Dance recital honors Nena Smith

Special to Wesson News

NSSD owner and operator, Nena Smith of Wesson, was honored at the recent inaugural

dance recital for Precision Dance Company. Smith recently sold her dance studio which

was renamed.

Alumni dancers secretly choreographed a routine featuring each dancer decade with its own special mini dance. Five decades performed while Smith sat on the front row for the first time as a spectator. She watched her dancers perform for her.

The group had been secretly communicating on Facebook to orchestrate the plan. They

coordinated commemorative t-shirts, rehearsals, and a reception. Former dancers

gathered in Co-Lin’s library before the show for Smith’s surprise reception.

Alumni, community members, friends and family attended - bringing cards, gifts and

food. One event highlight was a 10-minute slideshow of photos that played on loop of

Smith’s 50-year career.

Following the reception, alumni walked together across to Rea Auditorium for the recital. Smith’s daughter Macie Smith Anderson, class of 95, came in from Kingsport, Tenn. forthe anniversary celebration.

Pictured: Macie Smith Anderson and Mother Nena Smith pose. Macie is wearing red sneakers in honor of her mom’s 1980’s days of teaching dance.

Smith sat with her family with no clue what was going to soon occur. Halfway through

the first act, one of Smith’s favorite songs started playing and alumni made their way

onto the stage for a memorable performance.

Approximately 60 people took the stage for one final NSSD performance to the woman

who was more than just their dance teacher. Smith’s studio was a ministry.

Her motto was “Character First, Dance Second.” She often led devotionals at weekend

dance workshops. She taught biblical truths, helped dancers write scripture on their

hearts, always encouraged and helped her students.

Alumni came into town from all over. One drove in overnight from St. Louis. One flew in from Oakland, Calif.

Pictured L to R: Alumni Elise Whittington Cupit of Wesson, Erin Puryear Cogswell and sister Leah Puryear of Hazlehurst stopping for a visit at reception

The performance was choreographed by class of 98 Marsha Mullins Raiford of Wesson

and Taylor Beasley Burke of Brookhaven, class of 2013. The shirts were created by

Melissa Bueto Brady of Petal, class of 97.

Emily Allen Childress of Brookhaven, class of 95, coordinated cards and gifts. Smith is

deeply loved by her alumni, and it was a sentimental evening with lots of laughs, hugs

and tears.

Pictured: Roxanne Stegall Douglas of Wesson poses with a nostalgic glass Coke bottle in honor of the old-timey Coke machine in the studio lobby for decades. Douglas was gifted the beloved Coke machine by Smith.

As “Miss Nena” would often say, “Don’t sweat the small stuff. Put your hands on your

hips and a smile on your lips.” Her everyday sayings are words to live by.