Holliston's Dancing Arts Center Celebrates 30 Years

The Dancing Arts Center (DAC) celebrated 30 years of excellence in dance education at their Spring Dance Concert on June 6th at Sorenson Theater, Babson College.  Twenty-five DAC alumnae (students and teachers), from Boston to Seattle, were in attendance to help celebrate this event. The concert was performed in three acts. The first act consisted of department level class demonstrations in ballet, modern, and jazz, which highlighted the educational steps at DAC. The second act consisted of premiere modern and ballet pieces choreographed by Karyn Edison;  a jazz ‘60’s suite choreographed by Adrienne Hawkins; and some contemporary pieces choreographed and performed by DAC alumnae guest artists: Carrie Kerstein, Tina Clark, Rowan Salem, Stephanie Post, and Chanc Van Winkle. The final act consisted of Black Swan Variations by guest artist Emily Loscocco, who has been employed by the Orlando Ballet and now of Ballet Met in Ohio, followed by variations from Sleeping Beauty, staged by Wayne Stewarte and performed by Dancing Arts Ensemble company members.

Dancing Arts Center was founded and directed by Karyn Edison in 1979. DAC first opened in the basement of the Lutheran church in Framingham and moved as soon as space was found to One Pleasant Street in Framingham.  After nearly 10 years, a branch studio located above the Superette in Holliston was added. Eventually, DAC moved both schools to one beautiful state-of-the-art center in East Holliston, where they now reside and host their own theater, three studios, generous waiting area, dressing rooms, wardrobe construction facilities, and more.

While the school has grown through many changes over the past 30 years, the one thing that has not changed is DAC's dedication to the development of the dancing arts through quality programs in education and performance for both children and adults. Past accompanist, Diana Marks says “That’s hard to believe – 30 years! And you (all) have the same enthusiasm for teaching and mentoring. That’s what I love about the school. I know that when I worked at DAC part of the excitement was watching the children grow, mature, and become more proficient in dancing over time. It was like being part of a family. One could not help but care about the children and be happy to see them accomplish their goals and succeed in the future. Being an employee was more than job, it was a privilege. You can quote me on that.”