https://www.omaha.com/sarpy/bellevue/bowing-out-nastase-retires-closes-longtime-olde-towne-dance-studio/article_e5b30d8d-8483-5e85-993f-9fcfc5fa6d35.html
Bowing Out: Nastase retires, closes longtime Olde Towne dance studio
A Bellevue institution is hanging up its ballet slippers.
Patti Nastase, the owner of Entenman Studio of Dance in Olde Towne, announced her retirement in a letter to families and students earlier this month.
“I’ve been honored to have worked alongside some of the best students, parents, and teachers the industry has to offer,” Nastase said in the letter. She went on to say, “I wish I could live forever, but time catches up with everyone.
“I promised Mrs. Entenman that when I retired, I would also retire the studio name and ballet slippers logo.”
The studio’s Father’s Day performance on June 16 was its last.
Laura Estelle Entenman opened the studio in 1949, and at its peak during the 1950s, had hundreds of students. Its alumni include a Radio City Rockette, a Dallas Cowboys cheerleader and a dancer from “West Side Story” among many others too many to list.
For Nastase, who ran the business the past 40 years, it all started with an invitation to watch a ballet class.
When she was 7 years old, a friend invited Nastase to watch her dance at Entenman. When Nastase arrived home that night, she said, “I need to do this.”
She started dancing at the studio shortly thereafter and taught her first class in 1969. She took over after Entenman’s death in 1979 but didn’t change the name of the studio because she respected the founder so much.
The studio has been at 2264 Franklin St., which was custom built for Nastase, since 1988 and celebrated its 70th season last year. Businesses in Olde Towne are interested in buying the building, Nastase said.
In an interview, Nastase said it hadn’t sank in she is retiring, but she plans to take it step by step and looks forward to babysitting her grandchild.
Her fondest memories of her time at Entenman include providing entertainment at men’s and women’s club meetings, dancing at the Bellevue Queen restaurant and at the Orpheum Theater in Omaha when it seemed the whole town of Bellevue was empty because everyone was watching the Entenman dancers.
She can remember when Bellevue was much smaller and is awed by how much it has grown.
“I can go back and remember what Bellevue was like when Bellevue only had one studio and Bellevue was Mission Avenue,” she said.
Nastase said a goodbye party at Washington Park is in the works for sometime this fall. Those who attend will do the “Run & Yell,” a tradition Entenman started where she would count down from three and then everyone would run and yell and have “the most fun they could have,” Nastase said in her letter to families.
Even though she is retiring, her dancers will still be a part of her life.
“I will see the kids wherever I go,” she said. “It’s not like we’ll never see them again.”
"I HOPE YOU DANCE" - Miss Patti
***Miss Patti's Official Retirement Letter***
Dear Students, Parents, Teachers, Friends, Neighbors, & Family,
The Entenman Studio of Dance was established in 1949 in Olde Towne Bellevue, Nebraska USA. My name is Patricia Ann Nastase (Ferrante) or, as I’m better known, Miss Patti. As a little girl I dreamed of being a dancer one day. It all started when I was seven years old and my best friend Linda Fox (Spargen), who lived across the street, invited me to come watch her dance at the Entenman Studio of Dance. I fell in love with dance and never looked back. I’ve been lucky enough for the last 40 years to carry on the tradition of dancing excellence that Mrs. Entenman started and instilled in all her students for the first 30 years that the studio existed.
The Entenman Studio of Dance has been fortunate enough to have taught thousands of students of all ages young and old. Ballet, Pointe, Tap, and Jazz are the main forms of dance that Mrs. Entenman wanted taught at her school. I’ve been honored to have worked along side some of the best students, parents, and teachers the industry has to offer. The studio has produced thousands of success stories, too many to name, and has filled many well-known performing arts venues over the years. I have also been blessed to teach my own children and grandchildren the art of dance.
This letter is to thank everyone who has ever danced, taught, or supported the Entenman Studio of Dance over the past 70 years. All good things must come to an end, though. I wish I could live forever, but time catches up with everyone. I promised Mrs. Entenman that when I retired, I would also retire the studio name and ballet slippers logo. This is my official announcement that the 70th concert celebrated on Father’s Day last June 16th, 2019, was the final concert in the studio’s history. The full concert video is being produced now and will be available very soon!
I understand some of you may be upset, but please know I’m proud of every student who has ever danced at the Entenman Studio of Dance. One tradition Mrs. Entenman enjoyed doing was called the “Run & Yell.” We would gather all the students after the concert was over at Washington Park in Bellevue and she would count down 3, 2, 1… and then everyone would run around yelling and having the most fun they could have. I don’t want a party or gifts; I will only ask you to find time to take yourself and your family and run, yell, and have the most fun possible, but most importantly – please don’t forget to dance!
Thank you for allowing this little girl to live her dream.
I hope you dance! God Bless.
Patricia Ann Nastase - Miss Patti
1949 – 2019 Entenman Studio of Dance
*Please email patricia@entenmanstudioofdance.com with questions or to share your memories. Visit entenmanstudioofdance.com or search Entenman Studio of Dance on Facebook in the future for news regarding one last “Run & Yell” big party in the park!
