Sparks dancers entertain children

The faces of the children at Dixon House wavered from rapt attentiveness to broad smiles Wednesday afternoon as they watched a performance by Sparks Dance Company. As the dancers strutted and swiveled to C & C Music Factory's "Do You Wanna Get Funky?" the audience of six- to 12-year olds sang along and clapped to the music. When the music finally ended, College senior Lori Kessler issued a challenge to the students: "Okay, who can do the butterfly better than we can?" A few eager audience members jumped from their chairs to demonstrate their own versions of the difficult dance move. As a "community outreach dance troupe," the 14 women of Sparks agreed that their aim is to bring smiles to the faces of community members -- both young and old. Each spring, they put together a show of about 15 dances -- which they have choreographed themselves -- and take it on the road to hospitals, retirement communities and organizations such as Dixon House, an after-school program in South Philadelphia. Their dance numbers ranged in style from traditional ballets to more modern styles. The children watched in silence as dancers in filmy skirts performed a modern dance to Kate Bush's solemn "Women's Work," and then giggled as eerily-costumed performers presented their version of Michael Jackson's "Thriller." "The music and the styles of dance that we choose are chosen to please the audiences," Sparks President and Engineering senior Karen Oberthaler said. "Some, such as the tap numbers, please both younger and older audiences." The two tap dances included in Wednesday's show were 11-year-old Mia Carson's favorites. She said that watching Sparks has encouraged her to continue with the tap class in which she is currently enrolled. After the show, the dancers invited the students onto the floor with them and College sophomore Christine Tarr taught Carson a new step. Oberthaler said she thinks the performing arts are often overlooked as a means of community service. "At a lot of the places we perform, the people can't afford, or don't have the opportunity or are too sick to go to the theater," Oberthaler said. "There are few groups that will come to them, especially few that will come for free." Sparks also gives financial contributions to the organizations where they perform. At their spring show, "Dynamite," which played at Houston Hall on April 7 and 8, they raised more than $1,500 in contributions for Dixon House and the Ronald McDonald House.

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