‘A great education at any age should involve the arts’ - Eastern Iowa dance studio set to open preschool

HIAWATHA, Iowa (KCRG) - For some, dance can be a form of exercise, a hobby and a form of expression and the Dancer’s EDGE in Hiawatha is looking to help kids do just that with a new program.

‘The Dancer’s EDGE’ has been teaching dance in the area since 2008. Now, they’re expanding to add a preschool, that will run half days, three or four days a week.

“We believe that a great education at any age should involve the arts,” said Charlie Vogl, Co-Owner of the Dancer’s EDGE.

It’s not set to be your average preschool school.

But that’s exactly what The Early EDGE was working towards.

The school for three, four and five-year-olds will sit inside Dancer’s EDGE and incorporate arts into early education.

”We did see an opportunity to use our space during the day with some further educational experiences, and that led us to the preschool environment,” said Vogl.

Parent Katie Lipsett has been bringing their daughter to the studio for five years and just recently started taking their son too.

”We realized that this place is much more than just a dance studio,” she said.

For her, the dance classes weave in core values like confidence, respect and responsibility and that makes “Early EDGE” preschool an easy choice.

”It’s just been a really great experience being a dance parent here. And so when we heard that they were opening a preschool, it was kind of like a no-brainer for us to enroll our three-year-old son because we know those same core values are going to be held,” said Lipsett.

And finding ways to express yourself creatively are just as important as learning things like math and language arts.

”I think that it just works wonders for development and establishing a lot of those roots, parts of being a kid and growing up to be confident,” said Lipsett.

And for parents who already feel like underpaid uber drivers taking kids to evening activities, this opportunity will mean one fewer lesson.

”They also get to have dance class during the day, so that really important time being home in the afternoon and evening with their families. They’re not having to run out to town to do extra activities. They can get all that done during their preschool day,” said Vogl.

”I can’t wait to get started with it,” said Lipsett.

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