Dancing through graduation

Jeff Say / Culpeper Star Exponent
Published: May 24, 2007

Like most graduation classes, the students matriculating from In-Motion Dance's graduation will have learned a lot of life lessons. The only catch is the class still has at least 12 more years of school to go.

In-Motion's first pre-school class will graduate June 7, bringing to an end the first year of the new program. The dance studio decided last fall to open registration for a unique pre-school, one that met twice a week and combined elements of learning with dance and music.

"It's more like a performing arts preschool," program coordinator Jennifer Ramsden said. "We do a lot of dancing, we do lots of songs, arts and crafts and story time."

Ramsden, who has taken early childhood classes in high school and college, collaborates on the program's curriculum with owner Terri Erwin-Fitz. The class, consisting of students ages 3 to 5 years old, learned sign language this year, basic words in Spanish, colors, shapes and how to sing the alphabet.

Inherent in the lessons is dance, and the class will be performing at In-Motion's recital June 2 at 4 p.m. at the Culpeper County High School Auditorium.

"Our dance is mainly to get them moving," Ramsden said. "We work on skipping and hopping on one foot. Some days we just do the hokie-pokie."

The Culpeper troupe's theme is Peter Pan, so the preschool class will be performing the Pirate Song from Lazytown.

Then after the recital the class has graduation to look forward to. Ramsden has seen progress throughout the year, and is proud of the way the class has learned.

"It's wonderful, you can be working with a child and they can look at you and they just don't know. Then all of a sudden one day a light bulb will go off," Ramsden said. "It's thrilling to see when a child understands."

Recital - In-Motion Dance will hold its recital for both Culpeper and Warrenton classes at 4 p.m. June 2 at the CCHS auditorium. The Culpeper theme is Peter Pan and Warrenton's is under the sea. Classes performing include ballet, tap, dance poms and Irish.

Jeff Say can be reached at 825-0771 ext. 115 or at .