Having relocated about four months ago from Grand Avenue to its new location off of Park Boulevard, the popular community arts center received a late housewarming gift last month from Goodwin when she called Director Bonnie Sita, looking to teach a few classes during her stay in Oakland.

"When she told me she was in 'Chicago,' my jaw dropped," said Sita, whose students are still learning to stack the chairs correctly in their new location.

Goodwin, who played the role of June the Merry Murderess in "Chicago", says she loves working with kids, and that she has become more interested in teaching as her career has progressed.

"The kids have been a lot of fun," she said. "I (just) wanted to pass on some things that I have been fortunate to learn during my career so far."

The primary reason the East Bay Dance Center moved, says Sita, is because she wanted more room to teach lessons, and also because she wanted a place to perform her own shows.

"In the other space, I felt cramped. I felt like I had to do more," she said.

Goodwin taught her packed classes a few of the dance sequences from the movie, and later found time to sign autographs. She may be a star, Goodwin says, but teamwork and cooperation are critical in creating successful performers, not "divas."

"A diva usually has a negative connotation," she said, "(but) I believe that everyone can be their greatest without putting someone down."

Sita agreed, saying the "no-diva approach" has been a large part of her success so far, and that it creates more diversity in the dance center.

"I stress the individuality of each child. That's the community arts approach. We're addressing all the kids," she said.

Sita's East Bay Dance Center, a nonprofit organization, has actually been tremendously profitable, even at its old Grand Avenue location. Her classes, covering all areas of dance, have won her numerous awards, including "Best Dance Studio in the East Bay 2003" by the Oakland Tribune.

Berkeley resident and parent Joan Bradus, takes her 13-year-old daughter, Rebecca, to Sita's studio twice a week, despite a half hour drive.

"She's gentle, but she's a stickler for technique," said Bradus of Sita. "I think it's important to have exposure to different teachers and performers to add to the basic foundation."

Vince Mackey is also a parent of one Sita's students, and as an Operations Manager for a mid-sized security firm, he stressed the importance of security for his "baby girl."

"It's very important that you feel comfortable with a kid being somewhere without parental supervision, and doing something productive, and not just sitting around," he said, "(and) believe me, we looked a lot."