WHEATLAND – Dance Wyoming had their annual Christmas Dance show on Sunday at the high school auditorium.
Around 100 students from ages 3 up through a couple of college-aged dancers train in tap, hip hop, ballet and ballroom. The Sunbeams is a performance group of 3 and 4-year-olds that not only learn some dance, but how to introduce themselves onstage. Sunbeams is taught by Mira Taylor and Josephine Young.
Linda Fabian and her late husband and dance partner, Joe, opened the studio over around 19 years ago. First teaching adult ballroom and then adding the Sunbeams class. Soon after, more dance disciplines were added to the slate. Ballet taught by Ton Winter, tap taught by Stephani Madsen, Hip hop taught by Mira Taylor and Summer Welchel and Cheer taught by Courtney Fulginiti.

“Little did we know that when Dance Wyoming opened it would become such a rewarding opportunity for Joe and me to give back to the community.  At first it was just a place for us to practice for our dance competitions, then it became a place to teach children starting out with Sunbeams.  And now, after almost twenty years, it has blossomed to serve as a center for the performing arts with more than 100 hundred students, six teachers, and several assistants,” said Fabian with an infectious smile. “It has been an amazing experience watching some of our dancers start out at age three, and now graduating from high school and moving on to college, continuing their enjoyment of the arts whether it be performing, technical skills, or teaching.  I can’t thank the community enough for supporting our children’s desires to dance and make music.”
Fabian just started a Dance Duos class this year, teaching ballroom styles to kids. The world champion dancer taught a cha-cha number to the class for the performance with the assistance of Young, another award-winning dancer.  
Rebecca Fuentes has five children enrolled in dance, two sons in hip hop, two daughters in ballet and a younger daughter in Sunbeams.
“My children love their dance classes. They’ve learned the value of hard work and discipline and had fun in the process,” Fuentes explained. “They’ve made lasting friendships through their dance classes.”
In honor of Joe Fabian, a scholarship was started to help dancers who struggle with the financial burden of monthly classes. A bucket was passed during the show and $491 was raised to help continue the scholarship.
Classes start up again on Jan. 5. For more information go to www.dancewyoming.com.
More photos may be seen at www.pcrecordtimes.com, scroll to the bottom of the home page to see the slide show.