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Bender Performing Arts visits Tram Mai with Channel 12 about our adult dance sessions.

Bender Performing Arts visits Tram Mai with Channel 12 about the DanceMotion Performing Companies annual costume sale. 

Channel 3 news interviews Mr Bender and dancers perform the National Dance Day Dance 2025.

National Dance Day at BPA with 3TV and Alaina Kwan_5

Bender Performing Arts dates to 1974, when Betty Johnson started holding classes in her North Phoe­nix garage. The organization began with a few mats and a record player and has grown into one of the longest-running arts organizations in the Valley.

Bender recently commemorated its 50th anniversary in June during a recital honoring Johnson. Now, it’s moving for­ward into its 51st season, which started at the beginning of August.

Bender is now owned by Kevin and Meri Bender, who are two of Johnson’s former teachers. The couple purchased the school in 1996. “Betty had eight children, but none of them wanted to take over the dance stu­dio;’ Kevin said. “She looked to us to see if we wanted to be the ones to take over, and we were interested. We started the pro­cess back in the early ’90s of taking over the school, continuing to help it grow into what it is today:’

Meri explained that they built longev­ity by being part of the community. This started with Johnson and has contin-ued with the Benders. Kevin said they have also created a cul­ture where everyone feels welcome, and students have life-changing moments. “It’s creating those experiences, those life­long friendships and lifelong memories for people, I think what’s helped us stay embedded in the community for so long:’

Meri said that Johnson established the stu­dio as a community-oriented atmosphere. “She was very family-oriented. She wanted the best for everyone;’ Meri ex­plained. “It wasn’t a ‘we’re doing this to win trophies and be the best: What was established from early childhood is that dance is this magical thing that brings you joy:’

At Bender, classes are open to children and adults. The organization offers in­struction in different styles of dance, in­cluding ballet, jazz, tap, contemporary and hip-hop. Over the years, the Benders have ex­panded on the center’s programming, adding piano and voice lessons, musi­cal theater, tumbling and porn and cheer classes. They also train kids who are in­terested in their school’s cheer or dance teams.

Kevin said they have continued to evolve to match current trends. “Styles change over the years. We have younger staff members who keep up with those trends;’ he said. “Even though we’re celebrating 50 years, we’re not still doing the dance movements from 1974:’

In the last few years, Bender has be­gun to offer aerial arts classes, and there are plans to hold workshops in aerial art forms, such as silks, again in the near fu­ture. In addition, the company presents annual productions, including an original ballet during the holidays, a musical the­ater production, a show featuring different styles of dance and a year-end recital.

In January, the organization hosts an annual benefit for the MORIAH Cooper­ative, which supports young people with special needs and their families. As part of this concert, children from the MORIAH Cooperative work with Bender students to learn a routine and then perform onstage with them.

Over the years, the company has moved to several different locations along 32nd Street. The current location is at 32nd Street and Beardsley Road. When it moved into the current 14,000-square-foot build­ing in 2006, the Benders officially changed the name of the organization to “Bender Performing Arts:’ “We purchased land up here and built our own building from the ground up with some partners. It was a good time to make a branding change because we knew that we’d want to expand our programming from just dance to other types of program­ming;’ Kevin said.

Meri said over the years, multiple gen­erations of the same families have taken classes at the studio, sometimes at the same time. “What’s really special is the legacy piece of it after being in business for 50 years;’ she said. “There’s people’s grandkids that are dancing. There were a couple of fam­ilies where the grandmother was taking tap. The mom was taking a class, and then the granddaughter was in class:’

Shayna Petruccelli, the general manager for Bender Performing Arts, grew up with the company. Her mother, Karen Stone, was one of Johnson’s students and later became a teacher for the company. Stone was Meri’s teacher when she was growing up.

“Her mom was my first jazz teacher, and then we taught Shayna her whole childhood before she went off to have a big career,” Meri said of Petruccelli, a former Rockette and currently the director of the DanceMotion Performing Company in Phoenix. “Then, she came back, and now she’s directing. There’s quite the legacy behind the whole thing.” 

Petrucelli said hers is just one example of multi-generational families who have been involved with the studio.  

“My mom was a dancer and teacher for Betty. I grew up dancing for the Benders, and now my two kids, who are 9 and 10, dance at the studio in the competition group I direct,” Petruccelli said. 

Petruccelli never took a dance class from Johnson, but she and her family lived with Johnson for a time when her parents were separated. 

