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New dance studio opening Thursday

A Vandalia woman will hold a grand opening and registration day for a new dance studio in town on Thursday.

Kelly Emerick, who has been involved with dancing for more than a decade, will open the doors to the Vandalia Performing Arts Center on Thursday at 11 a.m., and the center’s summer schedule will run Mondays-Saturdays from June 4-July 28.

“I wanted to do it here to give lots of little girls and boys the opportunity to be exposed to dance, because there’s not anything in the area,” Emerick said. “We’ve lived here a couple of years and my daughter wanted to dance, so we decided to open this.”

Located in Suite A at 429 W. Orchard St., the Vandalia Performing Arts Center will offer 11 different classes this summer for children of all ages.

Classes offered are:

•Acrobatic dance
•Ballet
•Bitty Ballet
•Beginner Dance
•Cheer/Tumble
•Hip Hop
•Gymnastics
•Jazz Pom
•Lyrical
•Mini-Cheer
•Mommy and Me Gymnastics

The registration cost varies based on the length of classes and are on a per-month basis. There is an annual $15 registration fee, and families with more than one receive 10 percent off for each child after the first.

•25 minutes: $20
•55 minutes: $55
•1 hour and 20 minutes: $50
•1 hour and 55 minutes: $60
•2 hours and 20 minutes: $75
•2 hours and 55 minutes: $85

“We want to keep it low-cost and recreational to give everyone a opportunity to experience this art,” Emerick said. “I want it to be a fun place for kids to come, where they can see different aspect of performing.”

Emerick will serve as the center’s primary dance instructor, but she will get assistance from three other individuals in town.

Billie Worker will assist with cheerleading, Ellie Ehrat will teach hip-hop, and Ashley Smith will assist with cheerleading and gymnastics.

Emerick’s hope is that children who attend classes at her studio will build life skills and strong childhood memories.

“There are so many styles of dance that you can express yourself with,” she said. “It gives kids confidence that they can perform, and that can translate into other aspects of life.”

For more information, contact Emerick at 513-1673.

Summer schedule
Mondays:
•4-4:45 p.m. – Beginner Dance (4-6)
•5-5:25 p.m. – Bitty Ballet (3-4)
•5:30-6:25 p.m. – Cheer/Tumble (5-7)
•6:30-7:25 p.m. – Cheer/Tumble (8+)
Tuesdays:
•3:30-3:55 p.m. – Mommy and Me (2+)
•4-4:55 p.m. – Gymnastics (4-6)
•5-5:55 p.m. – Acrobatic Dance (8+)
•6-6:25 p.m. – Mommy and Me (2+)
•6:30-7:25 p.m. – Jazz Pom (8+)
Wednesdays:
•9-9:25 a.m. – Mommy and Me (2+)
•9:30-9:55 a.m. – Bitty Ballet (3-4)
•10-10:55 a.m. – Jazz Pom (5-7)
•11-11:55 a.m. – Beginner Dance (4-6)
Thursdays:
•3-3:55 p.m. – Ballet (5-7)
•4-4:55 p.m. – Ballet/Lyrical (8+)
•5-5:55 p.m. – Acrobatic Dance (5-7)
•6-6:55 p.m. – Jazz (10+)
•7-7:55 p.m. – Lyrical (10+)
Fridays:
•9-9:25 a.m. – Mommy and Me (2+)
•9:30-9:55 a.m. – Mini Cheer (4-5)
•10-10:55 a.m. – Cheer/Tumble (5-7)
•11-11:55 a.m. – Cheer/Tumble (8+)
Saturdays:
•9:30-10:25 a.m. – Boys Hip Hop
•10:30-11:25 a.m. – Hip Hop (8+)
•11:30 a.m.-12:25 p.m. – Hip Hop (11+)

Reagan Smith (left) and Makenzie Emerick will be two of the students at the Vandalia Performing Arts Center, a new dance studio in Vandalia that will hold its grand opening and registration day on Thursday. The studio is owned by Kelly Emerick and is located in Suite A at 427 W. Orchard St.

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