Mother, Daughter teach class together
From the February 29, 1994 edition of The New Castle Record
Ruth a Becca Rathburn have got rhythm.
The dancing duo, also mother and daughter, are giving Craig Children the opportunity to explore music and movement. Ruth teaches dancers from age four on up, and Becca, her 10-year-old daughter, assists with some classes.
“She takes the whole barre for me while I get rid of the paperwork and things,” Ruth said.
The two worked together to select themes, music and routines for the spring recital, “An Afternoon at the Library.” Dancers will perform pieces on everything from The Secret Garden to The History of Elvis.
“I can’t stand to put on a boring show,” she said.
Twice a week Ruth and Becca commute from their Roanoke home to the Craig County/ New Castle Fire house., where they put on their dancing shoes.
“It’s a good time for us,” Ruth said, “because we get the time to visit.”
Becca says having her mother as a dance teacher has its advantages and disadvantages. She enjoys having her mother around when she’s practicing a new dance step, but she also thinks it might be better to learn dance from a different teacher. Becca loves to dance.
“I think it’s fun,” Becca said. “It takes your mind off stuff.”
When Ruth and Becca got to contra dances, which combine line and square dancing, the two never leave the dance floor.
“When I take Becca, she does not want to sit out a dance.”
Ruth doesn’t miss one either—she’s been dancing since she was seven. When her foot problems led a doctor to give her the choice of wearing braces or starting dancing, she leaned toward dance, but her parents got her braces. So, she paid her little brother to throw the braces into the bay near their house, since the salt water would ruin them and she would be free to dance.
“The worst part is that he ratted on me,” she said.
Her brother later went on to become an attorney, but she has been dancing ever since. She started teaching dance in Craig shortly after moving to New Castle when Becca was three. Ruth thought there was a lack for things for preschoolers to do.
“We were eight miles from the nearest child her age, and that’s common in Craig.”
So, she started teaching four year olds when Becca could join her class. Now Becca helps her mother with the youngest dancers.
“We call them the babies,” Becca said.
They are too young to actually learn about dance, Ruth said, but they ca develop tier motor skills and have fun with other children.
“They learn how to interact with the other kids, to work as partners. I believe that dance is more than just fun and games, “Ruth said. “It’s a social event for them.”
The children can be seen dancing different books in “An Afternoon at the Library” May 28.
-Prepared by Shelly Koon
Photo credit:
From The New Castle Record archives