A great place to grow up! This is one description provided for Boucher School of Dance (BSD) in Oxford, Massachusetts. BSD focuses on creating beautiful, well-rounded young people who are able to achieve their goals with confidence and grace. A fun family environment where dancers are encouraged to explore who they are and be confident in their selves!!
Karin McCarthy, Owner and Director, believes that her dance studio stands apart amongst other studios because they are a fierce studio where each dancer is successful in the world not just the dance community. Additionally, the Director, Faculty, Parents, and Dancers work together to make each season a success for each dancer.
Karin has had many proud moments as a couch but her proudest is that moment when you are in class and you see the “light bulb” moment on a dancer’s face that says “I can do this. I am worthy, this is my passion and I can do this! This is more than the steps I am being taught. This is my very breath, my home, my solace.” That moment is priceless. It is worth more than all the titles, trophies, dancers performing or in colleges all over the Nation. Okay, Karin has one more – that moment when a former student of yours brings her child to you to train and be part of your dance family. That one rules as well.
Karin sees so many dancers not being kind to their bodies. Dance in itself is hard on the body and the daily wear and tear does a number on their instrument. They are only given one body and they need these knees, hips, and back for the rest of their lives.
If Karin could fix anything it would 
be to stress upon all dancers that movement is more important than tricks. Each dancer has individual qualities and not all of them are capable of hyper flexibility nor should they train for it. Technical excellence is key to a happy body later. Karin believes that dance teachers have a duty to impress on their students that they need to be aware of the proper placement for all they do to avoid injury. She believes that they, as educators, need to be vigilant about this – or they will have a whole society of broken adults in 20 years!
Her goals for the studio for this year are to continue to train taking every step day by day. She truly believes this path is a marathon not a sprint! Training never stops, from the littles to the bigs. And, as always, to increase their enrollment.
Karin was fortunate to grow up in this amazing studio. Raised by the original owner and her mentor, Judy Boucher. She is the matriarch of their studio and has instilled in Karin the values and teaching methods she holds near and dear. Karin is honored to continue walking this path with the Boucher School of Dance. Her only prayer is that she makes Judy proud and can emulate the success Judy had!
Boucher offers instruction in Tap, Ballet, Jazz, Hip Hop, Lyrical, Yoga, or Pop. Classes are filled with technique, combinations, choreography, and fun!!! Each class perf
orms one number in the recital.
Boucher’s Jubilee Classes provide a place to dance and play for girls and boys ranging in age from 6 months to 6 years old. Their Tiny Tots program offers an introduction to ballet and tap for students from 2.5 years old to 3.5 years old. The Pre-School program is a for students from 3.6 years old to 4.11 years old, is a continuation of the Tiny Tot increasing the increasing the knowledge of ballet and tap. The combination of direct instruction and guided play will focus on enhancing students motor skills, listening capabilities, flexibility, balance, rhythm, and improve self-confidence. The Kinder program is for students 5 years old to 6.5 years old. This class is a continuation of the Pre-School program. Not only will they enhance the Tap and Ballet lessons by introducing new skills, Jazz lessons are added.
This past season was their 40th anniversary celebration with over 25 alumni performing with their incredible dancers. Some of them taking the stage together for the first time in over 20 years. T
hey are blessed with a great people in their own dance family and the other dance studios in their community.
BSD offers summer intensives and summer camps. Their camps cover a wide range such as: Dance and Theater Camp where they will dance, sing and act; Cirque Camp which offers acro for everyone!; Prince and Princess Camp where the campers dance, sing and have a tea party; and Lego Camp where the campers will be building, tumbling and learning hip hop! Quite a variety of camps with something for everyone!
BSD is proud to donate space to PinkHippy.com. PinkHippy provides holistic services and support for breast cancer patients, survivors and their families. The program is designed to bring physical and emotional relief through gentle yoga as it helps to reduce lymphedema, increase range of motion, and soothe neuropathies. There s no fee for patients, family members or caregivers.
According to Karin, “They may be small; BUT they are FIERCE.”
If you would like more information about Boucher School of Dance, visit their website at www.boucherdance.com, call them at 508-987-3414 or email them at boucherdance@gmail.com. You can also “Like” them on Facebook.
Anyone who has danced at Boucher School of Dance, with Karin McCarthy or with any of the other instructors at BSD, is invited to comment on their blog.
Technical excellence is key to a happy body later.
