Area choreographer reaches out with dance

Corey Burns poses with some members of The Dancing Divas, a group he coached for the 2011 “Dancing With the Aiken Stars.” From left are Judy Pendarvis, Linda Walters, Nancy Hansen, Ann Woodard, advisor Corey Burns, Patsy Lewellyn, Patty Oakland, Dorothy Ridley, Anne Perry and Anne Campbell.

Sometimes, people who know Corey Burns might forget he is a career educator - now in his fourth year as a principal at Saluda Primary School. To them, he's the guy who dances and teaches dancing through a remarkable number of venues.

That's what happens when you move to Aiken in the fourth grade, and your mother, Rhoda Burns, opens a dance studio.

"You wind up going there after school, whether you're taking classes or not," Burns said.

Today he remains very much involved at the studio. He has worked with USC Aiken's dance team and coach Angie Osbon for about 16 years, as well as with dancers in the benefit "Dancing with the Aiken Stars." Most recently, he trained Greater Aiken Chamber of Commerce officials J. David Jameson and Buzz Rich for a Blues Brothers number at the organization's awards dinner.

While growing up, Burns played recreation league sports and church league basketball and soccer. During the summer, he would hang out at the Houndslake Country Club pool.

"But dancing was always a constant," Burns said. "I didn't know if I was that good at it. Still, I was the guy, and your mom owns the studio. If you're somewhat decent, you're going to get attention."

He danced at the Aiken Heart Fund benefits and pageants and did jazz and tap dancing at festivals. Later, as an Aiken High student, he discovered he had a choice to make. A Columbia woman contacted him about establishing a boys' dance team at her studio. And, by the way, the girls there were really attractive.

"But if you went there, it meant you were serious about dancing," he said. "So I went."

During his sophomore year, he spent 14 days in New York City and another seven in Los Angeles. Dance conventions took up another eight weeks. His dad, Tom Burns, would get off work and drive his son to Columbia for the classes. It was different and worthwhile to have a teacher other than his mom, and he found the practices a little more intense.

At the end of his sophomore year, the football coach saw a yearbook picture of Burns dancing with his leg over his head. By the time fall practice began, Burns had become the placekicker.

"A lot of guys had given me grief about the dancing," he said. "I wanted to see where I could go with this. But you're expected to be at all the practices, and, as just a kicker, I didn't see that as a good use of my time. So I tried out as a wide receiver and did both for the next two years and enjoyed it a lot. It was a whole different dynamic, but the practices had a similar intensity."

Burns enrolled at USC Aiken as an accounting major. That same year, he started getting calls from people to perform and travel to dance conventions. He spent weekends teaching at a North Carolina studio. That experience of being asked to create dances and help their guys become dancers opened up a new market for him. From 1993 to 1999, Burns traveled to studios throughout the country.

He had changed his major to education during college, wanting to do something that would keep him active and allow him to also continue to teach dance. Before Burns graduated in 1994, Osbon asked him to help out with the dance team. Eight Peach Belt titles later, they're still collaborating.

"We got off to a great start that first year, winning our first competition," said Osbon, an athletic department executive. "We have enjoyed doing this together and built a great friendship through it, as well. Corey brings the talent a lot of creativity. He can motivate the team in a way that I can't."

Burns' teaching career began at Aiken Elementary School, where he was able to use his dance talent in the classroom as a way to motivate and inspire his students. Burns, who was married and had a family at that point, was encouraged by his wife Kristen to pursue a master's degree in administration. He later taught at North Aiken Elementary School and served as the Byrd Elementary School assistant principal before getting the principal's job in Saluda.

Burns has enjoyed the opportunity to choreograph for some of the "Dancing with the Aiken Stars" couples and support the program's charitable efforts. He also teaches fitness at Gold's Gym every Saturday and follows the sports efforts of his kids - Kayla in tennis and John in three sports.

"I'm still motivated to the dance stuff," Burns said. "When you've given kids that skill set, it's like watching people eat the dish you've created when it's a really good dish. It gives kids confidence, and I can teach them new things and watch them blossom."

Senior writer Rob Novit is the education reporter and has been with the Aiken Standard since September 2001. He is a native of Walterboro and majored in journalism at the University of Georgia.