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
- Class Schedule and Dress Code
- Instructors
- Schedule and Information
- Buckman Dance Conservatory Performances
- Added Rehearsal Schedule
Class Schedule and Dress Code
Fall 2025 Classes
Tuition does not include performance fee. Buckman Dance Conservatory's dress code items may be found at online at Discount Dance.
Intro to Creative Movement (3 years or 2K)
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 10:15 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 1 (3-4 years or 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 (Tuesdays 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)
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 4:00 p.m.*)
Tuition: $375
Description: Creative movement with beginner elements of ballet
Pre-Ballet (5-6 years or SK)
Hours/Week: 45 minutes
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 10:15 a.m. (Wednesdays at St. Mary's After School 4:00 p.m.*)
Tuition: $375
Description: Ballet basics and creative movement
Ballet 1 (6-7 years or 1st 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. (Mondays at St. Mary's After School 3:15 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: Royal blue 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: 4
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.
Tuition: $1,000
Description: Ballet, pointe prep, and jazz
Ballet 5 (Completion of Ballet 4 or by evaluation)
Hours/Week: 7.5
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
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: Mondays 4:15 p.m. at St. Mary's Auxiliary*
Tuition: $350
Description: Beginner jazz and modern for ages seven and up
Musical Theater, Hip-Hop, and Jazz Workshop with Steven Prince-Tate (ages 12 and up)
Hours/Week: 1
Dress: Any comfortable dance clothes, black jazz shoes (optional), athletic shoes
Session 1: Wednesdays 6 p.m. on Buckman stage
Tuition: $15 per class
Description: Buckman Dance Conservatory is thrilled to offer four-week movement sessions for students ages 12 and up 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 August 1.
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!
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Mary Elizabeth Washburn is the lower and middle school creative movement teacher at St. Mary’s Episcopal School and has been a Fine Arts educator for over 20 years. She began dancing at 3 years old and studied ballet, tap, and jazz through college, where she was a member of her university dance team. Mary Elizabeth graduated from Lambuth University with a B.F.A in Music Education with a minor in theater performance. After college, Mary Elizabeth got an endorsement in Orff Education from the University of Memphis. The Orff approach believes children instinctively are musicians, movers, and creative problem solvers. After college, she was hired as an Orff Music Specialist with Shelby County Schools, where she cultivated a love for the performing arts in her students. Mrs. Washburn collaborated with the Memphis Symphony Orchestra to create school-wide performances with her students where they performed along with the orchestra on instruments, singing, and dancing. Her mission in the classroom is to create a safe space for students to discover their creative talents in movement and dance. Mary believes every body was made to move and every person has something beautiful to share. Her favorite part of being a fine arts educator is watching her students perform with confidence. Mary Elizabeth is thrilled to join the Buckman Conservatory and especially excited to work with the youngest dancers because this is where their dance journey begins.
Reagan Garland has been assisting with Creative Movement 1, 2, and Pre-Ball classes this semester and is having a fabulous time working with the girls! In addition to Buckman Dance Conservatory, she is an instructor at Beatrice Davis Training and previously danced for the Memphis Grizzlies team. Reagan spends her days personal training with clients, and you can catch her around town serving at the Byway coffee trailer. She has 15 years of competitive dance experience and technical training and has taught at a number of studios 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
Fall classes begin Monday, August 18, 2025 and end Sunday, December 7, 2025.
Buckman Dance Conservatory will be closed:
August 29 - September 1, 2025 for Labor Day
October 4 - 12, 2025 for Fall Break
November 22 - 30, 2025 for Thanksgiving
February 13 - 16, 2026 for President’s Day
March 6 - 15, 2026 for Spring Break
April 3 - 6, 2026 for Easter
Buckman Dance Conservatory Performances
Come see the BDC live on stage! For tickets, click here or call (901) 537-1483.
Buckman Dance Conservatory Presents Mandy Possel's Nutcracker: Land of Enchanted Sweets
Friday, December 5, 2025, 6:00 p.m.
Saturday, December 6, 2025, 2:00 and 5:00 p.m.
Sunday, December 7, 2025, 2:00 p.m.
Buckman Dance Conservatory Spring Performance
Friday, May 8, 2026, 6:00 p.m.
Saturday, May 9, 2026, 2:00 and 5:00 p.m.
Sunday, May 10, 2026, 2:00 p.m.