It’s a Rock and Roll Dance weekend at the Kenai Central High School Auditorium.

It’s a Rock and Roll Dance weekend at the Kenai Central High School Auditorium.

Forever Dance rocks on!

By any performing arts standards across the nation the new Forever Dance Studio is amazing. The dream of Darcy and Aaron Swanson, who a few years ago purchased Vergine’s Dance Studio in Soldotna, the Swansons and their staff have brought the love of dance to a whole new level.

Located on the Kenai Spur Highway, the all-new facility offers four spacious dance studios.

“We’re thrilled to have our dream become a reality that our dancers will be able to enjoy for years and generations to come,” said a happy Swanson in an interview with the Dispatch.

“We designed the building with four floor spaces in mind that can all be running at the same time with no interference to the other classes. Presently we have three of those spaces operating offering ballet, hip hop, contemporary, jazz, accordance, tap and of course our Aurora Dance Company to choose from, all filled with energy, laughter and excitement as if you were on the Disney World campus. We’re thrilled with the facility because the kids are able to dance bigger, which means they are able to dance better. Our ceilings are 12 feet high so we are able to do lifts and partnering and we’re thrilled because of what this means for our dancers and their development in the future,” said Swanson.

That every consideration for the design and plan had been researched and thought out for the benefit of the dancer is evident as you walk through the spacious facility.

“We are firm believers that you’re never too old or young to dance that’s why our name Forever Dance. We have a 72-year-old tapper who comes every week to our adult tap class and we have our youngest dancer at age 3 and I’m going to start a program for infants with their caregivers and parents or aunties and uncles that’ll fulfill my mission that dance is for everyone and it is forever,” says Darcy.

The community is still talking about the Forever Dance performance last year that was so much more than a recital and amazing choreography, but communicate the emotions and issues confronting youth today that brought the audience to tears and their feet for standing ovations.

Now fresh from their new facility to the Renee C. Henderson Auditorium at KCHS comes this year’s showcase of the Aurora Company’s “I Wanna Rock!”

“The impetus came from my husband Aaron who was building the set for last year’s show and his work music is 80s- and 90s-era rock and roll so he suggested doing a rock show and our teachers thought it was a great idea and I did too, so opening Friday, March 23 and 24 is the show our kids are so excited to perform. They’ve worked hard and they are amazing, but we everyone to know that we are only about 45 kids in our company so we rely on the community to come out and support these kids in the show. We have a live band on stage and it’ll be like a rock concert with the Mayberry Brothers doing our finale number. It’s going to be a fantastic experience and feature numbers by Metallica, AC/DC, Guns-n-Roses, Motley Crue, Pat Benatar, Stevie Nicks, Nirvanna, Run DMC, and those are just a few of the amazing artists our dancers will be rocking their talents to. Our incredible choreographers have created pieces that will transport you back to this epic time of rock and impress you with the talents of our local dancers,” said Swanson.

Reserved seating tickets are available at the new studio on the Kenai Spur Highway just outside of Soldotna or at the door. Stop by for a tour and to learn more about the new Zumbini class soon to be introduced at Forever Dance.

Jazz, Ballet, and Hip Hop and Tap dancers will all show their steps in “I Wanna Rock!”

Jazz, Ballet, and Hip Hop and Tap dancers will all show their steps in “I Wanna Rock!”

Leaping for joy at the all new Forever Dance Studio.

Leaping for joy at the all new Forever Dance Studio.

Kids of all ages learn classic and modern dance at Forever Dance.

Kids of all ages learn classic and modern dance at Forever Dance.

The staff at the new Forever Dance studio would love to show you the greatest dance facility in all Alaska.

The staff at the new Forever Dance studio would love to show you the greatest dance facility in all Alaska.

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