Suzanne Stewart
Staff Writer
When Adrienne Cedarleaf was a little girl growing up in Marlinton, she loved to dance. She remembers attending a dance class at the municipal building taught by a lady known as Miss Jinny.
Three years ago, Cedarleaf decided it was time for dance classes to return to Marlinton – and Hillsboro – so she worked with Pocahontas County Parks and Rec to organize classes for children ages three to 11.
I had always loved it, so I thought it would be really nice to have an option for the kids who wanted to dance,” Cedarleaf said. “It just kind of started like that and Marlinton and Hillsboro were good locations, traveling distance wise, since I live south of Hillsboro.”
Cedarleaf teaches two classes at each location and said almost all the classes are full.
“I’m always pleasantly surprised at how many kids want to come and dance,” she said. “It’s really sweet.”
The younger classes are learning how to move their bodies and be aware of their surroundings as they dance, while the older students are learning basic techniques Cedarleaf learned in high school as a student at Trillium in Lewisburg, and at college.
“The littles – three- to five-year-olds – we’re just doing a very basic dance, like intro to ballet and basic movement in general, like knowing where your body is in relation to everybody else and spatial awareness, she said. “As they get older, I start doing a little bit more modern dance techniques.”
While the classes are filled with young girls, Cedarleaf has had a few boys join in and says there’s one with a lot of potential who has shown off some new skills.
“He’s been showing some good breakdance moves already,” she said. “We’ll try to incorporate it.”
Since she started the classes three years ago, Cedarleaf has had the students perform at the first First Friday in Marlinton in May and says she plans to continue to participate in the event.
The students will show off their dance skills at the Discovery Junction for the May First Friday on May 2.