Valley Dance Lessons Benefit Artist Trust

Sat., Jan. 29, 2000

By Trinity Hartman trinityh@spokesman.com

A local dancer will be offering basic movement classes for children next month in the Valley.

Stephanie Lindsay, the executive secretary of the Spokane Symphony and a former dance instructor at Eastern Washington University, will teach a creative movement class for 4- and 5-year-olds at the Academy of Dance each Monday in February.

Lindsay is donating her time and all money from the $20 registration fee to Artist Trust, a Washington group that helps fund artists. Recently, Artist Trust awarded a grant to Mel McCuddin, an artist who lives in the Spokane Valley.

The studio space at the Academy of Dance is being donated as well by owner Janet Wilder.

Lindsay felt the best way she could raise money for Artist Trust was to use her skills as a dancer.

“I wanted to raise money for artists by doing artistic work,” said Lindsay, who lives in the Valley near Shelley Lake.

Lindsay was a founding member of Namaste’ Modern Dance Theatre which was formed in 1986. The group received funding from Artist Trust.

Besides her work in dance, Lindsay has taught art, movement and literature at the Spokane Art School.

The classes will teach children shape, time space and energy through music, painting and drama.

“A child’s first textbook is always their body,” Lindsay said.

The things young children learn through the arts help them better understand math, science and language arts.

“Right now the whole educational system is getting back to the basics,” she said. “Many (people) don’t recognize that all the basics are taught in the arts.”

The class also helps children learn coordination and movement and is a good introduction to other forms of dance, such as ballet.

This sidebar appeared with the story: NEXT MONTH Class for kids

A creative movement class for 4- and 5-year-olds will be held each Monday in February, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the Academy of Dance, 14214 E. Sprague. The cost of the four-week program is $20. To register, call the academy at 922-3023. Parents can call instructor Stephanie Lindsay at 892-9528.

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