Ballet Arts Centre

Ready to kick off an amazing season? Registration Day is officially around the corner! Join us in person on Saturday, August 8th, from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM at Ballet Arts Centre to get all set up, ask any questions, and secure your spot for the upcoming year. Head over to our website for more details. Drop a comment below if you have any questions before Saturday. We can’t wait to see you there! 👇✨

Don’t worry BAC family! All of your favorite BAC faculty will also be at our Summer Intensive.

Ms. Megan will also be teaching our Young Dancer Workshop and can’t wait for classes to start MONDAY.

Megan Bannatyne is a Florida native who has been dancing for over 20 years. She grew up in a suburb of Orlando dancing recreationally and began to delve deeper into her future in dance when she started her collegiate career at Valencia College in Orlando, Florida. Megan graduated with her A.A. in Dance Performance Degree Pathway Major in May of 2022, which led her to transfer to Jacksonville University to receive her Bachelor in Fine Arts in Dance. Throughout her time in college, Megan has worked with esteemed choreographers such as Jon Lehrer, Daniel Lewis, Yosh*to Sakuraba, Alberto del Saz and John Parks. In addition, she had opportunity to dance in “A Choreographic Offering” by José Limón/Jose’ Limon Dance Company. In the summer of 2023, Megan spent three weeks in New York City where she attended the Alvin Ailey Summer Intensive. There, she studied under modern dance legends of the company such as Renee Robinson and Lakey Evans-Peña. In May of 2024, she graduated Summa Cum Laude from JU. Megan is currently a dancer with Jacksonville Dance Theatre. Megan loves her BAC family and looks forward to an amazing summer!

We are pumped to announce that Ms Lexie will be back at BAC for another summer. We always enjoy our time with her.
Learn all about her below.
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Lexie Bristol is a passionate dancer, educator, director, and choreographer specializing in contemporary movement. Her choreography has been presented at respected venues and events including the Amelia Island Dance Festival, Disney Performing Arts, LaVilla School of the Arts, Midland University, Providence Dance Concert, and the Florida School of the Arts Annual Concert. With over a decade of experience in dance education, she has developed curriculum for students ages 2–18, coached a National Championship Dance Team, and is currently the Lower School Dance Director at Episcopal School of Jacksonville. As the Owner and Director of Three Hearts Dance, she is forever grateful for a space that allows collaboration and growth with artists of all genres. She looks forward to teaching this summer at Ballet Arts Centre!

Let’s cheer for another exciting BAC Summer Faculty announcement, Ms. Pam Litz.
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Pam Litz has been dancing for 25 years and holds a BFA in Dance with a minor in Business Administration from Jacksonville University, where she graduated at the top of her class. She has performed lead roles in full-length ballets including Cinderella, lead Merliton, Dewdrop, and the Christmas Spirit and is the Ballet Mistress and rehearsal assistant Director for Jacksonville’s Community Nutcracker. Pam grew up in an all ballet studio and later added other styles to her repertoire. Her expertise is in Ballet (contemporary and classical), Contemporary and Jazz. Pam teaches Ballet, Pointe, Contemporary, Jazz, Lyrical, Choreography, and Conditioning. She enjoys sharing her passion for making the art of dance both rigorous and fun.

Another Summer Intensive Faculty coming at you, Ms Sarava Dawson. We are excited to have her back again this summer. Learn all about her below.
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Sarava Dawson is a dancer, choreographer, and dance instructor residing in Jacksonville, Florida.
Sarava has extensive training in a variety of dance genres and is certified in PBT and Acrobatic
Arts. She is passionate about dance and enjoys expanding her knowledge and experience
through training and performance. She was a member of the professional dance company Selah Dance Ministries and now collaborates with dance instructors and dancers who enjoy sharing their love of dance and performing at various community events and festivals. As a choreographer, dance instructor, and competitive dance coach, Sarava instills in her students the importance of expressive and impactful movement and artistry, inspiring others through meaningful dance.

Continuing our Summer Intensive Faculty Announcements with BAC Alumni, Ms. Lily Pecnik! We are so excited to have her back home as an instructor. Learn all about her below.
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Lily has been dancing since the age of 4 and trained at BAC for 8 years, where she was a member of BAC Dance Company. During her time at BAC, she performed in numerous productions and later returned for alumni performances including Deck the Chairs and the 10th Annual Recital.

Lily continued pursuing her passion for dance by teaching youth dance classes at the YMCA for the past 3 years. Lily spent two years performing as a JU Siren on the Jacksonville University Dance Team. Lily is excited to be back at BAC this summer and looks forward to sharing her love of dance with the next generation of dancers.

