Good Samaritan Dance Academy

Specialties

Training children, teens and adults in ballet, expressive movement, character, pointe, folk and modern dance since 1983. We emphasize using art and life in Christian worship before our Creator.

History

Established in 1984.

The dance ministry at Church of the Good Samaritan, a vibrant evangelical Episcopal congregation, began in 1983 under the direction of Valerie Henry. Gwen Prestwood, our current director, joined the ministry in 1985. We currently offer classes for preschoolers to adults, including multiple ballet classes per week for teens. We are also offering modern dance and a Ballet for Fitness class for adults who want a work-​out and fellowship.

Meet the Manager

Faculty S.

Manager

Our director, Gwen trained in the Cecchetti style of Classical Ballet. She has studied under Jeanne Hansberry, James Kenny, and Andrew Pap, Mikhael Murnane, Pam Smith, Randall Bane, Karen Seran and Yvonne Peters, and is a former member of the Devon Festival Ballet. Gwen has been privileged to dance with Steve Fry and Alyosha Ryabinov, teach at dance conferences, and to reset and stage Valerie’s innovative choreography for Handel’s «Messiah».

Assistant Director, Karen trained extensively with Valerie Henry, and has also studied at West Chester University, Paul Klocke Dance, American Academy of Ballet, and classes under Elbert Watson, Cynthia Gregory, Pam Smith, Randall Bane and the At Marah Dance Company, Alvin Ailey Extension and Steps on Broadway; and choreographed and performed in community theater productions and taught at local churches and the YMCA.

Emilee is a dance major at Eastern University and has studied at Martha Graham Dance Intensives.