A Holiday Surprise 12/19 at LACS

Rhonda’s FooteWorks Outreach Company proudly presents “A Holiday Surprise” at 2:00 and 7:00 p.m. Saturday, December 19th. The productions will be held in the auditorium of Lowville Academy.

“A Holiday Surprise” is a dance, voice and acting production written and directed by Company Director, Rhonda Foote. It tells the story of a young girl visiting New York City during the holiday season. When the girl is separated from her family, she is befriended by a boy who leads her through the city to find her family. On their way, they view all of the city’s holiday splendor and witness dancers, skaters, and much more. The show finishes with a version of the Radio City Rockette kickline.

There is no admission charge for this wonderful holiday event. Director, Rhonda Foote says, “This is an event the entire family will enjoy that will showcase talented local children”. There will be a silent auction table in the lobby and a 50/50 raffle. All proceeds from the auction and raffle will combine with a free will donation taken during the show to benefit two very special North Country children in need of Christmas miracles.

The 2:00 p.m. show benefits Storm Wood, 18 years old, from Watertown and features the Evans Mills studio cast. Storm has battled Muscular Dystrophy most of his life. The past three years have been especially difficult for Storm. He is currently unable to leave one room in his home where he sleeps, eats, bathes and spends each day. Storm is a strong and bright young man who has initiated his own Facebook group to hopefully catch the eye of America’s Extreme Make Over team! Storm loves the Yankees, other people and life in general.

The 7:00 p.m. show is to benefit Lilliana Passage from Carthage and features the Lowville studio cast. Lilly is barely two years old and is battling stage four Neuroblastoma. The family recently received news that this rare cancer has reached Lilly’s lungs and bone marrow. She is receiving treatment in Syracuse and the family is facing a great deal of travel and bills very suddenly. This little girl will captivate you with her sweet smile and we hope to make her and her family’s holidays a bit brighter.

Rhonda’s FooteWorks operates studios in Evans Mills and Lowville. The studio opened its doors in the North Country in 1987 and the Outreach Company was formed in 2004. Company Director, Rhonda Foote, estimates that the company has raised close to $10,000.00 for local families in need since that time. The company’s mission statement is “to use our talents to improve the communities we live in through performance and outreach”. For further information about the production or the studios, please contact rhondasfooteworks@yahoo.com or call, 767-3978. Donations are also being accepted for the silent auction.

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RFW hosts workshops Nov 14th with Kathryn Sullivan

Rhonda's FooteWorks will offer dance workshops in ballet and pointe for ages 6 and up in their Evans Mills studio location the weekend of November 14th. First preference will be given to RFW students, but workshops are open to all local dancers. Please contact us at 3157673978 or rhondasfooteworks@yahoo.com to reserve your spot in class with Kathryn Sullivan. Her bio and credits are listed:


Kathryn Sullivan teaches ballet and pointe at Steps on Broadway, as well as being on faculty at the Ballet Hispanico pre-professional training program. She is an adjunct professor at the Barnard College Dance Department. Her choreography has been presented at Joyce Soho, Cunningham Studio, New Choreographers on Pointe, commissioned by Barnard College and seen in numerous Steps Beyond showcases. She was a co-director and choreographer for InnerLandscapes, a dance theater collective for seven seasons.

She performed with the Boston Ballet, Les Grands Ballet Canadians, Connecticut Ballet, and Les Ballet de Nancy. She has taught at Broadway Dance Center, La Guardia High School of Performing Arts, New Jersey Ballet, and has done master classes and judging for Professional Dance Teachers Association and Dance Masters of America. For eight years she worked for the New York City Ballet's Education Department, designing and presenting ballet workshops in public schools.

Kathryn has collaborated with pianists Flora Arbitman, Nick Levinovsky, Eugenia Lev and Doug Schultz on CD's for ballet class, produced by Roper Records; and has made a video of ballet routines, "Ballet with Style", released by Bob Rizzo (RIZ BIZ). She recently directed and edited an educational DVD entitled, "Downtown Dance NYC" produced by Insight Media.

Kathryn has written and been featured in several articles for Dancer, Dance Spirit, and Dance Teacher magazines and is a writer for the Gaynor Minden website "Ask a Teacher".

