Lathrop Tip-Toes Closer To The 50-Year Mark

Story & Photos

By Shannon Hicks

Lathrop School of Dance is one year away from its big golden anniversary. June 2002 will mark 50 years for Ginny Lathrop’s school, which was founded 49 years ago with her late husband and dance partner Mack.

Last weekend the school continued a tradition of 49 years with its weekend performance of its “Lathrop Stardust Revue,” a presentation that is months in the making and days in the presenting. Final dress rehearsals took over the auditorium of Edmond Town Hall in Newtown on Thursday, June 7, and then performances commanded the stage for the next three days.

Mrs Lathrop joked in her program letter that students were still making up lessons that had been snowed out from January, but she thought audiences would nevertheless be “pleasantly surprised at what they have accomplished. I’m happy and proud of them all.”

Dancers presented a total of five performances last weekend, including a benefit for Danbury Hospital as its Friday night opener and its also-traditional Newtown scholarship benefit on Sunday afternoon. The other three performances came Saturday afternoon, Saturday evening and early Sunday evening.

There were 36 numbers presented during each performance, in addition to an Overture by the Stardust 2001 dancers (Rebecca Cain, Heather Gibbons, Suzanne Holme, Lesley Janutolo, Jennifer Themel and Rachel Zablauskas) and the Finalé.

Debbie Hollrah celebrated 25 years of dance with the Newtown school this year. Breaking from the tradition of a featured solo dance, Mrs Hollrah chose to instead perform with her two daughters. Debbie, Kaitlin and Megan Hollrah presented a number called “A Family Affair.”

Also celebrating momentous anniversaries this year were Janine Hossan, who reached the 26-year mark; Amy Nimer, at 28 years; and Debbie DelVecchio, Jean Ann Heise, Mary Ann Phillips and Diane Wardenburg, all at “30 Something…” Ms Wardenburg, it should be noted, has been with the school since she was four years old. Others students and teachers reached everything from the 5-year award to the 22-year award, and everything in between.