Teaching dance is “a treat”

Girls from 13 to 18 are taking part in this series of workshops, organized by Ridgefield’s James Robey. Guest faculty includes Peter Boal from the New York City Ballet, Abby Silva from Parsons Dance Company, Jamie Dlugokinski, formerly of Ballet West in Utah, and Young, a Broadway veteran.

“This is a treat for me,” said Young. “I’m usually performing so much that I don’t have the time to teach.”

Young’s career is impressive. A 1993 graduate of Ithaca College, he has danced in both the first national touring company and the full run of the Broadway show “Chicago,” dancing with both Rosey O’Donnell and Kathy Rigby. He was with the original dance troupe of “Seussical The Musical,” and “Ragtime” through their Broadway runs.

Young was dance captain for Ann Reinking’s choreographed performances of “The Look of Love.” And the list could go on. At this time, he is playing the role of dancer Sammy Davis Jr. in “Mr. Bojangles, the Ultimate Entertainer,” due to come to the stage in October.

“I was taught by incredible people who really cared about their craft,” Young said last week before a Conservatory session. “It’s a pleasure to pass that on, especially to young people who are eager to learn.”

Young’s goal in intensive workshops like the ones in Ridgefield is to “get them (the students) to uphold a certain level of technique.”

A self-proclaimed “chameleon of technique,” Young works to impart “a sense of style differences” to his students.

“If you can convey a sense of style differences between Fossey, Michael Kidd and Jerome Robert’s style, if they can understand those differences, then you are getting through to them,” Young explained.

Dancers taking part in the Summer Intensive did so with a sense of camaraderie and excitement.

“It’s really exciting to take a class from a dancer like Eric Young,” said Samantha Dighton.

“I just moved away to Virginia, and I used to dance here,” said Kristin Kirkley. “I don’t get to see these people very often. This is a treat for me.”

Keeping themselves limber and their form intact were reasons cited by the girls for taking the workshop.

“The summer is a good time to dance,” said Jen Snow, of Danbury. “It’s relaxed and less stressful. You can focus more during the summer because you don’t have school.”

Robey enjoys putting summer workshops together. The summer, he said, is a time of year when top dancers from New York City can be enticed to teach in Ridgefield.

“It helps inspire the girls and helps get them working the rest of the year,” Robey noted. “Most of the dancers instructing are friends of a friend.”

Young said: “There’s a reason why you want to dance: to feel something and to have the audience feel something. To have that power as a performer, to have that honesty in your performance is truly golden,” he explained. “Trying to find somebody’s style, helping them discover it, that’s what you’re trying to achieve in these classes.”

2015-12-30T13:26:57-05:00August 9th, 2004|In the News|0 Comments

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