“Betty is a wonderful human being…When I was a toddler, she found patent leather baby shoes and had someone make taps for the shoes. I was a toddler walking around in tap shoes. I still have one of those tap shoes, and to this day, I hang it on my Christmas tree every year,” she said. 

Petrucelli took a few classes with Bender at age 3, moved away with her family to St. Louis for a few years and started taking classes again with the company again at 6 years old when her family returned to Phoenix. She said that although Bender has more offerings and a larger building today, the company still operates with similar values.  

“When I started as a kid, I remember the culture being very much the same as it is today. It was very family-oriented, very focused on creating good people through dance,” Petruccelli said. 

She said the 50th anniversary season really made her reflect on what Bender has meant in her life. 

“The 50th anniversary recital brought back people who I hadn’t seen in years. You lose sight of how many years you’ve been a part of something,” Petruccelli said. “I’ve been a part of this for nearly 40 years. Today, I get to look back at how much my teachers and students have been a part of my life.” 

Petruccelli vividly remembers having sleepovers with her fellow dancers at the studio, running through the halls with teammates after winning dance competitions, getting emotional during her final performance as a senior and getting ready for the annual company shows. 

“I remember being in rehearsals as a little kid with the older kids. I wanted to be like them. The kids these days love that too,” Petruccelli said. 

After growing up dancing with Bender, Petruccelli went off and had a professional dance career, which included dancing with the Radio City Rockettes and performing on Broadway and in national tours. She returned to work at Bender when she moved back to the Valley in 2012, and she continues to teach dance classes for different levels. 

“I love teaching. It brings me so much joy,” Petruccelli said. 

Her son, who performs with DanceMotion, is autistic. She said Bender has really striven to provide opportunities for people of different abilities, including kids on the spectrum. 

“If a kid wants to dance in some capacity, there is a space. It is important for non-neurotypical kids to participate. It is something that is near and dear to my heart,” Petruccelli said. 

Bender is a place where kids can get away from electronic devices, even for a short time. Petrucelli said that during classes, students aren’t allowed to use their phones. 

“Dancers are present in the moment in a way they don’t get outside of class,” she said.  

Fox 10 news joins us at the Orpheum Theater to preview Backstage USO.

Channel 12 news interviews Shayna Petruccelli about Summer Classes 2025.

Bender Summer Classes on 12 News

Channel 3 news visits BPA to talk about our 10th annual musical theater performance of “Suessical Jr”.

Seussical Jr on 3TV Mar 30

Thank you CITY Sun Times for the amazing article. To read the entire article CLICK HERE.

Elite youth dance students from across the Valley get the opportunity to showcase their talent at the 24th annual Dancln’spiration benefit program.

Scheduled for 6 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 21 at the Madison Center for the Performing Arts, 5601 N 16th St. in Phoenix, DancIn’spiration is the collaborative effort of six premier Arizona dance studios demonstrating uplifting dance performance, including all forms of dance like ballet, jazz, tap, musical theater, lyrical, contemporary and hip-hop, for a worthy cause.

‘”The dance community in the Valley is nothing short of amazing:’ said Kevin Bender, co-owner of Bender Performing Arts in North Phoenix. “To watch these students dedicate their time, effortand skills to a worthy cause like Dancln’spiration is beyond beautiful and inspirational. We know they get a lot from the experience, plus they can give back to kids in need at the same time. It is remarkable.”

More than 250 premier dance students, ages 8 to 18, are set to participate in the annual event designed to not only highlight their talent but also to raise funds for children’s charities across the Valley. Over the last two decades, more than $400,000 has been raised in association with this program.

The 2025 Dancln’spiration participants include students from the Bender All-Stars, Dance Motion PerformingCompany, Bricks Studio, Classic Image Dance, Micaela’s Dance Magic and Innerlight Dance.

This year’s Dancln’spiration beneficiary is MORIAH Cooperative. MORIAH is an acronym for “Motivate and Orchestrate Respectful Interpersonal Achievement and Harmony:’ It is a nonprofit organization that aims to empower children with special needs by offering free inclusive social opportunities in a safe and nurturing environment.

“Often children with special needs are excluded from the general population leading them to feel isolated, humiliated, sad and rejected;’ said MORIAH co­-founder, Sheri Bernstein. “Unfortunately, children with special needs don’t have a lot of opportunities to effectively practice socialization and develop communication skills with their peers, which perpetuates the cycle of exclusion.”

