo adds that even with jazz—derived from African American vernacular dance—many studios now offer a hybrid form, or a “mush” of various disciplines. Meanwhile, she stresses the clean, fluid expression popularized by influential Chicago choreographer, Gus Giordano.
No matter what brings them to the school, D’Angelo says her adult students appreciate this approach. “Real dance: That’s what they want. They work hard, and they leave feeling good about themselves: That’s what we want.”
On Their Toes
Syracuse City Ballet, Inc. (formerly known as Upstate New York Ballet) is another mainstay in dance instruction that tends to draw adults with a particular interest in technique. Director Kathleen Rathbun has run the studio—located in Robinson Memorial Presbyterian Church, 126 Terry Road, Westvale—for 22 years, and has adult students who have been studying with her for more than a decade, including one woman in her 80s.
Classes average in size between five and 10 students. Rathbun says one difference between teaching adults, as opposed to children, is their ability to settle in and focus on the task at hand. “They come in and they’re ready to go,” she says. “They’re so there. For instructors, it’s nice to have change of pace. There’s less competitiveness and a more supportive feeling in an adult class.”
Shannon Holmes, owner and artistic director of the Empire State Dance Center in Shoppingtown Mall, offers adult classes in tap and beginning ballet. She says adults who want to learn should not expect an easy ride. “We do a lot of barre work,” she says. “The adults love ballet because it is great for focusing on your core. Many women decide to do it for the precision movements and the stretching.”
And there is a good reason why traditional dances such as tap and ballet can accommodate groups with wide-ranging abilities. “They can learn the combinations at different speeds and they don’t have to feel bad if they miss a class,” says Holmes. “The basics stay the same.”
In addition to tap and ballet, Holmes has also offered yoga and cardio dance, which is a choreographed jazz hybrid. “They actually learn dance moves and building a routine, but they’re also keeping their heart rate up,” she says, adding that there is also growing interest in hip-hop. “We’re open to new ideas for classes. We want to keep up with what’s new.”
While some adults seem drawn to the serenity of ballet, there is also a consistent interest in adult tap. Marj Taylor of CMC Dance Company, 6091 Route 31, Cicero, says she can have as many as 20 adults involved in any given year. One member of the studio’s core group of adult participants is in her 80s.
“We have been offering adult classes for 15 years,” Taylor says. “In the past, we have offered jazz, too, but now it seems that tap has greater appeal. We get a lot of parents of our youth participants, and some danced as children and want to come back to it.”
Taylor believes that tap has particular appeal for those who assume that ballet would be too difficult. “Tap is not simple, but for adults, it’s probably less stressful than, say, trying to learn the piano,” Taylor says. “There is something about it where you can step away from it for awhile, then come in and pick it back up. Tap is like walking in that way. Some adults sign up together as a group of friends: It’s just a fun thing to try. Anyone can do a tap class, and it does appeal to some who don’t want to take a fitness class at the gym. There is more control over what you can do and cannot do.”
Taylor says tap is good for accommodating a group with a wide age range, too. “Jazz and ballet can be tough for adults who are new to dance,” she explains. “Tap is easily adaptable, and with taps you can hear if you’re doing something wrong.”
Many young couples feel compelled to take a ballroom dance class—or six—prior to their wedding day. There are many local options for those classes, such as the local YMCA branches. But Puttin’ on the Ritz, 5885 E. Circle Drive, Cicero, has options for those who want to continue learning social dance, be it jazz, swing or cha-cha—long after their big day. Lessons are offered in a group setting or privately.
Donna Natale O’Neil, director of the studio, says she currently has about eight regulars who take weekly one-hour classes. “There’s not too many, but there is something about social dancing: It’s remained popular,” she says. “Ever since shows like Dancing With the Stars came out, there has been more interest. I think it’s one of those things that will always appeal to some people.”
