Young and Dancing in Dayton By Mary Rose Pica
M
other Teresa stated, “Loneliness is the most terrible poverty,” but in an Arthur Mur-
ray studio in Dayton, Ohio, surrounded by girls, that is exactly how 13-year old John Griffin found himself: lonely. Though it may have felt like poverty at the time, from among that group of girls, John was able to find a rich partnership. One by one, the girls of the class dropped out until there was only Renee Knapke, who would be his dance partner for the next six years. Since the start of their partnership, John and Renee have been able to use their dancing to enrich both their lives and their community. “[Dance] has added a dimension of creative expression that has become more than a hobby to us,” said Renee. Renee, also an accomplished horsewoman, expressed how that set of skills has carried over to the ballroom. “Competing in horse events and showing my horse actually helps my performance in dance.” She says her poise on a horse contributes to her poise on the dance floor. John says that his involvement in his high school theatre program also helped make it “less daunting to perform with a partner before a dance audience.” John and Renee have found that their talents can even benefit their community. They began performing at local dance clubs for the enjoyment of dancers and peers where their dancing began to get a reaction. John says that many of
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their peers had seen ballroom on TV, “but after watching us dance they saw that it really was that glamorous, and it wasn’t just something people only did on TV.” In a further outreach to their community, John and Renee were able to help organize and participate in events like a community “Senior Senior Prom.” No stutter here: John and 30 other students went to a local assisted living center and held a dance with some of their more mature toe-tapping neighbors. It left a lasting impression on many of the students, including John who said, “When I asked a lady for a dance, I saw the same look of excitement and pleasure in the eyes of an 85-year-old great grandmother as I see in that of a teenager.” Most importantly, John says that he learned that “there is no age limit for wanting to be appreciated and valued.” John and Renee proved that there is no age limit for making a difference in younger lives, as well at a talent show at Renee’s school whose proceeds went to benefit disabled children. John and Renee took the floor again, mostly against rock bands and other musical numbers, but the elegance of ballroom prevailed as they danced away with first place. “It wasn’t even winning that mattered,” they said, “it was just being able to do something with our dancing that helped somebody else.” With all the hours dedicated to practices, performances, and competitions, why would two teenagers want to ballroom dance? John said, “It’s not like other sports. It’s something