Hart Takes Over Baton, Dance Studio in NE

The baton and dance group, local to New Enterprise, is nothing new to this area.

The original group, Xelle with Mandi, was founded in 2002 by Mandi Cottle. She started out by offering baton lessons to children in the area, to give them the opportunity to learn to twirl and march in the local parades.

It was then in 2008 that Cottle decided to expand the group and offer dance lessons. The thought behind this was so that parents could bring their child or children to one location and get two separate lessons if they chose.

Last year, Cottle prayed over the decision and concluded that her 2019 season would be her last as owner and baton instructor.

New ownership would occur in the new year. Chelsy Hart took the step of becoming the new successor of the local New Enterprise baton and dance group. This is how Hart in Motion Baton & Dance Studio was formed.

Hart lives in New Enterprise with her husband, Zach, and their two children, Weston (11) and Eliana (6). She is employed full time at PennStress as a sales customer coordinator, owner of Chelsy Hart Photography part time and assists her husband in managing his business, Hart’s Lawn Care. She enjoys watching her son play football and showing pigs for 4-H and watching her daughter at gymnastics, cheerleading and play soccer.

Chelsy Hart’s experience began at 3 years of age when she joined the majorette group, Touch of Class. After two years, the baton group was no longer in existence and that is when Hart’s dance experience began. She attended Body Language Dance Studio in Bedford under the instruction of Gail Koppenhaver and later Gail’s daughter Kristen Kauffman, current owner of GK Dance Co. also in Bedford. For nine years, she participated in tap, ballet and jazz. Hart said that her favorite of the three is tap, hands down.

Throughout high school, she cheered and danced on the football and basketball cheerleading squads. She assisted in choreographing dance routines for both squads.

Her experience teaching started in 2008, with the very same local group, Xelle with Mandi. She was a dance instructor for five years; two years as an assistant and three years as the lead instructor. At the end of the 2012 season, she departed from Xelle to pursue photography business. She continues in the wedding photography business, but on a lesser level.

“I enjoy photography and being behind the camera, but I felt with the opportunity I was presented, that it was the right time to make the switch back because of my love for dance,” Chelsey Hart said. “I want children to experience the same joy and excitement I did when I would go to practices and perform in front of an audience. I feel that twirling and or dancing can provide children with a multitude of characteristics like having rhythm and grace, gaining confidence, and feeling as if they have somewhere to belong.

“I am looking forward to this new adventure and am very thankful for this opportunity. I cannot wait to see where this group goes and how it will grow because my goals and dreams are big for the studio and I know the possibilities are endless!”

Hart in Motion Baton & Dance Studio is composed of highly enthusiastic and experienced staff and is fully equipped to teach the children all they need to know. The staff includes three instructors, two assistants and one administrative coordinator. The studio offers baton and dance lessons to school age children beginning as young as 3 years of age. Baton lessons are offered for a fee and are 30 minutes in length.

Hart said the children will learn how to march in step, find the beat of the music and how to twirl a baton.

Dance lessons are also available to students. Hart said they will learn three styles of dance in a one-hour class for a fee. In the dance class, the children will learn tap, ballet and a jazz/hip-hop combination.

Hart said the three-year-old introductory baton and dance classes are each only 30 minutes in length and that there is a cost per class. Practices are held Monday evenings between 5:30 and 8 p.m. at the Southern Cove Fire Company Building, formerly known as the Replogle School. The studio also provides the opportunity to participate in three fundraisers to assist in offsetting the costs of batons, uniforms and costumes.

If you are interested in signing your child up for baton lessons and or dance lessons, Hart in Motion Baton & Dance Studio will hold its annual registration on Monday, March 2 at the same location where classes will be held. An informational meeting will be available promptly at 6 p.m., lasting a half hour, and then sign-ups will be from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. There will be a registration fee per family.

For more information, contact Chelsy Hart at Hart in Motion Baton & Dance Studio in any of the following ways: phone (814) 414-5529; email hartinmotion@gmail.com; or on Facebook at Hart in Motion Baton & Dance Studio.