Can you briefly describe your role?
As the Director of Education for Nevada Ballet Theatre (NBT), I oversee the day to day operations of our affiliated school, the Academy of Nevada Ballet Theatre, as well as our Community Education Programs that serve 20,000 local students annually, including children from underserved areas of Las Vegas.
How did you get involved?
I first became involved with NBT by volunteering for the Future Dance Program as a teenager where I quickly learned its life changing impact. Now, Twenty- five years later, I realize how much it has changed my life as well.
What sets you/your facility apart from others in the city?
We are the only ballet and dance academy affiliated with a professional ballet company. Our students receive pre-professional ballet training as well as the opportunity to perform in professional company productions like The Nutcracker, at The Smith Center, NBT’s performance home. This allows our students the chance to dance alongside the professional dancers of NBT, while learning theater etiquette and what it is like to be a working dancer in a professional company. We hold our students to a very high standard and we love each of them for who they are. In addition to training them, we also provide mentorship so they are prepared for a possible career in dance, or a life outside of dance as well.
What programming/features are available to Summerlin residents?
We are thrilled to announce our very first “Dance 4 Fun” Summer Camp that will run through July 11th – 29th at our studios in Summerlin. This full-day camp is a great way to experience the art form, and no previous dance experience is required! Students will experience a variety of dance styles such as ballroom, hip-hop, and of course ballet. We are also looking forward to our August Session where we will host renowned guest instructors from all over the country to work with our students and choreograph for our competitive team.
What has been your favorite event/program you have hosted before?
One of the highlights of my year is our annual Future Dance Spring Concert. We bus in over 1,000 CCSD students from our 16 Title 1 Go-Move-Dance partner schools where they perform an incredible free concert for their friends and family at The Smith Center. It is always an inspiring day! To top it off, at the end of the performance, we give out over 100 dance scholarships to deserving students from the Go-Move-Dance Program, made possible by generous donors. It is truly magical to witness the pride and excitement on the students’ faces when they realize they will be able to further their love of dance, free of charge.