MORIAH helps foster empathy, acceptance and friendship between children withspecial needsand neurotypical peers. This is achieved through regularly scheduled inclusive social events in Phoenix, such as bowling, gardening, roller skating, rock climbing and more, where individuals with special needs can develop communication and social skills, and peer mentors learn about the importance of inclusion. Bender Performing Arts supports MORIAH’s mission by providing inclusive and accessible dance opporttmities for students with special needs. Many of these students will perform alongside peersat the Dancln’spiration benefit.

“We continue to look for ways to support the community through dance,” added Bender. “Dancln’spiration allows talented young dancers who come back year after year to use their art for a good cause that helps others who may not have the same opportunities to express themselves through performance arts.”

Previous Phoenix area Danc!n’spiration beneficiaries include Swift Youth Foundation, Heart for the City, Sunshine Angels, Arizona Helping Hands, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and the Caitlin Robb Foundation.

Tickets for the 2025 Dancln’spiration benefit are $20 and can be purchased through Bender Performing Arts at 602- 971-9170 or at the theater one hour before showtime.

Fox 10 news “Everywhere with Cory”  visits BPA to talk about 50 year Anniversary, Artistic Director Shayna’s Rockette days and all the amazingly talented students at BPA.

Fox 10 with Cory 12 19 ALL

Studio owners Kevin and Meri Bender are interviewed by Ari Levin and Lynette Carrington on the art scene podcast. Take a listen.

AZ Family Channel 3 visits BPA to talk about 50 year Anniversary and “Happy Holdays with Love” holiday ballet performance.

3TV Nov 24, 2024

Christmas’ True Meaning

Bender Dances through Happy Holidays, With Love

Families often present a perfect façade on their holiday cards, but their lives are often more complicated than a single picture. This theme is explored through the tinsel family in Bender Performing Arts show “Happy Holidays with Love” Sunday, December 14 and Sunday, December 15 at the Madison Center for the Arts.

Bender will also present a show for Title I schools on Friday, December 13. Dancers will perform the shows first act and then do a Q&A with students.

This holiday ballet is returning for the third time. Bender has a rotating schedule of four holiday shows, written by the companies artistic Director Shayna Petruccelli.

In “Happy Holidays with Love” the Tinsels- a mother, father and three daughters- explore the families journeys through their takes on holiday stories such as “The Nutcracker”, “The Grinch”, “Miracle on 34th St.”, “Elf” and “A Christmas Carol”.

“We’ve rewritten those stories to best serve the characters in our family.  So, for instance, in a Christmas Carol, that’s the dad’s story.” Petruccelli said.

“She becomes a pseudo-Scrooge character guided by the three ghosts- the Ghost of Christmas Past, Present and Future to rediscover his family. In the show, the dad is a workaholic. His story is a play on Scrooge, while the mother is based on “Miracle on 34th  St.”.  By taking her daughter to see the mall Santa, the mother is reminded of what is missing in her life. She and her daughter do a dance talking to Santa wishing, wishing for all those intangible things, like familial love. That’s really what she wants for Christmas.”  Petruccelli said.

Once the family member space their own obstacles, they become closer. “We take them on a journey with a little bit of holiday magic that shows each one of them what’s really important” Petruccelli said.

The leading roles are played by Company dancers, primarily high school seniors. They have a chance to showcase not only their dance, but they’re acting skills.

“A lot of our dancers have had experiencing doing full musicals, and really fully acting, using their voices, using everything. So, when they get to be lead roles, even though in a ballet, the leads don’t ever actually speak, they’re really adept at storytelling and embodying their characters. “Petruccelli said.

The show highlights are more modern style of Ballet. “Our dancers are so adept, not only a ballet, but also at jazz, hip-hop and contemporary, and so many things that we can pull on those strengths to make a unique, interesting, entertaining show… it’s still all Ballet, but it’s definitely not traditional, classical ballet. I’ve always been drawn to contemporary ballet. I think it’s just so beautiful or artistic, and you never know what’s going to happen in it. So that’s something that I really love, that we are able to get to touch on in our show.” Petruccelli said.

The show features recognizable Christmas tunes. The audience Is invited to sing-along. Petruccelli said the school and Company are about much more than educating dancers. “We want them to be able to be successful dancers, if they so choose in their futures.” she said. “But so much of what we do is designed to educate the person to be a responsible, dedicated, confident adult, to take these kids and help them succeed in their future lives whether it’s in dance or something else.”

