A Little Bit Country, a Little Bit City, a Whole Lotta Dancing

By Rachel Shuster

Mass Motion Dance originated in Sturbridge, MA in 1983 under the direction of Terri Gordon, whose primary goal was to open up the world of dance to a small community.

Gordon grew up dancing in Worcester with Marlene Francis and became an apprentice at the Boston Ballet when she was 14 years old. After about six years, Gordon moved to study in Germany where she trained in various ballet and modern styles including Limon and Graham.

After five years in Germany, Gordon decided it was time to settle down. “It was time to come home and start a family. My husband worked in Sturbridge, which is how we ended up there. I took a two year break, had two children, and began teaching again at a community center,” Gordon says.

At that point she knew she had to get back into dance. “There was just nothing in that area. I knew I wanted to open a studio,” she says.

After years of success with the Sturbridge studio, Gordon knew she wanted to expose her students to the wider world of dance and allow them to experience the opportunities she’d had growing up.

“I lived and danced in Boston. I knew what opportunities were out there. In 2003, we opened a Boston studio. The Sturbridge students get a taste of the city by visiting the Boston studio and the Boston students get a taste of what it’s like in a country setting in Sturbridge,” Gordon says.

At both studios, students can explore all types of dance styles including jazz, Irish step, tap, hip hop, modern and of course, ballet, the core of all dance. “We provide students with a broad range of styles. We offer ballet, but different types like Chiquetti,” Gordon adds.

Every other summer, Gordon takes several students to Germany. “I want the students to see the advantages of all these opportunities. By going to Germany, students learn that the language of dance is international,” Gordon says.

Mass Motion Dance is also extremely active in the community. “We have a recital every summer but our main performances are for community events. We have done events with the Starlight Foundation, Boston’s Children’s Hospital, and the Molly Bish Foundation,” Gordon says.

MMD rarely participates in competitions, but Gordon says they can be advantageous. “Comps are a good experience for students if they want to pursue a career in dance. It’s good for future auditions, etc.”

MMD offers drop-in adult programs in various dance styles including yoga and zumba at both studios. There’s also a work study program for students in need of financial assistance where they act as assistance teachers.

For more information, check out www.massmotiondance.com.

Photo (top) of Ava Moreno by Liza Voll