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Date: 8/17/2022
WARE – This year, Limelight Dance Center celebrated 10 years in business, and their 11th season starts Sept. 12.
“It’s a dream come true,” said owner Arielle Lask. “The things that I never thought would be possible became possible. We were able to survive in this industry and build a beautiful business with so many amazing kids and amazing families. Now it’s built to a point where we can give back to the community.”
She continued, “It’s just wonderful to be able to be a part of the community that I grew up in and be able to impact the youth. Celebrating 10 years is a huge milestone and I know it will continue to grow. Limelight will continue to help our kids in the area and provide them with a safe and nurturing place to dance.”
Limelight Dance Center is a recreation and competitive studio for dancers of all genders from ages two through adults. It is an inclusive studio that brings dancing of all levels to the community of Ware and the surrounding towns. They offer ballet, tap, jazz, hip-hop, contemporary, lyrical and Acro.
The center has scholarships they raised money for to provide disadvantaged children in their area with free dance tuition – providing a dance education to all people whether they are in a financial position to afford it or not.
Lask grew up as a competitive dancer, starting at the age of two and trained all over the U.S in different conventions, master classes, camps and workshops. Two weeks after she graduated high school, Lask began the journey of Limelight. “At that time, I was really excited to bring a new and fresh perspective on dance in my area,” Lask said. “I was excited to teach and grow with my dancers. I wanted to give children the opportunity to be a part of something bigger than themselves and be a part of a team.”
While Lask was opening Limelight, she was attending Isenberg School of Management at the University of Massachusetts as a business management major and graduated three years later with a business management degree.
Lask told Reminder Publishing Limelight began as a small studio, and now, it’s a large studio with multiple classes and multiple competition teams. She said it has grown in the last 10 years to be something so beautiful she that she never expected.
Lask said what makes Limelight stand out is their positivity and the way they are all united as one at the studio, which makes it a great experience. Lask said she strives to be a mentor to her dancers and be there for them so they can have someone to look up to and confide in, to cheer them on and be a part of their journey.
As the center grows, her goal is to continue to have the same mission and attract other dancers with the mindset of having positivity in the dance industry in all facets, bringing the joy of dance to the stage. “I hope we have 10 more years of positivity and fun,” Lask responded. “My dancers are super motivated to start our season. What is most important to me is that these kids have a safe place with dance teachers they can trust and a team that is surrounding them and supporting them.”
She explained, “It’s pretty incredible that I’m able to live my dream and that’s something that is almost surreal as celebrating 10 years of doing something that I’m so passionate about. At 18 years old, it didn’t feel possible that I would get to the point that I am today. Looking back, it’s a wonderful journey that I’ve been through, and I hope to inspire other kids to fulfill their dreams.”
Limelight Dance Center is located at 56 Pulaski St. For more information, visit their website at www.limelightdancecenter.com.