Stardust Revue

Included Plenty Of Tradition Melded With New Twists

By Sherri Smith Baggett

Hip hop, pop rock, jazz, ballads, Broadway tunes… All these styles of music had feet sweeping and tapping on the stage at Edmond Town Hall Theatre last past weekend as the Lathrop School of Dance (LSoD) presented its 59th Annual Stardust Revue.

Known to everyone as Miss Diane, head teacher Mrs Diane Wardenburg has taken the helm of the dance studio and created an atmosphere of excitement, inspiring all those around her. Despite the loss of Mrs Virginia Lathrop, founder, star dancer, choreographer and teacher of LSoD, Miss Diane has made an effort to continue tradition, while adding a hint of her own flair and furthering the success of the studio.

They may be only five years old, but dancing to “Ready or Not” the girls could bring down the house. The youngsters are always a tough act to follow, but it never is a chore for the Stardusters. Coming out in “A Rockin’ Rhythm Beat,” emcee Joel Wardenburg said it best: “The girls bring attitude but dance with tapitude.” Twelve sets of taps were dancing in sync with each other, 24 taps sounding as one, definitely “tapitude”!

Every audience was treated to several twists this year. Eight members of the student faculty presented a beautiful jazz number, showcasing their talent to the song “I Believe” and closing the first half was a blackout dance to “Ghostbusters Theme Remix.” Two classes joined together wearing black costumes lit with an outline of green lights, simulating a ghost figure. The ghost dancers surrounded the audience and stage, doing a compelling fun dance.

In the second half, getting a chance to stretch their legs, the audience was invited to participate in a Zumba number, directed by Lynn Lewis, LSoD’s Zumba class instructor. Dancers in the aisles encouraged the audience to Zumba in their seats while the stage was filled with dancers and Miss Lynn.

Presenting the 59th Stardust Revue definitely states there is history with this program. Two members of LSoD, sisters Jean Ann Heise and Mary Ann Phillips, completed their 50th year of dancing this season. Highlighted in a number, the Kayfus sisters challenged their dancemates with precision and classy taps. Clearly all were winners, with two shining sisters.

The summer is usually a time for relaxing and reorganizing for the faculty at LSoD, but a summer camp offered will keep everyone busy, as Miss Diane continues to prepare for another successful year. As the dance school session came to a close, Miss Diane reflected on her experience and love of the students and school, saying: “Mrs Lathrop always said ‘I hope you’ll always be as blessed as I am’ and I truly am.”