Academy of Dance

Specialties

The Academy of Dance specializes in Classical Ballet. We also offer classes in Jazz and Modern Improv. Our director is Kristen Potts. She brings:

35+ years teaching experience ~ M.A. in Dance from Mills College ~ Professional Performance Experience ~ Pilates Certified ~ Owner/​Director of the Academy of Dance since 2007 ~ Founded and Directed the West Coast Conservatory of Ballet in California for 25 years ~ Founding Artistic Director of Orange County Regional Ballet for 26 years ~ On the faculty of Chapman University in California teaching Ballet and Kinesiology for Dancers for 15 years ~ Students of Ms. Potts have been placed in professional companies including New York City Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Fort Worth Ballet, American Repertory Ballet, Ballet Met, Milwaukee Ballet, Ballet Texas, Sacramento Ballet, and others

Meet the Business Owner

Kristen P.

Business Owner

I believe that all children benefit from structure and a creative outlet in their lives. If movement engages their imagination, dance, ballet in particular, is a wonderful vehicle in their development. Most dance schools advertise their programs with promises of fitness, confidence, grace, poise, and elegance. While these attributes are definitely developed through the study of ballet, they are certainly not the most valuable by-​products of serious dance training. Students enrolled in a serious program routinely gain in those all important abilities including to focus for extended periods of time, to multi-​task at a high level, to problem solve, to discipline themselves, to persist against adversity, to express themselves at a deep level, to generously share their gifts with their audience. I jokingly tell my students that if they can be successful in ballet that performing brain surgery will be «a piece of cake».