SANFORD — When Trish Moulton was a girl growing up on Long Island, New York, like many, she took dance lessons.

Her instructor was a Rockette.

“It was a very disciplined class,” she recalled. “We would do kicks until they were perfect. They had to be perfect.”

While Moulton wants those taking lessons at her new Sanford studio to do their moves the right way — she knows there’s a lot more to learning to dance than discipline.

“I like the kids to have fun,” she said. “I want to make sure their technique is correct, that is very important.”

But having fun while you’re learning is important too, said Moulton. And she noted, not all students learn the same way.

Moulton is the owner of Dance Studio of Maine South, located at 751 Main St. Many will recognize the location as the former long time studio owned by Diane Higgins, the proprietor of Diane’s School of Dance.

Higgins recently retired after 53 years of teaching dance to thousands of youngsters in Sanford and farther afield, in Kentucky and Germany. She was recognized for her contributions to dance and to the city by Sanford City Council in June.

Moulton, who operated Dance Studio of Maine in Gorham for 18 years, said she stopped by Diane’s School of Dance and liked what she saw.

“I liked the families, and the kids,” she said on Tuesday, just hours before her first scheduled Sanford dance class. “This felt right,” she said.

Dance Studio of Maine South offers tap, ballet, jazz, contemporary, hip hop and  acrobatic dance classes. There’s a full slate of summer and fall classes available and offerings can be viewed at her website: www.dancestudioofmainesouth.com

Classes aren’t just for kids, either.

“I’ve had students as young as when they start walking, to 80-year-old women tap dancing,” Moulton said.

Assisting Moulton as co-director at Dance Studio of Maine South is Nikki Girroir, who has danced professionally with a number of companies. She holds a bachelor’s degree in fine arts in modern dance performance from the University of the Arts. Other dance instructors include Erin Fraser, choreographer for the Maine Attraction Water Ski Team; Nicole Labbe, who holds a bachelor’s degree in Dance from the University of North Carolina; and Brittany Sawyer, who began dancing with Diane’s School of Dance at age 4, started assisting with classes at 13 and began teaching seven years ago.

Moulton has been teaching for 20 years, and has coached both the Sea Dogs dance team and the Lady Red Claws dance team.

Recently, she was invited to throw out the first pitch at a Sanford Mainer’s game.

“It’s a great park,” said Moulton, who said she’s a baseball fan.

As well, Moulton said she intends to participate in the annual “Let’s Dance with the Stars,” dance event that benefits the Maine Children’s Cancer Program, where professional dancers pair up with community members and perform an evening of dance routines.

Moulton said she chose a dance career because, “I like art. I like to be artistic and its important for kids to have creativity.”

— Senior Staff Writer Tammy Wells can be contacted at 780-9016 or twells@journaltribune.com.