Spotlight on Pat Adams

Pat Adams, second from left, plays Father Silberhaus in
The Nutcracker

Dance has always been a part of Pat Adams’ life.

“My mother was a tap dancer and a tap dance teacher...she used to teach me and my sisters in our house when I was a kid,” said Pat.

The 73-year-old retired psychotherapist has been taking tap classes at the Patel Conservatory for about five years.

For the third year in a row, he’ll also play the role of Father Silberhaus in The Nutcracker  at the Straz Center next month.

Having grown up dancing, he always enjoyed various types of dance. Throughout the years, he and his wife have taken ballroom lessons, square dancing and folk dancing.

When his mom took up clogging in her retirement years, Pat joined her. They clogged together for about 15 years until his mom died at age 88.

“After my mother died, I didn’t tap or clog for quite a while. My wife thought that I should get involved with some kind of group,” said Pat.

That’s when he found the tap classes at the Patel Conservatory. 

“I just find it (the Conservatory) a very dynamic place. The faculty are very dedicated, very professional and enthusiastic,” he said. Tap instructor Susan Downey “challenges us with new stuff all the time. She acts like she’s getting me ready for Broadway...she pushes you.”

A wonderful aspect of being involved at the Conservatory is working with all types of people, from adults of all ages in his tap classes, to the talented Next Generation Ballet dancers in the cast of The Nutcracker.

“I enjoy performing, and I’m just amazed at these Next Generation Ballet dancers. These young dancers are just incredible. I enjoy being involved with (the show) and bringing it together as a performance...it’s exciting to be around all that energy and ability and talent.”

Dance has helped Pat stay young in mind, body and spirit.

“I like the feel of dancing, of moving to music. It’s good to keep your brain and body trying new things,” he said. “It keeps you alive and in the world.”

The Nutcracker will run Dec. 22 and 23, 2012 at the Straz Center.

Pat will also perform along with dancers from several Patel Conservatory dance classes in An Evening of Dance on Dec. 15, 2012 in the TECO Theater.