Ballet Arts has provided dance classes in Henderson for more than three decades, but don’t let the name fool you – students have a wide assortment of dance genres to choose from, from classics like ballet and tap to hiphop and even acrobatics.

“Ballet is the foundation of all dancing,” said Phil Lakernick, whose daughter Alecia had the vision for a dance studio way back in 1991.

Dance in general, and ballet in particular, helps students learn discipline as they learn the finer points of the art. For many students, dance is a pastime, a way to stay active and have fun. But that self-discipline? That’s a valuable asset that serves young dancers long after they’ve left the studios at Ballet Arts.

Lakernick said more than 7,000 students have come to learn about and practice various forms of dance in the studio’s downtown Henderson location.

There are four studios located in the historic three-story building, which probably sees 1,000 or so students over the course of a week. Ballet Arts offers more than 100 classes each week, so parents and their children have choices that best accommodate their schedules.

Most classes meet once a week, which is manageable for busy families who face logistical challenges with work, sports, school and more.

The kids who come in for weekly classes are considered “recreational” students, he explained. The students who make “company” are the ones that may have more rehearsals during the week.

Last year’s company won a spot at an international dance competition in New York City, where they placed seventh in the category of production performances. Seventh. In the world.

After performing a production number at a Durham competition earlier in 2023, the dance group earned a “golden ticket” from among close to 300 acts to gain admission to the international competition in July 2023.

The dance groups also compete at several of the events hosted at McGregor Hall throughout the year, Lakernick said. Having such top-notch venue so close by is a huge plus, he added.

“McGregor Hall is fantastic,” he said, adding that he was on the original design committee when the performing arts venue was just an idea on paper.

“Having McGregor Hall here is phenomenal,” he continued, because it gives young people a wonderful opportunity to perform in environs that professionals enjoy.

These days, Lakernick is the studio’s general manager, which includes everything from promoter to janitor and security guard.

But one of his favorite tasks has to be walking down the hallway lined with pictures of former students over the years. There’s not room for 7,000, but every now and then, LaKernick has occasion to recall some of those young people.

Ten or 15 years ago, he said, one student had said it was her goal to become a doctor. She was a hard worker in dance class, he recalled, and a few years ago, she came back to Ballet Arts to say thank you.

She’s an OB-GYN now, he said. But his daughter Alecia was puzzled about the reason for the thank you, so many years later.

“I want to give you some credit,” Lakernick said she told his daughter. It was the discipline she had learned through dance that kept her in the library instead of going out with friends, and the hours spent practicing her art that helped her achieve her goal.

Register for fall classes at Ballet Arts by visiting https://www.balletartsnc.com/ or phone 252.432.9308.

 

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