Lebanon -- Not everyone who wants to take dance classes can afford it, a reality that doesn't sit well with dance instructor Tammi DeFelice.

To help remedy the situation, DeFelice, owner of the Creative Movement School of Dance, held a fund-raiser this weekend to plump up the school's scholarship coffers, and all it took was some coffee, donuts, 44 kids and 24 hours of sleep deprivation.

The school's Dance-a-thon began Saturday at 2 p.m. and wound down yesterday afternoon. DeFelice's students recruited friends to join the event, everyone secured pledges for their efforts and more than $2,300 was raised.

“I think everyone should be able to take dance regardless of their income,” said DeFelice, taking a break from the hourly lessons she gave throughout the 24-hour party.

The 30-year-old Enfield resident knows what it's like to have a passion for dance and to lack the resources to explore that passion fully. DeFelice began taking classes at the Jenkins Dance and Gymnastics Center in Claremont when she was in fifth grade. During the last two years of high school, she was allowed to take any class she wanted free of charge in exchange for assisting instructors.

“I don't think I could have danced as much without the extra (financial) help,” said DeFelice.

The school, which has students as young as 2 è-years-old and as seasoned as 62, now has about six students receiving partial scholarships, a number the owner would like to increase. DeFelice said she is forming a committee to decide how to allocate the funds.

Among the students who took part in the fund-raiser was 12-year-old Jennifer Laroche of Lebanon. She brought in the most amount of money -- $300 -- and got the least amount of sleep — about four hours. She said the secret to her stamina was simple: donuts.

“She's very dedicated,” said Jennifer's mother, Diane Laroche.

Diane Laroche was one of several parents, some of whom spent the night at the studio, on hand yesterday afternoon watching the children follow the upbeat instructions of DeFelice.

“I think it's a wonderful idea,” said Sally Houle, of the Dance-a-thon. “I think anything that promotes kids working together and getting out into the community is a positive.” Houle's 7-year-old daughter, Dakota, takes classes at the school and attended the event.

DeFelice, who opened the school three years ago, said she and her assistant, Carissa Prasch, held a 12-hour sleep-over party last year to raise funds but decided to expand the event into 24-hour dance-a-thon.

“It was really a wonderful way to raise money, very creative,” said Dana Michalovic, who spent the night at the studio with her 10-year-old daughter, Georgia.

While all of the children took catnaps at some point during the night or morning, DeFelice did not. With music thumping in the background, a swarm of young girls bouncing on the floor and more than 22 hours since she had last slept, DeFelice said she wasn't sure if she would hold the event again next year.

“Let's see how I feel tomorrow,” she said.

Last modified: 01/02/09