Date: Fri 29-Aug-1997

Publication: Bee

Author: SHANNO

Quick Words:

Dance-Etc-Davies-Reinhard

Full Text:

New Teachers & Classes This Fall At Dance, Etc.

(with cuts)

BY SHANNON HICKS

With the onset of fall in just a few weeks, public schools aren't the only

businesses getting ready for another school year. Dance studios around the

area are also gearing up for a new season of classes for all ages, including

Dance, Etc., a dance and gymnastics studio located on Mt. Pleasant Road in

Newtown.

Co-owner Linda Davies has added four new teachers to her line-up of talent

this fall, with one of the teachers bringing in a brand-new class to the

center. While school begins around the region within the next few weeks,

Dance, Etc will be implementing its new programs towards the end of September.

This is so that students and teachers do not feel overwhelmed by too much of a

new schedule all at once.

New to the school this year is a class for very young students - children ages

2« to 6 years old - called "Tunes `n' Tykes." Developed by Marcia Reinhard in

October 1992 and taking off across the country, "Tunes `n' Tykes" at Dance,

Etc will be taught by Mrs Reinhard herself.

The course is a musical singalong program for young children. Dance, Etc

co-owner Linda Davies feels "Tunes `n' Tykes" will add early music

appreciation to students.

"There have been a lot of articles on the fact that teaching little kids music

is really great," said Mrs Davies. "It helps them learn other things. It helps

in other subjects - in reading and math - to learn how to sing and play

instruments, which is why I want to bring it in."

Within the program, there is a sit-down music section, with nursery rhymes and

other music most children already know (or can learn fairly easily); a dance

and singing portion with tape-recorded music; and a portion with stuffed

animals and more singing.

The final segment of each lesson is a musical instrument portion, where Mrs

Reinhard plays show tunes or similar songs. During this, the children are

encouraged to follow along with rhythm instruments, such as tambourines,

maracas, cymbals and triangles.

"It's a wonderful program for kids," Mrs Reinhard said this week. "The kids

come away from the program with a greater appreciation for music and how it

can have an affect on their lives. These are little kids who have no idea of

music, except for a couple of nursery rhymes, when they get to me, and by the

time they leave, they're exposed to a whole lot more."

Mrs Reinhard developed "Tunes `n' Tykes" in 1992, with classes first meeting

in her home when she and her family were living in Bethel. The Interfaith

Early Learning Center in Danbury soon heard of Mrs Reinhard's class and

invited her to teach the class one day a week, while Mrs Reinhard was also

working a part-time job at Duracell.

In 1994, the Reinhard family moved to Michigan, which is when, Marcia says,

the program "really took off." While working with Kindercare in Michigan,

Marcia attended a regional meeting, where she presented her program to nearly

25 area directors. Just when the program was getting into a good groove -

Marcia received a number of calls from Kindercare directors, and ended up

teaching another seven classes - her family moved back to Connecticut, this

time into Newtown.

Marcia began offering her program in Connecticut again in April 1996, she has

been working with seven different schools. She was rehired at the Interfaith

Center, worked with TutorTime in Monroe during the 1996-97 school year, and

will begin her program at Wesley Learning Center in Sandy Hook in October. The

Wesley offering comes as a collaborative learning effort with Dance, Etc.

Fred Sussman is the director of programming at the Interfaith Center in

Danbury. He said children always look forward to Marcia's classes.

"Her work with the kids here is always very appropriate, and a lot of fun for

them," he said. "She works with all the groups in the school, and we have

about 80 children. She's very good at getting the kids involved in her musical

program

"I feel very comfortable having them work with her, and it's a nice dimension

to our program. Whether they're going to enjoy music more when they're 15 I

don't know, but I do know they enjoy it now and she gives them a deeper

appreciation of the time they spend here."

New "Tunes `n' Tykes" classes at Dance, Etc, Interfaith and Wesley all begin

the first week of October. The classes at Dance, Etc will be held Monday

mornings.

Marcia also continues to run the program out of her home, once a week on

Wednesday mornings. That program is ongoing, with a school-year program

starting up again on September 3.

Marcia holds an associate's degree in music for the performing arts, with a

concentration in music, which she received from Bennett College in Millbrook,

N.Y., in 1975. She lives in Newtown with her husband, Michael, and their two

children.

Student Teachers

The second addition to the staff at Dance, Etc this fall comes in the form of

three students from Newtown High School who are assuming assistant teaching

duties.

