Alyce Carella Dance Centre prepares for the final recital on June 7, reflecting on six decades of dance.

By Melissa Cole

Maybe it’s the sound of new tap shoes on the hard floor, or the excitement of wearing makeup and a sparkly costume for recital day. Maybe it’s the choreography, the friendships formed, or simply the joy of dancing.

Chances are, many reading this have a favorite memory from Alyce Carella Dance Centre, where thousands of dancers have tapped, twirled, and pliéd through the doors over the decades. But after 66 years of shaping young dancers, the studio’s final performance will take place on June 7.

At 89 years old (turning 90 on Halloween) Alyce Carella reflects on her long-lasting career with pride. Known affectionately as “Miss Alyce” to generations of students, she says she feels incredibly fortunate to have spent her life doing what she loved.

“I am the luckiest girl in the world. I could do the thing I loved all my life as my profession,” Alyce said,.“I’m so fortunate.” 

Her daughter, Laura Rugar, better known to students as “Miss Laura,” is now 66 and grew up right alongside her mother in the studio, dancing almost as soon as she could walk and later became an instructor herself. Together, the two decided this was the right moment to close the curtain.

“It’s time to retire,” Laura said. “I told her, let’s go out on top. Not wait till we can’t do it anymore. You know?”

Whether it was tap, jazz, ballet, lyrical, contemporary, or modern, they say the secret to the studio’s success was simple: the students could feel how much they truly loved dance.

“I think they know how much we love it,” Alyce said.

“Yeah, I think they know how much we really care,” Laura added. “Experience counts for everything, you know? Between the two of us, we have over 100 years of teaching.”

That passion for dance started early for Alyce. Growing up within walking distance of theaters, Alyce Carella was often taken by her mother to see musicals and theatrical performances. Captivated by what she saw on stage, she begged to take dance lessons herself. After her very first class, she was hooked.

“I loved it. I wanted more, more, more, more,” she recalled. “When I was about 8 years old, I knew that’s what I wanted to do with my life. I knew.”

By 13, she was already teaching dance to neighborhood children. At just 16 years old, she rented a small studio space in Avon and quickly grew a class of 36 students.

Over the years, Alyce operated several studios before opening the longtime Alyce Carella Dance Centre location in Elmwood in 1979. She also spent 20 years teaching at Miss Porter’s School.

For Miss Laura, though, dance wasn’t exactly love at first sight. Because her mother taught six days a week, Laura spent just as much time at the studio as her mom did.

“So I started taking all the classes so I wouldn’t have to sit around and be bored,” she said. “And I remember not liking it too much, but I didn’t really have a choice. I had to do something.”

But over time, something changed.

“By the time I was 12, I was so good, and I started loving dance,” Laura said. “By the time I graduated, I was teaching. I was doing 18 to 20 classes a week, and my whole life, that’s all I did. This became my passion for years and years and years.”

The duo has taught thousands of dancers over the years. Many have gone on to pursue dance in college, performed with professional sports teams, and even at Disney World. Others simply never stopped dancing.

Among them are Stacy Tedeschi, Lisa Fanelli, and Vicki Griffin, who all began as children and are still dancing to date. Stacy, in particular, has been dancing for 42 years. Her mother and grandmother also danced with Alyce Carella, and now her daughter, the fourth generation, carries on the legacy.

“It’s my time to get away from the craziness in the world and just step into dance, talk to friends, laugh, and just forget about everything else.” Stacy said. 

When news broke that the studio was closing, there were tears all around from both Alyce Carella and Laura Rugar as well as from students. The three longtime dancers, among other students, threw a retirement celebration for their beloved instructors filled with old photos and recital programs from across the decades. 

Lisa said, “It’s the least we could do after everything they’ve done for us over the years. It was so much fun. We are all family.”

Miss Alyce and Miss Laura say it’s the kids they’ll miss the most. One class in particular nearly made Laura reconsider retiring:

“I have one class on Fridays in hip hop, all preteens, 22 of them,” she said. “And I actually said to them after watching them dance –  you’re one of the reasons why I would not want to retire because I want you to keep going.”

But for the first time in her life, she’ll be able to see sunsets, eat dinner at a normal hour, and spend time traveling; things she hasn’t been able to do with the hours she’s kept and the demands of busy studio nights.

“Well, this winter, we’re gonna go to Switzerland, and the Christmas markets in Germany. I also want to go to Italy,” Laura said.

As for Alyce Carella, she says she’ll miss the hugs she gets when students greet her before class, along with the often funny little moments they share. Like recently, when a young student tugged on her pants and asked her this:

“She said to me, I have to ask you a question. I said, Of course, sweetheart. What is your question? 
Well, how come you’re so old?” she recalled. “And I got hysterical, and I said, well, because I’m lucky, honey, that’s why.”

Lucky for a career she loved, students who returned that love, and a passion for dance that will never leave her, even if her body can’t move the way it used to. 

“Because I’ve never stopped loving it,” she said. “I still would dance my head off if I could. I still would want to teach forever.”

The final recital is set for June 7th, after which the studio will officially close its doors for good. Alyce Carella, Laura Rugar, and many former students plan to meet up once a month for dinner and conversation, to keep the community going. And there probably will be a little dancing here and there, too. 

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