The Orlando Ballet Company continues to impress me with all the things they do. They give wonderful performances and they are one of the few companies in the country that has a full time school that teaches ballet to students from all over the world. In the summer in Jacksonville they teach a two week course that is fairly well attended. It is a year round program at the main 1111 North Orange Avenue facility.
The history of the school itself is very interesting. Many years ago the building was one of the main power plants of the Orlando Utilities Commission. Instead of gutting the structure the City of Orlando wisely utilized the edifice by turning it into an arts center. It housed the Orlando Opera Company and the Orlando Ballet Company. When the Opera Company folded it left behind space that the ballet company now is using to expand its operation.
In the five week course students from China, Japan, Mexico, Brazil, Canada, and the United States come to train then return to their countries. There are also local students on scholarships from Dr. Phillips, Osceola School for the Arts, and Polk County for the Arts. The year round students of the center meanwhile go to other facilities across the country to compare what they have learned in Orlando.
The students learn a number of types of music and dance. Among them are classical, contemporary, opera, hip hop, classical jazz, and rock n roll. The school also brings in different experts in the field of dance to teach the students. The day I was there to observe was one of those days. The teachers for the day I sat in on were Rhasta Thomas and his wife Adrien Canterna. Both were impressive in how they teach. Several things they constantly reinforced were: “You can do this,” The word can’t is not in their vocabulary, and what impressed me most was what Adrien Canterna had to say. “Don’t be the best dancer in ballet. Be the best you can be”. The other thing I noticed was how positive both teachers were to all of the students, and the many compliments they gave them throughout the workout.
This school is nothing like courses I had in college where the professor was always right or in the case of writing, was so negative to the students, constantly keeping them down. Here it’s just the opposite. The instructors mold and guide the students and are always encouraging them to keep going. The school also wants it to always be a fun experience.
There are also dance classes for seniors taught at several of the other locations the school has in Orange and Seminole Counties.
The center has at least 10 full time and 8 guest teachers. The class I saw consisted of 200 students for the five week program. The culmination of their work happens on Sunday July 24th, 2011 when they perform for the general public at the Winter Garden Theatre. Tickets are available at www.orlandoballetschool.org. They later perform for parents and friends at Lake Highland Academy in two separate occasions, on the 28th and 29th of July.
Orlando can be proud of the Orlando Ballet Company and the Orlando Ballet School because both are world class operations that expose people to one of the best forms of the arts.
I want to thank the following people for talking with me on my visit to the school. Dierdre Miles Burger, School Director, Katherine Fabian, School Manager, Robert Hill, Artistic Director and Scottie Campbell, Marketing and Sales Manager.
