The Buckman Dance Conservatory at St. Mary’s Episcopal School offers a positive environment where dancers develop strong technique, confidence and respect.
Dancers are instilled with artistry of ballet, modern and jazz. From creative movement for three years olds to advanced, pre-professional training, the Buckman Dance Conservatory, under the guidance and direction of Mandy Possel, provides encouraging instruction and a number of performance opportunities.
Spring 2022 Classes
Spring 2022 Classes
Tuition does not include performance fee.
Creative Movement 1 (3-4 years or SMP/PK)
Hours/Week: 45 minutes
Dress: Pink camisole leotard, matching skirt, pink or flesh colored tights or white bobby socks, pink ballet shoes, hair in bun or away from face
Schedule: Saturdays at 10:00 a.m.
Tuition: $300
Description: Creative movement with beginner elements of ballet
Creative Movement 2 (4-5 years or JK/SK)
Hours/Week: 45 minutes
Dress: Pink camisole leotard, matching skirt, pink or flesh colored tights or white bobby socks, pink ballet shoes, hair in bun or away from face
Schedule: Saturdays at 9:15 a.m.
Tuition: $300
Description: Creative movement with beginner elements of ballet
Pre-Ballet (6-7 years or 1st Grade)
Hours/Week: 1
Dress: Light blue camisole leotard with matching skirt, pink or flesh colored tights, pink ballet shoes, hair in bun or away from face
Schedule: Wednesdays at 4:00 p.m.
Tuition: $350
Description: Ballet basics and creative movement
Ballet 1 (7-8 years or 2nd Grade)
Hours/Week: 1
Dress: White camisole leotard, matching skirt, pink or flesh colored tights, pink ballet shoes, hair in bun
Schedule: Mondays 4:00 p.m.
Tuition: $350
Description: Ballet basics and beginner barre
Ballet 2 (Completion of Ballet 1 or by evaluation)
Hours/Week: 2
Dress: Lavender camisole leotard, matching skirt, pink or flesh colored tights, pink ballet shoes, hair in bun
Schedule: Fridays 4:00 to 6:00 p.m.
Tuition: $550
Description: Ballet fundamentals
Ballet 3 (Completion of Ballet 2 or by evaluation)
Hours/Week: 3.5
Dress: Eggplant camisole leotard, matching skirt, pink or flesh colored tights, pink ballet shoes, hair in bun
Schedule: Tuesdays 4:00 to 5:30 p.m. and Thursdays 4:00 to 6:00 p.m.
Tuition: $750
Description: Ballet and jazz
Intermediate (Completion of Ballet 3 or by evaluation)
Hours/Week: 6.5
Dress: Black camisole leotard, matching skirt, pink or flesh colored tights, pink ballet shoes, hair in bun
Schedule: Mondays and Wednesdays 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. and Saturdays 12 to 2:30 p.m.
Tuition: $1,250
Description: Ballet, pre-pointe, and jazz
Advanced Ballet (by evaluation)
Hours/Week: 7.5
Dress: Any camisole leotard (matching skirt optional), pink or flesh colored tights, pink ballet shoes, hair in bun
Schedule: Tuesdays 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., Thursdays 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., and Saturdays 11:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Tuition: $1,400
Description: Ballet, pointe, and jazz
Beginner Level Jazz with Steven Prince-Tate
Hours/Week: 1
Dress: Any camisole leotard, optional shorts or skirt, pink or flesh colored tights, and ballet shoes
Schedule: Fridays 4:00
Tuition: $300
Description: Beginner jazz and modern for ages seven and up
Advanced Level Jazz with Steven Prince-Tate
Hours/Week: 1
Dress: Any camisole leotard, optional shorts or skirt, pink or flesh colored tights, and ballet shoes
Schedule: Saturdays 1:30
Tuition: $350
Description: Jazz for advanced level dancers (Ballet 3 and up)
Advanced Modern with Katie McIntyre
Hours/Week: 1
Dress: Any camisole leotard, optional shorts or skirt, pink or flesh colored tights, pink ballet shoes
Schedule: Tuesdays 7:30 p.m.
Tuition: $350
Description: Modern for all levels through adults
Attire for all enrolled boys includes black shorts, tights or pants, solid color shirt and boy’s ballet shoes.
Instructors
Mandy Possel is a professional dancer with more than 25 years of experience in performance, choreography, staging, costuming and teaching. Highlights from her past include earning a B.F.A in Dance from top rated Ohio University in 2007, graduating the Luna Dance Institute in California in 2018 and performing with Lafayette Ballet in Indiana and New Ballet Ensemble in Memphis, Tennessee. Ms. Possel’s most notable roles include Martha Graham’s Appalachian Spring staged by Blakeley McGuire, Elizabeth Corbett’s Almost and Breathe, Francesca Harper’s Fearless Mine and Smelling the Rose, Allan Obuzor’s Elee Madi Eese and McArthur Hambrick’s Arabian.
