Happy feet

MONROE — The Village of Monroe will see an influx of happy feet next month when Terpsichore, the Dancerschool officially opens its new school on Millpond Parkway, in the former Family Dollar store.
Those happy feet belong to the school’s 400 students - ranging from preschoolers to adults - plus their accompanying parents. Neighboring retail stores and eateries are hopeful students and parents will spend a bit of time in the area after their weekly dance classes have ended.
“The fact that parents can drop their kids off, take a walk, get something to eat, go to the library, it’s just so in the heart of Monroe,” said Lori Glick, the school’s director who also teaches ballet, tap and jazz.
At 6,850-square feet, the new school is now on a ground floor and is triple the size of its former Harriman location on Route 17M. It features three large dance studios with Marley-finished professional flooring as well as a fourth practice studio and a reading room for parents and students. All studios feature windows allowing parents to peek in and see their children’s lessons in progress.
“We just grew out of that (Harriman) space years ago,” said Denise Carter, Terpsichore manger as well as ballet, tap, jazz and dance company instructor. “All that comes with the growth of the studio.”

Retail shop, glamor parties

The school will also open a retail shop called “To The Pointe,” which will sell dance shoes, attire and related items.
“It’s going to offer more than we have now, and initially be more of a seasonal shop,” Carter added. “Then, we have plans for it to become a six day a week store.”
The school is also partnering with Ali Mancuso and “The Glam Tram” to offer glamour dance birthday parties to its existing birthday party packages. Also offering music classes at the school for two to four-year-olds is “Little Maestros with Danielle Hommel.”
Hommel’s first session will focus on woodwind instruments while teaching musical concepts through movement, singing, imagination and listening. Other sessions will incorporate jazz, the brass family, percussion family and string family.
Terpsichore is also looking at possible Zumba classes for children and adults. It’s also planning to team up with other village businesses for events and to get more involved in community service activities, according to Carter.
The school is also setting up an evening baby-sitting service where parents can drop off their children and get a bite to eat within the village. School officials are in discussions with some village eateries to get parents a 10 percent discount on their bills. The baby sitting fees, handled by qualified members of the school’s dance company, will go toward assisting the dance company with competition fees.

Since 1979

Terpsichore opened in 1979 with classes first held at Knights of Columbus hall in Monroe before relocating to Grace Episcopal Church. Two years later, a second location opened at the Monroe Methodist Church. In 1990, the school relocated to Harriman.
Glick believes students and parents will be happy to be in larger and new accommodations.
“The studios are big and bright, it’s really so different and wonderful,” Glick added. “Any time somebody goes there, they’re just in awe of how nice it is.”

Essential information

The school’s ribbon cutting ceremony will take place by the end of August.
Registration at the new location will take place on Thursday, Sept. 6, from 7 to 9 p.m. and Monday, Sept. 10, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m.
Selected student classes will perform at the Sept. 8 Cheese Festival as well.
To learn more, call 782-7032 or visit www.dance66.com.

- Nancy Kriz