Fremont County is known for being a community of the arts. Whether it be oil paintings, hand-crafted pottery, or various forms of dance, artists across the county enjoy showcasing their hard work.
The Anita McCoy Dance Studio has contributed to the local expression of art for decades and will present its 65th annual Dance Recital at 6:30 p.m. Saturday at the Lou Del Pizzo Auditorium at Cañon City High School. The theme for the night is simple and catchy, "Over the Decades," which is particularly suiting as McCoy has been a dancer since the 1950s.
"I'm so grateful to be a part of it," said former student and current teacher, Taylor Graham. "It's awesome to see Anita still doing her cartwheel splits and doing what she loves."
Originally from Illinois, McCoy was just 5 years old when she picked up her first pair of tap shoes; the rest is history. Teaching entered her wheelhouse about a decade later when she turned 16 and she has been teaching ever since. She learned to tap dance from a former Vaudeville star and participated in countless contests from state fairs to local competitions.
She was 20 when she won a particularly large competition and was invited to teach in New York City. However, the big apple didn't call out to McCoy the way small-town America did and she set her heart on finding a small community to devout her life and skills towards.
"I said, 'No, I don't want to teach in a place that big,'" McCoy recalled. "I said, 'I'll stick to some small towns.'"
McCoy was already teaching in three different towns in Illinois when she and her husband decided to move to Canon City in 1975. Luck was on her side as a dance teacher was ready to retire at that time and willed her students to McCoy who inherited the tricky task of juggling more than 200 students.
In 1989, she moved the business to the iconic dance studio at 724 Main St. and continued her love of dance in teaching and competitions. The walls of the studio are studded with countless competition awards, ribbons, and trophies, and, in her eighties, McCoy hasn't skipped a beat.
She currently teaches about 100 students with the assistance of several student teachers (all of which were once her students) and they teach tap, jazz, gymnastics, lyrical, hip-hop, ballet, and baton twirling.
"We've been here so long that most students for me ... have taken as long as eight to 12 years," McCoy said. "They help me teach and I probably teach eight classes a week."
Generations of dancers have gone through McCoy's studio and it's not uncommon for her to have repeat families as customers.
"She was an amazing teacher and second mom, role model for all us kids," said former student and current dance competition organizer Alysendrina Padron. "She has that spark, that 'it' factor ... the kids that I used to teach, now their kids are taking classes, it's a generational studio."
McCoy has taken her students across the U.S. in numerous competitions and, through it all, maintains her adoration of teaching. However, she doesn't shy away from the spotlight when it's directed at her.
At 69, McCoy auditioned for America's Got Talent in 2011 and, though she didn't make it to the final rounds, she danced her heart out and proved exactly why she is a Fremont County legend.
"We're trying to make it [the recital] special for her." commented longtime student and current teacher Paisley Maxson. "It will be fun for her to see the finished product. It's so nice to see how passionate she is, it inspires all of us to want to keep going. Age isn't really a barricade or reason to stop dancing."
Former students will be returning for a particularly special number during Saturday's recital, and Padron is hopeful that all the pieces come together without a hitch. After all, they only have one practice session to get it right. However, with McCoy at the helm, Padron feels secure that the performance will be a wonderful one.
"I'm happy and lucky she was my first dance teacher and I love her," Padron said, smiling.
Tickets for the recital on Saturday are already on sale and can be picked up either at the studio, located at 724 Main St., or at the door the night of the event. Ticket prices are $12 for adults and $6 for seniors and children. Kids under the age of five are free. Alumni enter for free.
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