STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. Once upon a time, mid 1970′s to the 1990′s, dance was present everywhere on Staten Island. Not only the dance school company/recital/competition that we have today, but groups formed of choreographers and classically trained dancers that put their energies into creating from scratch, the art of movement, dance. From swing to ballet, Martha Graham modern to musical comedy jazz.
There were local troupes and teachers like Clive Thompson, Tina Johansen (Cromwell Center), Shelia Rohan, Wendy Barker, and performances by Staten Island Civic Theater and The Staten Island Dance Theater and many more.
For one, I miss this year’s annual trip to the New York City Ballet with my daughter, which brought me to look back in our archives for vintage photos of those booming days of dance here on our creative Staten Island.