Norwalk and Westport Dance Teacher Inspired a Wide Audience

Former dance students recall Angela Tobias Saenz's elegance, artistry, and mentorship from the 1970s through the 2000s. Ms. Tobias Saenz directed the Angela Tobias Dance Center and the fondly-remembered “Afternoon of Dance” performances held annually in Fairfield County.

Prior to opening her own school, Ms. Tobias Saenz taught at the Norwalk Dance Center, "A Dance Class" in Westport, and The International School at Carnegie Hall, as well as in Bridgeport, Hartford, Minnesota, and Puerto Rico. She also conducted master classes for the Connecticut Dance Teachers' Association. Students with special needs participating in the STAR program received her instruction as did children living in public housing under a program from the Norwalk Housing Authority.

Born Angela Barbara Tobias in Montreal, she graduated from Bulkeley High School in Hartford, where classmates praised the cheerleader and ballet student for her empathy and sense of style. She was awarded scholarships and trained at the School of Ballet Repertory in New York with Thalia Mara and Hilda Butsova. She also trained with Anthony Tudor, Margaret Craske, Robert Joffrey, William Dollar, and Igor Schwezoff. Additionally, she studied jazz dance and Flamenco.

Under the stage name Angela Serrano, Ms. Tobias Saenz was prima ballerina with the Ballet Español Ximinez-Vargas, which toured internationally. Her solo performance with the company at Jacob’s Pillow won her a glowing critical review. Ms. Tobias Saenz performed with several other ballet companies, including the William Dollar Concert Ballet Group. She also danced at the St. Louis Municipal Opera, Lincoln Center, and Radio City Music Hall. She appeared in the Broadway productions of “Gypsy” and “Milk and Honey,” on “The Ed Sullivan Show,” and toured with Marlene Dietrich.

Ms. Tobias Saenz discovered her passion for teaching as a young ballerina, when she founded a ballet program at Escuela Las Nereidas, a Montessori school in San Juan, Puerto Rico. In Norwalk and Westport, Ms. Tobias Saenz was known for her focus on ballet technique. Some of her students went on to successful professional dance careers, including on Broadway and with the Martha Graham Dance Company.

With a strong belief in the educational power of dance, Ms. Tobias Saenz was equally dedicated to recreational students who were not on a pre-professional track, building their self-confidence, strength, and concentration through dance. Classical Ballet study, Ms. Tobias Saenz explained in an article, develops children intellectually, physically, and emotionally.

"Adults," Ms. Tobias Saenz wrote,"can take classes at any age." In her classes, adult students learned ballet, Flamenco, and fitness. Starting in the early 1970s, she also offered stretching classes to adults, emphasizing the safety and beneficial properties of classic ballet stretching and barre exercises.

One former student recalled, “It was her teaching style, love of dance, and mentorship that formed my life-long and current work ethic the most. I don’t give up even when it gets tough. I also accept honest critique with an understanding that it may lead to improvement. She was remarkable and tough. But I am forever grateful for having experienced her teaching.” Said another, “She was a tough teacher but demanded greatness! She taught me to challenge myself and not to be afraid to step out of the box.”

Ms. Tobias Saenz passed away in Hartford on April 10th after a brief illness. Memorial gifts in honor of Angela Tobias Saenz may be directed to Jacob’s Pillow in Becket, Massachusetts. https://my.jacobspillow.org/do...