MARSHALL – When Jackie Lovsness became director of Marshall’s Just for Kix program 18 years ago, she started with 40 kids in three classes for one night a week.

Today, the program has grown to almost 300 dancers in 17 classes for three nights a week. Lovsness figures she’s organized 40 winter and spring shows.

The upcoming spring show on April 19 will be Lovsness’ last as she plans to move to the Twin Cities this summer.

“I decided I needed a fresh start,” she said. Her youngest daughter, Alyssa, is graduating from Marshall High School this year, and her other children, Ashley and Jordan, live in the Twin Cities area. “It’s definitely going to be bittersweet and very hard to leave the girls. They’ve all expressed sadness that I’m leaving.”

The Marshall Just for Kix spring show will be at 3:30 p.m. Sunday, April 19, in the Marshall High School gym. The show will feature dancers from ages 3-18.

On Tuesday afternoon, the Wee Kix 2 third-graders rehearsed their number to “Story of My Life” by One Direction. Lovsness said she told the dancers she would come back and visit and maybe judge some competitions.

“It’s been fun to see it grow into something successful,” Lovsness said.

The show will include all the competition teams as well as solos, duos and trios. Most of the graduating seniors will perform a solo, Lovsness said. The finale is to “Roar” by Katy Perry, fitting in with the overall theme of the show, “I Am A Dancer, Hear Me Roar.”

Lovsness said her daughter, Ashley Graven, will be the show’s emcee. There will be a mixture of different songs from “Happy,” being performed by the Wee Petite kindergarteners to “River Deep, Mountain High” by the Jazz B team.

The show will be a little bit longer than usual with 25 performances, Lovsness said. And third-graders Jayda Bednarek and Claire Allen are ready to dance come April 19.

“I think it’s going to be fun,” Bednarek said. She said she enjoys dancing and having people see her perform. “I feel like I want to dance until I can’t dance.”

It’s also fun getting flowers at the show as well, Bednarek added.

Allen, who’s been in dance since she was a preschooler, anticipates the two dances she’s in, including Twinkler Jazz.

“I like people seeing me,” she said.

Bednarek said the Just for Kix teachers are really nice and help them.

“We inspire other people,” she said.

Allen said she likes the competitions, noting that the teams she’s in has placed first a lot. And even if you don’t place, you had fun, she added.

The girls said it will be tough to see Lovsness leave after the season.

“I’m gonna miss her,” Bednarek said.

“Even though she pushes us, she’s really nice,” Allen said.

“They say you know when you’re ready to step down,” Lovsness said. “I don’t know if that’s true or not,” but she’s ready for the next chapter.