53 Years Of Caring

By Charlotte Klein

 A dance teacher's thoughts on professional longevity

The first time I assisted my dance teacher with a preschool class, a spark was ignited. I knew then, at 12 years of age, that I wanted to become a dance teacher. I realized my dream as a freshman at Worcester State College, when I opened my first studio in a room in the basement of my parents’ home with 15 students.

Years later, after renting space in a church hall and then in a downtown building, I became pregnant with my first child, and I knew that I had to find a way to balance family and business. I gave up my downtown space so that I could be available to my child if I was needed. I taught in my home studio for about 17 years, until my second child, Elisa, was 14. She had cystic fibrosis and needed a quieter environment as the disease progressed. We moved the studio out of our home into two rooms at the nearby Jewish Community Center.

In 1977, I made one of my best decisions: to rent space on a well-traveled main thoroughfare in a busy business district. Before signing the lease, I told Elisa that if I were to rent this space I would have to work longer hours and on Saturdays to help with the added expenses, plus hire someone to oversee her care. She said, “Mom, if you’re going to do it, do it right.” Elisa died ten days after the renovation of the studio was complete. Although that was the most difficult time in my life, having to go forward with the new business location and interact with people helped me deal with my grief. I will never forget Elisa’s advice, and I think that she would be proud that I did do it right, since the school’s enrollment doubled in the first year. I was then in a position to hire additional faculty members instead of doing most of the teaching myself, and we added another large studio downstairs, later taking over additional space next door for a third studio. We branched out into a second location in Westborough in 1983, at which time my husband left the corporate world to become my business manager. My biggest mistake was not purchasing a building 25 years ago, instead of spending so much money leasing and renovating someone else’s property. I encourage young teachers to invest in a building as soon as it is financially feasible.

Although I love my business, it’s not always easy. Fortunately, I am a high-energy person who likes to keep busy! But there is always too much to do and a never-ending flow of problems. For example, as soon as you finalize the fall schedule, you learn that some students have school conflicts, or you hire a new teacher and she decides to move to New York in the middle of the season. In order to keep organized and to have the confidence to do all that needs to be done, I’ve always maintained a prioritized “to do” list.

Now, later in my career, I find inspiration in seeing the results of my efforts. Recently, two of my former students from more than 25 years ago paid me a visit. One performs professionally and the other teaches in a private school. They reminisced about their similar dance experiences at my studio and told me what an impact my faculty and staff and my husband and I had had on their lives. I realized that these two women, who hadn’t seen each other for a quarter of a century and had chosen different paths, are part of the background in my life that inspires me to continue in the dance business. I know that the life lessons we teach make a difference in students’ lives and their futures in dance or any other profession.

A few weeks later, my husband and I traveled to a theater in Connecticut to see Cathy Rigby star in Peter Pan. One of my former students, Lauren Masiello, played the role of Tiger Lily. The pride that I felt, knowing that I had guided Lauren since she was 2 years old, was indescribable. After the show we met two other performers, Tim Fournier from the Gold Studios, and Jonathan Warren, a former student of Kelly Cannone. Seeing these three talented young adults, who had participated in competitions as students and now performed together and treated each other like family, was heartwarming.

I have been most fortunate to watch, with tears streaming down my cheeks, many of my former students perform professionally on Broadway and in regional theaters. I take pride that the life lessons I taught them ultimately helped them to achieve their goals. I’m glad that I had the opportunity to teach these lessons to my daughter, Laura, and my granddaughter, Alisan Porter, both of whom became professional performers and enjoy teaching dance. Laura began her professional career in the national tour of A Chorus Line; this year Alisan will open on Broadway in the revival of that show, playing the same part that her mother did 28 years ago. What better inspiration could I have to remain in this business?

Still, inspiration and dedication can suffer when you limit yourself. In the early ’70s, feeling the need to do something in addition to dance, I went back to school, graduating cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in sociology. I served as program chairman of a women’s organization and later became a member of the Worcester State College Foundation Board and the college’s business advisory committee. I have been honored on three occasions for my volunteer work for the college, most notably with an honorary doctorate in 2005, one of the most thrilling experiences of my life. I encourage all dance teachers to become involved in activities outside of the “box” of the dance world. It stimulates the mind, gives you a break from dance-related problems, and allows you to interact with people from different walks of life.

I credit the growth of my business to my philosophy: to provide excellence in dance education, with an outstanding faculty and staff, in a caring and nurturing environment. Knowing that through my business I have made an impact on students’ lives is what is most rewarding to me. More than 350 people, many of them former students, attended a gala celebration in honor of my 50th teaching anniversary, and it meant so much to me. There is nothing I would rather have done with my life than to realize the dream I had when I was 12 years old.