CONYNGHAM, Pa. — For a long time, many of these ladies thought their tap dancing days were over, and they'd only get to watch their children perform from the audience.
But that is different here at the Performing Arts Center in Luzerne County.
Jennifer Foxwood of Sugarloaf says, "And then she offered an adult tap class. And I was like, Well, it's been a long time since I've had some tap shoes on, but let's put those, let's put those bad boys back on, and get to class, and it's been fun ever since."
Dianna Ferry of Drums says, "We are here with our children three four days a week, sometimes two hours a night. So might as well have a class for the adults that are here. And did you tap before? No, this is it."
Melissa Steber, an instructor, says, "We also have this class, which the ladies have been dancing together for three years, and we have a new absolute beginner class on Tuesday nights; it's forming."
These ladies said by showing up and putting on a pair of tap shoes, I made it through the most difficult part.
Ferry says, "The hardest part is getting started and getting the courage to come to that first class after that. It's all good fun, like we don't judge. We all help each other. We just try our best."
And no matter what class you enroll in, they all start the same way.
Steber says, "Get our feet nice and relaxed, and we'll do a series of toe taps and heel taps and toes and heels and moving our feet, just getting them nice and warm and relaxed."
Foxwood says, "Then we'll do what some dread is across the floor. But we do it together, so it never feels like we're alone. We do it as a team, and then we work on a piece. So usually, whatever we're doing for the recital, or we try to do a dance before the dance that we do for the recital.
You do not have to perform in the spring. The goal is to just have fun.
Ferry says, "We are a tight group here. We do a lot of things together, not just tapping, but with our children. It's a great group of gals. They're moms here that don't even go to the don't have kids in the studio. And they just come for the class."
Steber says, "Everybody is welcome. We always say it's a no judgment zone as well. because it doesn't matter if you've never danced before, or you're a dancer, and you want to just come have fun. Everybody in this class just has a great time, and they're very supportive of each other."
If you want to learn more about tapping your way into a new hobby, you can find a link to the PAC here.