Many alumni work as faculty at Bender. “I think because the culture at Bender is so strong, we raise really great people who we want to have continue in the organization.” Petruccelli said. “So, most of our teachers are alumni of the studio. It works really well because they know what we focus on, what our values are, and they uphold those values in the classroom.”

When Meri Bender says she grew up in the business she owns today, it’s not an exaggeration. When she started dancing at what is now Bender Performing Arts, she was 5. The dance school was about a year old, and Meri was taught by its original founder, a single mom with a record player and tumbling mat in her Phoenix garage.

Meri continued taking lessons through high school and after graduating from a performing arts college in California returned to Phoenix at the dance school of her youth.

That same year, Meri met fellow dance teacher and co-worker Kevin Bender, who would become her husband and – when they purchased the school that bears their name in 1996 – business partner.

 For the married couple of 31 years, Bender Performing Arts is not just their business. It’s been a very personal part of their lives. It’s also been a way to fulfill their dream of teaching and using the performing arts to bring out the best in students as kids and into adulthood.

“It helps them to be great human beings and gives them the confidence to do whatever they want to do in life,” Meri said. “That will always be our driving mission.”

This year, the school celebrates its 50th anniversary as the Valley’s oldest dance studio, offering nearly every style encompassing ballet, tap, jazz, contemporary and hip-hop.

At an alumni event in 2022, Kevin was listening to many stories from former students over the decades sharing what dance taught them, and how it instilled resilience and discipline in a way that other activities may not have.  “I didn’t know how it affected them as adults,” Kevin said. “They got through college and their jobs because of that grit.”

Since the Benders took over, the curriculum has expanded to include private music and voice lessons, musical theater, and tumbling, pom and cheer classes for ages 2 1⁄2 to adult. It also creates original productions and pieces and gives students the option to compete or keep their dance recreational. What started in 1974 in a garage has grown into a state-of-the-art 14,000-square-foot facility.

The couple’s strong theatrical background inspired the additional programs.

“It’s a place for everyone, whether they are advanced and wanting a career or a beginner trying it out,” Meri said.

In its first year, the school, originally the Betty Johnson School of Dance, taught fewer than 100 students, Kevin said. In every year that followed, enrollment steadily increased.

“Every few years she kept moving up the street and into bigger spaces,” Kevin said.

When he and Meri purchased the school from the original founder Betty Johnson, it had 500 students. Today, Kevin said that number has doubled with Bend-er Performing Arts serving 950-1000 students at any time.

Bender is part of a U.S. dance studio market valued at $4.5 billion in 2023, according to business industry resource IBISWorld.

The evolution has created an intangible quality that reaches students beyond lessons and performances. Kevin uses the term “third place,” the sociological concept referring to social surroundings where people can have a good time and build relationships. This comes after home and work or school, the first and second places, respectively.

“We feel like we’ve been a third place for them to be themselves, be who they are and enjoy what they do with other like-minded kids,” Kevin said. “A place where they feel confident.”

That’s exactly how Karen Conway’s daughter Alyssa, 16, described the dance school she’s attended for nearly 10 years. “That’s a huge compliment as to what they teach and how the teachers love and treat them all the time,” said Conway, who lives in Phoenix. “It’s such a warm, welcoming place and she feels so safe there and feels loved and supported.”

Alyssa does ballet, contemporary, jazz and hip-hop. She is in her third year on the competitive team. Conway has noticed the impact on more than just what her daughter demonstrates in the studio or on the stage. Alyssa is very organized and disciplined, which shows in the classroom and on report cards. She doesn’t want to let down her dance teammates, so she puts the time and hard work into practice, just like an athlete in a mainstream team sport like basketball or football. 

“She has all the life skills that will make her success-ful as a human and professional and they have really taught them in a very loving way,” Conway said “It’s really incredible and there is no other space I would want my kid, especially as a teenage girl, to be in.”

For Meri, teaching had always been her passion. After graduating from college in California, she returned to her hometown to teach for her first and longtime instructor.

Born in Columbus, Ohio, Kevin moved to Arizona with his family when he was 6. He had been a perform-er since he was a child, even having an agent, and did voice over work in addition to dance. Kevin was 15 when he started teaching tap dance to first graders. He went on to have a professional dancing career that brought him to Los Angeles, where he also taught. He had done mostly commercials and music videos for famous pop stars but during the writers’ strike in 1986, returned to the Valley for a break. One day Kevin came home to a message on his answering machine asking if he’d be willing to be a substitute teacher at Betty Johnson School of Dance.  “I thought it would be temporary, but I never left,” said Kevin, who wanted to have a family one day and knew the nomadic lifestyle of a professional dancer was not conducive to that goal. “I wanted stability, and I got that with teaching.” Six years later, he met the new teacher who would be his wife and mother of his children.  “We wanted the same things. Friendship grew into love,” Meri said. “We wanted to be entrepreneurs and have a family.” 

