ROBERTSDALE, Ala. — “Kiss today goodbye,

And point me toward tomorrow.

We did what we had to do.

Won’t forget, can't regret

What I did for love.”

“Kiss Today Goodbye” - A Chorus Line

It’s not likely that many of Mandy Moore’s pupils will become Broadway dancers. But, Moore knows how important learning dance is to a young person.

“When I started looking at my daughters,” said Moore, “I though how important dance is. It gives confidence, and it teaches youngsters to respect themselves.”

Moore is the owner of “Slippers and Taps,” a Robertsdale dance studio. She says she herself began dancing lessons when she was 3, quitting when she was 12.

“I cheered at the middle school and then at Robertsdale High,” said Moore. “I went to Faulkner for two years and then transferred to the University of South Alabama, majoring in elementary education. All I wanted to do is teach.”

It was a little later that she realized that she wanted to teach dance. That wish became stronger after she married and began watching her daughters grow up.

“My parents still wish I had figured that out earlier,” chuckled Moore.

Still, Moore had been out of her ballet slippers and tap shoes for a while. Time to go back to the barre.

“I student taught and was an assistant teacher at a local studio,” said Moore.

She then opened “Slippers and Taps” in 2006.

“First and foremost, I wanted to create an atmosphere where students felt confident and could find their strength,” said Moore. “They have their own natural gifts.”

Confidence is a big asset for a dancer, Moore believes. She also believes it’s a big asset for life.

“When they (students) are confident, they can embrace anything,” said Moore.

Moore needed that confidence when she opened her 1,200 square foot studio in 2006.

“I had one large dance floor, a small office and a rest room,” Moore said.

The studio has grown, and in 2008, Slippers and Taps moved into a 2,000 square foot space in the same building.

“I have two studio rooms, two rest rooms, a large office and a lobby,” said Moore. “We now have more than 120 students and a staff of five.”

Still, it was as difficult as performing a cabriole properly to get the studio started.

“There were times I second guessed myself,” said Moore. “I would-be buried in paperwork. I just had to study it. I had to train myself.”

Training is a big part of any dancer’s regimen, and Moore says, “We have strict discipline here, but we do have fun. I want students to enjoy their time here.”

The biggest challenge, Moore finds, is in herself.

“I am a perfectionist,” said Moore. “I soon learned that keeping every parent or child happy was impossible. I now go for keeping happy parents and children.”

And like a proud parent or teacher, Moore’s biggest joy is in her student’s progress.

“I love seeing children perform,” said Moore. They work hard and train and then you see them on the stage and watch their face light up.”

Slappers and Taps is located in the Greer Shopping Center on Highway 59, around the corner from the Sweet Treats bakery. The phone number is 947-5001.