Aces of Trades: Dance instructor Butch Theisen helps others showcase their talents
ZANESVILLE – Dance has been a huge part of his life since he was a toddler.
“Growing up,” recalled Butch Theisen, “I played baseball, mowed lawns, enjoyed swimming, traveling, fishing, bailing hay, working in our garden. I spent many hours at the dance studio preparing for recitals and TV shows along with band practices and performances. I didn’t ever think about being a dance instructor. My dream was to perform on Broadway in shows and musicals.”
Today, Theisen owns and operates Marjorie & Butch’s School of Dance.
“Our studio is solely based on technical dance training,” he explained. “We are certified teachers through Dance Masters of America. At times we’ve participated in dance competitions, but our main goal is to codify dance through history, technique, application, and performance.
“The original name of the studio was Holzschuher Dance Arts Center until the late 1990s,” he continued. “Marjorie’s husband passed in 1995 and she was left with no living relatives. It was around that time Marjorie changed the name to Marjorie and Butch’s School of Dance. As she got older, I became her caregiver and upon her passing I inherited the studio, the house attached and her home at Riverside Airport. I sold the river house and remodeled the house next to the studio and now reside there. In other words, I get to walk to work.”
Theisen, now 71, grew up in Zanesville, graduated from Maysville High School in 1970, then Muskingum Area Technical College in 1972 in applied science.
“My mom put me in dance at the age of 3 with Marjorie Holzschuher Sellers,” he said. “As I got older, I realized how much I loved the art and took as many lessons as my parents could afford. I also found a great interest in baton twirling. In high school I was drum major 1966-1970 for the high school band under the direction of Harry Gardner. I think it was his encouragement that made me want to share my dance and baton abilities with others.
“I started teaching baton and acro for the late Joan Garrett Wine when I was 16,” he added. “Joan was a past National President for Dance Masters of Ohio and had an excellent studio in Newark. She too was a student of Marjorie’s. By 1973 I was teaching for both studios and full time teaching for Marjorie. By 1977 I passed the tests to become a member of Dance Masters of America and Ohio Dance Masters. After working on many committees for ODM I was elected president in 1991. That was the beginning of my interest in the operational side of DMA. Little did I know where that would lead.”
By 2005 Theisen served on more than 30 committees for Dance Masters of America. He was DMA member of the year in 2002, member of the year for Ohio Dance Masters in 2013, and DMA lifetime achievement award recipient in 2022.
Jeff Ungemach works with Theisen at Marjorie and Butch’s School of Dance, from teaching swing dance to mixing music to managing backstage.
“Knowing Butch for many years,” Ungemach said, “I’ve seen him grow into the dancer, teacher, father, friend, and colleague that he is today. I’m proud to say I was in attendance at National Dance Convention in Nashville when Butch received the lifetime achievement award. He’s an inspiration to all as he teaches from his heart, while his feet do all the talking.”
“My dream was Broadway,” Theisen responded. “God had another plan. I have no idea in the past 56 years of teaching how many thousands of children, adults, and colleagues I’ve had the opportunity to share a talent that started 68 years ago. Having had the opportunity to study with instructors who’ve taught such names as Savion Glover, Gregory Hines, and many more, it’s my passion to share those experiences with as many as possible. I love my job.”
Marjorie and Butch’s School of Dance is located at 51 S. Seventh St. in Zanesville. For more information, call 740-453-6076 or look on Facebook.
Aces of Trades is a weekly series focusing on people and their jobs – whether they’re unusual jobs, fun jobs or people who take ordinary jobs and make them extraordinary. If you have a suggestion for a future profile, let us know at trnews@zanesvilletimesrecorder.com.
This article originally appeared on Zanesville Times Recorder: Dance instructor Butch Theisen helps others showcase their talents
