Thank You For Being A Friend

By Jane O'Donnell

Breaking down the invisible wall

I am a studio owner, and, like you, I love what I do – teaching and training young dancers. Unfortunately, sometimes we spend too much time worrying about what our neighboring studio is doing, and we put up invisible walls when dealing with fellow teachers to protect ourselves from the possibility of unethical behavior. But this story is different. This is about tearing down those walls and a woman, a fellow dance teacher and business owner, who restored my faith in human decency and made me proud to be a part of the dance world.

Last spring, horrible weather and torrential rains affected many on the northern shore of Massachusetts. On May 15, as the rivers rose, my biggest fear was realized when my landlord called and told me to come to the basement studio. The nearby Shawsheen River had crested, and water had flooded my basement studio, crashing through the doors and windows. Within the hour, more than ten feet of water filled my studio, and I lost everything – beautiful Harlequin® dance floors, mirrors, and barres, not to mention three stereo systems, two computers (and the data on them), my CD collection, costumes, props, and tickets and programs for the recital that was just one month away. Although the landlord had flood insurance that covered the structure of the studio, my renter's insurance does not cover losses due to flooding, and the contents of my studio were not insured. As I watched my dream float away, I wondered how I would begin to rebuild and questioned whether I would be strong enough to move forward.

With the help of my family and friends, we started to contact my students to cancel classes and began to develop a plan for the future. It was during this phone-a-thon that my cell phone rang. Even though I wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone, I answered the phone. Debbie Lamontagne, the owner of North Andover School of Dance, a neighboring studio, had heard about the flooding from one of her student's parents and was calling to see what she could do to help. At that moment, I truly didn't know what I needed, so I just thanked her for her help.

But Debbie wouldn't take no for and answer. Knowing how much work I had put into my business, she would not let me give up. Although I am one of her competitors, her compassion to me was remarkable, and I felt my protective wall crumbling. I listened in amazement as she insisted I use her studio to run my classes and offered to double up her own classes so that my schedule could run as close to normal as possible. She said my students could use her costumes and props and even said that I could use her tap shoes. But more than what she gave me, Debbie offered me her friendship and support; I accepted.

In the weeks that followed, I ran my classes at the North Andover School of Dance. While I was there, Jay Zaffini, Debbie’s office manager, offered to give me any administrative help I needed, and Debbie's students and their parents opened the doors to their world. Just four weeks after I watched my studio flood, my recital, with borrowed costumes and props, went off without a hitch, and Debbie, her husband, Leo, Jay, her daughter, Nicole, and Melissa, one of Debbie’s instructors, were proudly sitting in the audience. Surely they knew that this was no longer just my show; it was also theirs. Without their help, there is no way I could have pulled off what people said was my best show ever!

After the show, Debbie suggested that we have a show with all of our students to raise money to help rebuild my studio. I said she had done enough, but thankfully she did not listen. We hastily found an auditorium, ordered tickets and printed programs; appropriately, we named the show That’s What Friends Are For. We co-produced and co-directed a dance showcase with our students, who, for the first time, were working toward a common goal, dancing on the same stage as their schoolmates and neighbors. The finale, Thank You for Being a Friend, brought tears to the eyes of our supporters, and I was overwhelmed with the reaction of the audience, who was witnessing an extraordinary event and the birth of a lifelong friendship.

As you read this, I have just reopened the doors to my studio. New floors have been installed, the barres and mirrors have been put in, the electricity’s on, and I’m open for business. However, no one knows what the future holds for me as a business owner, nor can anyone say whether this setback will have lasting repercussions.

In the dance world, as in life, there are people who will silently rejoice in someone else’s misfortune. But thankfully, there are also those who are sent to you at times in your life when you need them the most. These people are those who give you the most precious gift of all – their unconditional love, support, and friendship. I am forever indebted to Debbie Lamontagne, her staff, and the entire community of North Andover School of Dance for reminding me of what is important in life. All the “stuff” I lost can be replaced, but the unselfish acts of kindness will never be forgotten. I have learned from this experience, and I am humbled by it.

I hope and pray that by reading this story, all of us as dance teachers in this crazy dance world, can break down that invisible wall and learn to be more kind and compassionate to our fellow human beings.    

Photo captions (from top to bottom):

1, 2) Jane O’Donnell’s school, the Center for Performing Arts in Andover, MA, was ravaged by the flooding of the Shawsheen River.

3) The Center for Performing Arts before the flood.  

4) Within an hour, more than ten feet of water filled the basement studio of the Center for Performing Arts. Shown here: flood water in the studio hallway.  

5) Students of the Center for Performing Arts practice in one of the Center’s studios before it was destroyed by the flood.

6) At the 2006 Project Motivate inspirational seminar, Rhee Gold presented Debbie Lamontagne with the First Annual Project Motivate Award of Excellence. From L to R: Rhee Gold, Debbie Lamontagne, and Jane O’Donnell.