Legein Dance Academy

For ten consecutive years, I was a dancer at Legein Dance Academy of Performing Arts, in Coventry, RI. When I graduated high school, I ceased dancing there to focus on my studies at the University of Rhode Island, but I have participated in the 'alumni' dance ever since. This is a dance in which all the graduates come together and create a dance to be in the recital. This year the theme of the recital is the 60's!!

Our recital will take place in a new location in Cranston, detailed information will be posted soon. It will take place on June 26th and I'm very excited to once again be a part of this amazing process with the fun people that I consider family.

You can check out the LDA website: www.legeindance.com to find out how to become a part of this fun studio. There's descriptions of the classes and the staff and alumni. There's a few pictures and also a description of the Christmas show which took place this past December.

Check out the site and support the dance studio that is so close to my heart!!

The Swingin' 88's

According to the Swingin' 88's website, "The Swingin' 88's are a group of people that met 11 years ago while having fun dancing; formed for a common purpose: to keep "Swing" alive in southern New England and to have fun! They started with 8 members and now have 25+ members." They will celebrate their eleventh anniversary on May 29, 2010, at the Brightridge Club in East Providence, RI. They gaurentee good food, music, and company!

Check out their site for a schedule of classes, calendar of events, gallery of pictures and see what's new!!

RI USA Dance

The Rhode Island Chapter of the USA Dance organization will be holding an event named "Dancing with the Stars of Mentoring" on Thursday April 29th. Each 'star of mentoring' will be trained by professional coaches to compete with each other as a fundraising event. The event will be held at Rhodes on Pawtuxet at One Rhodes Place in Cranston, RI, from 5:30pm until 9pm.

The Rhode Island USA Dance Facebook page states that they are a "non-profit organization devoted to the promotion and support of ballroom dancing in the Rhode Island community. We encourage people of all ages and skill levels to participate in Ballroom Dancing whether it be for health, social, or competitive purposes. We also try to provide resources to encourage people to start dancing and answer many of the questions they may have along the way." Their facebook page even posts a video from the Outdoor "Adopt a Doctor" Fundraiser which I've mentioned a few posts ago!

Dance Classes at the Towers

Dance classes are being offered at The Towers in Naragansett every Wednesday from Jan. 13, 2010 until Dec. 29th, 2010!! The historic towers on 35 Ocean Rd will be holding dance classes every Wednesday from 6 to 10pm for the remainder of the year. Ballroom, Salsa, Tango, and Latin will be offered to anyone interested, regardless of dance experience. Twelve dollars for one class or twenty dollars for two or more classes. These classes would be a great way to bond with some friends and have some fun!

For more information, you can call 401-782-2597.

Fusionworks Dance Company

Fusionworks Dance Academy is a dance school founded by Artistic Director Deb Meunier in 1978. The school has two different locations: one in East Greenwich and one in Lincoln. The staff of Fusionworks have college degrees in dance education or are professional dancers. They offer classes including Creative Movement (for young children), Pre Ballet or Modern, Ballet and Modern for Level I and II, and Advanced/Professional. Jazz, Tap, and Hip Hop are also offered. Fusionworks' philosophy dictates that dancing can enhance everyone's lives. Their website states that "the dance studio is a classroom for the larger lessons of life: self-knowledge, respect, discipline, humility and most of all, kindness and compassion. Our instructors have very high expectations but pursue these expectations warm-heartedly."

Fusionworks has a couple of upcoming performances that anyone is welcome to come see. The first is called "Locally Grown" and is being held on the Carriage House Stage which is located at 7 Duncan Ave, Providence RI. The dates of the performances are as follows:
May 1 @ 2:00pm and 8:00pm
May 2 @ 2:00pm
May 8 @ 2:00pm and 8:00pm

Tickets can be aquired through 401-946-0607. The tickets are $25 for general public and $20 for senior citizens and college students.

Fusionworks will also be holding a "Spring Fling" at the Botanical Garden in Roger Williams Park. It will take place June 3rd from 6 to 10pm. More information will be posted on the website soon!

