Shirley Temple was 6 years old when she introduced “On The Good Ship Lollipop,” and Pacifica-raised Sue Rissotto was just 3 when she danced to it.
“My mom put me in a dance class in a small studio on Palmetto, called Ginger’s School of Dance,” Rissotto said. “I had two older brothers and my mom thought since I had to travel to sports events with my brothers all the time, and I was the only girl, there should be something just for me.” (Her sister was born when Sue was 12.)
Rissotto remembers her first performance. The audience clapped and laughed.
“I stopped dancing and just stood there,” Rissotto recalled with a smile. “I loved performing.”
She also remembers going to Ginger’s School of Dance after having the summer off. Ginger had retired, without telling anyone.
“We loved her. She taught with a cane and would click out the ‘beats’ with her cane.”
Rissotto next went to Schumacher’s School of Dance in South San Francisco. She stayed with them for 13 years. Her most thrilling performance was dancing to the “Pennsylvania 6-5000.”
“We had sparkling sequin hats that itched and cute red costumes. It was the first dance and we had to do 16 wings in a row. It’s a hard tap step.”
Rissotto started teaching dance at the old Vallemar Moose Lodge when she was 16. After graduating from Oceana High School, she headed off to Skyline College to study child psychology. At the same time she taught dance for Pacifica’s PB&R. In August of 1984, with 48 students enrolled, and still going to college, she made the leap into dance as a career and opened “Sue’s Performing Stars Dance Studio” at the old Sanchez School. Ten years later, she moved her very successful school to its current location in Park Mall. Two years after that, she met her husband Mauro.
The couple has two children, Anthony who is going into his sophomore year at Riordan High School (San Francisco) and Steven, a seventh grader at Vallemar. Both boys grew up in their mom’s studio. “It’s been their second home since they were four weeks old.” Sue notes her eldest taps and has followed in her “ham” footsteps. Her youngest is more interested in sports and doesn’t like to perform on stage.
“As to whether my husband can dance, the answer is, no way. I was glad he danced at our wedding.”
At Sue’s Performing Stars Dance Studio, students aged 2 through 82, learn tap, jazz, hip hop and ballet. Sue teaches tap and jazz. Her ballet teacher is Claudia Montgomery and Gina Benedetti teaches, tap, jazz and hip hop. Gina started as a tap and jazz student at Sue’s Performing Stars when she was 8.
The school has one big annual show in June and they always march in the Fog Fest parade. This year’s show, “Looking Back 30 Years,” was held last weekend. She also held a 30th anniversary barbeque in San Pedro Valley Park.
“I love teaching my babies, the 2 and 3 year olds,” Rissotto said. “They can be my most challenging students but it is really a fun and funny age. Of course I love my adults because I can be an adult when I teach and I dance with them on stage. Actually I’m quite partial to all of my students.”
“The thing is even after all these years, when I see the kids and adults perform on stage and smile so brightly it makes my heart melt,” Rissotto continued. “And now I am teaching generations. My students from years ago are bringing their children. Sometimes I think about the word ‘retire,’ and then I think how lucky I am.”
Sue’s Performing Stars Dance Studio. 1025 Terra Nova Blvd., Pacifica. http://suesperformingstars.com/
Jean Bartlett can be reached at editor@jeansmagazines.org.
