CCA Seniors Learn How to Trip the Light Fantastic

Boris Brevde, Newton dance instructor, won the second most prestigious dance award in the Ukraine after dancing for 40 years since age 4.

On Friday evening, he came to Covenant Christian Academy in West Peabody to teach high school seniors some steps so they can stage a senior class trip group ballroom dancing for a senior class trip fundraiser Friday evening.

"It's for a good cause; I donated my time to help. I will teach couples dances, like the foxtrot, which has four beats, and the waltz, which is slower. It's under the Big Band category, accompanied by songs like 'New York, New York' by Frank Sinatra," Brevde said.

Covenant Christian Academy is a private Protestant classical Christian school for ages K-12 with a student body of approximately 300.

According Karen Berry, student events coordinator, the senior class, which consists of 10 students, plans to go on a series of unconfirmed brief trips to New York City,  camping in the Adirondacks, and Boston.

"We have a largely diverse class, including one outdoorsy student, one arts/music student, and one sports guy. We wanted to get a little bit of everything for everyone. Senior Week lasts from Saturday, May 28 to Wednesday, June 1, just in time for rehearsal and graduation, Saturday, June 4," Berry said.

With a cost of $15 for students and $25 for adults, the public, parents, CCA students in grades 10-12 helped the senior class pay for their trip while dancing the night away.

CCA Senior Ronnie Parsons of Peabody said if this fundraiser is successful, he and his fellow seniors could only pay $500 for their class trip.

Parsons served mocktails, including orange julius and mudslides, as well as cappuccino and espresso throughout the evening. The Starbucks, on Route 114, donated coffee to CCA.

Under- and upperclassmen were invited to the dance. He mentioned that his class was the smallest present that night,  compared to 19 sophomores and 18 juniors.

"We hope to raise a few thousand dollars. Last year's seniors had a formal dinner inside our chapel, where professional chefs cooked. This is the first time we've had ballroom dancing," Parsons said.

Kendrick Lau of Waltham is one of Brevde's 50 students and was a participant Friday night. He takes lessons with him three times a week in Brevde's Newton dance studio.

"His great asset is he knows how to do something we don't. We hope what we do tonight will extend Boston and westward," Lau believes, "There are dozens of ballroom studios in the metrowest (Newton, Waltham, etc.), but on the North and South shores, they're hard to find."

In Lau's opinion, the environmental life and rich college atmosphere is why ballroom dance studios are difficult to find in this part of Massachusetts. When they hear the term, some people think of skimpy skirts and the popular TV show, "Dancing with the Stars," but true ballroom dancing is Christian in nature -- how to lead a lady.

Thus, CCA asked the dance team to come and help the class raise money.

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