Not Your Average Barn Dance
PETERSEN BARN OFFERS LOWCOST ACCESSIBLE
DANCE CLASSES TO THE COMMUNITY by Barbara Marty
PETERSEN BARN OFFERS DANCE CLASSES
TO AGES AS YOUNG AS 14 MONTHS
S
usan Kincaid never thought she would take dance classes and perform on stage.
But, at 44, she fi nally found herself “brave enough” to step out of her comfort
zone and try tap dancing at Petersen Barn Community Center.
“I honestly don’t think I would have considered taking dance classes if it
wasn’t here,” Kincaid says. “It makes a big difference to me that
it is a community center because I would feel intimidated to go
to a dance studio, and because you know … I’m not your typical
person that takes dance class,” Kincaid says, referring to the fact
that she doesn’t live up to the classic athletic physique of most
dancers.
Most people think of golf or skiing when they think of costly
recreational activities, but dance classes can be a fi nancial burden
as well. From lessons and recital tickets to costumes and shoes,
dance costs can prevent many low-income families from getting
involved. Aware of this reality, the city of Eugene’s Petersen Barn
proposes affordable dance lessons and equipment for students
from toddlers to seniors and beginners to advanced-level pupils.
Ruby McConnell, a local dancer and lead instructor at
Petersen Barn, explains how the fi nancial aspect, as well as the
competitive atmosphere of many traditional studios, deters a lot
of people like Kincaid from giving it a try. “We offered tap classes for three years and got
nobody. And then I fi gured out that was because nobody could afford shoes,” she says. “So
now we have tap shoes that people can borrow, and our tap classes are packed.”
From ballet to belly dance and hip hop to tap, Petersen Barn offers a wide range of
options, considering there’s only a single room for practice and performing. The fi rst class
is always free and the short sessions — usually between fi ve to six weeks for an average
price of $40 — allow students to fi nd out what type of dance corresponds to them.
Because the program is entirely city-funded, Petersen Barn has also created lessons
for people that aren’t the target of regular studios: adult and
senior beginners as well as children with physical or behavioral
disabilities. Special-needs children are integrated and can take
free one-on-one lessons. At the end-of-the-year recital, you may
see retirees sharing the stage with wee little ones and teens.
Far from an atmosphere of rigid training, Petersen Barn
encourages acceptance and imperfection. No need to be born with
swiveling hips to enjoy McConnell’s belly dance classes. The
purpose is not to be perfect but to have fun and feel good about
your body. “I always tell to my students, ‘You’re at the barn; this
isn’t the Bolshoi, you know.’”
Whatever your physical condition might be, everybody has
a place on stage at the barn, thus bringing the Eugene community
together. “I got kids that get picked up in Porsches and kids that are
dropped off by bus, and they’re all in there,” McConnell says with
a contagious laugh. “But once you started dancing, those things go
away. Dance is a great equalizer, you know — the ‘Holy crap! This is hard!’” ■
‘I always tell to my
students “You’re at
the Barn, this isn’t the
Bolshoi you know.”’
— Ruby McConnell
4
E u g e n e We e k l y ’s D A N C E ! 2 0 1 4
For more information about dance classes at Petersen Barn Community Center, 870 Berntzen Rd., visit eugene-or.gov/
recenroll or call 682-5521.