Dance serves as bridge to all people for NW instructor
by Athena Hardison, Reporter

    A NW Campus dance instructor moves her students with a unique teaching style.
    While rehearsing, Amy Raridon, a doll-like woman wearing teeny size-five slippers that glide across the floor, describes instructor Linda Quinn's techniques for motivating her students to dance.
    "Linda just makes you successful by setting you up for success, challenging you and letting you be yourself. Linda Quinn's dance group is so versatile-that is what makes it different and special," she said.
    After getting her master's degree in dance and related arts in 1989 from Texas Woman's College in Denton, Quinn hired on at TCC as an adjunct in fall 1998.
    This semester Quinn will complete her course work for a doctorate in dance from TWU.
   While working on her master's degree, Quinn participated in a creative movement class with the mentally handicapped and decided from that moment forward she wanted an open classroom.
    By allowing students of any ethnicity, size, age and ability, an open classroom would teach the importance of diversity and what unification does for every person, Quinn said.
   "Dance can be a bridge to all people despite our differences. Our differences create beautiful art and creative dance. Learning more about each other will, in turn, allow us to learn more about ourselves," she said.
   Quinn addresses her students with respect and realizes the dancers need guidance, encouragement and trust that will get them to the top.
   According to Quinn, the top is different for each student. Many dance for the exercise; some reach a certain point and feel that is good enough, and others want to pursue a career in dance.
   At 69, Troy Hart is one of the oldest dancers in the group and does not plan to quit any time soon. Because Hart has had heart surgery and artificial knee replacement for his shot knee caps, Quinn works special programs for him as she does for the disabled.
   "Dancing with Linda is a lot of hard work, but it is good for the exercise. I have a lot of fun while I'm getting danced into shape," he said.
   Quinn allows her able and disabled students to perform in Follow the Dream, a tribute to the spirit of special Americans everywhere.
   Quinn has directed four Follow the Dream presentations, most recently at the Will Rogers Coliseum last week.
   To be in one of these dance performances, a person must be ready to exert a high level of effort, laugh off mistakes, handle corrective criticism and enjoy the flow of the music and the approach of the dance group, Quinn said.
   Although the group she teaches is assorted, Quinn said the dancers amazingly fit together in perfect teamwork and harmony.
   The members of the dance team have created their own individual family.
   The class snaps to the warm-up exercises at the beginning of the practice and laughs at the subtle dance humor at the end of practice. After a practice routine, the group members applaud a job well done by tapping their shoes instead of clapping.
   Bound to a wheel chair or arm crutches, Brandy Sanford has been working with Quinn since 1999, when the original dance company began.
   "No matter what your dream is, just keep on dreaming because you never know when it will come true. Don't let anyone stop you; just continue to do what you want to do," she said.
    Sanford said Quinn is an inspiration to her ... right next to God and the pursuit of proving she is capable of dancing.