ABOUT US
Our mission is to provide inclusive and accessible dance education to individuals of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds. We are dedicated to creating a family-focused environment where everyone can experience the joy of dance, regardless of their skill level. We believe in removing financial barriers through our scholarship program, ensuring that no one is limited in pursuing the art of dance. Our organization aims to inspire, excite, and heal through the transformative power of dance as an art form.
In 1982, 3 modern dancers met and joined together to create a dance company
called River Dance Collage. Kathy Lafrenz, Dorian Byrd, and Robbie Palm shared a
love of Modern Dance and found a space at the original Bettendorf Community
Center to work in. They created dances and performed around the Quad City area.
They became Artists-in-Residence with the Iowa Arts Council. They all taught at
the various community colleges and worked together until Robbie left due to
medical issues. Dorian and Kathy taught classes at Marycrest International
University, and then in 1989, they moved the company to Junior Theatre and traded
dance instruction for dance space. Other dancers would come into the area and
join them. The professional company name was changed to Midwest Modern Dance
Co. in 1990. The dance studio was under Jr Theatre and used the name Jr Theatre
Dance Program until 1997 when the studio became Midwest Academy of Dance, and
the student company became M.A.D. Dance Ensemble. In the meantime, Dorian
had created her own African dance company, Imani Dancers. She and Kathy
continued to perform in both companies for several years, and they continued to
work together and collaborated on many different projects until Dorian was
diagnosed with Parkinson’s. Kathy moved the studio from Jr Theatre in
2011, and they resided in several locations before finding their current home at the
Roosevelt Community Center.