Ms. Cindy Correa

Cindy Correa
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Cindy (Smith) Correa
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Ms. Correa has been recognized by Governor

Cindy Correa, right, works with Sara Freid, 6, left, and Chelsea Lee, 7, at the First State Dance Academy in Milford.
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Ms. Correa, who is almost completely deaf, was named the 2003 Kent County Employee of the Year by the Governor's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities.Delaware State News/Jason Minto

DOVER - Local dance instructor Cindy Correa is as graceful as she is gritty.

Born deaf, Ms. Correa has overcome many obstacles, thanks to a positive outlook and self-determination.

And in December, she was named the 2003 Kent County Employee of the Year by the Governor's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities.
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During the day, Ms. Correa works as a dishwasher at Michele's Gourmet Restaurant at Dover Downs, before slipping into a leotard and tights for her evening job as a dance instructor at The First State Academy of Dance in Milford.

Her friends and co-workers are astonished by her accomplishments.

Almost completely deaf, Ms. Correa has learned to dance by feeling the vibrations of the music.

She received her training as a youngster at Marion Tracy Dance Studio in Dover.

"She's amazing.
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Ms. Correa began teaching at the academy three years ago and has quickly become one of its most popular instructors.

At first, Ms. Torgerson worried that the students would have trouble communicating with Ms. Correa because of her disability.
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Ms. Correa is an expert at reading lips.And, while her speech is slightly impaired, the students have little difficulty following her instructions.

Brittany Webb, 9, of Milford praised Ms. Correa for being a wonderful teacher.
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Ms. Correa is modest about her accomplishments.She teaches ballet, tap and jazz, and always manages to stay on beat and maintain her balance, despite her hearing problems.

"People ask how I do it and I just say, 'It's a gift from God,' " she said."There's not a hard part to this job.I just try to make sure the kids are happy.I never want to see them cry."

Ms. Correa brings a lot of levity into her lessons to help the kids feel at ease.

But she admits the students were apprehensive when they first met her.

"They were afraid.They thought I was from another country because I talk differently," she said.