By Alex Dunbar
Saturday, November 07, 2009 at 10:51 p.m.
Read more: Local, Business
NORTH SYRACUSE -- "Dancing in the Dark" was a big hit for Bruce Springsteen in 1984 but the concept wasn't so popular on Saturday at Rae's Institute of Dance and Movement in North Syracuse. With a show premiering in a week, the school doesn't understand why the power was turned off for what they say was an error by National Grid.
Strings of work lights were the only lighting for the final rehearsal of “Peter and the Wolf”. When dance instructor Rae Mason came to the school this morning, the power and heat had been turned off. She says National Grid recently told her that even though she was paying every month, her bills were connected to the wrong meter in the building. When it was finally fixed, she was told she owed an additional $5,000.
"I'm a small business,” said Mason. “Do they think I have $5,000 in my pocket? Who does?"
She says she has been trying to work with National Grid and has been paying her current bills, but the lights were still out Saturday morning.
One parent showed up with a generator, and others scrambled to find other necessities so the students could get some valuable practice time in.
"I ran home for extension cords and a space heater. We all pulled together to save as much of the day for the kids as we could," said Patti Redfield, a parent of one of the dance students.
Students used flashlights to find their costumes, the lighting on the dance floor was less than ideal and the temperature was downright chilly but Peter, the Wolf, and the rest of the cast had to find a way to deal with it.
"These are kids in the community that work so hard, that dedicate so much of their time, the shows we have are sold out and how excited they are - why should they have to dance in this? This isn't fair to them, it's not fair to me either,” said Mason.
Action News contacted National Grid about this story and received a statement saying they can't discuss customer accounts since they are considered confidential. Rachael Mason says she'll keep trying to get the power back since the show (or in this case three sold out shows) must go on.
