To Life!

Over the years, Miss Barbara has taught more
than dance. She has taught the steps of life.

Luciana Speck, 4, of Farmington Hills and Skyler Mitchell,
5, of Birmingham emulate teacher Barbara Fink.- .

DEDICATED TO DANCE from page 37

revealing and the media hastened to
call Miss Barbara to find out what she
thought about her former pupil.
"What I said to them all was, 'I
thought she danced beautifully,"' she
says. "Elizabeth's career has gone on
.very well since then, too. In fact, she is
now starring in a Broadway show.
That's why she couldn't come in for
the 50th anniversary recital. We are

always in touch."
"Barbara creates magic in that room,"
says Berkley, who grew up in
Farmington Hills. "It's an incredible
thing to be touched by someone who
teaches you one thing but really pre-
pares you for the classroom of life. I
knew my life would be dedicated to the
arts from the time I was 7, and Barbara
understood that and nurtured it.
"I was asked to step into this role on

Broadway with three days notice. I
never could have done it if Barbara
hadn't given me the tools to handle a
situation like that."
Barbara has two sons, Darryl and
Dale, from an earlier marriage. Both
took dance instruction from her.
"Darryl loved it and went on for
years," she says. "Dale refused to go
back after the first year. He became a
chef. But guess what. He is now the

musical coordinator for my shows and
stays involved with the studio.
"The thing I always like to point
out," says Barbara, "is that about 30 of
my students have opened their own
dance studios all over the country.
That makes me feel great.
"But I say the same thing about all
my students. I want them to realize
that what I've given them doesn't corn-
pare to all that they've given me."

❑