PERFORMANCE OPPORTUNITIES: Centennial Youth Ballet presents The Mini-Nutcracker each year as well as the Annual Spring Dance Concert.
Mini-Nutcracker: Students are eligible to perform in The Mini-Nutcracker when they are 8 years old and in Ballet: Beginning II or higher and have completed the previous spring semester in ballet with Metro Dance. Eligible students are invited to a casting audition in August in which all students who commit to the production schedule receive a role. The Mini-Nutcracker, a narrated, abbreviated version of the popular holiday ballet, is designed to introduce young children to ballet as a performance art.
Spring Dance Concert: Students in the fall session of Advanced I, II, and III are eligible for the Spring Dance Concert. The Spring Concert gives members of Centennial Youth Ballet the opportunity to learn and perform a range of ballet, including corps de ballet work, classical variations, as well as contemporary choreography to reflect the type of work being done in a professional dance world. With the support of Friends of Metro Dance, each spring semester guest artists are brought in to either stage or create new work for dancers to perform.
Mini-Nutcracker: Students are eligible to perform in The Mini-Nutcracker when they are 8 years old and in Ballet: Beginning II or higher and have completed the previous spring semester in ballet with Metro Dance. Eligible students are invited to a casting audition in August in which all students who commit to the production schedule receive a role. The Mini-Nutcracker, a narrated, abbreviated version of the popular holiday ballet, is designed to introduce young children to ballet as a performance art.
Spring Dance Concert: Students in the fall session of Advanced I, II, and III are eligible for the Spring Dance Concert. The Spring Concert gives members of Centennial Youth Ballet the opportunity to learn and perform a range of ballet, including corps de ballet work, classical variations, as well as contemporary choreography to reflect the type of work being done in a professional dance world. With the support of Friends of Metro Dance, each spring semester guest artists are brought in to either stage or create new work for dancers to perform.
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NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL DANCE FESTIVAL: Centennial Youth Ballet dancers currently enrolled in 9th—12th grade are eligible to attend the National High School Dance Festival in March. Fundraising efforts by students and additional financial support from Friends of Metro Dance subsidize the cost for students to attend the festival, which is held in different locations around the country each year.
CYB Students participating in the festival audition have been the recipients of numerous scholarships to summer dance intensives, universities and colleges. |
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The festival's opportunities include:
- Opening ceremonies with a professional dance company performance.
- Scholarship auditions for dance programs, colleges, and summer intensives in front of prestigious schools from across the country
- Gala concerts and informal concerts featuring students from high schools across the country and abroad.
- More than 150 master classes led by guest artists, choreographers, and industry professionals.
- Workshops about the college admissions process, careers in arts management, business management, marketing for dance and performing arts, as well as creating and managing a professional dance company.
- Closing ceremonies where scholarships are awarded to students.
This past March, 2024, Metro Parks staff member and faculty instructor Daniella Parisot’s, 2023 Spring Concert work, “Passerby,” created on CYB students, was selected to perform at the NHSDF’s Regional festival in Norfolk, VA at The Governor’s School for the Arts, Gala Performance. The students performed the contemporary ballet piece, alongside a bill of other schools and programs from around the country
CYB STUDENT TESTIMONIAL FROM OUR FIRST TRIP TO THE 2023 NHSDF AT POINT PARK UNIVERSITY IN PITTSBURG, PA:
“Earlier this spring, ten of my classmates and I traveled to Pittsburgh, PA for the 2023 National High School Dance Festival. At CYB, we train extensively in classical ballet, and at the festival we were able to experience many different styles from teachers from many of our country's top college dance programs. Some of my favorites included; African, Salsa (which was very different from what I normally do, but super fun!), and Advanced Contemporary Ballet. Another great class that lots of my friends and I took was Breakdancing, which is surprisingly difficult! Overall, I think it was super beneficial for me to be exposed to these various forms of dance, and I believe my experience at the dance festival has helped me become a lot more confident in moving outside of my normal classical ballet bubble.
In addition to the many classes we took, we all attended the opening ceremonies for the festival which was a performance by Complexions Contemporary Ballet. It was incredible. As someone who watches a lot of ballet on YouTube and such, it was just amazing to be able to see these gorgeous dancers in person. It was truly an inspiration to my classmates and me!
Here at CYB, we are all very close friends, but going on this trip strengthened my bonds with all of my classmates even if we’re not all in the same class every day. So many memories were made, laughs shared, and friendships forged. I would definitely go on this trip again, and I cannot wait for NHSDF 2024!”
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NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY FOR DANCE ARTS: The high school dancers at Metro Parks Dance Division now can join the National Honor Society for Dance Arts through the National Dance Education Association (NDEO). It will be only the second chapter in the Nashville area. Students do not need to be interested in having a career or continue their education in the arts or dance, just a current interest and participation in dance.
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The chapter creates a community of dancers, both locally and nationally, scholarship opportunities, and leadership skills. Graduation seniors are able to apply for honors cords to wear during their graduation ceremony with permission from their school. Requirements to join:
- In grades 9-12
- Actively involved in regular classes though Metro Parks Dance
- Maintain a 3.0+ GPA
- Earn 30 points towards induction (Can be earned cumulatively over grades 9-12 by participating in the dance program, attending off-site dance programs, choreographing, writing essays, working on backstage crew, volunteering and more.)
