History of Arabesque

Director Miss Barbara began Arabesque in a one-room studio in Hales Corners, Wisconsin with 10 paying students in 1980. The studio has changed and grown over the past quarter of a century and is now in its fourth location on 137th and Greenfield Avenue in Brookfield. Miss Barbara began to compile a graduated, sequential dance curriculum that has proven to produce excellent dancers over the past 29 years. She has had many former students make dance their professional full-time career, but is even more pleased at the hundreds of young people for whom she has given a glimpse into the magical world of dance and performance. Miss Barbara loves to come to her studio every day and see all those beautiful young faces ready to join her in her enthusiasm for the Art of Dance.

Miss Barbara currently lives in New Berlin, Wisconsin. She has a private studio in her home and loves to entertain her fellow dance educators with a "jam" session whenever they are in town. She has two grown children, Scott McLean of Grand Cayman, and Kelly Dodge of New Berlin. In her spare time Miss Barbara loves being with her grandchildren Connor and Cassidy. She also loves to listen to all genres of music, and attend as many professional and amateur performances (dance, music, theater) in the Midwest as she can.

Investigate Your School

In Wisconsin, as in numerous other states, there is no law regulating the qualifications of dance teachers. There is no examination to be passed, no requirements as to dance knowledge or teaching ability. Consequently, there are many schools operated by teachers whose training is inadequate and whose teaching methods are non-productive and somewhat dangerous. This applies particularly to the instruction of students in ballet, and pointe, where proper technique is an absolute necessity and where wrong methods can result in serious, often permanent injury to the pupil.

Long ago, conscientious dance masters recognized the seriousness of this problem and took steps toward self-regulation in their profession by organizing Dance Masters' Associations with rigid entrance requirements and strict codes of ethics.

Your state does not see fit to protect you from unqualified and sometimes unscrupulous dance teachers. But you can protect yourself by making sure that the school of your choice is accredited by at least one reputable organization.

Be cautious, choose wisely. Be assured that your time and money are not wasted and that your child's talent is being developed properly and safely.