Season 44 at Dance Spectrum...

I could have NEVER imagined what this year would look like!

Looking around the studio and seeing our faculty, staff and students in action, I can’t help but feel a lump in my throat and a few tears in my eyes. I’m imagining where I was 43 years ago, just getting started.

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I’m loving the joyful expressions I can sense under our kids’ masks, their eyes lighting up at being in the classroom. It is a jumble of emotions, amplified by the new normal we are living, working and learning in.  But most of all, I think, I am proud of where we stand now. Together we are all proving that it is possible to gradually, cautiously, safely dance in-person again.

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Since the pandemic swept us all up in its tidal wave in the spring of 2020, we have emerged stronger than ever. It’s taken a HUGE effort and commitment by our staff and our Dance Spectrum families, but I believe we are here now because of how we reacted and persevered all those months ago.

And since then, we’ve made more pivots than I can count ... certainly more than I would ever choreograph!

We’ve become tech-enabled, making it possible for our students who want (or need) to continue learning from home to do so in a streamlined way.

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We’ve been wearing masks and doing our part to slow the spread of the coronavirus.  We’ve made changes to our curriculum across genres and levels, to ensure all our lessons and positive reinforcements have little or no-contact.

We’ve updated our facility to set up a traffic flow conducive to physical distancing and we’ve closed certain parts of our space to avoid gatherings.  We’ve kept our employees working and even hired new ones, including alumni! Their work has perhaps, more meaning than ever.

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In an industry that has been turned upside down in many ways because of the pandemic, I could not be MORE PROUD of the way we have paved a path forward for our staff, students, and families. While we wouldn’t have ASKED to make so many changes, we have CHOSEN to view the future through the lens of opportunity.

I am grateful for another dance season to lift up our community and bring joy into our students’ lives. It has looked different, but perhaps that makes it even more special.

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Much Love and Respect,

Patty Neal, Founder, CEO patty@dancespectrum.net