FOUNTAIN VALLEY : Young Dancers Get a Chance to Shine

Tiny dancers Amanda Blair, 5, Annabelle Estera, 6, and Erin Erickson, 6, wearing lipstick, mascara and rouge, twirled in their black and silver costumes, practicing for an upcoming performance.

“We like to dress up,” Amanda said, adding that she likes the costumes, too, because “they’re cute.”

These dancers are shining stars--members of Orange County Stars, a performing dance program offered through Fountain Valley’s Community Services Division.

“We dance a lot, we get to learn new dances and we get to do fun stuff,” Amanda said.

Erin said she also likes dancing with the city-sponsored dance team because it makes her “feel good.”

And, none of these little stars has stage fright. “We aren’t scared,” Erin said. “We like doing it!”

Debi Barr, director of the Star dance program held at Fountain Valley Recreation Center, said the dancers learn ballet, jazz and funky street dance and more while learning to dance to pop music and perform as a team.

The program got its name from its child-development concept: Teaching self-esteem so the youngsters feel “like stars.”

The dance program offers four age levels--Twinkle Stars, ages 3 to 5; Mini Stars, ages 6 to 8; Small Stars, ages 8 to 11; and All Stars, ages 12 and up.

Forty girls are involved in the program, with 24 girls on the show team, which makes appearances outside the county, Barr said.

If some of the girls or their families feel being on the show team is too much of a commitment, they still get expert dance training, and opportunities to perform in the community, Barr said.

The show team has performed at the Orange County Fair, Wild Rivers and other local events. Fifteen members of the team will perform later this month during the halftime show at the East-West Shrine Game at Stanford University, an all-star college football game. The team also plans to perform at a Los Angeles Clippers game in March.

The group is affiliated with the nationwide group Stars U.S.A., Barr said. And when the show team travels, as on the trip to Stanford, they perform with dancers from Star teams across the country.

Being on the show team means extra hours of practice as well as added expenses, Barr said, though fund-raisers are held to offset travel costs.

The show team practices up to four hours a week, while the regular program involves an hour of practice.

Youngsters in the performing troupe said the perks include finding new friends, building confidence and the travel. “It’s helped me not to be shy,” said Gina Odom, 10, of Fountain Valley, who wants to become a cheerleader.

Parents agreed that the experience of the Star program is invaluable in encouraging children to do their best.

“It teaches them a lot of respect and dedication; they have to work really hard to be on the show team,” said Lydia Corneyea of Westminster. Her daughter, Jacqueline, 8, who has been dancing since age 3, is on the team.

Gayle Odom said her daughter, Gina, has gained self-confidence by being a Star.

“She’s more aware of her looks, her body, and she always wants to look good,” Odom said.

Evelyn Currier of Fountain Valley said she has noticed a big difference since her granddaughter, Amanda Blair, started dancing.

“It gave her friends, poise and a good feeling about herself. She’s not shy. . . . She dances wherever she is.”