Lyrics In Motion Applies Lessons Of Dance To Life

Hilarie Viens and Tanya Hay will open Lyrics in Motion Dance Studio on the first day of September and they are preparing for a growing roster of students. The most important preparations, however, have already been made.

“We’ve tried to do a lot to set ourselves apart,” Viens said, citing efforts to tie the studio to the community, to price classes so that they are accessible to the broadest possible range of students, and to teach not only the techniques but the values that she and her partner, Tanya Hay, have gained from their years in dance.

“Beyond the Movement,” says Viens, “is a way to make sure that students understand what it means to be a well-rounded person, teaching them how important it is to realize what you have and to appreciate it. When you’re in your dance class and you’re working hard because it’s what you love to do, you have to apply that to everyday life and be the best person that you can be.”

The studio will cycle through monthly themes, such as respect, and cooperation, devote time to the application of these values in dance and beyond, and then monitor the ability of students to integrate the lessons during and away from their technical instruction. To integrate the studio into the community, Viens, the school’s Artistic Director and dance instructor, and Hay, the co-owner and Administrative Director, plan good works that will model the values they are teaching to their students.

“We’re planning monthly Family Fun events. We hope to do lots of performances in the community, for Thanksgiving, we’ll have food drives for the soup kitchens and the homeless shelters, and we’re looking to perform at Hasbro, at children’s hospitals, around the holidays,” said Viens.

Once courses get rolling, Lyrics in Motion will also open a scholarship fund, fielding donations in order to provide eligible students with instruction they may not otherwise be able to afford.

Viens has a background in early childhood education, and has been a pre-school teacher. She studied dance at Dean College, and completed her dance instruction certification at the Dance Teachers Training Program of Boston. Hay has been immersed in dance throughout her life, and has been formally trained in ballet, tap, jazz, and swing, among others. Both owners are Woonsocket natives and Krylo Dance Studios alumni. When Hay learned that Viens was interested in opening her own studio, she suggested a partnership. “I couldn’t think of anyone better,” says Viens. For now, Viens will handle the formal instruction while Hay completes her certification.

Lyrics in Motion Dance Studio will open at 1 Social St. “The space seemed perfect for us,” says Viens of the former studios of WOON 1240, “we wanted something centrally located, with parking, and accessibility, but it needed a lot of love and attention.”

As they stepped through a maze of equipment and hardware, workers were stretching and tacking carpeting to the halls and walkways around the modest dance floor. “My favorite feature,” said Viens, “is a viewing window between the dance floor and the waiting area, parents can see their kids’ progress, see what I do, and feel like a part of the class.”

The studio will host an Open House on Saturday, Aug. 20, from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. The event will feature entertainment, such as face-painting and a crafts table, and will serve to introduce enrolled students and their families to the studio and to Hay and Viens, and to welcome the studio to the community. Interested students will be able to register on-site, and neighbors are encouraged to visit.