“Unity of the Family” Produces Exceptional Rewards For Local Arts-Bound Facility

 In Dellos

This past month marked my 39th year in the dance school business; a short skip away from four decades of un-comparable enjoyment and personal growth. Looking back through the years, I can recall literally hundreds of families who have ‘made a difference in my life’, and I can only imagine the thousands that I have personally touched as a mentor, educator and friend, through relationships made at my dance studios.

I have learned that the ‘Modern Family’, as exemplified in the new TV sitcom, really isn’t much different than the families I’ve come to know so well through my studios over the past 40 years. The difference today is that family problems and the ‘oddities and differences’ of them, become not only public knowledge, but are also shared with the children in the home. Recently an 11 year old dancer came to the front desk and candidly shared, “My dad lost his job and he said my Mom has to help out with a second job, so I won’t have a ride to the studio anymore.” I answered that I might be able to arrange a carpool but the girl quickly replied, “My parents can’t pay for me to take dance lessons cause my Grandparents can’t help anymore. My mom needs to find a job with insurance and my Dad needs to get new tires on his car. My older brother was supposed to go away to college but my parents can’t afford to send him, so he’s going to work instead and he even has to pay rent now. My brother wants to move out and my Mom is always crying”. Wow I thought, far more information that I needed to know! How sad for the youth of today to feel responsible for the results that our failing economy has burdened our families with. It seems the minority who come through our doors without a special financial or emotional situation of their own. Bottom line, The Arts are getting nicked for the staples needed for every day survival. My fear is that with The Arts, sports or healthy getaway distractions, children won’t have the opportunity to express and release the inner-pressures they feel and carry with them on a daily basis.

One Dellos family in particular, is beating the odds, doing everything in their power to keep their children involved not only in The Arts, but academically and spiritually challenged as well. The Lew Family owns a community pharmacy that services families who have been their customers for years. The older daughter, Sarah 14, aspires to be a Fashion or Interior Designer, and was accepted as a Freshman this year into the Visual Arts program at OCHSA. New York and Paris are dreams in her future, recently adding French to her already tri-lingual language knowledge of Chinese, Japanese and English! Sarah enjoys playing the guitar and sketching as her relaxing pastime. The middle child, Serris 12, dances 10-12 hours a week and plans to be a pediatrician and dance teacher. A straight-A academic student, Serris takes all instruction seriously and is her own worse critic. She supports the activities of her other siblings with love and enthusiasm. The youngest Lew, Sean 8, aspires to be an actor, dancer and all-around performer. Also, tri-lingual, Sean studies abacus, plays classical piano and takes voice lessons when he’s not taking tap, jazz, lyrical, ballet, contemporary and hip-hop instruction at Dellos. He holds Latin ballroom titles in cha-cha, samba, rhumba, paso doble and jive. Sean is also an undefeated tap, jazz, contemporary and hip-hop soloist who shows a true desire and talent for teaching dance to those who ask him! His artistic, energetic and creative character finds him building ‘sculptures’ with recycled junk, and designing magazine storybooks.

Last summer, Serris and Sean took private ballet lessons in China while Sarah studied at a famous art university in the city. The kids returned home with an enthusiasm to work even harder at their chosen crafts. “I want to make sure I spend every moment and money on my children’s education. They work hard at what they do and as long as they love it and I am able to pay for it, I will do whatever I can to help them be the best that they can be at anything they want to do. I am very proud to be their Mom!”, shares Mia Lew.

It looks like Sean’s hard work is already paying off for him. Recently featured in the Britney Spears classroom episode of “Glee”, he actually met the real Britney and was featured in a full-page article in US Magazine. Just a week later, Sean was filmed as a ‘tapper’ in a promo commercial for Paula Abdul’s newest reality show, “Live to Dance”, soon to air. To top off the month, Seany-Boy was invited to audition for “America’s Got Talent”. This little boy sure has lots of that…his supportive, close-knit family and circle of professionals that contribute to his training and well-being have a lot to be proud of! I’m sure we will be seeing a lot more of Sean in the future!

Visit Dellos Studios @ www.dellosdance.com or call 909-597-9370 for class information.

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