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.
- Class Schedule and Dress Code
- Instructors
- Schedule and Information
- Buckman Dance Conservatory Performances
- Saturday Rehearsal Schedule
Class Schedule and Dress Code
Spring 2024 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 9:30 a.m. or (Wednesdays at St. Mary's After School 3:15 p.m.*)
Tuition: $375
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 8:45 a.m. (Tuesdays at St. Mary's After School 3:15 p.m.*)
Tuition: $375
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: Saturdays at 10:30 a.m. (Wednesdays at St. Mary's After School 4:00 p.m.*)
Tuition: $375
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, convertible tights, pink, canvas ballet shoes, hair in bun
Schedule: Wednesdays 4:00 p.m.
Tuition: $375
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, convertible tights, pink, canvas ballet shoes, hair in bun
Schedule: Fridays 4:00 to 6:00 p.m.
Tuition: $575
Description: Ballet fundamentals and barre
Ballet 3 (Completion of Ballet 2 or by evaluation)
Hours/Week: 3.5
Dress: Eggplant camisole leotard, matching skirt, pink or flesh-colored, convertible tights, pink, canvas ballet shoes, hair in bun
Schedule: Mondays 4:00 to 6:30 p.m. and Wednesdays 5:00 to 6:00 p.m.
Tuition: $775
Description: Ballet, pointe prep, and jazz
Ballet 4 (Completion of Ballet 3 or by evaluation)
Hours/Week: 5
Dress: Navy camisole leotard, matching skirt, pink or flesh-colored, convertible tights, pink, canvas ballet shoes, hair in bun
Schedule: Mondays 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., Wednesdays 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., and Saturdays 10:00 to 11:00 a.m.
Tuition: $1,000
Description: Ballet, pointe prep, and jazz
Ballet 5 (Completion of Ballet 4 or by evaluation)
Hours/Week: 7
Dress: Black camisole leotard, matching skirt, pink or flesh-colored, convertible tights, pink, canvas ballet shoes, hair in bun
Schedule: Tuesdays 4:00 to 5:30 p.m., Thursdays 4:00 to 6:00 p.m., and Saturdays 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Tuition: $1,200
Description: Ballet, pre-pointe, and jazz
Intermediate/Advanced Ballet (by evaluation)
Hours/Week: 8.5
Dress: Any camisole leotard (matching skirt optional), pink or flesh-colored, convertible tights, pink, canvas 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 3:00 p.m.
Tuition: $1,450
Description: Ballet, pointe, and jazz
Hip-Hop and Trending Dances with Steven Prince-Tate (2nd-5th grade)
Hours/Week: 1
Dress: Any comfortable dance clothes, black jazz shoes (optional), athletic shoes
Schedule: Fridays 3:15 p.m. at St. Mary's Auxiliary*
Tuition: $350
Description: Beginner jazz and modern for ages seven and up
Middle School Hip-Hop, Musical Theater, and Jazz Intensive with Steven Prince-Tate (6th-8th grade)
Hours/Week: 1
Dress: Any comfortable dance clothes, black jazz shoes (optional), athletic shoes
Schedule: Wednesdays 6 p.m. 1/17/2024- 2/7/2024 on Buckman stage
Tuition: $75
Description: Buckman Dance Conservatory is thrilled to offer a four-week recreational movement session for students in grades 6 through 8 with Steven Prince Tate. Each week, we will take a deep dive into a different dance genre, including musical theater, jazz, hip-hop, and modern.
Upper School Hip-Hop, Musical Theater, and Jazz Intensive with Steven Prince-Tate (9th-12th grade)
Hours/Week: 1
Dress: Any comfortable dance clothes, black jazz shoes (optional), athletic shoes
Schedule: Wednesdays 6 p.m. 3/20/2024 - 4/10/2024
Tuition: $75
Description: Buckman Dance Conservatory is thrilled to offer a four-week recreational movement session for students in grades 6 through 8 with Steven Prince Tate. Each week, we will take a deep dive into a different dance genre, including musical theater, jazz, hip-hop, and modern.
Attire for all enrolled boys includes black shorts, tights or pants, solid color shirt and boy’s ballet shoes.
*All St. Mary's After School classes will register through Auxiliary Programs. Enrollment will open on November 15.
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.
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.
Maggie White
Maggie White began her dance journey at Roudnev Youth Ballet in Memphis, where she training through high school. During her time with the company, she participated in numerous performances of the Nutcracker and various spring productions showcasing both classical technique and other genres. Maggie moved to New York City to attend St. Francis College. Her freshman year, she took on a role in a work-study program with Brooklyn Ballet, assisting with the talented dancers from beginners to professionals. While studying towards her Bachelor’s degree, Maggie practiced ballet independently within the city. She enjoyed a variety of styles and teaching methods from studios such as Brooklyn Ballet, Steps on Broadway, and the Ballet Arts Center for Dance. In 2022, Maggie graduated from St. Frances with a Bachelor of the Arts in Communications with a concentration in English. Since returning to her hometown, she has been eager to rekindle her involvement in the incredible performing arts scene of Memphis. Maggie is thrilled to be back at the Buckman Dance Conservatory to teach the littlest ballerinas in the St. Mary’s Auxiliary Program. She looks forward to sharing her love of dance and passion with the next generation of movers!
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 20, 2024 and end Sunday, May 12, 2024.
Buckman Dance Conservatory will be closed:
February 16 -19, 2024 for President's Day
March 8 - 17 for Spring Break
March 29 - April 1, 2024 for Easter Break
Buckman Dance Conservatory Performances
Come see the BDC live on stage! For tickets, click here or call (901) 537-1483.
Buckman Dance Conservatory's Spring Performance
Friday, May 10, 2024, 6:00 p.m.
Saturday, May 11, 2024, 2:00 and 5:00 p.m.
Sunday, May 12, 2024, 2:00 p.m.