Falmouth, Maine –Among Maine dancers, the name Peggy Russell Westcott Etter is synonymous with tap.  For fifty years, Mrs. Etter taught thousands of dancers in southern Maine how to shuffle, step-ball-change, and flap.  Her Tick Tock Routine has become something of legend.  She also instilled a sense of professionalism in her students, many of whom have become dance teachers themselves.  They are now passing the lessons they learned from Mrs. Etter--including proper dancer etiquette and how to tie a perfect bow-- on to the next generation of dancers.

Mrs. Etter began teaching at the Dorothy Mason School of Dance in 1955.  Over the next fifty years, the school changed directors, locations, and even its name, but Mrs. Etter was always there, always ready for her next class.  One of her students, back in the day, was Jonathan Miele.  He and his wife Linda MacArthur Miele took over the dancing school, which was eventually renamed Maine State Ballet.

In honor of her dedication to the school and its dancers, the Maine State Ballet (MSB) Board of Directors established a merit scholarship in Peggy Etter's name.  Last summer, MSB invited Company alumni, Mrs. Etter’s former students, and Friends of MSB to a benefit reception at the MSB Theater in Falmouth.  Tap workshops were held during the day, followed by a gala performance featuring current MSB Company members and tap students.  Mrs. Etter was speechless when nearly every member of the audience took to the stage in a grand finale performance of her famous Tick Tock Routine.

Pauline Concannon, a member of the MSB Board of Directors, is the driving force behind the scholarship.  She is thrilled that the donations received last year were enough to establish the Peggy Etter Scholarship Fund, and she is looking at some exciting ways to keep the fund going in future years.

The scholarship will be awarded annually to a promising tap student who has been nominated by the school’s teachers and selected by a committee.   The first scholarship recipient, for the 2009-2010 school year, is Tory Nevens of Cumberland.  Tory, 18, is a senior at Greely High School.  She is also an apprentice to the Maine State Ballet Company, where she has been dancing for years. Tory is a well-rounded dancer, who displays a commitment to dance and performance.  She was selected for the award due to her strong determination, positive attitude and willingness to help and give back. She can be counted on to excel in any role she dances. In fact, Tory is an outstanding athlete who gave up sports to dance.

Tori Nevens

Tory was surprised when she learned that she had been chosen as the scholarship recipient, but says she feels very honored to know that her teachers see in her some of the same qualities Mrs. Etter exemplified throughout her career. She plans to study pre-med to eventually become a pediatrician and plans to continue to dance!

Contact: Eliza Miller - 207-781-7672