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Special Sections Editor
After dancing and competing for years, owner Andrea Woodell decided she wanted to open a studio of her own, East Carolina Dance Company. The classes offered are Pointe, Ballet, Lyrical, Jazz, Tap, Hip-Hop and Dance Aerobics. The aerobic dance classes combine Latin and traditional dance moves into an exciting exercise program that burns the calories and lets you have fun in the process. There will also be adult classes for anyone 18 and over. The studio will open for summer classes on June 1st; fall classes begin in late August. They will be having the first dance camps in June for different age groups. Students will practice over two days, and the third day there will be a warm up followed with a presentation for the parents.
One of the most exciting offerings at the studio is being a part of the competitive dance team. "The main thing that I will offer is a competition dance team. They will compete with schools with dance programs and dance studios in the area, competitions start in November and we compete once or twice a month," Woodell said.
East Carolina Dance Co. is accepting students from four to 18 years old, but for the competitive dance team, ages 12 to 18. Tryouts are June 21st, 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The doors will be open on the 20th from 11 - 2 p.m. to warm up and find out what is required for the tryouts. Woodell says it's a time she can work with them and help them fix any technique before the actual tryout.
The expenses of dance lessons and costumes can sometimes get expensive, but Woodell wants students and parents to know she's not only there to teach, but to help.
"I don't want money to keep kids from learning to dance. I want to have fund-raisers so that parents don't have to use so much of their own money. We should have about four fund-raisers throughout the year," Woodell said.
East Carolina Dance Co. has so many options, the hardest decision may be deciding what class you want to take.
