WHO: David A. Simmons, has been volunteering his time as the choreographer for Watertown High School for 20 years. When he's not volunteering, Mr. Simmons is administrative assistant for highway maintenance at the state Department of Transportation, Watertown.
WHAT IS YOUR BACKGROUND IN DANCE? "I've never really had formal dance training. I started in local theater when I was a teenager, I think 13 or 14, and I realized I loved it.
"I did a lot with Watertown Lyric Theater which was for high school-aged kids, and we did productions in the summer. I got to work with a lot of talented people. I just keep soaking in everything. The more I did it, the more I loved it.
"I did a lot of little odd dance things here and there. I got involved in the pageant system. I did some local stuff for the Miss Thousand Islands Pageant. I was a production dancer and then when I met Mr. (Russell) Faunce (music department chairman at the high school), he and I started producing it.
"Then, I was asked to choreograph the Miss New York State program and I did that for as long as it was in Watertown."
WHAT DO YOU ENJOY ABOUT DANCE? "It's really how free it makes you feel. It's hard to explain when your body connects with a piece of music and the feeling you get — it's freeing.
"Being a choreographer, I learned at a young age that I was good with people and especially kids — that I could work with them. When Russ (Faunce) asked me to choreograph a number and there were 40 kids looking at me, it scared me to death. But they take to me and I take to them and I enjoy it.
WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT WORKING WITH THE STUDENTS AT WATERTOWN HIGH SCHOOL? "It sounds so cliché sometimes, but it keeps me young and it gives me hope. You see these kids and they're really good kids. They're the kids that go out of their way to speak to you or say hello. It's refreshing to see. It's great to work with such a positive group."
WHAT KEEPS YOU COMING BACK YEAR AFTER YEAR? "I'd have to say it's the challenge. It's trying to keep it fresh and keep the kids interested. I look at it like a challenge, and I love a good challenge."
WHAT DO YOU HOPE THAT THE KIDS LEARN FROM YOU? "Discipline. That's one thing that I try to get across to all of them is discipline. You have to be disciplined in anything. That'll really help you in your life if you're disciplined — if you commit to something and you stay committed. It's such an important thing."
TELL ME A LITTLE MORE ABOUT THE MUSICAL. "It's very unique because there are no spoken words — it's all done through song. I'm very impressed with how the kids have handled this — they have definitely risen to the occasion because it's such a big undertaking.
"One of the things I've been doing, because there's not a lot of choreography, is working on character building and trying to get their faces looking like what they're saying. It's the emotion of everything.
"I've been telling everyone that it's not my favorite show. It's got a heavy story, but the music is absolutely beautiful and wonderful. But it's quickly becoming one of my favorites. It's amazing what these kids are doing with it — I just can't get over it.
"One of them was singing yesterday and I was sitting alone in the audience and with the passion and emotion that he sung with, my eyes started stinging and that one tear popped out of my head. It was just unbelievable."
WHY SHOULD PEOPLE COME TO SEE THE MUSICAL? "Supporting the arts is a must.
"We put a lot of time and energy into our music program, so it's very important to support the kids. They work so hard for so long and they deserve the support.
"It may not be your story or be your thing, but you may realize by coming here and realizing how much work has gone into it that it really is fantastic."
If you would like to suggest a person to feature here, contact Times reporter Kelly Reynolds at kreynolds@wdt.net.