In 1992, Meri and Kevin took over managing the school. Around that time Johnson floated the idea that she may want to hand over the ownership reins. Management allowed the Benders to experience and demonstrate running the school while learning about business ownership. Four years later, the Benders bought the school from Johnson. In 2006, they moved into a new built-from-the-ground-up building and renamed the school. They see this as a continuation of Johnson’s legacy. “Our goal was never to change what Betty did. It was to grow her vision and to keep the same culture and love for this,” Meri said.

Several community efforts and fundraising for various children’s charities enhances the mission. This includes a partnership with Valley nonprofit Moriah Co-operative, which provides inclusive social programs for children with special needs.

The number of Bender multi-generational families is another testament. Many students are children of former students.  “Parents saw how the arts helped them as people and they want the same thing for their kids,” Kevin said. “Seeing the growth and experiences you can pass on to students and watching the a-ha moments… Those are rewarding.”

Many instructors and directors, like Meri, are former students who have returned to offer future generations the same treasured memories, experiences and friendships they experienced. “We look at the wall (of photos) of our staff and they grew up here as well and now they’ve taken the baton,” Meri said. “As a teacher, there’s nothing more rewarding than seeing your own students doing this success-fully as your employees.”

Channel 12 news visits Bender Performing Arts to learn about the DanceMotion annual halloween costume sale.

12 NEWS

Hello Bender Performing Arts Families!

On the competition circuit, Kevin and Meri Bender’s students are, in a word, impressive. Wowing audiences and judges with a combination of creative choreography and stage presence, they also display the unmistakable signs of solid technical training across a variety of forms-from freezes in a hip-hop routine to expert theatrics in a musical-theater number. But it’s not all about competition at Bender Performing Arts in Phoenix, Arizona: The school’s performing and competing company, Dance Motion, accounts for only 15 percent of overall enrollment. “When Kevin and I got into this, we didn’t just want to be a competition school-there is so much more out there,” Meri explains. Adds Kevin, “We know that, as educators, working with youth is a big responsibility, and we’re using dance and art as a way to form them and help them grow into young adults.”

As shrewd studio owners as they are dedicated teachers, the two recently opened a new 14,000-square-foor facility housed in a new $3 million building that is carefully tailored to all their needs, from studio-monitoring video screens in the lobby to a digital music system wired throughout. It wasn’t just savings that allowed them to build their dream studio, however-it took creativity and careful planning. Most importantly, they understood the value of knowing their own strengths and finding the right partners to fill in the gaps. Now, the couple has all sorts of future lans including expanding their annual charity performance (to which they invite seven other local studios to participate) and, for Kevin, dabbling in dance studio consulting. Their message, after all, is about community, not competition.

BEGININGS AND THOUGHTFUL TRANSITIONS

Meri, 34, spent her childhood at Phoenix’s Betty Johnson School of Dance, from her first ballet class, at age 5, to her first stint reaching jazz and ballet, at 16. Dreaming of a Broadway career, she went on to perform in regional stage shows while studying dance, music and theater on scholar­ship at the United States International University in San Diego, California.

Kevin, 41, first tagged along with a neighborhood friend to tap class, at age 5, adding ballet and jazz through his teen years at Phoenix’s Spisak Dance Academy, where he started teaching, at age 15. At 18, he moved to Los Angeles and spent three years dancing professionally in videos, shows and industrials. On a trip home in 1985, he found a message from Betty Johnson on his family’s answering machine, asking him to replace a teacher who had left mid-year. Johnson had previously observed him teaching and saw him as a perfect fit, she says. He agreed to teach through the next recital-from January to June-but instead got hooked and stayed for good, founding the student performing company, Dance Motion, in 1987.

At the school, Meri and Kevin’s shared love of dance and close relationship as young dancers and teachers was a natural prelude to dating. “We started partnering a lot together and we became really good friends,” Meri says. “We both have the same interests and passions, and we both understand one another. We ended up spending less time together working as dancers and more time teaching, and it blossomed from there.” Drawn from San Diego back to Phoenix to continue a serious relationship with Kevin, Meri started teaching more, and realized it was the classroom, not the Broadway stage, where she wanted to spend her time. In 1993, they married, and now have a bustling family of three sons: Erik, 10; Jason, 8; and Ryan, 6.

