Romayne Switch, 86, of New Hope Pennsylvania passed away on November 13,2022.
Romayne was a 1953 high school graduate of Saint Patrick’s school in Olyphant, Pennsylvania. She attended Wilkes College in Wilkes-Barre Pennsylvania and Marywood college in Scranton Pennsylvania. She also took courses in Business Administration at Trenton Junior College.
She paused her education to pursue her passion for the dance. From the time she was five years of age, Romayne loved dancing. As a young child, she performed with Tony Grant’s Children’s Theater at Atlantic City’s Steel Pier. She studied for many years and was a star pupil at the Sutton/Ramov Dance Academy in Scranton, Pennsylvania. As a teenager she toured Iceland, Greenland and the Azores with the Sutton/Ramov Dancers to entertain the troops and was a charter member of the Scranton Ballet Guild, the first Regional Ballet Company formed in the Northeast. Romayne then became a member of the famous Radio City Music Hall Rockettes in New York City and worked with the Rockettes for the next seven years.
Eventually she decided to open a dance school of her own. Along with her sister Mary Ann, who was also a Rockette, she founded Westchester Theatre Dance Academy in Bedford Hills New York in 1964. The Academy became extremely successful over a period of many decades. The Academy held yearly recitals which were choreographed by Romayne and her sister Mary Ann. At its height, The Academy served hundreds of students yearly and employed many dance teachers. In fact, a number of students of the Academy became Rockettes themselves, which attests to the quality of instruction.
In the midst of running a highly sought-after dance academy, Romayne decided to complete her education. In 1988 Romayne earned her Bachelor of Arts Degree at Vermont College or Norwich University in Business Organization. In connection with her career in dance, Romayne was a member of many professional dance organizations. She was a lifetime member of the Oklahoma Dance Masters Association and the Chicago National Association of Dance Masters. She was also a Rockette Alumnae member Romayne had another passion in her life and this was her love of dogs. While still a Rockette the Music Hall featured some performing Afghan hounds, their ability and temperament impressed her.
Shortly after founding her dance academy, she acquired two Afghan Hounds. She became extremely interested in breeding and showing Afghan Hounds and judging the hound breeds. In the process she became a highly respected judge for the AKC at dog shows throughout the county.
Romayne was preceded in death by her father John Strilka, her mother Julia Fadyn Strilka, and her sister Mary Ann Strilka-Cusimano. Romayne is survived by her husband Michael Switch and a number of nieces and nephews.