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CLARKE DANCE GROUP & JENNIFER PICART-BRANNER BALLET COMPANY
At Northwest School of Dance, we provide mulitple opportunities for dancers to grow and experience dance. Our additional programs include Clarke Dance Group competition dance team and Jennifer Picart-Branner Ballet company.
CLARKE DANCE GROUP COMPETITION TEAM
The Clarke Dance Group is the elite dance competition team for Northwest School of Dance. This group of dancers is chosen through an audition process and represents NSD at dance competitions and conventions throughout the state. In addition, they will have more performance opportunities at local events throughout the year. Clarke Dance Group is intended for those who wish to pursue dance more seriously and competitively. Dancers will be required to strive for and maintain a higher level of technical skill and a diverse training which may include Lyrical/Contemporary, Ballet, Jazz, Hip Hop and Tap. The team is best suited for ages 7 through 19 years old. Dancers will learn to explore the artistry of dance, thereby becoming better artists themselves. They will be challenged with new styles and choreography. At the end of the season, dancers will walk away with a new sense of personal growth as a student, performer and individual.
Several team members have been recognized at conventions and competitions with special awards, such as "Top Dancer", "Elite Performer", and "Dancer of the Year", for their outstanding performance and showmanship and received scholarships for National events and programming as well. As a result of their participation in Clarke Dance Group, some members have traveled to New York, Las Vegas and California to take part in special dance intensives and conventions, and have also gone on to pursue dance professionally at the college level and beyond. Clarke Dance Group continues to represent their studio well receiving overall high score awards, judges choice awards and cash prizes.
If you have a dancer who is interested in building a career as a dancer, the competition world can give them several tools to better prepare them. CDG dancers will grow as performers, build self-confidence and learn about dedication & commitment. They will be pushing for personal growth, while also learning to work as a team unit. If you have an interest in pursuing competition dance or would like more information about CDG, please call the studio directly.
JENNIFER PICART-BRANNER BALLET COMPANY
JPB Ballet Company is the youth ballet company at Northwest School of Dance. The purpose of the company is to help dancers who are serious about ballet to focus on their skills and technique and prepare them for future professional opportunities. Membership into JPB is by invitation only and is only for those dancers who demonstrate a high work ethic, a more serious interest in and ability specifically for ballet. The company consists of Junior and Senior members and company dancers traditionally participate in local events.
In addition, some JPB members have gone on to participate in local and national dance competitions while others have auditioned and been accepted to attend intensive courses such as those at American Ballet Theatre NYC, Joffrey Ballet School in New York, Joffrey San Francisco, Bolshoi Ballet Academy, Ballet West, Nutmeg Conservatory, Pittsburgh Ballet, Colorado Ballet, Northwest Dance Intensive, Whitman College and International Schools Such as Finish National Ballet School in Finland , Palucca School in Dresden Germany, Paris Opera School in France, and Royal Ballet School London.
For the past few years, select JPB dancers have performed at Youth America Grand Prix Ballet Competition, the largest student ballet scholarship competition in the world. For some of them, YAGP participation has resulted in invitations to attend exclusive intensive classes in New York and now 2 students received full scholarships to dance at American Ballet Theatre School. Highlights this year included 1 of our members ranking “TOP 12”for the third year in the row in his age category, and 1st place in Contemporary Division in which included an invitation to compete and Perform at the” Stars of Tomorrow meet the stars of today Gala” at the Lincoln Center in the New York City Finals. Recently JPB Members were invited to perform at the “Boost Me Up “ dance Festival in Seattle, where they performed a piece choreographed by Sam Picart, who was featured on The ELLEN DEGENERES SHOW.
As they’ve moved forward with their careers, some JPB dancers have gone on to attend such well known colleges as Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle, AMDA in California and New York, Utah Valley University and others have received offers and contracts for companies such as Ballet West in Utah, Grand Rapids Ballet in Colorado, Estonia Ballet, Olympic Ballet Theatre ,Ashani Dances Seattle .
We’re very proud of the accomplishments of all of our dancers at NSD and we strive to help them prepare for whatever dreams and aspirations they may have. If you have a dancer who wishes to pursue a future in art or dance, either at a dance college or with a company, JPB Ballet Company at NSD is an excellent starting point.
Northwest School of Dance is a member of NDEO (National Dance Education Organization), a non-profit membership organization dedicated to the advancement and promotion of high quality education in the art of dance. As a member, we are able to take part in National Honor Society for Dance Arts (NHSDA). Student induction into the NHSDA is awarded on the basis of points earned for meritorious work in dance. These students receive a Certificate of Membership, added prestige in scholarship applications & future resumes, wear NHSDA honor cords & gold honor pins during graduation ceremonies, and are eligible to apply for the NDEO Artistic Merit, Leadership and Academic Achievement Award.