Bowing Out: Nastase retires, closes longtime Olde Towne dance studio
A Bellevue institution is hanging up its ballet slippers.
Patti Nastase, the owner of Entenman Studio of Dance in Olde Towne, announced her retirement in a letter to families and students earlier this month.
“I’ve been honored to have worked alongside some of the best students, parents, and teachers the industry has to offer,” Nastase said in the letter. She went on to say, “I wish I could live forever, but time catches up with everyone.
“I promised Mrs. Entenman that when I retired, I would also retire the studio name and ballet slippers logo.”
The studio’s Father’s Day performance on June 16 was its last.
Laura Estelle Entenman opened the studio in 1949, and at its peak during the 1950s, had hundreds of students. Its alumni include a Radio City Rockette, a Dallas Cowboys cheerleader and a dancer from “West Side Story” among many others too many to list.
For Nastase, who ran the business the past 40 years, it all started with an invitation to watch a ballet class.
When she was 7 years old, a friend invited Nastase to watch her dance at Entenman. When Nastase arrived home that night, she said, “I need to do this.”
She started dancing at the studio shortly thereafter and taught her first class in 1969. She took over after Entenman’s death in 1979 but didn’t change the name of the studio because she respected the founder so much.
The studio has been at 2264 Franklin St., which was custom built for Nastase, since 1988 and celebrated its 70th season last year. Businesses in Olde Towne are interested in buying the building, Nastase said.
In an interview, Nastase said it hadn’t sank in she is retiring, but she plans to take it step by step and looks forward to babysitting her grandchild.
Her fondest memories of her time at Entenman include providing entertainment at men’s and women’s club meetings, dancing at the Bellevue Queen restaurant and at the Orpheum Theater in Omaha when it seemed the whole town of Bellevue was empty because everyone was watching the Entenman dancers.
She can remember when Bellevue was much smaller and is awed by how much it has grown.
“I can go back and remember what Bellevue was like when Bellevue only had one studio and Bellevue was Mission Avenue,” she said.
Nastase said a goodbye party at Washington Park is in the works for sometime this fall. Those who attend will do the “Run & Yell,” a tradition Entenman started where she would count down from three and then everyone would run and yell and have “the most fun they could have,” Nastase said in her letter to families.
Even though she is retiring, her dancers will still be a part of her life.
“I will see the kids wherever I go,” she said. “It’s not like we’ll never see them again.”
"I HOPE YOU DANCE" - Miss Patti
***Miss Patti's Official Retirement Letter***
Dear Students, Parents, Teachers, Friends, Neighbors, & Family,
The Entenman Studio of Dance was established in 1949 in Olde Towne Bellevue, Nebraska USA. My name is Patricia Ann Nastase (Ferrante) or, as I’m better known, Miss Patti. As a little girl I dreamed of being a dancer one day. It all started when I was seven years old and my best friend Linda Fox (Spargen), who lived across the street, invited me to come watch her dance at the Entenman Studio of Dance. I fell in love with dance and never looked back. I’ve been lucky enough for the last 40 years to carry on the tradition of dancing excellence that Mrs. Entenman started and instilled in all her students for the first 30 years that the studio existed.
The Entenman Studio of Dance has been fortunate enough to have taught thousands of students of all ages young and old. Ballet, Pointe, Tap, and Jazz are the main forms of dance that Mrs. Entenman wanted taught at her school. I’ve been honored to have worked along side some of the best students, parents, and teachers the industry has to offer. The studio has produced thousands of success stories, too many to name, and has filled many well-known performing arts venues over the years. I have also been blessed to teach my own children and grandchildren the art of dance.
This letter is to thank everyone who has ever danced, taught, or supported the Entenman Studio of Dance over the past 70 years. All good things must come to an end, though. I wish I could live forever, but time catches up with everyone. I promised Mrs. Entenman that when I retired, I would also retire the studio name and ballet slippers logo. This is my official announcement that the 70th concert celebrated on Father’s Day last June 16th, 2019, was the final concert in the studio’s history. The full concert video is being produced now and will be available very soon!
I understand some of you may be upset, but please know I’m proud of every student who has ever danced at the Entenman Studio of Dance. One tradition Mrs. Entenman enjoyed doing was called the “Run & Yell.” We would gather all the students after the concert was over at Washington Park in Bellevue and she would count down 3, 2, 1… and then everyone would run around yelling and having the most fun they could have. I don’t want a party or gifts; I will only ask you to find time to take yourself and your family and run, yell, and have the most fun possible, but most importantly – please don’t forget to dance!
Thank you for allowing this little girl to live her dream.
I hope you dance! God Bless.
Patricia Ann Nastase - Miss Patti
1949 – 2019 Entenman Studio of Dance
*Please email patricia@entenmanstudioofdance.com with questions or to share your memories. Visit entenmanstudioofdance.com or search Entenman Studio of Dance on Facebook in the future for news regarding one last “Run & Yell” big party in the park!
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