About Us
 |  |  |  |  |
| MDTC History & Mission Feeling a need to organize Maine dance teachers in an organization dedicated to the promotion and furtherance of dance in the State of Maine, Ellen T. Cooper and the late Evelyn Dyer Clark co-hosted a meeting held at Evelyn’s studio in Auburn, Maine in October of 1950, and the Maine Dance Teachers Club became a reality. Maine dance teachers were contacted and the Club began with monthly meetings at which Maine teachers offered instruction to the teachers attending. That first year, these meetings were held at various dance studios throughout the state. The following year, the Club moved its meetings to the DeWitt Hotel in Lewiston, offering both teacher and student classes, drawing upon such New York teachers as Charles Kelley, Joe Price, Art Stone, Henry LeTang and many others. As the Club and attendance grew, the monthly classes were moved to Lewiston area schools where both a gym and auditorium were available and teachers, such as Gus Giordano, Peter Genaro, and Al Gilbert came to Maine to teach. Because of large attendance from dance teachers and students throughout the state, the Club moved to the Augusta-Waterville area and continued to hire nationally known teachers such as Gus and Nan Giordano, Lynda Gache, Bob Rizzo, Bill DiRicco, Fred Knecht, and Tom Ralabate. Because of the great interest in these meetings and workshops, the Club decided to expand and offer a one-day summer workshop which started at the Encore Dance Studio in Augusta. After two years, the workshop grew so much that the Club moved on to Boothbay Harbor, then to Portland, then Bar Harbor, and now back to Boothbay Harbor, Maine. This is a three-day workshop where top dance faculties, as well as Maine dance teachers, present material for students, assistant teachers and teachers. Currently, the Club offers an annual three-day summer workshop in Portland. |
