Dancers Pointe is Coming to Springfield Avenue

The sign went up in the window yesterday: Dancers Pointe is coming to the Stories in Motion location on Springfield Avenue in Maplewood. But just what is Dancers Pointe? This story appeared in Berkeley Heights Patch on July 7, 2011:

With an emphasis on "teaching life skills through dance," Dancers Pointe's junior and senior dancers performed at Governor Livingston High School recently.

Ask any current or former student to reflect on Cathy Karosick's 40 years of teaching dance and they will tell you that it's her dance philosophy that is responsible for the longevity.

Described as keenly focused on discipline, Karosick has left an indelible impression on the studio that she created decades earlier, which is still reflective of her influence — a strong emphasis on "teaching life skills" through dance.

The Dancer's Pointe studio defines those life skills as respect, discipline, teamwork, commitment, dedication, friendship and fun.

"Many of her mantras about life are instilled in her dance teaching," said her second cousin Joy Marie Burt, who has danced with Cathy since age two. "She teaches you that from the time you are a child grace and poise are important. She teaches you good sportsmanship — you clap for everyone, you never make fun of anyone. She says, 'If I train right, you dance right.'"

Dancers Pointe today is a comprehensive performing arts studio offering classes in voice, ballet, lyrical, pointe, hip hop, tap, salsa, breakdance, jazz, musical theater, and Zumba for both boys and girls. Children can begin classes from ages two.

The studio was at Governor Livingston High School recently for a special show that celebrated the school's 40 years of dance instruction featuring four generations of performances at the invitation of the Berkeley Heights Booster Club.

"Honestly I know that with dance companies, they are always looking for venues that are willing to support Governor Livingston and that money comes to the township," said Booster President Linda Paparatto. "It's a win-win situation. It helps the dance troupe and it helps the Berkeley Heights Community."

Dancers Pointe co-owner and director Mary Dressendofer proudly states that her studio is very community focused, so community focused in fact, that she considers it a differentiator compared with other schools.

An example: the studio has reached out to the senior center in Berkeley heights and suggested a performance."I would love everyone to join our dance family," she said.

Dressendofer is responsible for the revitalization of the studio. Two years ago, when Cathy was considering retiring, she was pushed onward at the insistence of friends and a business partner in Dressendofer who knew how to grow the business.

"At the time, Cathy told me that I could have the studios and I said no," Dressendofer said. "She had 78 students at the time, but now there are over 400."

According to Joy, Cathy would have been content with just her headquarters studio in Roselle Park even with a new business partner, not because she doesn't like business, but because
"she is extremely shy and not all presumptuous."

Today the studio has three locations in addition to Roselle Park — Springfield/Millburn, Westfield/Scotch Plains and Glenn Gardner. Its community emphasis also extends to philanthropy.

"We are a big fundraising school" Dressendofer said. "Last year we raised several thousand dollars for Autism Speaks and this April we raised over $5,000 for Make a Wish Foundation. And we are different because of our philosophy and community service. I run this like a family — a dance family." Next year the family will get even larger — "We are starting an actor's workshop in the Springfield location," Dressendofer said. "We want to be a Performing Arts Center."

Kimberly Senglar, a former student, said Dancers Pointe has always reflected Cathy's involvement in the community.

"Cathy used to choreograph the high school dance productions," Senglar said."And years ago her mom used to make our costumes right in the studio. It's interesting, with community and dance, many of her philosophies from 40 years ago are the same today. She is very disciplined and believes that the beginning of dance begins a revolves around ballet."

That discipline has brought the studio numerous awards. For example, Dancers Pointe students have won numerous awards in many dance competitions in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. They won at the DEA Nationals, and the Garden State Arts Center Talent Expo. They also won many awards at the Performing Arts Alliance, capturing numerous first, second and third place finishes, modeling and photogenic awards, and received awards for the Best Overall Duet and Best Overall Group.

"She has won more awards for competitions for her technical merit," Burt said. "And that is more important to her than to have a great number."

The quality of dance instruction students receive at Dancers Pointe apparently lasts a lifetime.

"A lot of us come back to dance years later and its amazing how it snaps back quickly," Senglar said. "She will say a dance step name and all of sudden that muscle memory hits and its like why do I even remember how to do that?"