Lynn Hunter’s youth dance classes at Heartland Recreation Center in Tarkio began this past week. The young gals pictured learned the basic stances of ballet for their first night of classes Tuesday, September 5.
Christina Hall is teaching youth gymnastics classes at Heartland Recreation Center in Tarkio. The classes began this Wednesday, September 6, with the youth beginning with tumbling skills. Approximately 125 youth signed up for the dance and gymnastics classes at the center.
Heartland Recreation Center welcomes new instructors Christina Hall (gymnastics) and Lynn Hunter (dance). Both have extensive backgrounds in their respective fields.
Christina is a Tarkio High School graduate and participated and competed in dance and gymnastics from six to 17 years of age. Not only did she compete, but she found much success in both sports. Now as an instructor, Christina plans to teach children from ages four to 10 a variety of gymnastics skills. Christina said, “With the beginners I plan on starting them out with basic tumbling skills such as forward and backwards rolls, cartwheels, handstands, and backbends. With the intermediate and advanced class, I plan to evaluate each student’s individual skills and I hope to help each one expand those and get to more challenging skills such as round offs, back handsprings, and front handsprings. The classes they are placed in is based more on their abilities than their age. My Little Ninjas class is made up of a group of boys and I plan to start them out with basic tumbling skills as well. Rachel Meyer and Jodee Minter will be teaching the three preschool classes.”
Lynn has been employed by Rock Port School for 33 years as a vocal music teacher in junior high school, and at present, Pre-K through 6th grades. In her early years of teaching, she formed a high school Show Choir, choreographing all of the numbers for the competitions. Her K-3 students perform a Christmas musical, and the 4th-6th graders present a musical performance in the spring, both of which Lynn choreographs. Lynn’s dance instruction includes 14 years of training at dance studios in Auburn, Nebraska, St. Joseph, and Maryville, Missouri, as well as her own dance studios she previously had in Rock Port. She also choreographed dance numbers for Liberty Theatre productions in Rock Port.
Lynn says, “Music and dancing have been my passion all of my life and I still continue to have the ‘dance bug!’ I suppose it could be said that I have ‘dancing in my blood!’”
The two began teaching their classes last week for approximately 125 area children. The ladies are having a lot of fun so far with their energetic and enthusiastic students.
