As we celebrate The Dance Foundation’s 50th anniversary, we are reminded of the people we’ve danced with over the years, including some families with multiple generations in the studio.
One such story comes from Rebecca White, whose family’s journey in dance spans our five decades. Rebecca was part of our first classes when she was 3 years old, and her mother helped The Dance Foundation’s founder, Jennie Robertson, teach the class. Now, her 16-year-old daughter dances in our studio.
Rebecca recalls with fondness the playful beginnings of her early dance experiences:
“My mom helped Jennie teach one of the first classes at The Dance Foundation. I was very young, so I can’t remember much, but my mom remembers us running around waving scarves as we learned to move together and to the music. That really hit me because I can remember my daughter Abigail doing the exact same thing at The Dance Foundation when she was two and a half. Now, she is 16, and The Dance Foundation is her top priority outside of school. She has loved dancing these last 14 years and has no intention of giving it up, even though her soccer schedule is demanding.”
Rebecca feels she benefitted from her time at The Dance Foundation. She says her early love for dance translated into life skills that empowered her both on and off the stage:
“I’ve always loved dance and performance, and my time at The Dance Foundation has helped me throughout my life. I did a little musical theater in high school, and my background in dance helped me a lot. Learning to perform at The Dance Foundation gave me the ability to be on stage. When I’m in front of people or speaking in public, the skills I learned give me the confidence I need.”
The Dance Foundation’s approach differs from other studios because we don’t believe you must tear a person down to build up a dancer. This difference made a real impression on Rebecca.
“When I was older, I danced at other studios because of where I went to school. The other studios were so intense. I was in a class with a lot of older kids, and there was so much pressure that I stopped enjoying ballet. I didn’t want that for Abigail. She puts enough pressure on herself, and I wanted her to experience what I did at The Dance Foundation. She was a natural from the time she started. She just loves to dance and does all of it–modern, ballet, jazz, and ensemble. But even though it’s not competitive, it’s challenging. Abigail went through a time around age 13 when ballet seemed like a lot of work. But she stuck with it, and now she’s so glad she did.”
Our approach nurtures the joy of dance and a positive relationship between dancers and their teachers. It also fosters positive relationships among dancers.
“The Dance Foundation is more collaborative than other places. The teachers have always been fabulous. They’ve always been so kind and supportive of Abigail. And she has been friends with her whole class since she started. They’ve all grown up together and enjoy being around each other and creating together. Some of her closest friends have been dancing with her since she was 3. They still dance together even though they go to different schools. They support each other in doing their best rather than competing against each other.
Rebecca has also found connection through dance.
It’s really special when Abigail and I have the opportunity to dance together. I love it. I just have to be careful not to injure myself trying to keep up with her! I also took an adult tap class with a group of friends at The Dance Foundation last year. We loved it, but tap isn’t my forte, so I’m going to see if we can take a jazz class next time. Either way, it’s so nice to dance with my friends. And it’s great exercise. Abigail doesn’t feel the same if she’s not dancing. When she took two weeks off for Christmas, she said, ‘I can’t do this! I have to go out and run to burn off some energy!’”
In addition to the confidence, connection, and exercise dance provides, Rebecca values dance as a healthy form of expression. She believes dance provides a vital outlet many young people are missing today.
“Dance is a really healthy way to express yourself. It’s a way to get out your frustration from the day. And if they aren’t at an activity they enjoy, they will sit at home on their phones. But Abigail is experiencing the love and enjoyment of dance in a safe space. And I get to watch her dance.”
Conclusion
We thank Rebecca and Abigail White for their kind words and support for The Dance Foundation. Thank you for dancing with us over the last 50 years!
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Photo of Abigail and her mom, Rebecca
