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.
Fall 2020 Classes
Fall 2020 Classes
Tuition does not include performance fee. Students and teachers will be required to wear face coverings at all times. Attire for all enrolled boys includes black shorts, tights or pants, solid color shirt and boy’s ballet shoes.
Creative Movement Virtual Class (3 to 6 years)
Hours/Week: 30 minutes
Dress: Comfortable clothes for moving, pink ballet shoes, hair in bun or away from face
Schedule: Saturdays at 9:30 a.m.
Tuition: $150
Description: Creative movement with beginner elements of ballet on Zoom
Creative Movement (3-5 years)
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 10:00 a.m.
Tuition: $275
Description: Creative movement with beginner elements of ballet
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: Tuesdays 4:00 p.m. or Saturdays 9:00 a.m.
Tuition: $275
Description: Creative movement with beginner elements of ballet
Discover Dance for Boys (3-6 years)
Hours/Week: 45 minutes
Dress: Black shorts, tights or pants, solid color shirt, ballet shoes.
Schedule: Thursdays 4:00 p.m.
Tuition: $275
Description: Creative movement with beginner elements of ballet specifically for boys
Pre-Ballet (6 to 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 3:45 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
Ballet 2 (Completion of Level 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: $500
Description: Ballet fundamentals
Ballet 3 (Completion of Level 2 or by evaluation)
Hours/Week: 4
Dress: Eggplant camisole leotard, matching skirt, pink or flesh colored tights, pink ballet shoes, hair in bun.
Schedule: Tuesdays and Thursdays 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. and Fridays 3:45 to 5:45 p.m.
Tuition: $750
Description: Ballet and pre-pointe
Intermediate Ballet (by evaluation)
Hours/Week: 5.5
Dress: Black camisole leotard (matching skirt optional), pink or flesh colored tights, pink ballet shoes, hair in bun.
Schedule: Mondays and Wednesdays 5:15 to 6:15 p.m. and Saturdays 12:00 p.m. 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 and Thursdays 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., and Saturdays from 11:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Tuition: $1,400
Description: Ballet, pointe, and jazz
Advance Level Jazz Only
Hours/Week: 1
Dress: Any camisole leotard, optional shorts or skirt, pink or flesh colored tights, pink ballet shoes
Schedule: Saturdays 1:30 to 2:30 p.m.
Tuition: $350
Description: Jazz for advanced level dancers (Ballet 3 and up).
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, August 15, 2020 for Levels 3 and 4 and August 22 for all others. The last day of fall semester is December 12.
Buckman Dance Conservatory will be closed:
September 5-7, 2020 for Labor Day
October 7-11, 2020 for Fall Break
November 23-29, 2020 for Thanksgiving
Buckman Dance Conservatory Performances
Come see the Buckman’s new dance school live on stage! For ticket, click here or call (901) 537-1483.
Nutcracker: Land of Sweets
Friday, December 4 at 6:00 p.m.
Saturday, December 5 at 2:00 p.m.
Tickets: $25 for adults and $20 for students
The timeless tale of Clara and her cherished Nutcracker comes to life on the Buckman stage every Christmas. The dancers of the Buckman Dance Conservatory offer a fresh interpretation of this endearing holiday classic. The whole family will delight to Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker presented by Buckman’s resident dance company.
Oh, the Places You'll Go: A Ballet de Seuss
Friday, May 14 at 6:00 p.m.
Saturday, May 15 at 2:00 p.m.
Tickets: $25 for adults and $20 for students
The Buckman Dance Conservatory brings to the stage a fanciful new ballet celebrating the whimsical works of Dr. Suess! The advanced dancers and faculty will also present excerpts of new contemporary works.