By Barbara Scott
Staff Writer
Eighty-plus young area dancers, members of Small Steps Dance, filled the stage at the Caribou Performing Arts Center on Aug.7, providing an evening full of smiles, giggles and waves combined with a whole lot of very impressive dance moves.
The sixth annual Summer Show, under the direction of sisters Paige and Abby Small, once again proved how much fun dancing can be, as their young protégées (from age 2 and up) performed a variety of dance styles ranging from ballet to the conga, all choreographed to music that included “Hit the Road Jack,” to “Time After Time, with a little “Dancing Machine,” “Come Together,” “Hooked on a Feeling” and “Cruella Deville,” and many others
Small Steps Dance, established when Abby was 13 and Paige 11, originally started as a summer program through the recreation department. “We were taking dance in Edmundston, and participating in a lot of dance competitions,” said Abby Small, “there was a lot of traveling involved but the summer before I was going to be a high school freshman, I made the varsity soccer team and it was at that time we had to make some decisions.”
“I didn’t want to give up sports and Paige knew she wanted to play sports too, and we both knew that we wanted to keep dance in our lives. We also found that we wanted to share our love of dance with others — that’s when, with approval, direction and support from our parents (Dr. Craig and Jane-Mavor Small) we created a business plan — and Small Steps was established,” Abby said.
“We have between 80 and 100 students participate in our program,” Small stated, “and that’s been pretty much the average since our first year. We are now seeing the siblings from some of our older dancers enrolling — it’s good to see that these kids can recognize how much fun dance really is.”
“We focus on providing a program that is both fun and affordable,” continued Abby. “Our dance costumes are most often made up from the dancer’s own clothing and other things easily found around everyone’s home, and our stage props/backgrounds are created by those involved with the production, including Paige and myself and our parents.”
“Many of our students aren’t able to attend every single practice and that’s OK,” continued Small, “we understand about other commitments and family vacations — we just want them to come when they can and know that they will still be part of our shows.”
“Our biggest challenge is probably in trying to learn new choreographies and then teaching it to the kids,” said Small with a smile, “but by far, our greatest reward is seeing all of these kids interacting with each other and how they offer their support in such an easy and sincere way.”
When witnessing the Small Steps Dance Summer Show, it was very obvious that the majority of these young dancers had never heard of stage fright. During each number, when the lights came up, the young performers were center stage, ready to move and groove — comfortable enough to occasionally cast a side-way glance at either Abby or Paige, who were always onstage with them, very inconspicuously dancing along on the sidelines.
Although the stars of the summer production were the young dancers, Abby and Paige, both extremely talented and graceful dancers, performed for the audience (which nearly filled the CPAC seats). As they danced to “Time After Time,” it would be difficult to believe that most didn’t find themselves wiping away the tear that escaped or swallowing that seemingly large lump that mysteriously filled their throat.
Of all things we try and hope to teach our children, one of life’s biggest lessons is often taught to us by our children — the lesson of acceptance — never more visible than when children of both genders, of all ages, heights and backgrounds appear together on stage, flashing their wonderful smiles as they gracefully accept the applause of others.
For more information on Small Steps Dance or to register for the winter dance session which begins Jan. 9, go to smallsteps-dance.com or call 551-2050.