Another day, another incredible BAC Summer Intensive Faculty Announcement. Let’s give it up for Mr. Julian Rachall! Learn about all of his accomplishments below.
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Julian Rachal was born and raised in Jacksonville, Florida and has been dancing for over 15 years. Coming from the world of sports and wanting to increase his athletic ability, Julian began dancing at Lavilla, the middle school of the arts. After one year at Lavilla, Julian’s love for dance grew at which time, he then began training with Laurie Picinch-Byrd, Artistic Director of the Florida Ballet Training Center. It was there that Julian had the opportunity to participate each year in Youth America Grand Prix, as well as receive training under the ABT certified curriculum. Throughout the six years with Florida Ballet, Julian had the opportunity to train under many great mentors and artists from their affiliate
school, The Orlando Ballet School as well as The Joffery Concert Group and the Broadway Dance Center. While training at the Florida Ballet, Julian’s dance career
flourished up until his graduation from Douglas Anderson School of The Arts. At the age of sixteen, Julian became an apprentice dancer with the Florida Ballet Professional Company, making him the youngest member in the company’s history.

At eighteen, Julian then became a member of the company Diesel Fusion Dance Theatre under the direction of Ihaia Miller. Julian attended Jacksonville University on a full dance scholarship and achieved his Bachelor of Arts degree in Dance.

Throughout his career, Julian has performed many roles in shows that include “The Nutcracker”, “Sleeping Beauty”, “Swan Lake”, “Giselle”, “Don Quixote”,
“Le Corsaire”, “Raymonda”, and “A Midsummer Nights Dream”. Julian as showcased his dance abilities in the outdoor theatre drama “Unto These Hills” onthe Cherokee Reservation, Beaches Resort in Turks and Caicos, and completed five contracts with Royal Caribbean on four different ships. Julian now has retired from performing and is glad to be back in Jacksonville teaching at BAC summer intensive.

Another exciting Summer Intensive Faculty Announcement coming at you! Please welcome Ms Ashlee-Paige.

Throughout her ballet career, Ashlee-Paige Benjamin has had the privilege of dancing and performing with prestigious companies and schools across the country. She began her intensive training at the School of American Ballet, Ballet Academy East, and Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, where she built a strong classical foundation and developed a lifelong passion for dance.
Benjamin’s professional career commenced with her first contract at Arizona Ballet, followed by a season dancing with the second company of Oregon Ballet Theatre. She later concluded her professional performance career with Florida Ballet, gaining valuable artistry and extensive stage experience along the way.
Today, Ashlee-Paige is deeply passionate about teaching and sharing her knowledge with the next generation of dancers. She dedicatedly inspires students, helping them grow both technically and artistically while passing on the joy and discipline that dance has brought to her own life.

We are SO excited to introduce the incredible lineup of teachers, choreographers, and mentors who will be filling our studios with major energy, technical expertise, and all the inspiration this summer. From classical technique to fresh new choreography, they are ready to help our dancers level UP.

First up… Ms. Lauren Hernandez will be back for her 11th summer at BAC. Learn all about her below.

Lauren Hernandez returned to The Tallahassee Ballet (TTB) in 2022 and quickly rose to the position of Chief Executive Officer (CEO). This reflects Hernandez’s outstanding contributions and dedication to The Tallahassee Ballet and her unwavering commitment to the arts. She actively works to strengthen the presence of the Company in the Tallahassee community and has nurtured the support of TTB’s many supporters and sponsors.
 
She began her initial dance training at the age of four, and after completing high school at Virginia School of the Arts, she became a trainee with the Richmond Ballet. Hernandez received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in dance from Florida State University in 2011 and was a soloist with TTB company for 8+ years.
 
Over the years, Hernandez’s versatility and dedication have led her to take on various pivotal roles within TTB. Hernandez has held positions of faculty member, school director, ballet mistress, and artistic associate for the organization. Hernandez’s choreographic achievements include Spanish, Arabian, and the Battle Scene from TTB’s The Nutcracker and pieces from 2014-2016 performances of An Evening of Music and Dance. Hernandez was the Director of Ballet at North Georgia Dance Arts (NGDA) and Director/Choreographer for the 2017-2019 productions of NGDA’s The Nutcracker. In 2019 Hernandez became an adjunct faculty member at Young Harris College (YHC); for three years, she taught a variety of dance styles for their Musical Theater department. Hernandez is also an ABT® Certified Teacher who successfully completed the entire ABT® Teacher Training Intensive in Pre-Primary through Level 7 and Partnering of the ABT® National Training Curriculum.

Calling all Royalty! You’re in luck, we still have space in our Princess Camp, starting next week.

Is your little one ready to step into a world of magic, music, and movement? Our most enchanting week of the summer is just around the corner, and we are putting the finishing touches on our royal ballroom.

Don’t let your dancer miss out on the ultimate magical experience!

What’s Waiting Behind the Castle Doors?

Royal Dance Classes: Dancers will learn ballet basics and fun creative movement fit for a queen.
Enchanted Crafts: Our princesses will create their very own tiaras, wands, and magical keepsakes to take home.
The Grand Finale: We will have a special royal showcase at the end of the week for family and friends!