Thursday, Thursday, Sept. 11, 2008

Dance studio opens in Countryside

by Sara Peterson-Davis

Staci Smidt not only wants her students to learn to dance at the Encore Dance Center, she also wants them to have fun.

“Dancing is supposed to be fun,” said Smidt, who has taught dance for 24 years and danced professionally in New York and Chicago. “You should dance, laugh with your friends and get ready for the big show at the end of the year.”

Smidt opened the new 2,250-square-foot dance center in Meriden’s Countryside Square shopping center earlier this month. The center’s fall class schedule includes sessions in tap, jazz and ballet for all age groups. She plans to offer a lyrical dance class for students 10 and older.

While she knows not all the kids who study dance with her will move on to become advanced or even professional dancers, Smidt said dance has plenty of lessons and skills they can use even as they take up other interests.

“They learn to take direction and they learn to listen,” said Smidt about her smallest students. “When they start, it’s all about learning to learn. “As they keep going, they develop flexibility, physical control and discipline. And for some, it can be stress relief. It’s also about learning commitment to their classmates to be there.”

A native of McLouth, Smidt started taking dance lessons when she was four years old. By the time she was 14, she was teaching dance classes for the McLouth School District, as well as dancing professionally.

Eventually, the McLouth dance program grew to the point that the school district no longer wanted to manage it and turned it over to Smidt.

“Then I had a dance studio,” Smidt said.

Later, Smidt bought another dance studio in Tonganoxie and taught there before taking a break to go to the University of Kansas to earn a degree in dance. She has taught in Lawrence, Topeka, Kansas City and Leavenworth. Smidt’s specialty is tap.

“It’s the most difficult,” she explained. “It takes the most control over a small portion of your body. I’ve always considered myself a jazz dancer.”

But she continued to study ballet technique. Today, she still attends classes and workshops to continue her own education.

A broken kneecap led Smidt to Pilates. She saw the exercise method, which focuses on the core postural muscles to keep the body in balance, as a way to rehabilitate.

The day after graduating from KU, Smidt traveled to Springfield, Mo. to take the first step in becoming a Pilates instructor.

Smidt started practice teaching Pilates to fellow dancers. Soon Smidt’s friends were telling their friends about her classes. In 2002, Smidt opened a Pilates studio on Lawrence’s Massachusetts Street.

As a Pilates instructor, Smidt’s students have ranged in age from teens to nearly 70. The flexibilty of Pilates’ exercises make it possible to create exercise routines for anyone, Smidt said.

“With Pilates there are 500 exercises and there are variations for each one,” said Smidt. “You can tailor it for people and their bodies.”

After getting married and having two boys – now 3 and 1 – driving back and forth from Lawrence to teach classes was too much for Smidt. She closed her Lawrence studio last June.

At Encore, she is teaching beginning level Pilates.

At this point, the center’s dance classes are also at the beginning level. As her students’ interests and skill levels grow, Smidt said the class schedule will expand with more advanced classes.

The Encore Dance Center is open Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings and Saturday mornings. For more information about Encore Dance Center, call (785)979-7036.