‘Labor of love’: Dance teacher retires after 55 years
By Grace Rodriguez
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SAVANNAH, Georgia (WJCL) — A Savannah dance teacher is closing a 55-year chapter.
Maxine Patterson is the founder of the Maxine Patterson School of Dance in downtown Savannah. More than 3,400 students have walked through the school’s doors since she opened it decades ago.
“We had several African American children, and one of the parents asked me to start a class at the Y, and I did, and that’s how I started in 1969,” Patterson said. “Seeing them succeed so well and be recognized for how good they did it, was that was my favorite thing.”
For some families, the studio served multiple generations.
“I’m the mom of Kennedy Slay, who also danced with Maxine Patterson eons ago — probably about 15 years ago,” Tonya Slay, mother of two former dancers at Maxine Patterson School of Dance, said. “The teachers from Maxine on down have been phenomenal,”
Slay’s daughter, Karis Wilson, grew up at the studio and says her favorite memories with Patterson were when they would travel out of state each year.
“My favorite thing was going to competitions and going out of town with her and having team bonding dinners with her,” Wilson said. “When, like, I’m at recitals or something, she’s always in a front row. So when I’m dancing, I will always see her.”
Even though Patterson taught several students each year, Wilson said she treated everyone like a friend, both inside and outside the studio.
“My favorite part when she was teaching me was when we used to go across the floor, like, turning and stuff,” Wilson said.
“I loved every minute of teaching. I never had a bad day. Never had a bad hour,” Patterson said.
Patterson’s niece, Jessie Morris, helped run the studio. She says growing up there with her cousins was special.
“It was really a labor of love that I love being a part of,” Morris said. “Each one of those students, because they were kids, all of them had at least one adult in their life that, you know, trusted Maxine. She was a second mother figure to so many of them.”
Patterson says she hopes the story will live on.
“I want all of my former students to please continue dancing. Yes, I think most of them are, but I don’t know for a fact,” Patterson said.
A retirement and reunion party will be held for Patterson on Sunday, Jan. 18.
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