Anna Pavlova Meets Annie Oakley

By Alice Korsick

Dreams-and a love of change-keep this dancer-sharpshooter lively

I am a firm believer in change; every 10 years or so, it’s good to shake things up and move on.

I believe that everyone has a calling. Mine came early: At the tender age of 5, I knew I wanted to dance. But this dream took time to realize—I was the last of seven children and we had no father. My mother worked hard to feed and clothe us and keep a roof over our heads. Dance lessons were out of the question, but that didn’t stop me. My first performance was a hula dance that I made up and performed for World War II workers at the Philadelphia Navy Yard, where my mom worked. I was 6 or 7 years old and had no formal training, but I had great confidence in my performing skills. You might say I was a little precocious.

My first dance lessons came about because I kept nagging my mother. Finally, during a shopping trip for school shoes when I was 10, my mom struck up a conversation with a woman whose daughter was about to start ballet lessons. The woman said that the lessons were going to be cheap because the studio, the Philadelphia Civic Ballet, had just opened and needed the business. It was the best thing that could have happened to me. The studio’s director, Norman Craig, was fresh from Hollywood, where he had worked as a dancer and assistant to Busby Berkeley. I spent 10 years training with Mr. Craig, and he became my surrogate father. Those years increased my desire to become a professional dancer.

I married my husband, Alexander Korsick, when I was 20. (I am convinced that I have been married to the same guy all these years because he always supported my career). We moved to New York City in 1959, at a time when ballet companies toured at least nine months out of the year. I knew this lifestyle would not work for my marriage, so I auditioned for things that would keep me in or around New York. I landed my first professional job—and got an Equity card—doing summer stock. After all the years of training, being acknowledged as a good dancer worthy of a job was so rewarding. I couldn’t believe I was going to be paid for something I loved doing! I’d be performing in New England, which meant that my husband could visit on weekends, and besides, it was just for the summer. It was a wonderful experience: I danced in Bells Are Ringing ,Guys and Dolls, Call Me Madam, and Pal Joey. I learned a lot about musical theater because up to that point I had been primarily a ballet dancer.

In New York I auditioned for The Music Man. After spending a year in that show, I became a Broadway gypsy, performing in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Sail Away, and I Had a Ball. I also danced on TV shows such as The Garry Moore Show, The Ed Sullivan Show, and The Bell Telephone Hour. In addition, I studied voice, acting, and teaching with Matt Mattox and others. Matt was one of the Jack Cole dancers and danced in many Hollywood musicals, including Seven Brides for Seven Brothers.

I lived in New York for 20 years and raised my two sons there. But I am a firm believer in change; every 10 years or so, it’s good to shake things up and move on. So when my boys were 12 and 10, we decided to move back to our roots. Our move to New Jersey was close enough to Philadelphia to feel like we were going home.

After teaching at many studios, I decided it was time to open my own. I had been teaching since I was 15, and I wanted to do it my way. I opened Today’s Dance Center in Medford, New Jersey, in 1983. I was no youngster, but dreams keep you going. My goal when I opened the studio was to produce one student who would go on to dance professionally. Over the years I produced many, who have danced with the Charleston Ballet, the New England Ballet, Joffrey II, American Ballet Theatre II, and the Royal Caribbean Cruise Line.

I treated all my students as if they were going to dance professionally, making sure that the serious students trained in all disciplines: ballet, jazz, tap, and modern. The more they could do, I believed, the better their chances for a job. Performing was a must. Dance is a performing art, and performing must be practiced along with technique. My dancers performed at least once a month from September to June, in nursing homes, parades, festivals, charity shows, and competitions (with the focus on performance and learning, not medal standings). My joy in teaching was to pass on all that I had learned and my belief that all dance techniques are equally important.

After 18 years, once again it was time to move on. My decision to sell the studio to one of my brightest teachers was not easy, but it had to be. Several things told me that my decision was right. My age was number one—I had no health problems, but how long could I keep up the pace? I wanted to go out on top of my game, and I did. Plus, my sons had moved away, and I wanted to be near at least one of them. I wanted to pass the school on to someone who shared my values and would keep my vision alive. Kim O’Conner Sparks was a modern dance teacher who believed in a strong ballet foundation, and her philosophy was on target with mine. The transfer was easy, and only my accountant was present for the turnover.

My son Adam and his family had moved to the mountains of Pennsylvania; my other son, Alex, lived in Arizona with his wife and children. The choice of where to move wasn’t hard: the mountains with snow and ice, or warmth and no snow. So the new focus of our lives became what to do in Arizona. My husband had retired, but I was not ready to stop working. Through my experience judging for competitions, I knew April Nelson, who owned a studio in Phoenix. She offered me a teaching job, and I was thrilled not to be burdened with the business end of a studio. My creative side needed a new challenge, so I also began teaching retirees.

Always on the alert for new creative outlets, in 2002 I saw an ad for a women’s shooting program called Annie Oakley Sure Shots. Although I had never held a real firearm, I had always enjoyed the shooting galleries at carnivals, and I thought I was a pretty good shot. I decided to give the program a try. After a one-hour safety class, I was on the shooting range. What a great time I had hitting those paper plates! It was a thrill, and I was hooked from the first night. I found that to shoot well takes discipline and concentration, just like dance. It involves good hand-to-eye coordination, trigger control, arm placement, and breath control. The women who run the program are just as dedicated as any dance teachers I know.

The fun continues today, and I have never looked back. I am still teaching, choreographing, and judging, but not exclusively. My love of dance will never change—I carry it with me in everything I do. Shooters I meet are surprised to learn about my ballet background, and dancers are surprised by my shooting, but I tell them it’s possible to have it all. Be open to new interests—opportunities are everywhere you look. At any stage of our lives, we can take a fresh look at ourselves and find positive ways to use our talents.

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