Meet Paula Terenzi Byrne of Paula Terenzi’s Dance Complex in Malden

Today we’d like to introduce you to Paula Terenzi Byrne.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Paula. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I have been dancing since the age of 2 and started teaching at 16…mainly in part that my mom was a dance teacher… Eleanor Rubino (inducted into the Dance Teachers Hall of Fame) who owned and operated her dance studio in East Boston for over 60 years and still teaching ballet at 88 years young. I was fortunate to have a dance teacher who knew what I needed to learn to become a confident technical dancer as well as strong teacher. I earned national dance championships, pageant titles, and professional dance experience that is now passed down to my students. As past president of the Dance Masters of America New England Chapter #5 and “certified by test to teach” my credits also include member Dance Teachers Club of Boston, and National Dance Education Organization where I continue to learn through professional development opportunities. As a past title holder in the Jr. Miss and Miss America preliminaries, I was also producer of the Miss Massachusetts Pageant for Miss America for 10 years. I currently hold a professional license by the Massachusetts Department of Education in Dance and also currently teach dance at the Mario Umana Academy in East Boston where my students learn that dance enhances a person physically, emotionally, socially, intellectually and artistically.

The Dance Complex opened in Malden Square with the encouragement of my late husband Richard Byrne – a grandmaster in the martial arts – where I trained dancers in his location on his off days in 1984. When the enrollment grew I headed out to my own location where I have been for 34 years.

I am proud to say under my tutelage, my students are national dance champions, dance scholarship winners, pageant title holders, independent teachers and professional dancers having been seen performing in major theme parks, cruise ships, Broadway, Las Vegas, the Rockettes, NFL cheerleaders and NBA dancers.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Besides the usual business challenges such as are all bills being paid on time…who is struggling to pay me this month…did I create the best schedule for serious dancers…am I on multi task overload? I see a turnaround in taking dance seriously as the one activity student’s participate in. Are children trying to be overachievers and are they overscheduled? Are parents allowing that? Parents seem to be rushing from one activity to another and trying to fit everything in before going home and getting schoolwork done and getting some sleep to start all over again the next day. One can’t be great at EVERYTHING and when your child finds that passion in something…that’s the time to take it seriously. As a teacher I have an enormous responsibility for the success of a child’s accomplishments. But I also want to make sure that the child understands that their accomplishments does not always have to relate to being the “star” of the dance studio or receiving the highest award at a dance competition. Besides the benefits of dance such as physical well-being for life, better grades, less chance of drugs and getting in trouble, more likely to attend college,..The child that walks away with kindness for others, discipline, responsibility, multi-tasking skills, and team work, will be the child with future success.

So, as you know, we’re impressed with Paula Terenzi’s Dance Complex – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
Students are trained in ballet/pointe, tap, jazz, acrobatic as well as hip hop, musical theater, lyrical/contemporary and Hawaiian. Classes are available for all ages and levels for recreational dancers as well as competitive dancers. Currently we are hosting DANCE CAMP REVIVAL a 3 day 2 night dance camp experience in August on Cape Cod with master dance classes in all subjects, team building, campfires, swimming, dance parties, camaraderie and lots of new memories.

So, what’s next? Any big plans?
I will continue training students in the performing arts and look forward to new and exciting opportunities for them to experience. I enjoy creating memories that will be talked about at dinners and get together for years to come such as performing at Disney World Florida, Hershey Park Pennsylvania, local sporting events, regional and national competitions, parades, and many local civic and social events.

I will be dreaming of a bigger and better dance studio for the students to train in…And I will never stop learning. “Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass…it’s about learning to DANCE in the rain!”

Contact Info:

• Address: 101 Pleasant St
  Malden, Ma. 02148
• Website: www.terenzidancecomplex.com
• Phone: 781-321-3227
• Email: thedancecomplex@verizon.net
• Instagram: paulaterenzidance
• Facebook: Paula Terenzi’s Dance Complex

Image Credit:
Professional Photo’s by Dan Doke Photography

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