Belly Dancing

Belly Dancing has recently become a more popular form of dance. This Middle Eastern form of dance is actually an excellent form of exercise! One particular Belly Dancing Studio, Kanina's Belly Dance, describes the classes to be "a robust workout that firms the body and soothes the soul." Belly dancing is a creative and fun way to improve your posture, stamina, coordination, and flexibility.

Kanina's Belly Dance is taught at three different locations:

Aspiring Dreamz Performing Arts Center
5601 Post Road
East Greenwich, RI

Jean DeLuca Dance Studio
10 Charles Street
Wakefield, RI

Bayside School of Dance (Formerly Belle's School of Dance)
368 Waterman Avenue
East Providence, RI


A list of the classes can be found at her webpage: Belly Dance Instruction by Kanina.


Make sure you check out the website if you are looking for a new and fun way to work out. The Middle Eastern dance is exotic and exciting, and people all ages love it. My mother actually took some belly dancing classes (not from Kanina) and she told me she was surprised at how sore she was the next day! She absolutely loved it and continued to go to classes and have fun exercising.

Outdoor Dance Fundraiser

There are so many different types of dance, welcome for anyone to embrace. One style of dance that has become more popular recently is Bollywood. This type of dance is primarily modeled by Indian dance. You might recognize Bollywood from the movie "Slumdog Millionaire."

When browsing Projo.com I came across an article titled "Outdoor Dance Workout puts the 'Fun' in Fundraiser." I was immediately drawn in and had to read it. Come to find out, supporters and fundraisers of the Adopt a Doctor organization gathered at the Roger Williams National Memorial Saturday, April 3rd. Twenty-three people attended and each paid three dollars to participate in the popular dance routine from the Oscar-winning film "Slumdog Millionaire."
The fundraisers posted the video to YouTube afterwards hoping that the video would raise thousands of dollars for underpaid doctors in Africa.

President and founder of the Adopt a Doctor organization says, "We're trying to save lives and give people a new beginning." He also says that in Sierra Leone and Liberia, physicians make as little as $1,500 a year. The Providence based Adopt a Doctor helps pay the salaries of 18 doctors in Africa, but some 4,000 need financial assistance.



I love how dance can help raise money for such amazing causes. Dance is fun for everyone and it's such an inspiring way to try to raise money. I would love to see more of these types of fundraisers!

Best Buddies Ball

When searching the web for new information about dance in Rhode Island, I came across this great organization called "Best Buddies." The mission of Best Buddies is "to create a global volunteer movement that creates opportunities for one-to-one friendships, integrated employment, and leadership development for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities." Best Buddies seems like an extremely proactive group that constantly organizes and attends numerous fun events. I think it's great that it's a global project and how it seems to be so well established.

The Best Buddies of Rhode Island will be holding a "Best Buddies Ball: A Night with the Stars" on March 27, 2010. The dance will take place from 5-9PM, with dinner included. This is a great chance for the buddies to let loose and enjoy time together. It will be located at The RI Shriners Imperial Room on 1 Rhodes Place, Cranston, RI. For more information, you can call/email Erica Friedlander at (401)228-9700 ericafriedlander@bestbuddies.org

For more information about the Best Buddies in general, check out their website at www.bestbuddiesrhodeisland.org!

"From Studio to Stage"

The State Ballet of Rhode Island, the longest standing semi-professional, regional ballet company in R.I., is continuing to bring audiences "Project Ballet Coffee Hour". This is a series of four events taking place within the 50 year old historic studio in Lincoln.

"From Studio to Stage" is one of the upcoming events which includes an "inside view of how a ballet is created, the training of a dancer, what inspires a choreographer, with music, lecture and visual performance." These will take place on March 6th and April 4th at 4 PM and again at 5 PM.

For directions or specifics, check out The SBRI (State Ballet of Rhode Island) website!

R.I. Remembers the Providence Dancing Cop

Tony Lepore is a former Providence police officer, who took directing traffic to a whole new level. He became bored with the traditional style of directing traffic and one day decided to dance on the job. Soon enough, the Providence Journal displayed a front page article about his "Making Traffic Flow with a Flair." The public reacted so positively that his superiors went along with it. He became very well known as the "dancing cop" and still today makes appearances.

You can read all about Tony Lepore, the Dancing Cop, on his webpage.

