This article was submitted to Chi-Town Daily News on June 30, 2008 after the slippery, but professional performance by the students of Studio One Dance Conservatory. It was not published.
Dancing in the Rain at Taste of Chicago
© June 2008 Marcie Hill
Chicago weather is very unpredictable. The sun can be shining brightly one moment, and the clouds can cast a dark shadow within the next moment. The darkness may only be a tease and rain may never come.
This was not the case for the dancers from the Studio One Dance Conservatory who performed on the Fun Time Stage at the Taste of Chicago on Sunday, June 29, 2008.
Close to the end of the 45-minute performance, rain began to pour. The young ladies performing during the showers maintained their rhythm and professional demeanors until the drizzles turned into a heavy downpour, and had to end their performance.
Prior to the rain, students ranging from 3 to 18 years of age wowed the audience with ballet, jazz, modern, hip hop, and tap dances. Their costumes were colorful and absolutely dazzling; their moves were on succinct and graceful; and the performance was the culmination of weeks of hard work by dedicated students and instructors.
Located at 1854 W. 95th Street in the Beverly neighborhood on the south side of Chicago, Studio One has been providing dance instruction for nearly 25 years under the leadership of Pamela Avery. Although all students have not gone into professional dancing, all of them have learned discipline, professionalism, and commitment while having fun dancing.