By ANNIE C. LEAVITT
Moapa Valley Progress
MVHS alumna and recent Brigham Young University graduate Madysen Messer concluded a two-week dance camp for children ages 5 to 12 on Friday last week. The camp, which extended from June 3-7 and 10-13, taught young students elements of dance, stretching, creative dancing and jazz on Monday-Thursday for two weeks.
Messer taught technique, the basic elements and qualities of dance, how to create their own choreography and how to learn a set dance.
“I loved the class and Ms. Mady is so much fun!” said Phoebe Leavitt, age nine.
Messer received her bachelor degree at BYU in Exercise and Wellness with a minor in dance.
“I wanted to learn how to care for the body and properly take care of it while dancing,” Messer said. “I loved learning as much as I could about the human body to further my knowledge of flexibility, musculature and how to improve the safety of dancing.”
During her junior year at BYU, Messer was a member of the contemporary dance team which traveled to elementary schools to teach core curriculum through dance and perform for each school.
“Being on that team taught me that I love teaching dance to children,” Messer said. “I taught 43 different classes in less than two months.”
During her studies Messer learned how to share her passion for dance and how to teach different temperaments of children. She grew up dancing from the age of two as her mom, Corinne Messer, ran Muddy River Cloggers for 15 years in Logandale. Messer was also a dance team member for both Mack Lyon Middle School and MVHS drill team.
During her studies in college Messer participated in classes ranging from ballet, contemporary, jazz, clogging, Irish and tap. She looks forward to teaching more in Moapa Valley and will be offering another dance camp in July for children in grades K-ninth grade.
Messer is available for private lessons and those interested can sign up for her next camp at mady.m@live.com.