Beloved Upstate dance teacher ‘Miss Marion’ Feinstein dies

Marion Feinstein — affectionately called Miss Marion by everyone who knew her — died Friday. She was 91.

Feinstein is known for the dance studio she founded in 1946, Miss Marion’s School of Dance, which she first opened above a drug store on East Main Street. Over the years, she has taught thousands of students, many of whom went on to dance professionally.

The studio is now located on John B. White Sr. Boulevard, Spartanburg, and operated by Feinstein’s daughter, Lori Axelrod.

“She’s instilled the love of dance in her family,” Axelrod said at Feinstein’s 90th birthday party in November 2015. “It’s the most wonderful thing to try to follow in her footsteps. I hope I can give to the children what she has given to them.”

Feinstein’s long and storied career began in Ohio and continued in New York City, where she danced at Ballet Arts and Jack Stanley School of Dance. She also attended American Ballet Theatre, Broadway Dance Center and JoJo’s Dance Factory.

Actress Andie MacDowell, a Gaffney native, said she took dance from Feinstein from the time she was little until she was a teenager. MacDowell said she felt fortunate that Feinstein would come to Gaffney to teach dance.

Feinstein would bring her best dancers to Gaffney, which MacDowell said was inspiring to see. Admittedly, MacDowell said, she herself wasn’t a serious dancer but she’s continued to have a deep appreciation for the art form and the joy it brings others — something Feinstein instilled in many, she said.

“She’ll leave behind the love of dance,” MacDowell said. “She brought a lot of joy and happiness to people and was a very loving teacher.”

Peggy Davis, a former Miss Spartanburg, took dance at Miss Marion’s from third grade until she was a senior in high school.

Davis maintained her relationship with Feinstein even after she stopped taking dance at her studio. When Davis’ daughter was born, she said Feinstein sent her a pair of tiny ballet slippers with a note: “When she’s big enough to fit in these shoes, I expect to see her in my studio.”

“I have nothing but wonderful memories of her,” Davis said. “She’s a legacy. It’s a sad day for the Spartanburg community, that’s for sure. There’s no telling how many little girls she’s passed the love of dance to.”

Marisa Cecil, Feinstein’s granddaughter, said they always had a strong bond. They were so close, in fact, that Feinstein was Cecil’s matron of honor when she got married six years ago.

Cecil said she feels fortunate to have grown up in Spartanburg and spent a lot of time with her grandmother. She remembers spending many summers in New York taking dance classes and seeing Broadway shows with Feinstein.

Feinstein has touched so many people in the Spartanburg community and beyond, and that’s really pretty special, Cecil said.

“I think anyone who has met her is never going to forget it,” Cecil said. “I feel like it’s an honor to know who she is and have that relationship with her. She’s really made a difference in the lives of the people she’s met and taught in our community.”

This story was originally published May 6, 2017 at 4:31 PM with the headline "Beloved Upstate dance teacher ‘Miss Marion’ Feinstein dies."