We caught up with Joy of Motion Dance Center students Megan Bell and Kate Spanos Monday night at our Atlas studio on H Street, NE. Both were there for Ashley White’s contemporary jazz class, which runs from 8 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. According to Ashley, Megan and Kate are great examples of students who persevered through a class that was difficult at first and have vastly improved since they started. Megan, a native of Southfield, Michigan, lives in Alexandria and works as an interior designer. Kate grew up in Arlington and currently lives in College Park. She is a PHD student at the University of Maryland studying dance and performance studies.
How long have you been a student at Joy of Motion Dance Center? What classes have you taken with us?
Megan: I have been taking class since 2009. I take Ashley’s contemporary jazz class Monday nights at Atlas.
Kate: I have taken class at Joy of Motion since 2006. I also take Ashley’s class and have taken class with Derek Brown and SarahBeth Mikels.
What is your favorite dance television show/movie?
Megan: I could go on and on, but a few of my favorites are So You Think You Can Dance?, Center Stage and A Chorus Line.
Kate: Zimbabwe-born dancer Nora Chimaumire performed at the University of Maryland and I also saw the movie based on her life “Nora.” She is amazing!
What do you love about dance?
Megan: I love that dance is not only good exercise, but it is also fun and challenging.
Kate: I love that dance is universal. Everybody does it all over the world. It’s an unspoken language.
In the photo: Kate Spanos (left), JOMDC instructor Ashley White (middle), Megan Bell (right)
I appreciate the comment about persevering…. I am a dancer at heart (in my feet?), and only after many years of working and raising kids have I re-visited the joy of motion! I’m not technically good, (actually, I’m terrible), but I am steadily improving!