NHS sophomore Jessica Clark is taking on a teaching role for the first time

this year, while Katie Macknight and Rebecca McDonald will be returning as

assistant teachers this fall. Katie and Rebecca, juniors at the high school

this year, worked as a team with Dance, Etc in leading "Hip-Hop Jazz." This

year they will be choreographing dances for classes individually, as well as

together.

"There are three classes on Thursday who will just die if both the girls

aren't there, they just love them," Linda Davies said.

Classes open with Mrs Davies leading the exercises, techniques and

across-the-floor - leaps, turns and the technical aspects of the class. Katie

and Becca then take over, teaching their own choreographed combinations. They

taught four classes of dancers last year; how many they will be leading this

year remains up in the air, but the number is likely to increase.

"The kids love them," Mrs Davies said. "Kids can relate to them, and they look

up to them immensely.

"My first worry was that they were too young," Mrs Davies admitted. "It did

not work out that way. They were mature and very dedicated. It was apparent

they were mature far beyond their years and able to handle it. And that,

really, made me very happy."

The girls have been dancing for seven years, since each was in fifth grade.

Linda has decided to give them the month of September off in order for them to

acclimate themselves to returning to school and needing time for their studies

before their teaching duties resume in October.

Both were a little nervous at the onset of classes last year, not only because

they knew many of the younger dancers below them but also because they were

unsure of the students' reaction. The girls are teaching dancers from fifth to

ninth grade. They both feel much more comfortable this year, they say.

Although they do not take classes at Dance, Etc any longer, the girls will be

featured in next spring's annual recital by the school.

Jessica Clark, a national competition title holder, is teaching tap classes

beginning this fall. She will be teaching three or four classes, and it is the

first time she is taking on teaching duties.

"I'm nervous," she admitted. "I don't know what to expect, really. I've never

really taught a class before, so it should be interesting." Jessica's classes

will also be students in grades five through nine.

"I'm nervous, but I'm excited, too," she said.

Jessica has been studying dance since the age of three. She began private

instruction with Debbie Perry at age three, then attended the Lisa Menilli

Dance Academy from age 7 to 12. She competed for three years, going to five

national dance competitions and returning home with a number of first place

titles. She and her former partner, Dominique Kelley, won a duet title in

national competition, as well. (Her former partner is about to join the

touring company of Bring In Da Noise, Bring In Da Funk .)

After two more years of studies at the Monroe Dance Academy under instructors

who come in from New York City teach, Jessica decided it was time for a break.

That's when she was contacted by Linda Davies, who offered Jessica the

position as an assistant teacher.

"I wanted to take a little break in the action, and then this came up, so it

will keep me dancing," she said. Like Rebecca and Katie, Jessica will have the

opportunity to perform at the studio's recital next spring.

"The kids love to see them dance," Mrs Davies said.

All three girls are members of The Markettes, a dance team sponsored by

Newtown High School that performs at basketball and football halftime shows

during the school year. The team has been in existence since the 60s; members

continue training throughout the year, with camp and competitions every

summer.

The Markettes just recently returned from Universal Dance Association camp,

where the dancers are split into groups and learn new routines. The past two

summers, camp was in Boston; this year the Markettes went to Southern CT State

University in New Haven. The Newtown team has won first place at camp

competition, which qualifies the team to compete at the national level in

Florida, for at least the past three years.

While Dance, Etc is not affiliated with Newtown High School or The Markettes,

Linda Davies has decided the dance/gymnastics studio will offer some financial

support to the team this year.

The studio hopes to be allowed to donate its concession receipts from its

annual spring recital, as well as running a few additional projects which will

earn the dance group some additional recognition. The financial donation,

Linda Davies says, will help the team defray some of its summer camp costs.

"I would just like them to get more recognition than they've gotten," she

said.

While all three girls are excited about the upcoming year and their new

commitments at Dance, Etc, none are sure what lies further down the road for

them.

"I don't know if I'm going to turn [dance] into anything," Jessica said Monday

morning. "I haven't really decided. I mean, it's there if I want to use it,

and even if I don't it's been a good experience. I used to be a shy little

kid, who used to hold onto my mother's leg all the time.

"It's a good experience, anyway," she said.

Linda Davies gets a chuckle when she hears people say that.

"I said that exact same thing," she laughed.

For additional information concerning any of the classes at Dance, Etc, call

the studio at 426-8717; to speak directly with Marcia Reinhard concerning

"Tunes `n' Tykes," call her at 270-9029.