Guilford Woman Magazine for the Women of Guilford County NC

By Alice Garcia
Photos by Griggs Best Shot, Photography by Lisa A. Giggs

When Jeanne Alala decided to open The Dance Center of Greensboro (DCG) it was with the intention of making it more than simply a dance school. Jeanne wanted

to create something unique—a place where one could experiment with different kinds of movement without feeling judged. Her vision was to have a place where individuals of all ages, backgrounds and levels could become part of a community. After all, the dance community is one Jeanne has known her entire life.

Before Jeanne became a professional dancer, long even before she spent her days and nights in the Broadway spotlights and as part of several renowned dance and/or gymnastic groups, she was a student. The first lessons she took were at her mother’s dance studio, and it was here too that she had her first exposure to the support and acceptance of the dance community. It was this nurturing environment that instilled in her the drive to become the talented and diverse dancer that she is today. Dance, as a community, enabled her to grow and to become her own individual. So, later, when the opportunity to open her own studio presented itself, the plan was to make it like that for anyone that came through its doors.

This feeling of community continued even into her professional days where for weeks, sometimes months, she would travel and perform with the same group of people. “We grew close,” she remembers, “we became a family.” And as a family they celebrated others’ success, they celebrated holidays; they mourned together when news came of a loved one passing. They helped each other through injuries and through all kinds of heartbreak. It was in this way that they learned to share more than just a stage; they learned to share their lives.

Eventually, Jeanne permanently made the successful transition from performer to managing gymnastic facilities, and teaching dance classes, until this past summer when she opened her own facility in State Street Crossing. As Director, Jeanne can offer a well-rounded assortment of classes that include all levels of ballet, jazz, tap and even tumbling. There are classes for musical theater and those for students wanting a familiarity with the kinds of dance and performance skills required of Broadway performers. The Dance Center also has classes in yoga, hip hop/funk, and ones in Nia®, which in itself combines yoga, dance, tai chi and martial arts.

On Wednesday afternoons, there are classes for home schooled children. These are a kind of combination class that incorporates the three main dance disciplines with tumbling. Jeanne’s diverse professional background as well as those of the other faculty members makes all this possible, and should there be a demand for anything else, Jeanne would be more than willing to open up another class.

“I want everyone to fell like they belong,” she says, and as such these classes are for the young and the young at heart.

On Saturday mornings there are the Tiny Toes classes for 2.5-3 year olds, and the Fancy Feet classes for those age 3-4. Following these, there is a dance combo class for children age 5-7. There are classes in Cecchetti, Russian and Pointe (all are types of ballet). Add to these dozens of others offered Monday through Friday, and certainly, there is a class (if not a few of them) for everyone.

Most would attest to the fact that dance teaches such things as good posture, bodily control and physical awareness. It provides participants with an excellent workout and it improves flexibility and agility. However, dance can have an even greater impact on an individual’s overall well being. Jeanne has seen students come into their own while discovering their niche in dance. In many cases these are students who may not be as social in school, or they may suffer from severe shyness—in either situation, Jeanne, as well as the parents, have witnessed a significant boost in that individual’s self-confidence. Perhaps this change can be attributed to the fact that students will have to perform in front of a group of people at the end of the year (this can be quite humbling for even the most outspoken person) or perhaps it is the environment of acceptance and community that makes up the foundation of DCG. “Here you don’t have to live with the labels and stereotypes,” Jeanne explains. At DCG it’s about having fun and learning the discipline.

Jeanne expects to see DCG grow and change as the future unfolds, and the biggest deciding factor for how this happens is her students.

Whether an individual’s goal is to get into a university dance program, to prepare for a local theater production, or for overall fitness, DCG has something for you, your children, your sister, your mother. . . . . . because DCG, after all, is not just a school---it’s a community, and a community includes everyone.