Francine Marinello Thissen, 92 years young, studied jazz with Bob Fosse, taught dance to Millie Perkins and Lee Meredith (among others), and was listed as a noteworthy dance educator by Marquis Who’s Who…. Most importantly, she was my tap, jazz, and ballet teacher in Fair Lawn, NJ, from age five to fourteen.
Francine added much more to my life than rhythm, routines, and recitals–she developed my confidence, broadened my world by including dancers with cerebral palsy in our performances, and introduced me to fundraising and philanthropy. Francine’s daughter had cerebral palsy and the finale at each recital featured her, tapping with a leg brace from her ankle to the top of her knee. Each year, I stood in the back of the auditorium during the last dance, in awe of these children’s ability, and I clapped loudly as Francine handed the enlarged check — proceeds from the recital– to a local representative from the United Cerebral Palsy Foundation.
When I was 10, Francine asked some of us to dance at her daughter’s school. When I saw the large group of children with CP, I refused to perform, paralyzed with guilt that I could dance. Francine whispered to me “you dance, so they can walk.” Those six words have stuck with me – that there is no need to apologize for what I can do, have done, or will do, but rather, to utilize my skills, energy, and creativity to benefit others. As a result of numerous performances that Francine arranged for civic organizations and children’s hospitals, I realized that pursuing my passion could simultaneously bring joy to me as well as to others. The goal to combine outer service with inner joy permeated my 43 years in career development, connecting students and alumni with employment opportunities–another passion.
Francine saw the potential in each student. Keenly aware of the different skill levels in her classes, Francine affirmatively commented on everyone’s effort. As we individually pranced across the “diagonal” of her studio, she remarked “what a style” to the student with the awkward arabesque or “love that energy” to the child whose leap did not land well. As I reflect on my efforts to be inclusive, lead offices and organizations, and raise my children, Francine’s ability to value everyone in her orbit was a formidable influence.
I credit Francine for the many dance opportunities I have had throughout my life: USO/Fort Knox performances in high school, dance company leadership in college, jazz and tap classes with Broadway dancers after graduate school, and “going viral” on Insta in 2019 while dancing with Val Chmerkovskiy from Dancing With the Stars.
I hope that Francine recognizes the thousands of young people whose lives she impacted — dancers throughout New Jersey through her years of instruction, and children with cerebral palsy, whom she included in all of our performances. When dancers tell me “you’ve got Fosse’s style!” I am reminded that Francine will always be a part of me and I am grateful that I was able to express this to her personally, because she lives in the same home from which she taught me 65+ years ago.