Fall is "falling into place"

We are off to an amazing start at RFW this season!
Thanks to all for their talents, patience and enthusiasm.

We are:
1. Putting up mirrors in Lowville this week
2. Putting up new/more mirrors in Rm 2 at Evans Mills in October
3. Putting observation monitors in rm 1 and 2 at Evans Mills in November so that you can see your child in class while in the waiting area.
4. Updating our stereo systems in both Lowville and rm 2 of Evans Mills by the 1st of the year.
5. Working on a new website where you can click on your studio, company or information from one central location on the web!

Updated schedules and information packets will be available in October.

Please make sure that you check out your child's costume at the desk (books in Lowville weeks #4 and #5, back to Evans Mills weeks #6 and #7). I am working on the costume blog and hope to have that up and running asap!

Remember, fill out your registration sheet; company dancers return your non compete forms, and check out your costumes at the desk if you have not already done so.

Thanks! Rhonda

Fall commercial

Dana Kelly joins Summer Staff

Dana Kelly began dancing in Germany in 1985 at the age of 3 ½. She continued taking lessons and performing in the states with Rhonda and Donna Foote from 1989-1999. She started with Ballet, Tap, Jazz, and Lyrical, then began Modern and Ballet Pointe at the age of 12. She competed with Rhonda’s School of Dance Arts (and later with R&R Dance Centre), in many local, regional, and national talent competitions, placing in the top three with many group and solo pieces. In 1998 Dana spent the summer studying with the Jose Limon Dance Company in Manhattan, where she concentrated on the world-renowned Limon technique under the instruction of Nina Watt, Carlos Orta, Brady MacDonald (also an alumni of Rhonda and Donna Foote), and countless others. During High school she was a member of chorus, Jazz Rock (an elite, audition only, vocal/dance ensemble), Bi-County Jazz Choir, and participated in NYSMMA solofest, and musical productions. In 1997 she played the supporting role of Zaneeta Shinn in The Music Man, and in 1999 she played the lead role of Laurey Williams in Oklahoma!. She was also Vice President of National Honor Society, an avid member of the IR chapter of S.A.D.D., Homecoming queen, and MVP Varsity cheerleader (where she co-choreographed many competition routines). Upon graduation of High school, she won a performance scholarship to Manhattanville College, where she double-majored in Dance and Dance Therapy with a minor in Psychology. During her freshman year she was in the cast of dancers on MTV’s Direct Effect and auditioned for the Radio City Rockettes where she got a call-back. Dana completed a Dance Therapy internship in Jackson Heights in Queens, where she worked with developmentally delayed 2-5 yr olds. She taught a summer Dance Therapy workshop at Rhonda’s studio in 2001. She suffered an unfortunate accident in the 2nd semester of her junior year during a rehearsal and had to have intensive, invasive, reconstructive knee surgery. She took a year and a half off for physical therapy, and returned to complete her degree with a major in Psychology/Dance Therapy. She was fortunate to work with Limon’s Carlos Orta once more when he guest choreographed a modern piece (in which Dana was featured) for the Mville Dec. 2004 Dance Concert shortly before his untimely passing. Dana recently returned to the North Country following the birth of her son, Gabriel, and looks forward to reconnecting and working with her most influential dance instructor of all, Rhonda Foote.

Stephanie Warnekros

Miss Stephanie is a graduate of the studio program. In her competitive career, Stephanie won numerous Grand Champion honors, scholarships, and even spent a summer on tour with Dance Caravan!
Stephanie excels in all areas of dance and has grown into a phenomenal instructor! She is presently a graduate student at Potsdam College where she was recently featured in modern pieces performed with the dance company on campus.
Stephanie currently returns to RFW on a monthly basis. While "home" at the studio she choreographs and critiques solos, duos, trios and is the in-house hip hop choreographer. Right now, she is rehearsing "Please Don't Stop The Music" with our Senior company.
Stephanie brings her talents, patience and natural teacher instincts to our appreciative students!

Amanda Javarone- Patchen

Amanda (Javarone) Patchen is a studio graduate with over fifteen years of study. "Mandee" was a senior company dancer, demonstrator, assistant teacher and instructor with Rhonda's FooteWorks in the past.

Amanda was recently married and is currently working in the local community. She will offer solo coaching and instruct Adult Tap through our Spring season.