Johnson, meanwhile, suffered a back injury in 1991, and began looking for a way to retire. But of her seven children, none had danced seriously. She considered Meri, however, her “adopted dancing daughter,” so the solution was clear: Kevin and Meri would take over the school.

The couple didn’t buy the school in the traditional sense: In ·1992, they started managing it and, over the next six years, received annual bonuses that accumulated toward a down payment. lt was a win-win situation, said Johnson, whose financially minded husband suggested the idea (and enlisted a CPA to oversee the details): It provided the Benders incentive to stay with the studio and gave Johnson the security of having owners who knew and loved her school. “It was a natural way to transition into a business like this,” Kevin explains. “It also gave us an opportunity to continue to learn about the business under her and her husband’s tutelage.”

TOTAL TRAINING

Over the years, the Benders have developed a reputation of their own, especially -for their emphasis on students’ total development, not just dance development. “[Dance education impacts young people-they learn discipline, time management, working as a team,” says Kevin. “Thar’s our motivation.” Meri adds, “If they become dancers, great. If they decide to be doctors, we know that this stepping stone has helped them in some way.”

Patience, hard work and delayed gratification are at the heart of the lessons the two seek to teach. I’m seeing kids burn out by the time they’re 12, because they’re dancing or competing so much. So, it’s important that we teach these kids that the art of dance is a journey,” Kevin says. “It’s not like microwave popcorn [that is] ready in a minute. Dance is a developmental process and it’s really hard to teach this generation that. You don’t get everything you want at age 10; you don’t get to dance with the big girls on the big stage in the big show. You’ve got to work through the ranks. To me, that’s a life skill, too. We didn’t get to the point that we are, right away; this has been a 20-year process. So, we understand the value in taking your time and being patient and working through the artform of dance.” With this philosophy, the Benders’ older, more experienced dancers are afforded more opportunities to work with guest choreographers, perform in the community and compete at an advanced level.

For Sarah Purtzer, a freshman in college who has studied with the Benders since age 8 and will return to Phoenix to teach for them this summer; the versatile training and nurturing beyond dance study have left her well-armed to tackle her first year pursuing a dance degree. “Their teaching technique is nor just, this is how you turn out your leg or, ‘This is how you point your foot,’ but instilling in us the need to watch and to feel and to think, ‘ls this the way we’re supposed to move?”‘ Purtzer says. “Yes, they give us corrections, but it’s about watching and learning and really being observant of those corrections. For me, coming to college and experiencing modern classes and styles I haven’t done, it’s been helpful to have that eye,” she says, adding, “I was blessed to have wonderful teachers who actually cared about me, not just how I looked. That has really made me who I am as a dancer.”

Students’ most common observation about these studio owners is how well they work as a team. Lauren Gottlieb, 17, who is moving to L.A. to dance professionally this summer, says, “They complement each other so well, and they’re really good at trying as hard as they can to make everyone happy.”

Kevin is famous for his lighthearted approach, while Meri is known to be a hard hitter when it comes to technique. Gottlieb, who took her first class at the studio from Kevin in 7th grade, says, “If you were in a bad mood and went to class, he’s such a goofball [that he] puts you in a great mood.” In subtle contrast, “Meri is very determined and focused in rehearsals, and she really wants to get things done-so you don’t mess around,” says Purtzer. “She gives me respect; I give her respect. You know they are strict because they both care about you so much, and you respect them for that.”

A NEW HOME

In the spring of 2003, the Benders began planning for an inevitability so many studio owners confront: the end of their studio lease. The couple made the decision to relocate and pursue their vision of running their own performing arts center. Betty Johnson’s was a very nice facility-about 11,000 square feet, four nice dance rooms, quite a bit of space-but we knew that it was time to take the next step,” Kevin says. They started looking for property in the area on which to build a new building and decided on a 2.5-acre lot that they happened to drive by daily.

Investing their own savings and reinvesting the school’s profits wouldn’t be enough to cover costs, though; they needed a financial partner, as well as guidance, in building a new studio from the ground up. Partnering with Kevin’s sister, Tara Evans, and her husband, Rob, a general contractor, they purchased the land (with the additional help of a bank loan) and constructed an approximately 26,000-square-foot building that would house the new performing arts center, Rob Evans’ painting business and several other properties-for-lease to generate additional revenue. Bender Performing Arts’ doors opened in January 2006, just one year after breaking ground, and the for rent spaces quickly filled with the businesses of friends and acquaintances: a dancewear store owned by studio moms, a salon run by a woman Meri grew up dancing with,

and a chiropractic company operated by their tap teacher’s husband, among others. The synergy among all the businesses helps give the entire complex a family atmosphere.