Controversial "Dancing"

So it's come to my attention that minors in the state of Rhode Island can be strippers.... Legally.

While browsing the web for articles relating to "dance," I came across an article on Projo.com with the title "Minors in R.I. can be strippers." I was obviously extremely curious and needed to find out what this is about.

According to the article, which was published on July 21, 2009, Rhode Island teens under the age of 18 can work in strip clubs, as long as they have work permits and are "off the pole" by 11:30 PM on school nights.

What?? Is anyone else baffled like me?!?

This realization came about when R.I. police were investigating a 16-year-old runaway, who apparently worked at Cheaters strip club. They found out about other 16 year olds working in strip clubs and decided to look into the issue. The police found that there is no state or city law stopping underage teens from stripping for money.

Sgt. Carl Weston says, "I've been doing this a long time, and I can't find anything that says it's illegal for a 16-year-old or 17-year-old to take her top off and dance." It's just so shocking that teenagers under the age of 18 cannot work power saws or bang nails up on roofs, but they can legally strip for money! "You can’t serve alcohol if you’re under 18," Weston said, "but you can be the target of a man's groping hands at age 16."

The article continues to state that "a teen stripper won't find work in Massachusetts, where state law prohibits anyone from hiring minors under the age of 18 for live performances involving sexual conduct."

Apparently, other states have mixed encounters about this issue. In Dallas, TX, when a 12 year old was found dancing nude in a strip club the city council passed rules banning minors from strip clubs.

On the other side of the spectrum-- an Iowa judge declared that a 17 year old performing a striptease at a strip club was an act of artistic expression, which is protected by the First Amendment.

I have to say, I completely agree with office Weston's statement that "it leads to a societal breakdown. These are just little girls." I know this isn't the type of dancing I will be blogging about, but I figured it was too interesting, and appalling, to not post.

Starting your Pointe Journey

LaBrie Dance is a homey dance store located in Smithfield, RI. They carry dance shoes for ballroom, pointe, ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, and modern. LaBrie also carries dance sneakers which are ideal for hip hop and are used for many high school or college dance teams. They also carry dance leotards and accessories.

LaBrie is an awesome place to buy your first pair of pointe shoes. The staff is extremely friendly and helpful during this new experience. Pointe shoes are completely different than any other dance shoe and it's crucial for a beginner to have advice and guidence in finding the correct pair. Wearing and dancing in pointe shoes that do not fit correctly can not only be very, very painful, but very dangerous as well. A dancer could seriously hurt themselves in the wrong pair of pointe shoes.

LaBrie's website highlights some tips for pointe shoe fittings for anyone to read, not just their customers. Here are some of the tips with some of my own comments....

1 - Allow yourself plenty of time to be fitted for pointe shoes! It may take up to 90 minutes to find the pair that fits your feet best. This process also involves finding the right combination of shoe and padding.
(I know from experience that this is very true!! In my dance career I've been through at least seven pairs of pointe shoes and every time I got a new pair, it was not a speedy process. It is one hundred percent worth it, however, to be comfortable and happy with your pointe shoes)

2 - Be sure to trim your toenails before getting fitted.
(This is very important! When dancing in pointe shoes, you'll find that when your toenails are too short OR too long, it bothers your feet. It can be very painful if you forget to keep them at a comfortable length.)

3 - Avoid wearing tight and restricting clothing to the fitting. The fitter will ask you to stand in first and second position and clothing like miniskirts make this difficult.

4 - Try to have an open mind about different brand names or terminolgy. Many dancers give their opinion about pointe shoes, like Capezio is "too hard." This doesn't necessarily mean that you will experience the same feeling with that brand. All people's feet are different and pointe shoe brand names make many different types of shoes.
(Almost everyone in my pointe class had different types of pointe shoes. It depends on all different factors: the width of your feet, the length of your toes, the strength of your arch... and many more.)


I would definitely recommend LaBrie Dance to anyone looking for pointe shoes, or any dance shoes for that matter. I bought my first pair of pointe shoes there and many more pairs after. Each time I went there the staff was smiling and giving me the attention I needed. I even remember there being a friendly cat which walked around and greeted customers! I think his name was Pete... if you go to LaBrie, let me know if Pete's still there!!