A Service of The Arrow             Saturday October 15, 2000

    Talent treads the halls of FHS this year. Take student Sarah Strandberg, Strandberg is a senior at FHS who is competing in the selected Urban Jamm group. She made the team her first time she tried out.

    Urban Jamm gets the opportunity to travel to Billings and possibly L.A. to compete in March. Strandberg has also performed in an annual recital three times.

    "Performing is my favorite part of dance," said Strandberg. "I like being in front of people, having them watch me do something I love."

    Urban Jamm is a style that is a mixture of jazz, hip-hop and ballet.

    Several students are dancing part at Kalispell’s two dance studios. "The numbers in all of the classes are amazing," said Carol Jakes at the Dance Art Center.

    The Dance Art Center and Center Stage are the places to go to combine traditional dance and modern dance. Carol Jakes runs the Dance Art Center, where they offer ballet, tap and jazz. Shoni Jaeger teaches tap, ballet, jazz, and hip-hop at Center Stage.

    Some students seem to have dancing in their blood and can’t get enough of it.

    "I’m always dancing everywhere I go," said sophomore Jenna Roe. "I even dance down the isles of the grocery store."

    Roe is in three dance classes at the Dance Art Center and has been dancing for 13 years.

    Dancing has opened the doors to several dancers. Junior Amy Fulton attended a three-week workshop in Spokane this summer on a full scholarship. Senior Zeffie Heaton traveled to Missoula for a workshop. Heaton plans on continuing ballet through college. "There is no such thing as a perfect ballerina," said Zeffie Heaton. "You can keep striving to be better."

    For those looking for something upbeat, there are plenty of opportunities. Junior Danielle Skinn finds excitement from participating in jazz, tap, hip-hop, and ballet.

    "Dancing is my passion," said Skinn. "Sometimes it’s the only thing that can bring my mood up."

    She has recently joined the Urban Jamm group that includes three other members from FHS.

    Dance classes are not just for the experienced. Each year, several new students try their hand in the various classes.

    Junior Jessica Brown is just starting her second year of jazz and hip-hop.

Brown uses these classes as "an outlet and a way to get away. If I feel upset with anything I can go to dance and let that all out. It’s not about anyone else. It’s about me."

    Brown has also learned an important life lesson.

    "After taking dance, I’ve realized that it doesn’t matter what everyone else thinks. I can just be myself and not worry what everyone else thinks."

    Sophomore Travis Crookshanks has been taking classes a Dance art Center for a year and a half in tap and jazz.

    "I like learning all of the routines," said Crookshanks. "Making them up as I go along is the best."

    Each dance studio has a spring recital in May and DAC performs Nutcracker during Thanksgiving.

    Students at DAC are already preparing for their annual performance of Nutcracker. Senior Zeffie Heaton is practicing up to five times each week for her role as the main flower.

    "I like doing Nutcracker each year," Heaton said. "It doesn’t get old because we do different choreography, have different costumes and usually play different roles." Heaton is is now performing in Nutcracker for the eighth time.

    "If I didn’t do it, part of me would be lost," said Skinn. "Everyone has a love for something and this is mine."

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