dance
Whitestone performing arts school
celebrates 70 years of excellence
Photos courtesy of Annette Vallone
Landrum’s All Star Competition Team.
www.qns.com | SEPTEMBER 2017| lehavre Courier 13
BY SUZANNE MONTEVERDI
smonteverdi@qns.com / @smont76
One of the fi rst few businesses in the
Whitestone neighborhood, the Landrum
School of Performing Arts was established
in 1948 by Frances Landrum — one of the
original 36 Rockettes, according to current
owner and director Annette Vallone.
About 38 years ago, the founder asked
Vallone — who began classes at the
school at age 3 and had just been accepted
to the Rockettes — to take over.
“I had to make a huge decision at 18
years old that aff ected the rest of my
life,” Vallone said. “And I’ve never regretted
it.”
Upon taking over, Landrum asked
Vallone to maintain the program quality,
customer service and sense of family
she created there decades ago. Th e new
leader agreed.
“She was a special lady,” Vallone said.
“She was a dancer, teacher and businesswoman
and when all of that was not
very fashionable.”
Over the years, the school has taught
a number of noteworthy performers.
Shirley Temple, Ben Vereen, Tommy
Tune, Tony Danza and Drea DiMateo are
among the standout roster. Th e school
has also produced a number of Rockettes,
Broadway dancers, Hollywood producers
and casting directors.
Gina Teri and Katherine McQuade —
assistant director and dance instructor
at the school, respectively — are two former
students who have also gone on to
succeed in the performing world. Teri
has danced in music videos, modeled
and appeared in the soap opera “All My
Children,” and McQuade was recently
crowned National American Miss.
With 40 to 45 classes running every
week, the Landrum School today off ers
an astounding variety of dancing, singing
and acting programs, including ballet,
tap, jazz, hip-hop and contemporary
dance, acrobatics, stage and on-camera
acting and more. Classes are off ered for
children, teens and adults.
“You have a choice of a little, or absolutely
everything,” Vallone said. “We
have the gamut.”
Th e school’s acting program is the
newest addition, the director continued.
Th ough it’s merely fi ve years old, it has
already produced some up-and-coming
actors and models, including Sophia
Agresta, Vincent Kimmel and Katerina
Pappas.
To accommodate the school’s constant
expansion, the Whitestone space recently
went through a massive remodel and
enlargement, which included
the addition of a 100-
seat, fully operational
theater.
“We have some
incredible families
who have helped
build the school
along the way,”
Vallone said.
“Today, we have
kids coming to us
from all fi ve boroughs
and Long
Island.”
Staff and students at
the school also dedicate
time toward volunteering.
Th e group raises funds for groups
including the Ronald McDonald House,
Light the Night
and Dancing
Dreams and performs
at various
community events,
including the Whitestone
tree lighting and Bayside holiday
parade.
“We’re very much community-orientated,”
Vallone said. “Landrum is defi -
nitely an amazing tradition. Th e longevity
of the school is an amazing thing.”
Th e Landrum School is located at
11-02 Clintonville St. Registration for the
next season of classes, which will be the
school’s 70th, begins Sept. 6. For more
information, call 718-767-9787 or visit
www.landrumdance.com.
