The first Black woman to open a dance and fitness academy in Rockford celebrated Black History Month through various forms of dance.
Tap, ballet and hip-hop were just some of the art forms displayed Sunday Feb. 19 at the Nordlof center. Most of the dancers ranged from small children to teenagers.
Fabbie Williams opened Fab Dance and Fitness Academy in 2021 when she was 22. She’s now 24. So, in addition to being the first Black woman to open a dance and fitness center in Rockford, she is the youngest.
Williams also works for the Rockford Public School system. She explained why she thought it was important to do a Black History show.
“I work with kids doing dance. And when I hosted my own Black history program with my kids, or talked about it in the classrooms, they weren't able to tell me a lot of Black historians’ names,” she said. “So that led me to believe and ask, were their teachers talking about Black history? And a lot of the students said no.”
Williams used narration, music and dance to educate and entertain. She stressed the importance of unity in the Black community as well as others. She said it’s important to speak about this.
“The arts should bring people together. Yes, there’s a such thing as competition dance but we all are in healthy competition with each other. So, use the arts to build a bridge between you and another community.”
Williams also pointed out that she doesn’t see a lot of things in the media about Black unity, instead she more stories about Blacks killing each other.
One way she displays unity is by offering a free pop up shop every Tuesday and Thursday to other women entrepreneurs during her “Baddie Bootcamp.”
“But you have to make a flyer, use our logo attached," she added, "use our address, and still invite your friends to come out so people are able to see the space. If they're not confident enough to come in for a class, they still get a chance to experience Fab Dance and Fitness.”
Williams is not only using her center to bring the community together, she is also a role model for the girls who are a part of the troupe.
Tiffany Hughes is a parent of one of the dancers. Her 9-year-old daughter Assyria has been with the academy for a few months. Hughes said being a part of Fab Dance and Fitness Academy has boosted her daughter’s confidence.
“She's embracing her beauty and everything because you know she's plus size, but she loves going to do her dance," she said. "She loves it. She loves Ms. Fab, [and] all the staff. Assyria she's just like, she radiates joy.”
Kamaya is the dance captain at the academy. She’s 15 and has worked with Williams for almost a year. She said this journey helps her with self-discipline.
“But now that I'm like working with some kids that are younger than me, like, I have to take my time and have a lot more self-control,” she explained. “And not get so angry all the time. So, it's made me a better person overall.”
Williams said her facility has grown over the past year and she needs more space. She has invested in purchasing the studio next to her current one. She said the academy is working on a YouTube channel. The academy is also looking for donors and sponsors to help support scholarships for those who can’t afford the dance classes.
Williams said after the new location opens, the next goal is to open a facility out of state.
- Yvonne Boose is a current corps member for Report for America, an initiative of the GroundTruth Project. It's a national service program that places talented journalists in local newsrooms like WNIJ. You can learn more about Report for America at wnij.org.