Feet First
Looking beyond the traditional disciplines, there is growing interest in classes that combine the precision of dance with the high energy of cardio-based gym workouts. Joe Yager, director of sport and fitness at the Jewish Community Center of Syracuse, 5655 Thompson Road, began offering urban ballet this past summer. The class combines the barre training of ballet—which promotes joint flexibility and muscle elongation—with higher tempo choreography.
“We offered it this summer and it was a pretty big hit,” Yager says. “So, we’re keeping it on our schedule. People like that it combines the grace of ballet with some high cardio flair. It’s great for toning, and when it’s fun, people want to exercise.”
The class is currently offered on Tuesdays from 5:30 to 6:30 pm. Yager says he expects the fall class to fill quickly, as there were typically 12 to 15 participants each week in the summer. The JCC also offers an adult tap dance class on Tuesdays from 6:30 to 9 p.m.
Central New York is also home to organizations that offer lessons in ethnic dance forms. The Syracuse International Folk Dancers has introductory classes in ethnic circle, line and couples dances from Greece, Bulgaria, Wales, Romania, Israel, Turkey and Hungary on Thursdays from 7 to 8 p.m. at the First Unitarian Universalist Church, 109 Waring Road. Groups of six or more can even set up their own class. Visit sifd.kbhavens.com for more information.
Those interested in country and contra dances—smooth, walking step
line dances derived from traditional English and early American
roots—can visit syracuse
countrydancers.org to learn more about instruction offered periodically
at the United Church of Fayetteville, 310 E. Genesee St. And the
Syracuse Swing Dance Society connects adults with lessons for a variety
of social dances, including less common ones such as the lindy,
jitterbug and hustle. Visit syrswingdance.org for more information.
Biboti Ouikahilo, a native of West Africa’s Ivory Coast who has performed all over the world, opened One Village Dance Center, 117 Harvard Place, three years ago. His goal remains sharing his enthusiasm for dance as a way to make connections and build community. The studio offers classes in West African dance, Berimbau (an Afro-Venezuelan/Brazilian dance), Kazoon (a form of modern African dance) and flamenco dance, as well as African drumming. His wife Jill, who grew up in Liverpool, helps teach the drum classes.
“In the dance studio, it’s like you’re family,” Ouikahilo says. “Connections are made through music and dance.”
For Ouikahilo, who performed and choreographed for the Ivory Coast National Ballet for nearly 20 years, opening One Village Dance Center was the fulfillment of a vision that took root back in 2003. While here for a performance at Syracuse University, Ouikahilo felt a connection. He had been living and teaching dance in New York City for several years, but something about the smaller, slower-paced Salt City made Ouikahilo feel like it was the right place to share his skills as an instructor and an ambassador of West Africa’s musical heritage. “It was my dream to do something to bring people together,” Ouikahilo says.
Currently, the adult classes at One Village Dance Center average from five to 15 participants. His location, in the heart of the Westcott Nation, is perfect for the types of dance he offers. He loves the cultural diversity and proximity to SU. Students often come in as drop-ins, taking a single class when they have time.
But he admits that it’s not easy to run an arts organization in the current economy. And, coming from one of the world’s cultural hotbeds, Ouikahilo has found it difficult to adapt to a community that can only support artistic pursuits if they are available after work hours, or on the weekends.
“In New York City, we would open at noon and be busy all day until 9,” he says. “Here, it’s really not worth having adult classes before 5.”
Still, Ouikahilo remains focused on the goal that drew him to Syracuse. His commitment to sharing the power of music and dance with people of all ages seems inexhaustible, and he sees the current offerings at One Village as just the beginning. “I want more,” he says. “I want this to be a place where people can learn dance from Russia, from Ireland. I want it to be a reference point for graduate students to learn {ethnic} dance. There is so much we can do.”
With so many options for learning new ways to dance, Central New
Yorkers of all ages and interests have no reason for idle feet this
fall. What better time than now to dust off the old boogie shoes, and
sign up for a class?