As for the Benders, they wanted to give the new studio “a 21st­century feel,” in contrast to Betty Johnson School of Dance’s pink­and-maroon homespun quality. The new facility has dance studios equipped with video cameras and TV monitors to record and play back footage of class progress; large viewing windows (which can be covered with blinds); monitors in the lounge for parents to observe students; and a large projection screen on the lobby wall where staff members can splash details about future events and footage of past performances for visitors. In addition, teachers have access to an entirely digital music system through a computer in each studio (all connected to a central server on the center’s second floor), so they don’t have to tote around their own CDs. (Although Kevin is a self-proclaimed gadget guy, the Benders hired an information-technology specialist to help them get wired.)

Brightly colored walls and furniture, high ceilings, aluminum accents and concrete floors throughout (with the exception of the studios, which are sprung maple) contribute to the artsy, industrial­loft look they were aiming for. Building from the ground up also allowed the Benders to bring to life their own design considerations (like no electrical outlets in the lobby for the safety of children and garage door openings to studios for easy loading of equipment, as well as those required for new construction by local law (like streetlights and landscaping) that they learned about and tackled along the way.

OPEN ATTITUIDES

Some might say that the Phoenix dance school community has been historically competitive, with the only interaction between dancers at neighboring studios occurring at competitions. According to the Benders, however, this has eased up in recent years, in part because of more competition options as well as more local studios. But they hope the greater sense of community is, in part, the result of an event they’ve spearheaded for the past five years.

DancInspiration, a benefit concert rallying together seven

other area studios, is the Benders’ effort to teach their dancers to put their energy and shared passion toward cooperation instead of opposition. The performance, held in downtown Phoenix, draws local dance lovers as well as friends and family, and has raised more than $30,000 for the Caitlin Robb Foundation, which supports pediatric cancer research. As Meri puts it, “Two wonderful things are happening: These kids are raising money for kids, and secondly, the dancers from different schools know each other now, and it’s created a better atmosphere here among teachers and students. It’s taught everyone a great lesson.”

The Benders, always with an eye toward growing onward and outward, have aspirations to expand the program beyond the Phoenix area by pairing with corporate sponsors. “Our goal is to have different dance studios in each state across the country put on DancInspiration, so we’re all raising money for kids,” says Meri. Adds Kevin, “We’re really proud of it, and we’d like to see it grow into something larger.”

In recent years, Kevin has also transitioned to taking on a larger business role, while Meri has remained in the classroom. “My strengths are changing,” Kevin says. “I still choreograph and produce shows, because I enjoy the creative end and it’s a part of who I am, but I realize it’s time for me to go to the next thing.”  When the dust settles, maybe he’ll consider moving on to a different kind of teaching-sharing his self-taught and learned-in-the-trenches dance business knowledge with other teachers who want to open their own studios.

Their best business advice, when it’s all said and done? “Be open and involve people,” says Kevin. “It’s not just about Meri and me. It’s not just about Betty Johnson. That leadership is not to be confused with the fact that there’ve been hundreds of people behind us. Could we have done it on our own? No more I than I could pick someone off the street and say, ‘Choreograph a dance and put a show together.”‘

Lisa Arnett is a Chicago-based writer and Midwest editor of Dance Spirit magazine.

My mom put me in my first dance class at 7 years old and I immediately hated it. I begged her to let me quit, but of course she’d already paid for the entire year, and she made me stick it out. I cried about it all the way up to the recital, when everything clicked into place. I was obsessed from then on out. I spent my early childhood training at a studio in Scottsdale, Arizona, called Dance Action, then moved to [what is now] Bender Performing Arts when I was 12 years old. There, I met Kevin and Meri Bender, two of the most influential teachers I have ever had. I have been fortunate enough to have enjoyed many incredible professional opportunities “So You Think You Can Dance” Season 3; India’s version of “Dancing with the Stars,” called “Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa”; as well as various film and television credits, including the popular Indian dance film, ABCO: Any Body Can Dance], but I still wish I could be back in the studio with Kevin and Meri. When I was young, they warned me to not be in such a rush to grow up, graduate, and move to Los Angeles. They said that I would look back at these years as some of the best of my life-and they were right. They put on concerts each year, and at the end of each rehearsal we would make a group circle and sing the melody of old songs while doing dance moves from years past. It was like a collection of inside jokes that brought us together. They created a beautiful family. A couple of years ago the competition team at Bender (Dance Motion Performing Company) celebrated their 35th anniversary, and with tears in his eyes Kevin told me he wanted to name the anniversary company show “Legacy.” It was so fitting. They have created such a powerhouse-one of the largest studios in the country-and what he cares most about is the legacy of his students and their pure love of dance.

