The Fine Arts Center's pre-professional training course is designed to produce a physically and mentally aware dancer with the technical training to do any kind of dancing, and the general knowledge to be an intelligent and well- rounded dance patron or professional.

Our program is rooted in the disciplines of classical ballet and modern dance techniques. Although jazz and tap are not included in our curriculum, succeeding in these "styles" of dance is best accomplished by strong technical training such as we offer.

The combination of training in both classical ballet and modern dance techniques produces a versatile ballet dancer or a student who will have a head start on any college dance program where modern dance will be the emphasis and he/she will likely be the only one with prior modern dance training.

Develop Student Skills

In addition to the training in classical ballet and modern dance techniques, students learn about dance history, get to know the current college/job scene, study anatomy and alignment, master the French ballet terminology, and perhaps even delve into dance notation or exercise physiology.

Advanced students enjoy an after-school class where new dance works are choreographed especially for (or by) them for performances at the Fine Arts Center and at other schools and locations in the community National and Regional High School Dance Festivals have taken us to Miami, Baltimore and Norfolk. Extensive video resources bring other companies and the history of dance to the classroom.

VISITING GUEST ARTISTS and CHOREOGRAPHERS

Our resident faculty is highly qualified, but dance students often have an opportunity to study with renowned dance artists and teachers. Guest artists also choreograph original dance works for the Fine Arts Center dance students to perform in public performances. In the past, the Fine Arts Center has had dancers from the David Parsons Dance Company, Lar Lubovitch Dance Company, Ben Munisteri Dance Projects, Dan Wagoner and Dancers, Randy James Dance Works, Pilobolus, Ballet Folklorico, and teachers from New York, Texas, Florida, Chicago, Canada and Russia as guest artists.

Lisa Wheeler is our choreographer in residence at the Fine Arts Center from NYC.  She performs and is the associate artistic director and dancer with Ben Munisteri Dance Projects.