Dance Centre mixes it up with hip-hop classes

It was a little more than seven years ago that students at the Dance Centre of the Hamptons began asking the center’s director, Leigh Kestin, if hip-hop could be incorporated into programs at the Westhampton and Manorville studios.

The dance style primarily associated with hip-hop is breaking or break dancing, which appeared on the streets of New York City during the early 1970s. Funk styles such as popping and locking evolved separately in California in the 1960s and 1970s, but were also integrated into hip-hop culture.

Ms. Kestin, a formally trained ballet dancer and teacher, was resistant at first to the innovative and provocative dance style. Many parents were also hesitant to let their young daughters participate in a dance style that many perceived to be sexually suggestive, if not aggressive, she said.

But when Ms. Kestin and parents saw how enthusiastic the young dance students were about the fun—and what turned out to be innocent—style, they were only to happy to hop on board in support of the new dance program.

“It’s been gradual,” Ms. Kestin said. “Some of the parents finally let their daughters join the hip-hop program last year, some let them join two years ago, some let them join five years ago. It depends upon how liberal the parents were at the time, or how much the girls pushed, because these are girls who actually do listen to their parents.”

Seven years ago, only one in 20 students at the Dance Centre studied hip-hop. Today it’s 50 percent and growing. The center’s two studios continue to offer ballet, jazz and modern dance styles.

Dance students Alexis Cordella, 13, and Cristina Garelli, 11, both of Manorville, said their ballet and traditional dance training is essential for learning and perfecting their hip-hop moves. While Cristina prefers hip-hop, Alexis is more traditional and favors ballet, though she still enjoys hip-hop.

“The hardest part about hip-hop is trying to look ghetto,” Alexis quipped. “If you’re not ghetto at all, and I’m not, you have to have a mindset that you’re going to act a certain way on stage. I’m a completely different person when I dance hip-hop. I’m not anything like I am in real life.”

Alexis, who has been dancing since the age of 2, said her father was a little hesitant about letting his daughter take hip-hop classes. But he finally relented when he saw how benign the dance moves the girls were learning actually were.

Cristina said her parents are supportive of her hip-hop training, but noted that her father still chuckles when he sees his quiet little girl perform with street attitude.

“I like being so ghetto,” Cristina said. “It’s so fun, and you get to show attitude, and that brings out the best in me.”

Both Cristina and Alexis said they had bounced from dance studio to dance studio and were thrilled when they finally found the Dance Centre. Both girls said they enjoy the patient and attentive approach of their teachers.

Arty Ashe was originally the Dance Centre’s main hip-hop teacher. But in June 2005, the 40-year-old Central Islip resident and his girlfriend and fellow dance teacher Veronique Archer were killed in a tragic accident. According to police, Edwin Jones of Coram fell asleep at the wheel while in a drug-induced stupor and ran his 1989 GMC Jimmy into the couple as they rode bicycles along the shoulder of the Sunrise Highway in Oakdale.

Mr. Ashe died instantly; Ms. Archer died later at Stony Brook University Hospital.

For years, Ms. Kestin tried to replace the popular hip-hop teacher with a string of other candidates. Finally, three years ago, she found Brianna Riello.

The 19-year-old Holbrook resident managed to fill the void left by the loss of Mr. Ashe. She has gone on to help her students win a host of competitions, including the Kids’ Artistic Review, Starbound competitions and Show Stoppers contest. In addition to dance competitions, the girls also perform at a variety of benefits. One such charitable cause was to raise funds for fellow Dance Centre student Kaitlyn Mamay, who was diagnosed with leukemia two years ago.

“Teaching at the studio is just really rewarding because the girls are so willing to learn,” Ms. Riello said. “They just look at you, and they want to learn. Plus, you see girls who are shy totally putting their hearts onto the stage when they do my dance steps. And that, to me, is more rewarding than anything.”

Ms. Kestin explained that parents now bring children as young as 3 to her studios and sign them up for hip-hop. There are approximately 600 students enrolled at Dance Centre.

While few will go on to a professional dance career, Ms. Kestin said all the students come away from dance training with self-confidence and a better sense of who they are.

“Dance is dance,” she said. “There has always been a great deal of snobbery about the classical forms, especially ballet and modern. But in the end, we are training young people to control their bodies with grace and discipline, and to have fun doing it.”

“They have internalized self-control,” she added. “And throughout their lives, they stand straighter and move more gracefully because of it. Even their study habits improve.”