Young Maplewood Dancers Show Off Original Dances Saturday

MAPLEWOOD, NJ — The boys and girls at Inspirational Dance School in Maplewood will showcase their own creative dance routines at their winter recital this coming Saturday.

Twenty-six kids will perform ballet, hip hop, lyrical and tap dances, including individual performances. It's all part of their 13th annual recital, “Love 4 The Arts," to be held at Clinton Elementary School in Maplewood.

Johanna Yarde, a 10-year-old student at Jefferson Elementary School in Maplewood, will perform a three-minute contemporary/lyrical dance that she conceived and choreographed.

Eighth grader Simone McCrear will showcase a lyrical dance full of sweeping arm moves, graceful leaps, and a dramatic conclusion.

Several boys ages 8 through 14 will open the second half of the evening’s performance with a thumping and energetic breakn’/ hip hop performance.

Johanna, Simone, and their peers have not only created and choreographed their dances, they have also selected and perfectly timed the accompanying music as well as designed and produced their costumes.

The show will come together under the tutelage of Inspirational Dance founder Dancette Pratts. “Ms. Dancette,” as she is affectionately known to her students and parents, started dancing when she was 4. At age 8, she started her own dance group. She studied dance throughout her childhood and adolescence.

She recalled recently, “I was accepted to college. Two weeks before school started, I made the decision that changed my life. I called my friend. ‘I’m going on tour,’ I told her. 'I’m going to dance.' ”

Pratts has danced all over the world and has performed at the New Jersey Performing Arts Theatre, the Strand and Beacon Theatres, on MTV as well as in Las Vegas, Paris, China and Japan. She hung up her dance shoes in 2005, taught Master Classes at the Betty White Dance Studio and, in 2007, purchased the Studio from her mentor Betty White.

The Studio has grown to include a diverse group of 250 students from throughout northern New Jersey, boys and girls ranging in age from toddlers to teens and young adults, as well as dancers in their 60s and 70s.

“I created ‘Love 4 The Arts’ to offer Inspirational Dance students the opportunity to create and choreograph their own pieces, as well as schedule rehearsals and manage all the details involved in a successful performance,” said Pratts.

Here are some of Saturday's performers:

· Jordyn Medrano—Jordyn, age 8, has been a student at I Dance for five years. She will perform a solo dance.

· Storm Beaulliere—Storm, age 15, has been a student at I Dance for eight years. He will open the second act of the show and perform in the Breakn’/Hip hop performance with his peers.

· Sania Parker—Sania, age 16, has studied at I Dance for ten years and is the Team Captain. She organizes rehearsals, provides updates for dancers, and inspires/motivates them when they are “stuck” in choreography. Sania is performing contemporary, hip hop, and production pieces.

· Peyton Gonzalez—Peyton, age 10, has studied at I Dance for three years. She will perform in several group Tap and Hip Hop dances that she created with her peers.

Tickets are sold at the door on the day of the show, 1634 Springfield Ave., for $15. Contact Dancette5678@gmail.com for advance tickets or more information. Read more about the studio and show here.