NORWICH – A new, locally published online magazine is proving a valuable resource for dance families the world over. The quarterly periodical, titled Dance Family Magazine, made its debut on iTunes earlier this month, giving school-age dancers and their families a place to turn for encouragement and inspiration.

When publisher Tom Mody of Norwich decided to launch the start-up magazine, the goal was to expose the world to a dance culture that has been lately portrayed in a negative light. Sensationalized reality television shows and modern pop culture have painted the dance world in a demeaning image, he explained. Dance Family Magazine takes a more “honest and inspirational approach for young dance families,” he said, and shows the more positive aspects of the centuries-old art form.

Mody himself is plenty familiar with the world of dance and what it means to be a parent in a dance family. Mody’s daughter began dance classes at the Perkins School of the Arts in Norwich more than six years ago. In that time, he said his world has been dominated by stories of dance and the all-too-familiar trials faced by students and their families.

“Knowing the other dance parents and the professionals I had at my disposal, I took it on myself to develop this magazine,” he said. “We have such a positive experience with the studio and how the kids are treated, what it means in their life and what it brings to them. I wanted to be able to share those experiences with everyone else.”

“Many kids who are in dance are there from pre-school through high school,” Mody added, citing the countless hours of practice young dancers put in week after week. “Their family becomes a triangle between other kids, their parents and their dance instructors.”