Why I Pay For Dance School By Shad Martin

The other night someone asked me "Why do you pay so much money for your girls to dance?"

Well I have a confession to make, I don't pay for dance. Personally, I couldn't care less about dance. I grew up in a family of 4 boys and no girls. The "Nutcracker" was something you did on a dare off of the high dive at the pool or something you unpleasantly surprised your brother with. Up until the day I met my wife if I were asked to go to Swan Lake I would have asked if we were water skiing or fishing.

So if I am not paying for dance what am I paying for? I pay for those moments when my daughters become so tired they want to quit but don't. I pay for those days when my daughters come home from school and are "too tired" to go dance but go anyway. I pay for my daughters to learn to be graceful. I pay for my daughters to learn to take care of their body. I pay for my daughters to learn to work with others and to be good teammates. I pay for my daughters to learn to deal with disappointment, when they don't get that part they hoped for, but still have to work hard at the part that they received. I pay for my daughters learn to make and accomplish goals. I pay for my daughters to learn that it takes hours and hours and hours and hours of hard work and practice to create something beautiful, and that success does not happen over night. I pay for the opportunity my daughters have and will have to make life long friendships. I pay so that my daughters can be on stage instead of in front of a screen...

I could go on but to be short, I don't pay for dance, I pay for the opportunities that dance provides my daughters to develop attributes that will serve them well throughout their lives and give them the opportunity to bless the lives of others. From what I have seen so far I think it is a great investment!

I am sure that other parents get similar questions. "Why do you pay for competitive baseball?" "Why do you pay for Quarterback training?" "Why do you pay for club soccer?" "Why does your kid swim year round?".... I just think it is important to realize what we are really paying for.

African American Heritage Celebration Performance

The TPE class at DeVore Dance Center performed at the Queens Borough Hall for the 2018 African American Heritage Celebration. The event was hosted by Queens Borough President Melinda Katz and appeared Queens Perspectives with host Roslyn Nieves on QPTV.

Performance Starts at the 1:36 mark, Students comment at 49:51 mark and Ms DeVore speaks at 53:09 mark about our new program Rise Up.

2017 Fashion Show Intro

This video is about 2017 DeVore Fashion Show Intro

25th Anniversary DVD

Sorry for the delay. Anyone who pre ordered the concert DVD they will be ready to be picked up starting Monday August 15, 2016. The studio will be open all of next week monday thru friday from 8am to 5pm. If you paid to have it mailed you should expect it by next week.

DVD Video Sample Below

This video is about Sample

Fashion show DVDs are now available

PE Class - Work by Rihanna 

DDC Ext.

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DD Extension

DeVore Alumni Perform at the Joyce Theatre

Overwhelming elation spending time with Camille A. Brown (Camille A. Brown & Dancers) and Kendall G. Britt Jr (Ballet Memphis) as they celebrated their seasons at the Joyce Theatre (the Mecca of dance in NYC) 

What are the chances of having two of your students at the Joyce in a one month period.

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8-10 HipHop Halloween Costumes

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We are Family

Choreographed by Brian Hawthorne and performed by the Jr Pro . This piece is dedicated to all those who taught or danced at DeVore Dance Center before opening up their own studios or pursuing careers in performing arts.

Makeesha doing great things in her community

For the full article and video by Leisha Majtan for NY1 copy and paste the link below

http://www.ny1.com/nyc/all-boroughs/queens-person-of-the-week/2015/07/24/queens-people-of-the-week--young--yogis--encourage-peace-in-the-community-through-mind--body--and-soul-.html#

NY 1 Article:

Growing up in public housing, Jaytaun McMillan never thought he'd practice yoga, let alone teach it.

“When you come to these places, you see liquor stores and things like that. You don't see yoga studios on the corner here. When you're in an upscale or nice environment, they've got yoga studios, gyms, fitness, the things that better your life,” said McMillan.

In an effort to change lives in the Baisley Housing Project, McMillan and a few other "Urban Yogis" decided to bring the practice to the residents for free.

Once a week, they hold a class in the project courtyard for anyone interested.

The yoga program is part of "Life Camp" -- a non-profit organization dedicated to reducing violence in the community.

“It's about changing the inner you, so that you can be one of compassion, one of non-judgment, one of you know, really success in your own vision and your own mission in life,” said Erica Ford, the founder of Life Camp.

The Urban Yogis first got involved with Life Camp three years ago.

They became teaching assistants through a training program and now lead classes in studios and in public schools.

For them, the benefits reach far beyond the physical.

“It gives you a moment in time to let everything go and just be in tune with your breath, or just be in tune with yourself,” said Makeesha Hill.

“Yoga practice actually grounds you, all those fluctuations that's going through your mind comes in an end you're able to just be,” added Juquille Johnston.

The Yogis hope they inspire others to take up the practice.

“When you make a peaceful you, then you create a peaceful environment. You start changing things, you start planting the seeds and watch them grow,” said Jaytaun McMillan.

And so, for helping others find peace within themselves and in the community, the Urban Yogis are our Queens People of the Week.