Needham hip-hop students step up for kids who can't dance

When
students from The
Dance Academy of Siagel Productions (TDA) take the stage on Sunday, March 16, they’ll be popping, locking and
breakdancing to honor a young boy who can’t perform the popular dance moves
himself. That’s because 8-year-old Jared
Connor suffers from a rare, and usually fatal, genetic disorder
known as Sanfilippo Syndrome which robs its victims of the ability to walk,
talk, and even eat.

As
a long-time friend and colleague of Jared’s parents, Reia and Rick Connor, and
a generous supporter of many charitable causes, entertainer Steve Siagel wanted
to help raise awareness of Jared’s illness and his parents’ search for a cure.
The president and founder of one of the Needham/Newton area’s most
successful dance studios decided to organize a community event that would bring
together the area’s most talented hip-hop dancers to raise money for Jared’s Fight, the
foundation started by the Connors.

Choosing
to feature Phunk Phenomenon in the show was a natural. That’s because Reia
Connor, a former New England Patriots Cheerleader, is the founder, director and
creative force behind Phunk Phenomenon, one of Greater Boston’s best-known
hip-hop crews.

“Once
we got started, the pieces just kind of fell into place,” Siagel describes. “As
soon as our TDA students heard about the performance, they were excited to
participate.”

The
90-minute dance show for children and adults will feature a range of hip-hop
talents, including approximately 60 TDA students aged from 9-18 from Needham, Newton, Wellesley, Weston, Lincoln, and other communities. Each TDA hip-hop dance troupe
will perform an original routine choreographed by a TDA instructor. Many of the
routines will also be performed at upcoming New England dance competitions.

Also
performing will be the Newton South Senior Varsity Dance Team coached by TDA
Director Erica Sperberg. The finale of the event will feature a special performance
by the international award-winning dance crew, Phunk Phenomenon, best known for
their appearances at Boston Celtics games, and on MTV’s America’s Best Dance
Crew.  

“Hip-hop
is one of the most popular dance genres we offer,” explains TDA’s Sperberg. “We
thought a hip-hop performance event would be a great way to give back to our
community and raise awareness of Sanfilippo Syndrome at the same time.”

Tickets
to the event are just $10 for adults, $5 for children aged 10 and under. All
proceeds from the event will be donated to finding a cure for Sanfilippo
Syndrome.

For
Siagel, who is president and founder of The Dance Academy
as well as the internationally acclaimed deejay entertainment and event
planning company, Siagel
Productions Inc., the
March performance offers a way to share the power of dance with a growing
audience.

“I
have personally seen how dance transforms lives, and I believe that this exciting,
close up, hip-hop performance may be the spark that ignites many kids to become
hip-hop dancers,” Siagel observes. “This is a really meaningful way for our TDA
students to use their dance talent to give back to the community. The Dance
Academy is happy to support a great organization like Jared’s Fight and to
inspire girls and boys in the community to get involved and learn what power of
dance can do for them and others.” 

Tickets
for the March 16th performance can be purchased online through the Dance
for a Cause button on The Dance Academy
website. To learn more about Jared Connor and Sanfilippo Syndrome, visit Jared’s Fight.

ABOUT
THE DANCE ACADEMY OF SIAGEL PRODUCTIONS

Privately owned and operated by New
England’s largest deejay entertainment company, The
Dance Academy of Siagel Productions
is dedicated to bringing the fun and excitement of dance to boys and girls of
all ages and abilities. With more than a dozen different instructional and
competitive programs in contemporary and classical genres, The Dance Academy
fosters self-confidence, discipline and a positive outlook on life. For details on registration and Dance
Academy programs, visit http://www.thedanceacademynewton.com/ phone 617.614.5438 or email Erica@spevents.com.