Family works together to teach positives of dance

By Laurie Gordon
NEWTON — For Jamie Lowenstein, Norra Coppers and Brianna Brittain, their “Senior Solos” as part of D'Marge Dance Studio's two-performance recital were the culmination of years of practice, diligence, discipline and learning.

Each has been taking classes at the low-lying building with a mouse painted in the window on Trinity street for the past 10 to 14 years. The recital was held last month and included students from age three through high school.

“The students at D'Marge work all year for this,” said D'Marge's owner, teacher and choreographer Lori DeVries.

Lowenstein, who just graduated from Sparta High School and is heading to Pace University to study performing arts this fall said, “It's so hard to believe I just did my Senior Solo,” after his second performance of the weekend on Sunday. “D'Marge means so much to me and has helped me get where I am.”

Lowenstein self-choreographed his solo which he performed to a Stephen Schwarz Medley. Like the other two seniors, Coopers is a Newton High and Sussex Tech graduate and Brittain is a Newton High graduate, their last performances with the studio were exciting and emotional. Each took the stage with a photo of themselves when they first started at D'Marge behind them, and each senior was also part of a number of other dances including ballet, dance, tap and gymnastics.

D'Marge EvolvesDeVries and her mother, Connie DeVries, took over ownership of D'Marge in 1984. They kept the name, a combination of the former owners' names, for consistency in the community, but took the school to a new realm, incorporating ballet, tap, jazz, toe shoe dancing and gymnastics all offered in a non-pressure, comfortable teaching setting.

“We did compete for 10 to 14 years,” DeVries said. "We did well but I felt my younger non-competing classes suffered due to my dedication to the competition classes.”

The competition aspect of D'Marge stopped and phased into Connie and Lori DeVries' philosophy of, as Lori DeVries said, “strongly believing children should be well rounded.”

“Competing classes would not have time to get involved in other sports, plays, clubs,” she said.

The studio's matriarch, Connie DeVries, died suddenly in May 2013. She was loved by students and families who attended D'Marge, and somehow, just a few weeks after her passing, the family came together to put on the annual recital.

The show had to go on.
At the moment, Lori DeVries is teaching all the classes with help from her student teachers, Marlee Cirringione, of Hampton, and Sydney Fucito, of Newton.

Over the years, her niece, Justine Payne and daughter, Karlee Analisse Gerth, have also instructed, and Gerth jumps right back into the action when she's home from college. DeVries' sister, Beth Ann Payne and Justine Payne, also help when when it comes to the recital. As the recital approaches, the D'Marge Dance Studio family team hunkers down coordinating everything from procuring the venue to ticket sales to the very tricky ins, outs and variables of rehearsal and the two performances.

“The biggest challenge is getting the entire studio together the same weekend with everyone having so many obligations especially this time of the year,” DeVries said.

The family effort extended this year to Gerth learning three dances in just a few weeks after college ended for the year to fill in for a dancer who had surgery. Then there was the first night of the performance when someone smelled gas and the performance had to be interrupted for half an hour while the Newton fire, police and ambulance departments investigated and deemed everything safe.

“It's always an adventure when it comes to the recital,” Beth Ann Payne said.

Payne said of the D”marge, “Being part of the studio is like being home. It's a place to grow and change while feeling safe enough to express yourself.”

Her role at the studio has changed over the years, but she said the bottom line is, “It's an atmosphere of learning while making sure students feel safe in expressing themselves. I believe Miss Connie worked hard to create this and it's an atmosphere that all of us strive to continue to uphold.”

As to the future of D'Marge, DeVries said she tries to stay current and this year added Saturday Zumba for adults. It's a constant evolution, but the constants are a focus on learning and having fun. As to the recital, it is a celebration of her student's hard work. The school isn't about competition, but rather takes children from putting on their first ballet slippers to learn to really, as the recital's title suggested, “Dance to the Music.”

Fall registration for all ages and dance/gymnastics disciplines will be held Aug. 25-27 with classes starting on Sept. 10.

For more information visit www.dmargedance.com.