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 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.
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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.
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In 1959, Lena founded the Flint Ballet Theatre and served as
its Artistic Director for twenty-six years. The company was
known nationally for its annual March of Dimes fundraiser.
As Artistic Director, Lena Pelio brought some
of the world's best choreographers, teachers, and ballet
performers to Flint.
Lena was one of the founding teachers of the
"Christmas at Whiting" show with Marva Kronk and the Bohatty
sisters from Owosso.
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 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.
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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 |
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