The Academy of Dance

History

We hope that in reviewing our website, it will become evident that the Academy of Dance is truly unique among the ballet schools in Spokane Valley. Our program is geared toward the development of the whole child.

Although our dancers have a ton of fun in our classes, the main goal here is to create an environment that encourages self-discipline, focus, persistence when challenged, confidence, fitness, courtesy and respect toward others and one’s self, critical thinking skills, musicality, memory skills, self-esteem...and yes, great ballet technique.

Classes are limited in size and individual attention is given to each student during each class period. The highly skilled and experienced faculty at the Academy has trained many dancers who have gone on to professional careers in major ballet companies and in the commercial dance world including Hollywood and Broadway. Many, many of our students have received scholarships to prestigious colleges and universities. Personal achievement, not competition, is the goal here.

Our students are routinely chosen to perform in productions that are brought here by professional ballet companies. Countless numbers of students that have been trained by our faculty have attended the most prestigious summer ballet intensives held by such outstanding companies as American Ballet Theatre, School of American Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, to name a few. This summer, three of our advanced students attended American Ballet Theatre's intensive in Alabama.

Locally, students from the school perform with Allegro Baroque and Beyond, Ballet Spokane, Coeur d'Alene Summer Theater, Spokane Children's Theater, Spokane Civic Theater, Spokane Symphony, Spokane Theatrical Company, and Spokane-Coeur d'Alene Opera.

As with most dance studios, our school produces an annual student performance called (this year) Summer Concert 2010. Unlike a typical studio recital, the performance that we have is a fully produced ballet into which all of the students from Elementary 1 and up are woven. Last year we staged a beautiful production of a ballet called “La Boutique Fantasque”. We also presented a latin jazz piece choreographed by Darla Greene that was danced by our jazz students, and premiered a contemporary piece called "Undercurrents". This piece was choreographed by Ms. Vanessa Van Wormer, a former Academy faculty member who is currently doing her graduate work and is an up and coming choreographer.

Participation in Summer Concert 2010 is not required, but is highly encouraged. It is very motivating to be working toward dancing in something as exciting as a real dance concert. This year again, the concert will be held at Central Valley Performing Arts Center on the campus of Central Valley High School. It will be on Saturday, June 26th. The programing for the concert and enrollment forms will be distributed in October.