After the Bell: Dancing

Bosley (featured above) attends dance classes at PAAY.

Whitney Johnson
Staff Writer

In York, PA are are at least 11 different dance studios, all hosting
unique styles of dancing. B-Dazzled in Dallastown provides various forms of Irish step dancing. Greater York features high training ballet classes. In addition, the Performing Arts Academy of York (PAAY) teaches lessons on belly dancing and even break dancing. Certainly, many more classes are featured in these different studios than already mentioned.

“Being able to dance in a laid back atmosphere with new friends is a great thing to look forward to after school. You are still learning,” sophomore Rachel Bosley said who takes classes at Performing Arts Academy of York (PAAY).

Junior Marisa Shirk takes classes at PAAY as well. She has been around the PAAY's studio for many years now as her sister took a class there and started dancing at a young age.  Shirk would watch her sister as she danced. She anticipated the age when she could finally be old enough to place her own dancing shoes onto the same floor as her sister. 

Shirk has been dancing for many years now. Bosley, however, just started 3 years ago. 

She began doing lyrical and hip-hop dancing, later expanding to ballet and modern dance as well. 

“I can feel myself growing in dance from when I first began as my technique got stronger,” Bosley said who goes on to say she will continue attending weekend intensives and performances throughout the school year. At Performing Arts Academy of York, the beginning of June features a dance recital - a time where all the dance students will take what they have learned from the year and perform their skills in front of their family and their friends. 

Many other students, such as junior Matlynn Tyimmer who attends B-Dazzled dance studio, participate in dance classes outside of school as well. “Dancing is great. Especially at my studio because you can be yourself and really express yourself, too.” 

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