Windfall celebrates 25 years of dance

Windfall Dance School, a not-for-profit organization that accepts participants of any age, is celebrating its 25th year of teaching and performing, but they have not gotten there without a struggle. A passion for dance and determination has helped the school not only continue, but grow in the past 25 years.\nThe school was originally founded in 1978 by Debbie Knapp, Cindy Clark, Liz Monnier and Jackie Shilling Pullano, all alumni of the IU dance program. According to the Web site (www.windfalldancers.org) the company was first based on "the principles of creative exploration in movement, which is approached with vigor, excellent technique and artistic imagination." \nThe original Windfall Dance Company disbanded after only two years, but the school continued. In 1990, Kim Burden set out to recreate the Windfall Dance Company that exists today. \nWindfall has undergone some major challenges in the past few years, including moving all over downtown Bloomington because the company was unable to pay rent. \n"It was tough constantly moving and trying to keep students and dealing with the gentrification of downtown," said Susan Beard said, a 13-year veteran of Windfall and current instructor. "Our goal at this point would be to continue what we are doing and possibly expand into a second studio in order to offer more classes to our students."\nWindfall has been at its current location, 120 S. College Ave., for nearly four years and the school and company continue with many of the same values. Modern, ballet, tap, Irish step/African, ballroom dance and creative movement are just some of the classes offered for people of all ages.\nBeard said the current classes include children as young as three years old and beginning students as old as 70.\n"What makes Windfall special is both its perseverance and how the school is able to bring together people who want to dance with the acceptance of Windfall," Beard said.\nIU student Heidi Dollinger began instructing last spring. Dollinger said she enjoys sharing what she has done her entire life. When the opportunity arose, she chose to teach at Windfall. \n"Windfall is small and collective;" she said. "The atmosphere is comfortable because people are able to be relaxed and enjoy what they are doing and are not pressured into competitive situations."\nMany of the instructors and dancers have been a part of Windfall for over a decade. They share a love of dance and creative movement and put this energy into teaching and performing at the same school that brought modern dance to Bloomington, the instructors said. \nHeather Maritano danced at Windfall years ago as a young girl. Now a mother, she comes to the school to watch her daughter, Eva Marsh, practice and learn. \n"It's a really beautiful thing to see my daughter dancing and doing the same thing I did when I was her age," Maritano said. "Windfall has so much continuity within the community."\nThe new and older generations will celebrate the 25th year of Windfall in the spring with an open house where the students will perform. \n-- Contact staff writer Jacquelyn Janowski at jjanowsk@indiana.edu