Stephanie Pairitz - 2017 Dance Instructor of the Year Nominee
By Created: October, 2017 - Modified: June, 2021
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Well known as a coach for Concord's Best Dance Crew, Stephanie Pairitz recently decided to expand her outreach effort past Concord High School and created Epic Dance Studios.
Her new dance studio put the focus on people helping people has inspired the other instructors at her studios to help young dancers excel.
About 20 percent of her clientele are only able to train because of the scholarships and work-to-pay opportunities she has provided.
Stephanie loves that fact that dance outreach is not limited by demographics or backgrounds.
She was recently quoted in the Goshen News as saying, ''The only thing you need is your body. ... You open up that space so the kids can come freestyle when they're angry. ... So then they start to maybe kind of trust you a bit.''
At Concord High School she has even been known to have food available for her students who can't afford it - another thing that opened the door for her students to trust her and begin to change for the better. Many of her former students have followed her example and have come back to help mentor other dancers as people who are closer to their age and may have a better understanding of what matters most to the new students.
That being said, she still has high expectations of and holds her students accountable for their actions outside of the studio, making it clear that if they aren't making the grade in school, they won't be dancing either.
Pairitz is well known for telling her students, ''You may dance for five to 10 years. You'll be a human being for the rest of your life. We want great humans.''
(Photo Courtesy of The Goshen News)
Learn more about the 3rd Annual National Dance Instructor of the Year Award and Greatmats National Award Series.
Stephanie Pairitz
Epic Dance Studios
Elkhart IN 46517