As a teacher, Meri could often be found standing with her legs in second position with her arms opening up wide. She was a very lyrical, breathy mover who took up space with big lines. When I first started at her school I was quite rigid, so I did private lessons with her in which she had me move across the floor with big steps, big contractions, and big breaths. She was supportive, nurturing, and passionate. Every once in a while she could be a little strict, but it was only ever to push you forward. Kevin liked to choreograph to old-school songs like “Come Sail Away” and “Burning Down the House.” He even did a solo for me to “Hot Stuff.” He has a signature movement style that is full of lots of leaps, rolling on the ground, and getting up really quickly. You could feel his excitement as he danced while sweat flung off of him and flew across the room. He too was very supportive and nurturing. He gave many speeches of encouragement and worked hard to create a family unit. Both of their teaching styles were large, and proud.

Everything Kevin and Meri taught me has stuck with me throughout my life-including that which is beyond technical or artistic. A couple of years back I was at a high point in my professional career. I was an actor and dancer in the Bollywood film/television industry with my name in lights, but I wasn’t interacting with other people. I realized this wasn’t what I was supposed to do for my whole life. I thought back to being a young dancer, helping Meri give others notes on their solos, and felt a strong pull toward teaching. I wanted to be “boots on the ground” with students, so I left. Of course, there were other things that went into the decision, but ultimately it was born of a desire to get back to the root of what Kevin and Meri had given me-a community. Now, I haven’t drawn up a plan for what exactly this next phase of life will look like, but it will include working with the next generation. I’ve spoken to Kevin and Meri and they have said that they would help me with it, and maybe even partner with me (which would be an absolute dream come true!). I’m living with my fiance in London, and perhaps I will be able to join a creative team to help stage film/television performances, and, in the future, create a studio community that’s similar to Kevin and Merl’s family atmosphere. And I don’t just mean their vibrant studio, but their beautiful family and strong relationship. I would love to mirror their example as much as I can.

There have been many teachers who have made me into who I am today. I was like a sponge with each and every one of them. I couldn’t have done any of this crazy life alone. My heart fills with so much gratitude and love when I think of Kevin and Meri that it brings tears to my eyes. Reflecting on those studio days is the most grounding feeling I have in my life. Thank you.

Calendar of Events

April

April 6th & 7th (Sat & Sun) – Musical Theater department presents “Peter Pan Jr” at the Madison Center for the Arts

April 15th – Worker ‘b’ Sign Up Genius goes live at 9am

April 19th & 20th (Fri & Sat) – Dance Motion Performing Co presents “Legendary” at the Orpheum Theater

April 28th (Sun) – In-Studio Ballet Rehearsal for all students 1st grade and up participating in “Moana” in the recital

Yellow Cast: 1:00-2:15

Orange Cast: 2:30-3:45

Green Cast: 4:00-5:15

April 29th-May 4th (Mon-Sat) – Recital costume try on and info week. Please attend all your dancers’ classes to receive important details about the June recital

May

May 5th (Sun) – Fall Registration Day. Register for our Fall 2024 season online via your parent portal

May 11th – Recital Tickets on sale, online at 9am

May 18th & 19th (Sat & Sun) – Recital Picture Weekend. Get your individual dance photos taken at the studio.

May 27th (Mon) – Memorial Day – STUDIO CLOSED

May 28th – May 31st (Tues-Fri) – Regular Classes

May 31st – DanceMotion auditions (2nd grade and up)

June

June 1st-8th (Sat-Sat) – Recital Week. 

June 10th-27th – Summer Session. Register online now!

COSTUME WEEK

Costume try on and recital info week! Please send a parent to class with all students to listen to important recital info and pick up your child’s recital costumes!

FALL REGISTRATION 2024

Summer School Registration Open

Our Summer School classes are available from June 10th-June 27th, 2024. Register by May 31st for early bird pricing.

DanceMotion Performing Arts Audition and Workshop