In 2018 Ms. Possel joined Roudnev Youth Ballet where she taught and choreographed for the school and performed as Sugar Plum Fairy in the holiday favorite Nutcracker. She has also judged dance competitions, including the Mid-South Fair’s Senior Youth Talent Competition. In 2019, Ms. Possel joined Tennessee Ballet Theatre as a guest artist to perform as Myrtha in their production of Giselle.
Ms. Possel has had the opportunity to study under many great teachers, as well as share the stage with numerous brilliant performers. She has worked with artists in a variety of mediums and methods and is excited to share her love of dance with the Mid-South as Director of the new Buckman Dance Conservatory at St. Mary’s School.
Instilling a love of dance is Ms. Possel’s top priority. She believes that dance should be fun and accessible to all who would like to speak through movement.
Melodie Terwilliger began her formal training at the Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet (CPYB) in Carlisle, Pennsylvania under the directorship of Marcia Dale Weary and Melinda Jones Howe. There she performed in the Nutcracker, Les Sylphides, Paquita and more. After traveling to Houston, Texas and while at the Houston Ballet, she met Soili Arvola and Leo Ahonen, Finish born and Kirov trained bronze medalists from Varna Bulgaria ballet competition. She joined both and traveled for the next ten years performing in and out of the country in lead roles in the Nutcracker, Coppelia, Don Quixote and Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux. Melodie had the privilege of taking class with Mikhail Baryshnikov while at CPYB and Rudolf Nureyev (roommate with Leo at the Kirov) while dancing with Soili and Leo. She moved to Memphis for her husband’s job and danced with Ballet Memphis for 10 years. She holds a Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of Houston in Economics and Finance, with a minor in Psychology. Melodie was invited into Omicron Delta Epsilon, the Economics Honor Society and graduated in 1996 Summa cum Laude. She has two daughters, pets and a tremendous love for teaching ballet to rising dancers!
Steven Prince Tate began his dance training at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, where he performed works by River North Dance Company’s Mari Jo Irbe, Bill T. Jones dancer and choreographer Stefanie Batten Bland (CSBB), Cloud Gate Dance Theater and CSU dance professor Chung Fu Chang, Venus Fly Trap B-Girl member Teena “Teena Marie” Custer, Dance Magazine’s “25 Choreographers to Watch” (2006) Ursula Payne and many others. In 2007, Steven received scholarships from the American Dance Festival and apprenticed for Shelter Dance Repertory. He attended the Alvin Ailey school (2011) and Complextions Contemporary Ballet Intensive (2016), performing commissioned works by Rudy Perez, the William Forsythe project, Butoh company Dairahkudakan, Laura Dean, Mark Haim, Hair: the Musical performer Judine Summerville, Kim Neal Nofsinger and Dwight Rhoden.
In 2010, Steven became a company member for New Ballet Ensemble and School. He has performed in works by Frankfurt Ballet dancers Francesca Harper, Elizabeth Corbett, Pittsburgh Ballet Principle Alan Obuzor, Soloist Kaori Ogasawara, Opera Memphis’ Aida and Roudnev Youth Ballet Nutcracker. Steven has choreographed for New Ballet Ensemble, Hot Foot Honeys, NPC Battle on the Bluff: Fitness Competition, Roudnev Youth Ballet and Bridging Souls Productions. He has taught classes and workshops for the University of Memphis, Project Motion, e.Studios, Sub Royalty Hip-Hop Studio, Young Actors Guild, Kipp Collegiate School, Cotton Tail Christian Academy, Bridging Souls Productions, adjudicated for the NAACP-ACT SO (2015) and developed his own Master Class Workshop “The Move” involving various dance artist in the Memphis area.
Schedule and Information
Registration and Information
To register, click here, call (901) 537-1483 or email us. Classes meet in the Buckman Performing and Fine Arts Center dance studio at St. Mary's Episcopal School, 60 Perkins Extended, Memphis, TN 38117.
Schedule
Classes begin Saturday, January 21, 2022 and end Saturday, May 14, 2022.
Buckman Dance Conservatory will be closed:
February 18-21, 2022 for President’s Day
March 11-20, 2022 for Spring Break
April 15-18, 2022 for Easter
Buckman Dance Conservatory Performances
Come see the BDC live on stage! For tickets, click here or call (901) 537-1483.
Reverence: A Celebration of Dance
Friday, May 13, 2022, 6:00 p.m.
Saturday, May 14, 2022, 2:00 and 4:00 p.m.
$25 for adults, $20 for students
Buckman Dance Conservatory brings to the stage Reverence: A Celebration of Dance featuring the creativity and vision of our directors, Mandy Possel and Steven Prince Tate, and our accomplished dancers. This imaginative new production will include colorful costumes, fresh choreography, and amusing vignettes, showcasing our talented resident company. The advanced dancers will also present excerpts of new contemporary works.