MARBLEHEAD — Since founding the Marblehead School of Ballet in 1972, Paula K. Schiff’s goals have been fairly straight forward — help students reach their goals.
Whether it’s a beginner or a seasoned dancer, the best way to make that happen is to provide quality education and instruction. Now the school is adding to its team of top-tier teachers.
Performer Sarah Crane, who was part of the national touring production of Mean Girls, joined the staff as a guest teacher last week.
Crane, who received a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Boston Conservatory’s musical theater program, has choreography credits that include Fun Home and Speakeasy Stage Co. and the off-Broadway premieres Single Rider the Musical, Bring it On, Shrek Jr., and A Doll’s House: A New Opera.
“I’m hoping to get students excited about dancing and achieving personal goals through movement at the Marblehead School of Ballet,” Crane said. “I’m from Miami and now I’m glad to be here.”
And Shiff is glad to have Crane as well. Crane will teach live, online jazz and cardio dance classes at the school’s studio at 115 Pleasant St.
“The Marblehead School of Ballet is delighted to have choreographer, actor, and dance educator Sarah Crane join our staff as a guest teacher. This is a great opportunity to study with a dancer, who has real world dance experience,” said Shiff.
The school is currently celebrating its 49th year, but the pandemic has made that year anything but normal.
Earlier this year the studio was forced to shut down and rethink how to offer its usual classes and programs. Like many, Schiff and her staff turned to Zoom. While teaching virtually involved plenty of adjustment, it also opened the door to allow several different teachers and professionals to join the staff, like Crane.
Due to high demand, the jazz and cardio dance classes are being offered several times during the week.
The jazz class, underway in October, takes place on Mondays from 6:00-7:15 p.m. and on Tuesdays from 4:00-5:15 p.m. Students, ages 12 and over of all levels, learn the fundamentals of dance and style.
The cardio dance class starts Nov. 3 on Thursdays from 6:30-7:20 p.m. and on Saturdays from 10:30-11:20 a.m. The cardio dance class is open to dancers and non-dancers of all levels. Students, ages 10 and over, may participate in the class described as a “fun, high-energy class that packs a punch with an exhilarating workout.”