NORWICH – It’s been 40 long years since the Donna Frech School of Dance began teaching students. This year is their 40th anniversary and the studio is looking back on how it all began.
The founder of the school, Donna Frech Sharp (formerly Donna Frech), opened her first studio in South New Berlin in 1975. “When I was younger, I used to live on Long Island,” said Frech Sharp. “My family and I used to come up here on vacations and I fell in love with the area.”
Frech Sharp, holding a deep passion for dance, decided to move to Chenango County and open her very own school. “There weren’t a lot of schools in the area,” said Frech Sharp. “I thought that this was a great place to do what I love most.”
Frech Sharp opened her first studio in a storefront in the Town of South New Berlin in September of 1975. She fondly recalls making small signs with her father and putting them in the newspaper boxes of local residents as her first form of advertising. Frech Sharp’s first class had 22 students and only herself teaching.
“I can remember at our first registration. A mother and her two daughters came in to sign up,” said Frech Sharp. “I have since stayed in touch with the two girls.”
Frech Sharp says that both girls will be attending her recital next week.
The very next year, under some pressure from other locals who wanted to enrol their children in the school, Frech Sharp opened her second location in New Berlin. A few years later, with the school still growing, Frech Sharp was asked by one of her friends if she could hold classes in Norwich.
“She said her daughters danced in Norwich and wanted me to have classes at her restaurant on Saturday mornings when the kitchen was closed,” said Frech Sharp, adding that this worked out only for a little while until she outgrew the venue. “We went from the restaurant to places like the VFW and the American Legion and kept outgrowing them all. Eventually, we knew we had to get our own studio in town.”
That was when Frech Sharp built her first Norwich studio. That studio was an extension built on to the back of her house on Rexford Street. This worked for almost ten years until the School outgrew that location and had to build their current location in 1993.
“It just became too much to run three different studios,” said Frech Sharp. “We eventually gave up the South New Berlin location. It was just too small.”
This way of thinking didn’t last long though as Frech Sharp soon decided to open a location in Sidney. There she decided to rent storefronts so she could store all her equipment for the Sidney studio to make running three studios a little easier.
“When we first started, it was just me teaching the kids,” said Frech Sharp. “Now we have six instructors, two of which are my own daughters.”
Frech Sharp went on to say that all of her instructors took lessons from her and have since returned to the area to teach. Her daughters, Kathleen Cragle and Kristen Miller, have both been teaching for her for more than 16 years each. She elaborated, saying that a good majority of her students still work with dance in one way or another, be it in dance therapy, teaching, or something else that keeps them involved in the art.
“I feel very blessed and inspired that many of my former students still work with dance in some way,” said Frech Sharp. “I am incredibly proud of them.”
Frech Sharp said that her favorite thing about teaching dance is the joy that it brings to the children. “I just love to see the joy in the young children’s faces when they are doing what they love,” said Frech Sharp. “When their faces beam, it just inspires me.”
Frech Sharp continued to say that although her studio boasts a fantastic competition record, that’s not what it’s all about. She explained that to her, dance is about feeling good and having fun; and that’s what she wants her students to take away from their lessons. She wants them to see the potential they have and grow into it.
Although the Donna Frech School of Dance is not an adamant competition school, says Frech Sharp, students do compete twice a year.
“Our students have earned best in show trophies, numerous first place trophies, and even best choreography awards,” said Frech Sharp. “We have travelled to Disney World five times and are preparing to preform there again in August.”
Frech Sharp also stressed her mission: “We believe in offering quality dance instruction with caring, experienced adult instructors, for all students who attend our school, whether they are a once a week student dancing for the joy and fun of it, or if they are a serious student with many classes.”
Frech Sharp thanked all the people who have helped her and supported her along the way. “It takes more than just me to run a well organized studio,” she said. “It is a collective effort to make sure everything runs smoothly.”
She went on to say that all of the students are important and the staff need to look out for their best interests. Frech Sharp also wanted to thank her office manager, Kelli, who has been with her for more than 20 years.
“My family has been wonderful throughout the years,” said Frech Sharp. “I am very thankful of the help and support that they have given me.”
Special to this year’s recital will be a family dance preformed by Frech Sharp’s Family. Frech Sharp, her mother, three daughters, and four granddaughters will be preforming a dance in honor of their milestone anniversary.
This weekend’s show will be opening with the senior show at 7 p.m. Friday, June 19 at the Norwich High School. This show will also be at the same time on Saturday, June 20. The junior show will be Saturday June 20 and Sunday June 21 at 1 P.M. on both days. Tickets are available at the studio, Service Pharmacy, and at the door before the shows.
For more information, call 334-4382 or visit the Donna Frech School of Dance website at www.dfdance.com.

Photo by Frank Speziale