New dance studio in Topeka opens as an outlet for students to find their worth
TOPEKA (KSNT) - Dance can be a work of art. But for others, it can be a form of therapy and a way of coping with a loss.
A new studio in Topeka spoke to 27 News on how they are using it as an outlet for students to have a safe space and to find their worth.
Madeline Fridley has been teaching dance for more than a decade and has always seen it as a form of therapy but now it's more prominent in her life after losing her brother, Billy, nearly one year ago.
Now she is demonstrating an important lesson to her students.
“I didn’t want to teach children that when something bad happens you just quit," Madeline said. "So I decided to remain open and transition to running my entirely own studio.”
That's why she opened Madhouse. And now the dancers are preparing to perform a routine in memory of her brother.
The routine is dedicated to suicide prevention and awareness entitled, "Hallucinogenics" and a piece that Madeline's mom says is bittersweet.
"That’s been a hard routine for me to watch and has been all season long," Mickey Fridley said. "But it’s been kind of healing in a way too."
“It brings awareness," Madeline said about the routine. "It’s one of those dance routines that we don’t care about a trophy. We don’t care about the scores. It’s more about you know just getting it out there you know, getting the story out there.”
Madhouse will host a suicide prevention "Day of Dance" on September 8th.
They plan to raise money for the Lemonade Foundation and Suicide Prevention, which helps others financially who've lost a loved one.
A full day of dance will be taught by professionals and experts in the area and will include a place where students and parents can talk and learn more about suicide prevention.
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