Brooklyn Park’s Dance Program Turns 50
Brooklyn Park’s city recreation program has included dance classes for 50 years now.
Performers with Brooklyn Park’s dance program take a bow after the recital at Osseo Sr. High School last month. The program began 50 years ago.
“One of the great things about our program is we often have grandparents bring their children bring their children, so we’re working on our third generation of dancers coming back to see us every year,” said Jen Gillard, the city’s recreation services manager who oversees the dance program. “We have a lot of friends, lots of neighbors. They tell each other about the program, and they love it so they come back year after year.”
It’s a non-competitive, non-time-crunched program where individual classes meet just once a week, said Gillard. She said the only performances are recitals.
Alumni of Brooklyn Park’s dance program took to the recital stage in May to help celebrate 50 years of the program.
“To celebrate our 50th anniversary, we had alumni dancers come back. We had anybody who had ever danced with us come back,” she said. “It was really special to have people come home.”
This summer, introductory classes will begin for ages three to eight, but anyone is welcome to sign up for any classes, regardless of age, gender, or experience level.
“You can pick up dance at any time,” said Gillard. “We believe that dance is for everybody: every cultural identity, every ability, every gender identity, so whoever you are and however you show up, you’re welcome with us.”
