Bender Performing Arts dates to 1974, when Betty Johnson started holding classes in her North Phoenix garage. The organization began with a few mats and a record player and has grown into one of the longest-running arts organizations in the Valley.
Bender recently commemorated its 50th anniversary in June during a recital honoring Johnson. Now, it’s moving forward into its 51st season, which started at the beginning of August.
Bender is now owned by Kevin and Meri Bender, who are two of Johnson’s former teachers. The couple purchased the school in 1996. “Betty had eight children, but none of them wanted to take over the dance studio;’ Kevin said. “She looked to us to see if we wanted to be the ones to take over, and we were interested. We started the process back in the early ’90s of taking over the school, continuing to help it grow into what it is today:’
Meri explained that they built longevity by being part of the community. This started with Johnson and has contin-ued with the Benders. Kevin said they have also created a culture where everyone feels welcome, and students have life-changing moments. “It’s creating those experiences, those lifelong friendships and lifelong memories for people, I think what’s helped us stay embedded in the community for so long:’
Meri said that Johnson established the studio as a community-oriented atmosphere. “She was very family-oriented. She wanted the best for everyone;’ Meri explained. “It wasn’t a ‘we’re doing this to win trophies and be the best: What was established from early childhood is that dance is this magical thing that brings you joy:’
At Bender, classes are open to children and adults. The organization offers instruction in different styles of dance, including ballet, jazz, tap, contemporary and hip-hop. Over the years, the Benders have expanded on the center’s programming, adding piano and voice lessons, musical theater, tumbling and porn and cheer classes. They also train kids who are interested in their school’s cheer or dance teams.
Kevin said they have continued to evolve to match current trends. “Styles change over the years. We have younger staff members who keep up with those trends;’ he said. “Even though we’re celebrating 50 years, we’re not still doing the dance movements from 1974:’
In the last few years, Bender has begun to offer aerial arts classes, and there are plans to hold workshops in aerial art forms, such as silks, again in the near future. In addition, the company presents annual productions, including an original ballet during the holidays, a musical theater production, a show featuring different styles of dance and a year-end recital.
In January, the organization hosts an annual benefit for the MORIAH Cooperative, which supports young people with special needs and their families. As part of this concert, children from the MORIAH Cooperative work with Bender students to learn a routine and then perform onstage with them.
Over the years, the company has moved to several different locations along 32nd Street. The current location is at 32nd Street and Beardsley Road. When it moved into the current 14,000-square-foot building in 2006, the Benders officially changed the name of the organization to “Bender Performing Arts:’ “We purchased land up here and built our own building from the ground up with some partners. It was a good time to make a branding change because we knew that we’d want to expand our programming from just dance to other types of programming;’ Kevin said.
Meri said over the years, multiple generations of the same families have taken classes at the studio, sometimes at the same time. “What’s really special is the legacy piece of it after being in business for 50 years;’ she said. “There’s people’s grandkids that are dancing. There were a couple of families where the grandmother was taking tap. The mom was taking a class, and then the granddaughter was in class:’
Shayna Petruccelli, the general manager for Bender Performing Arts, grew up with the company. Her mother, Karen Stone, was one of Johnson’s students and later became a teacher for the company. Stone was Meri’s teacher when she was growing up.
“Her mom was my first jazz teacher, and then we taught Shayna her whole childhood before she went off to have a big career,” Meri said of Petruccelli, a former Rockette and currently the director of the DanceMotion Performing Company in Phoenix. “Then, she came back, and now she’s directing. There’s quite the legacy behind the whole thing.”
Petrucelli said hers is just one example of multi-generational families who have been involved with the studio.
“My mom was a dancer and teacher for Betty. I grew up dancing for the Benders, and now my two kids, who are 9 and 10, dance at the studio in the competition group I direct,” Petruccelli said.
Petruccelli never took a dance class from Johnson, but she and her family lived with Johnson for a time when her parents were separated.
“Betty is a wonderful human being…When I was a toddler, she found patent leather baby shoes and had someone make taps for the shoes. I was a toddler walking around in tap shoes. I still have one of those tap shoes, and to this day, I hang it on my Christmas tree every year,” she said.
Petrucelli took a few classes with Bender at age 3, moved away with her family to St. Louis for a few years and started taking classes again with the company again at 6 years old when her family returned to Phoenix. She said that although Bender has more offerings and a larger building today, the company still operates with similar values.
“When I started as a kid, I remember the culture being very much the same as it is today. It was very family-oriented, very focused on creating good people through dance,” Petruccelli said.
She said the 50th anniversary season really made her reflect on what Bender has meant in her life.
“The 50th anniversary recital brought back people who I hadn’t seen in years. You lose sight of how many years you’ve been a part of something,” Petruccelli said. “I’ve been a part of this for nearly 40 years. Today, I get to look back at how much my teachers and students have been a part of my life.”
Petruccelli vividly remembers having sleepovers with her fellow dancers at the studio, running through the halls with teammates after winning dance competitions, getting emotional during her final performance as a senior and getting ready for the annual company shows.
“I remember being in rehearsals as a little kid with the older kids. I wanted to be like them. The kids these days love that too,” Petruccelli said.
After growing up dancing with Bender, Petruccelli went off and had a professional dance career, which included dancing with the Radio City Rockettes and performing on Broadway and in national tours. She returned to work at Bender when she moved back to the Valley in 2012, and she continues to teach dance classes for different levels.
“I love teaching. It brings me so much joy,” Petruccelli said.
Her son, who performs with DanceMotion, is autistic. She said Bender has really striven to provide opportunities for people of different abilities, including kids on the spectrum.
“If a kid wants to dance in some capacity, there is a space. It is important for non-neurotypical kids to participate. It is something that is near and dear to my heart,” Petruccelli said.
Bender is a place where kids can get away from electronic devices, even for a short time. Petrucelli said that during classes, students aren’t allowed to use their phones.
“Dancers are present in the moment in a way they don’t get outside of class,” she said.