A growing number of students and their parents are experiencing the benefits of dancing as a team. And they’re doing it Just For Kix.

Since the program started in Albert Lea in September of 1996 with 80 students, it’s grown to almost 350 students, said Aimee Struck, program director/ dance instructor.

Just For Kix is a program of precision dance team instruction that allows young people to experience the fun and rewards of dancing with a team. Along with dance skills and styles, dancers learn cooperation, perseverance and team work.

“It’s a wonderful program,” Struck said. “I believe it really helps our local dance team too, since there’s no junior varsity team in the district to help them get started.”

Struck said she believes the program is so popular with kids and parents alike because of the positive environment it fosters. JFK focuses on team work and self-esteem, and its motto is: “Doing your best is more important than being the best.”

The instructor also said the program is designed to build self-confidence in a stress-free environment and is competitively priced. What’s more, the girls wear their uniforms for two years, get exercise, and have the opportunity to perform.

“Each class has an opportunity to perform a minimum of four shows,” she said. That includes a winter and a spring show, basketball and football games, and one competition a year. They’ve also performed at Twins and Timberwolves games as well as the Citrus Bowl, Outback Bowl and Orange Bowl.

JFK’s season runs from September through April, but new students are welcome to join at any time during the year. They are grouped according to age, not ability. Boys are also welcome, the instructor said.

There’s also a summer camp for younger students in Austin, and for the older students in Brainerd.

Classes meet Mondays or Tuesdays at the Albert Lea City Arena. Classes for 3-year-olds run 30 minutes. Four-year-olds through first-graders meet for 45 minutes. And second-graders on up meet for one hour.

There’s also a new Just for Jazz class for fifth-graders on up that meets for two hours twice a month on Thursdays. There are 32 students in that class.

Struck is assisted by Angie Beener and Courtney Omann, as well as another head teacher, Heather Anderson.

Cost for the program is $21 per month, except for 3-year-olds, which is $18 per month. Family discounts are available. There is also a $9 registration fee.

Parents aren’t allowed to watch classes, except for the final five minutes so they can see progress that’s being made, Struck said. That’s done to keep things moving along, since classes are back-to-back. The largest class has 46 girls in it, but it almost seems the bigger the number, the better the class goes, Struck said, adding the girls simply know they need to listen and do.

Many of Struck’s students take other types of dance lessons or figure skating lessons. “I think we’re really filling a niche here, and there’s so much support for it,” she said.

Just For Kix began in Brainerd in 1981 under the direction of Cindy Clough, who has directed and choreographed halftime performances for Orange Bowls. The program has since expanded to 14,000 dancers in eight states.

For more information on Just For Kix, call Struck at 373-1211.