FSD-FDA Article Dance Extension

Fenton School of Dance opens second location in Holly

By: Bev Wheatley Eiden, Contributing Reporter 10/18/2004

Fenton School of Dance and Academy has recently opened its second location, The Dance Extension, in Holly.

"We opened a second location, basically, because we needed to expand," said Susan Carter, owner. "We have competitive groups that needed more time and space to practice. Now we have more time available for students to choose from. We also found that we were extending into the Holly area, that there was a need there."

Carter said the name "Dance Extension" also has another meaning. "Dancers have to have good extension, flexibility. If we say they have good extension, it means their legs can go very high into the air."

An Open House will be held at The Dance Extension on Saturday, Oct. 23, from 12 to 4 p.m. at 3045 Grange Hall Road, Holly, located in the Northwest Energy Plaza across from O'Malley's Galley.

"We hope people will come in and see the studio," said Carter. "We are offering free classes during the open house."

L&G Dancewear will be at the open house. There will be free giveaways and coupons as well as special discounts on classes. Drawings will be held for prizes. A moonwalk will be located outside. Cider and donuts will be served.

"There is a new stage system with a Marley floor, good for all types of dance," said Carter. There are also viewing windows with one-way glass so classes can be viewed without disrupting students.

Classes are offered in ballet, tap, jazz, preschool, lyrical and hip-hop.

"We have a tremendous staff with 10 teachers," said Carter. "One woman, who teaches jazz and hip-hop, is from New York, and has worked with Michael Jackson and Cher. We're lucky to have her. Another woman from Germany is teaching ballet."

Fenton School of Dance and Academy opened in Fenton in 1980 and moved to its current location at Classic Corner at 2805 Silver Lake Road 12 years ago.

"There are five dance teams that range from 7 to 18 years of age, said Carter. "We compete in dance competitions, entering as solos, duets, trios, and groups."

Students audition to be on a team. A specific number of weekly lessons are required to participate.

Carter, who majored in dance in college, has taught and danced professionally in New York, and also taught in the Detroit area. She has done "a lot of choreography" in high school theater, community theater, and dinner theater.

"The thing I'm most proud of are the academy students," said Carter. "They've done really well in competition. They won a lot of awards in the last year."

The academy also has "an outstanding Web site (Fentonschoolofdance.com)," said Carter.

In December, the dance studios will be presenting the annual Christmas benefit, with all of the proceeds going to F.A.R.R. (Fenton Area Resource and Referral).

"It's our 11th year," said Carter. "We raised over $10,000 last year."

Carter's daughters, Chelsea, a student at Mott Community College, and Meredith, a Spanish teacher in the Genesee Intermediate School District, both teach dance. Her husband, Ron, helps manage the studios.

This weekend, Jay Fagan from Chicago, who has performed at the Windsor casino and in Las Vegas, is at the studio to choreograph a competition number.

From Nov. 6-8, Kari Anderson, from Dallas, will choreograph numbers for the academy kids as well as offer two master classes.

For information, call The Dance Extension at (248) 634-LEAP or The Fenton School of Dance and Academy at (810) 629-3551.