History of the Pelio School of Dance

It was 1937 and the world was finally starting to shake off the effects of the Great Depression. On the second floor above the KarmelKorn Shoppe on Harrison Street in Flint, a young dancer had just opened up her own studio and was teaching twelve young girls her fundamental philosophy: dancing is more than just learning some steps, it's learning how to perform.

The fabled melting-pot neighborhood known as St. John's Street was full of people from all around the globe who had come to America seeking freedom. They didn't want charity, only a chance to work and build a new life. Isadore Stein, like many of his neighbors, worked on the line at Buick. The Industrial Mutual Association(IMA) provided family members of GM employees with many free educational and recreational opportunities.

Among these were free dance lessons from Miss Hildegarde Walters. Isadore's daughter, Lena, showed a lot of natural talent for dancing and was soon performing professionally.

She was billed as "The Second Eleanor Powell" and her high-energy spins and machine-gun taps brought the house down in every nightclub and theatre around the Great Lakes that featured musical revues.

It was a lot of travel, long nights, and little pay; but it was her way of contributing to her family. With her pending marriage to Andy (Saboda) Pelio, Lena decided it was time to come off the road and contribute to her community. She's been doing that ever since.

In the 1950s, Lena was asked to serve on the Committee of Sponsors for the Flint College and Cultural Development. The group raised over $30 million and established the Cultural Center, including the building of Whiting Auditorium. Lena was instrumental in the formation of the Mott Performing Arts Association, forerunner to the Flint Institute of Music. She choreographed musicals for the Flint Community Players and the Mott Fine Arts Festival. During the summer, the Pelio School of Dance presented ballet and jazz dances in the parks throughout the city.

The Pelio School participated in the show for twenty-eight years with their "Sleighride" ballet becoming the signature piece of the show. Between her school and FBT, thousands of people have had the opportunity to participate in dance at its finest. Many former Pelio students have gone on to make dance performance or dance education their professions. These include Kronk, the Bohattys, Alde Lewis, Greg Begley, Mark Otlosky, Sherri Gold, Denise Paavola, Lorraine Peltonen, Gail Kivett, and Delores Bonardelli.

This tradition continues with Lena's daughter. Lisa Pelio left Flint for ten years and established her reputation as a professional stage and television performer, choreographer, and Master Teacher in Atlanta, and Chicago. She returned to Flint to carry on the Pelio tradition. She recently formed Danse Michigan and plans to bring professional-level dance productions by local performers back to the Flint stage.

Lena A. Pelio
1918 - 2006