In Step With DC
Who Had the Biggest Impact on Our Teachers?
Written by Erin Sforza on March 17, 2018

Our wonderful teachers at Dance Connection are why we shine as a studio. Their passion for dance and their ability to share that and inspire our students to excel is definitely second to none. But who was their inspiration? They were good enough to share with us the very important people in their lives and dance careers that influenced them in so many important ways.

 

My biggest motivator and ballet inspiration was one of my ballet teachers, Miss Renee. She was the one who signed me up to audition for The Joffrey Ballet summer intensive at age 14. She was one of their principal ballerinas when she was younger and I was always in awe of her! She is a huge reason why I love ballet so much today. She had such a passion when she taught, I could feel her love of ballet even on her strictest days! I hope she would be proud of the ballet teacher I am today, because she had so much to do with it without even knowing it probably.

 

 

When I first started as a student teacher at the age of 12 I worked with Miss Tracy. Tracy had been teaching the “baby classes” for years and I just loved everything about how she instructed her classes. She made every week fun while the dancers learned their ballet and tap curriculum. From the first week I knew that becoming a dance teacher was something for me and to this day I use many of the teaching techniques that I learned from Tracy all those years ago.

 

A few of my celebrity influences were Jane Powell, Vera Ellen, Fred and Ginger, Gregory Hines to name a few. More recent would be Misty Copeland and Mia Michels.
As far as teachers who have inspired me as a dancer…I had 2 amazing ballet teachers as a dancer. Miss Liliana and Miss Toni! Miss Mary is without a doubt my inspiration and mentor as a teacher! I would not be the teacher I am today without her guidance.

 

 

I started as a dancer 20 plus years ago at Dance Connection and now I work side by side with some of my long time teachers. They have had a big influence in shaping me into a dancer and giving me the teaching tools/skills to carry on to my students. Each teacher has their own flair and personality that always made their classes unique. I always like to recognize Miss Mary, Miss Donna, Miss Melinda, Miss Colleen as well as give much gratitude to my past teachers on my path to becoming the teacher I am today.

I’ve always loved taking training at workshops with Gregg Russell and Mike Minery’s tap classes. They always offering much inspiration to take back to your students and fast feet tapping!
Last shout out would be my mom for always believing in me and always giving me the advice I needed even if it wasn’t what I wanted to hear. She was a firm believer in working for what I wanted and if I didn’t make a dance or a specific part she would say try harder next time. I carry that advice with me in life in everything I do. She gave me the opportunity to dance and to this day is my biggest supporter in the front row at every recital!
I grew up watching old movies, especially musicals.  I loved watching Gene Kelly, Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers and many others.  I always wanted to dance like them and would sometimes try in my living room.  Those fabulous dancers always made me want to improve and keep on dancing!

The most influential figure along my journey as a dancer has been my high school dance instructor, Helene Yelverton. She not only taught me the technique and training to become a professional dancer, but she instilled respect, grace, focus and drive. After sacrificing everything to pursue my passion, Helene was the inspiration that helped me persevere.

 

 

 

We’re hoping that our teachers and our studio are having the same important impact on our dancers, and are helping to guide them not only in learning to dance, but in learning skills that will assist them throughout their entire lives.

Erin Sforza

Erin is the Public Relations Coordinator for Dance Connection. She studied dance from childhood through college and continues to be an active member of the Long Island theatre community. Erin received a BA in both Musical Theatre Performance and History from the University of Tampa, and has utilized aspects of both degrees working in the hospitality industry, as an Event Coordinator for the Heckscher Museum of Art in Huntington, and as the PR/Marketing Coordinator and Group Sales Coordinator for the CM Performing Arts Center in Oakdale. In addition to being a part of the Dance Connection staff, she is a Travel Consultant affiliated with MouseEarVacations.com and CruisingCo.com.

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