Young dancers show off talents in support of the Heart Association

Date: 4/12/2010

SPRINGFIELD It was one of the first, best, sunny, gotta-be-outside weekends, the kind that makes you think of spring, and the students at the Mary Ann Studio of Dance were inside. But they were inside for a good cause. It was their annual benefit performance at the Eastfield Mall in support of the American Heart Association (AHA). The annual "Dance for Heart" starts long before the actual performance, as the students work at collecting funds to sponsor their afternoon of dance.

Considering the present economy, the dancers as a whole were able to collect over $1,500 for the AHA this year. Over the 40 years that the Mary Ann Studio of Dance has been participating in this event, the dancers have managed to raise close to $100,000 for the AHA.

And who danced, you ask? Both our young and young at heart dancers and everyone in between. For all the dancers, it's a great way to work on their performance skills to prepare for the end of the year recital while giving back to the community. Our adorable toddlers (ages two and up) are just beginning to learn some follow-along dances, and the audience helped them out by clapping along to their music. The adults who performed showed one and all what a great time they have when dancing, as well as the great workout you get from a dance class. Dancing is for everyone, and many life long friendships have been made at our dance studio.

It's never too late to start dancing, and this spring there are workshops for adults in tap or jazz; try the new craze of Zumba, and a special seniors jazz exercise class; there's even a new acro workshop to be offered for the younger dancers. So come join in the fun of dance.