More than 500 students from across North Carolina to attend UNCSA Festival of Dance, Feb. 24-26

The School of Dance will once again host the UNCSA Festival of Dance (formerly the Festival of North Carolina Dance) on its Winston-Salem campus for 2023. More than 540 students from 34 schools, studios and companies across the state are expected to attend.

The festival, which opens tomorrow and runs through Sunday, Feb. 26, will include three days filled with master classes, workshops and performances for students and professional development workshops for teachers and directors. Participants will also have the opportunity to attend the Winter Dance performance, which runs Feb. 23-26 at the Stevens Center, and to audition for Summer Dance Intensives. 

“We look forward to the UNCSA Festival of Dance every year, because it is our opportunity to share our experience and expertise with this state’s promising young students and dedicated teachers,” said School of Dance Dean Endalyn T. Outlaw. “We are reminded of what a tremendous resource this dance network is for the future of dance in North Carolina, especially for future dance audiences. This state is lucky to have it, and we want to support it the best way possible.”

Returning to organize and run the festival this year are co-directors Dayna Fox and Robert Gosnell, both School of Dance alumni.

“We have a stellar faculty for the festival, including current, full-time UNCSA faculty, alumni, Preparatory Dance Program faculty, plus adjunct faculty and guest artists,” said Fox, who is a member of the ballet faculty and former director of the Preparatory Dance Program at UNCSA. “The enthusiasm from the participants is always palpable and encouraging,” she added.

Student classes at the festival will include ballet and contemporary technique, pointe and pre-pointe, creative movement, jazz, musical theater and character dance. The professional development workshops include character dance, pointe work and pirouettes.

The festival will culminate with a gala performance of selected companies, chosen through an adjudication process, for festivalgoers and their families, at 6:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 26, at the Stevens Center downtown. Admission is free.

Dance companies participating this year include: Apex – Infinity Ballet Conservatory, Studio One Dance Center; Asheville – Center Stage Dance Studio; Boone – The Space at Project Dance; Burlington – Burlington Academy of Dance & Arts, Burlington Dance Center, Faith Christian Academy of Dance, Walkerdance Ballet Theatre; Chapel Hill – Ballet School of Chapel Hill, Triangle Youth Ballet; Charlotte – Baran Dance, Bloom Movement Artistry, Charlotte Cirque and Dance Center, Charlotte City Ballet, Charlotte School of Ballet; Davidson – Dance Davidson; Durham – Encore Academy of Dance; Gastonia – Gaston Dance Theatre; Greensboro – Greensboro Performing Arts; Greenville – Greenville Civic Ballet; Havelock – The Center for the Performing Arts; Monroe – Monroe City Ballet; Raleigh – Carolina Civic Ballet, City Ballet Raleigh, North Carolina Dance Institute, Raleigh Dance Theatre, School of Carolina Ballet, Stage Door Dance Productions; Reidsville – Academy of Dance; Stanley – Danse Élan Dance Academy; Statesville – Statesville Dance and Performing Arts; and Wilmington – Dance Theatre of DREAMS, Evolution Dance Complex, Wilmington Conservatory of Fine Arts.

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