The Life of
a Dancer
Living the Life of a Dancer
By Megan Lee
Do not be fooled by the small studio of Miss Patti’s School of Dance in Midland Park, New Jersey. Inside the doors of the studio are hardworking and dedicated students practicing seven days a week.
Over the course of the year, dancers of all ages, prepare for shows, performances, and even examinations with the Royal Academy of Dance. The studio offers a wide variety of classes for dancers of all ages and levels. They have ballet, jazz, hip hop, lyrical, contemporary, tap and more!
Nina Dunn, an accomplished student at Miss Patti’s, says, “The year goes by so fast because there’s always so much going on. There’s never a dull moment and it’s always busy. ”
There is never an off-season for the girls.
In September, the girls audition for the traditional Nutcracker performance. After receiving their roles, the practices begin. Every Saturday and Sunday throughout the fall is filled with hours of practice and preparation for the big performance in December.
“My favorite part of the year is definitely Nutcracker season. I love spending my weekends at the studio with my friends and working hard to prepare for the big show,” says Emma Riccardi, a dancer at the studio.
The Nutcracker ends just in time for the ballerinas to start preparing for examinations with the Royal Academy of Dance. The Royal Academy of Dance is a examination board based in the United Kingdom. The girls learn a set syllabus months before the exams and work to perfect it. They then have one day to execute their work in front of their examiner, who grades them based on technique, musicality, showmanship and other skill sets.
After the students take their exams, the dancers start getting ready for the annual spring recital. Each class teacher choreographs a dance and the students perform in a show featuring all the various styles of dance.
And things don't slow down in the summer either!
First the dancers go off to Summer Intensives in all different parts of the country. There are many different programs offered to dancers of every genre imaginable. These Summer Intensives are elite companies that the girls must audition for. Most of the dancers go to New York City but some go as far as California. Some of the most popular intensives that the girls attend include the American Ballet Theatre, Gelsey Kirkland Academy, and the School of American Ballet.
“Last year I attended Gelsey Kirkland Summer Intensive, in New York City and found it very fun and helpful to my training. In fact I am going again this year! I cannot wait,” states Mary Kate Feldsott, a dancer at Miss Patti’s.
After the girls finish all of their summer classes and intensives, they start this busy cycle all over again in September.
Not only are the students dancing for fun, they are also dancing for a good cause.
Miss Patti’s School of Dance has a special charity called JulieDance founded by Patti and Darryl Vigon, the owners of the studio. It was founded to honor Julie, Mr. and Mrs. Vigon’s daughter who died of bone cancer at the age of twelve. All the girls’ performances raise money to go towards pediatric cancer care, treatment and research.
“I love raising money for JulieDance with our performances. It’s amazing how dancing can be so fun and also so impactful and really make a difference,” says Brooke Tirone, a successful student at Miss Patti’s School of Dance.
Miss Patti’s School of Dance, located in Midland Park, New Jersey offers many classes for all ages.
Photo Credits: www.misspattis.com
Julie Vigon, Darryl and Patti Vigon’s daughter, dancing in the Nutcracker performance before she passed away at the age of twelve, from bone cancer.
Photo Credits: www.misspattis.com