PHYLLIS BERNICE AUERBACH

AUERBACH PHYLLIS BERNICE
Passed away on August 25, 2015, in Ocala, Florida at the age of 85. Born and raised in Pittsburgh, she lived there until the 1970s when she moved to Florida, first to Miami Beach, then Ocala. From her earliest years, she trained as a dancer--tap, ballet, acrobatics, jazz, swing, and was always a leading performer. In her high school years, she was part of the Jack Morris swim ballet group. She graduated from Penn State University where she majored in physical education and went on to receive a master's degree in education from the University of Pittsburgh. Her lifelong passions, fed by energy, dedication and talent, were dance and music. In Pittsburgh, she taught in local elementary schools. In Florida she taught dance classes, including Ballroom, International folk and Israeli dancing for the Board of Education. At the age of 61, she began practicing for the Grand National Dance Festival. At 64 years old, she won first place in both Argentine Tango and Theatre Arts Bolero at the Grand Nationals. As a dance teacher and choreographer, she started a community dance troupe called "A Chorus Line" in which she taught women dancing to Broadway show tunes. They performed at local nursing homes as well as for shows within the community. She is survived by sisters, Sondra Zeidenstein (George) and Myrna Silverman (Lee). Her sister, Jan Feldman is deceased. She is also survived by nieces, Laura Zeidenstein and Julia Silverman; nephews, Marty Silverman, Steve Silverman, Peter Zeidenstein, Michael Feldman and Benjamin Feldman; three grandnieces, Haley, Alexa and Shayna Silverman; four grandnephews, Colin Zeidenstein-Wilson, Julian Cavin-Zeidenstein, Harold Feldman and Alexander Feldman.