Company ’N Tempo - Pacing the arts in Cromwell

by Sarah Barr

Staff Writer

Submitted Photos

Company ’N Tempo strives to enrich the community through the joy of the performing arts. So, whether one enjoys singing, dancing, acting, or playing guitar or piano, this Cromwell incubator and collaborator at 211 Shunpike Road is a popular choice.

Danielle Tencza and her daughter Raela are all smiles at a recent performance.

It has added competing to its long list of offerings and accomplishments.

Danielle Libera Tencza is the daughter of founder RoseMarie Libera and has grown the student population (now at 300, with most coming from Cromwell and Rocky Hill). She expanded the facility by doubling the studio space and evolved the available offerings since taking the reins from mom in 2010.

“We’re still growing and adapting all of our programs. We started competitions for our dance program. It’s our 36th year and a lot of dance schools do competitions. We never did. We really thought about it. We weighed the pros and cons and decided to offer it to the kids who want to push themselves more and train more,” Libera Tencza said.

“We’re adding this as long as it is done in a positive way. We don’t want non-competitive students to feel less valued. You don’t have to audition to get onto the competition team. Our philosophy is to grow personal skills and see other dancers perform and support them. It’s not the end all if you don’t place first.”

Emmeline Burkhart showcases her piano technique

That safe space and place of harmony is much aligned with its musical competition that is now a musical festival. The goal is to open doors to opportunity through scholarships, something that makes this Cromwell resident happy because she is a graduate of Eastern Connecticut State University with a degree in business economics and a minor in dance.

“Now it is an adjudicated recital, no rankings. Scholarships are at the judge’s discretion,” Libera Tencza said, noting the number of scholarships depends on donations.

This kind of welcome atmosphere and inclusiveness spills over into another project she is passionate about, the Cromwell Arts Alliance. She has been its treasurer since 2018.

In conjunction with the alliance, Company ’N Tempo does an annual faculty music recital to raise money and awareness.

“This year, to make it bigger, we did it at the First Congregational Church in Cromwell. We charged more and asked more people to perform,” she said of how the community and the high school were invited.

“We were able to raise more money for the alliance. It worked out well. We’re planning to do that every year as well.”

Something else Libera Tencza wants to do more of is connect people through the arts, which aligns with her business’ holistic approach to each student’s physical and mental health. She believes positive outlets are more important than ever in these tumultuous times.

Lilianna Saporoso expresses herself through her dance.

“In times of uncertainty, the arts give people an outlet to get away from everything and not think about what’s going on in the world,” she said.

“It’s important at the studio to not talk about what’s going on outside because there’s so much division in the world. It’s nice to have something to bring us together, no matter what our beliefs are. We come together and focus on something that’s joyful. It builds confidence for the kids, provides an outlet, and is a community builder.”

When asked if the arts are a healer, her answer is “absolutely. When I’m having a rough day, I’m thankful to go to work.”

That’s something that cannot be replaced in this day and age of A.I.

“It’s real, it’s created by you, and technology can’t take that away from you,” she said. “It’s nice to get the kids away from technology.”

That’s the kind of big-picture thinking and imagining at the heart and soul of Company ’N Tempo. The alliance only amplifies it.

Lilianna Saporoso expresses herself through her dance.

“It’s all about playing a bigger role in the community. It keeps me connected to the community. That’s important to me. When you’re running a business, your head can be in a tunnel,” Libera Tencza said.

“Thanks to the alliance, it’s nice to stay connected. I find out what’s happening and how I can be helpful. That’s important because I can offer resources sometimes. That’s a little bit of a [good] distraction from business, as I do it from a volunteer standpoint,” she said, chuckling because she added that she does have to learn to say no sometimes.

“It’s hard to balance everything.”

Olivia DeNovellis and Pakhi Jain share the joy of dance.

That includes all the planning for what’s ahead. There’s the adjudicated music festival, registration for summer opportunities including “Finding Nemo - For Kids.” She will also offer her students the opportunity to work with Billy Johnstone, who was on Broadway as part of the record-breaking cast of “Cats” and David Dorfman, the internationally known dancer and choreographer who is the dance director at Connecticut College. CL

For more information, go to companyntempo.com.