In Honor of Meagan Kleinheinz
Dear fundraising team and followers,
Thank you to everyone for your generosity in contributing and sharing this fundraiser on social media over the past week+. Your love and support are greatly appreciated and we wanted to provide you with an update on the plan for what's been raised thus far with this GoFundMe.
Debbie Griggas, owner of Dance Studio 3D, and I have been working closely on this and are planning to purchase a modest headstone for Meagan's final resting place. The headstone has not been purchased yet, but we will keep everyone involved in the fundraiser updated and will absolutely share photos and a receipt once it has been.
We are currently working on the design and message for the headstone, but will not actually be making the purchase for a little while yet; thank you in advance for your patience and understanding. Again, we will share important updates, photos, and the receipt once a purchase is made.
Lastly, we are hoping to gather and honor Meagan later this year (in summer or if/when it's safe to gather in groups again...) and we will also share information about that, when a plan has been made.
Thank you again for you support.
--
Joyful, Joyful
Lord, we adore Thee
God of glory
Lord of love
Hearts unfold like flowers before Thee
Hail Thee as the sun above
Meagan Kleinheinz was a remarkably talented dancer, always-keepin-it-real mentor, and ever-humble inspiration to her students, classmates, and friends. Her gifts were limitless when it came to music and movement; her creativity and skill were simply immeasurable. And many of us were lucky to have learned from Meagan at Dance Studio 3-D ...and in other areas of life, where we encountered her gracious heart. I don’t think she ever really knew the impact she’s had on me and so many others... and it's heartbreaking to know that we'll never be able to show or tell her now.
A few moments (big and small) that I'll forever cherish, as memories with Meagan:
- recital dances that I can still (and will probably always) remember choreography to "Joyful, Joyful" from Sister Act II and "You Make Me Feel" by Sylvester
- her jazz class warm-up song that never got old "Mo Money Mo Problems" by Notorious B.I.G. (...also, anything by The Beastie Boys)
- Meagan's senior solo "This Woman's Work" and (with this dance) her well-deserved win of the title: Miss Dance Master's of Wisconsin, in 1999
- the intermediate/advanced class dance trip to NYC; our little dance family took class at STEPS on Broadway and saw "Cabaret" and "Footloose", in 2000 (...also memorable: the fact that Debbie was 8 months pregnant on this trip!)
- other brilliant dances by Meagan that have stuck with me for decades... "11 AM" by Incubus, "Impressive Instant" by Madonna, "Money, Money (makes the world go around...) from Cabaret, the musical
- a multi-class dance (song) that will always make me think of her and cry joyful, happy tears... "Seasons of Love" from RENT, the musical
- visiting Meagan at Citrine (boutique) on State Street and seeking her edgy, yet sophisticated style advice
- the sweet send-off letter and gift she gave to Abbey and me, when we were setting off on our move to NYC, in 2010
- Meagan's love of animals, especially her sweet guinea pigs: Mr. Piggy + Frankie
- our virtual and long-distance collaboration on a celebratory/honorary alumni dance number for the 30th Anniversary of Dance Studio 3-D, in 2016
- her simple words of encouragement at recital time ("you got this!"), her easy-to-envy creative/playful/unique artistry in dance, and above all the confidence she instilled in all of her students and peers... these are things I'll always remember when I think of Meagan
If it's not clear from the list above, my connection to Meagan was through our shared love of music and dance. A large part of our lives intersected while growing up in the wonderful, loving community that Debbie Griggas built, at Dance Studio 3-D; a place where self-exploration, creative thinking, strength building (both body and mind), significant learning (not only related to dance), and heart-expanding inclusivity were inherent in Debbie's (and all her instructor's) teachings. I'm hopeful that the same community is able and willing to give back now, in thanks and gratitude, for the many gifts and time teaching that Meagan gave to us over the years.
Please share a memory (or memories!) here for all to enjoy in remembering her all-too-short life.
In love,
Jennifer Watkins (former dance student of/peer to/fellow teacher with Meagan Kleinheinz at Dance Studio 3-D)