Let's Dance!

        Odds and Ends From The MUSEUM!

       By Trudy Wyman, Curator, Millinocket Society Museum

Let’s dance! Youngsters (and sometimes older citizens) in Millinocket through the years could attend weekly classes to learn various styles of dance. There were tap classes, ballet, jazz, modern dance, tumbling and more. The museum collection has programs and a few photos of some of the recitals performed at the end of the season.

In 1936 the Parent-Teacher Association sponsored the Second Annual Dance Recital of the pupils of M. Dana Small. Students were divided into Class A, B, C & D performing everything from ballet to tap to soft shoe as individuals or groups. One young star Miss Cynthia Dunham (age 3) performed “My First Ballet” and Miss Marjorie Coffin (age 4) danced as a “A Miniature Tapper.” Older students performed in groups as well as individually. There were four different parts to the program (time for costume changes) with more than 40 different performances.  Sixty-eight students are listed in the program. It was a lengthy evening.

On May 22, possibly 1951, the Annual Recital by the Students of the Joseph McCluskey School of Dance was held at the Municipal Auditorium. The piano accompanist was Charlene Ouellette and the MC was Al Cummings. The opening act was called “How Do You Do Everybody” and was performed by “One Pony Boy & Eight Ponyettes.” Next were solos by several young ladies, then 5 solos & a group performance by several young ladies & one young gentleman (some of these dancers are still dancing their way around town today!) A total of 43 individual or group performances were enjoyed by the audience that night.

Dance classes were held in the basement of the Millinocket Municipal building in 1957. The end of season recital took place upstairs (top floor) of that building. Thanks, Becky for the information and photo sent via Facebook.

In 1971, a recital program titled Modern Dance was performed at the Junior

High. Director was Carol A. Jowdry. Group and individual performances were done by many students.

Lorraine Shippee also taught dance classes in the 1970’s. Stearns HS was the site for a Dancing & Tumbling Recital in 1977. The program (3 parts) lists all the participants but does not tell the type of dance. In 1986, Veronica Carbonneau’s dance students performed a total of 56 numbers.

Programs from the dance and acrobatic recitals of Studio One (Sandy Hartley director) in 2010 & 2011 list many acts by a variety of age groups with several older students as assistants. Sandy’s classes at Studio One & Acrobatic Center are starting again for the 2026-2027 year with classes in Dance and Acrobatic/Tumbling. Three-year olds and up are welcome.

The museum welcomes donation of programs and photos of all kinds of activities (classes, performances, sporting events) and more. With donations, please add names, dates and other information if known. The collection of museum items continues to grow weekly. Thank you to all who have donated, past and present!