Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts registration open house is Jan. 4
WINONA, Minn. — The Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts will conduct semester II registration open house, Monday, Jan. 4, from 4 to 7 p.m., at the Valéncia Arts Center, 1164 West 10th St.
Registration for the Winona Area Youth Singers (WAYS) choir, private music lessons, and semester II dance classes, which begin Jan. 5, will be accepted at the open house. Tours of the facility will be available, refreshments will be served, and students will have the opportunity to meet new and returning faculty and staff. Additionally, students can be fitted for all their dance attire needs at the open house. MCA’s dance attire boutique offers quality basics including leotards, tights, ballet slippers, jazz shoes and tap shoes.
Dance class offerings are available for youth as young as 3 to adults and include beginning through advanced levels in classical ballet, tap, jazz, creative movement and modern, hip hop, and a special tuition-free boys program. Semester II also provides programming specifically for beginning teens and adults through classes in partnership with Winona County Community Education, including: Clogging I, Clogging II, Dance Fitness, Power Piyo, and Teen and Adult Ballet. Academic credit is available through Cotter High School and Saint Mary’s University for a variety of MCA dance classes.
The official youth choir of the Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts, WAYS offers students in grades four through eight additional educational and choral performance opportunities. Semester II WAYS members will participate in a spring concert, a special mentorship program with Saint Mary’s choirs, and in community outreach by performing at nursing homes and for other charitable events. Placement auditions for new choral students interested in becoming WAYS members will take place at the open house as well. Due to a grant from the Saint Mary’s University Friends of the School of the Arts, WAYS is tuition-free for all students for the 2009-2010 academic year.
Private lessons in voice, guitar and other classical instruments are available for students in grades four through 12. Private music lessons are $75 for five 30-minute lessons or $140 for 10 lessons.
MCA Semester II music and dance programming provides five to 13 weeks of instruction, depending on the specific course/activity. Dance classes conclude with a demonstration week, March 22-27. Those dancers in the Dance Repertory Company will perform in the company’s annual spring concert April 22-24. WAYS will conclude the semester with the presentation of a spring concert April 18 and a performance with the SMU choirs on April 24. Tuition for MCA classes varies, depending on course length and level. Discounts and scholarships are available.
For more information about MCA’s open house, dance classes, WAYS, private music lessons or future performances, visit www.mnconservatoryforthearts.org, e-mail mca@smumn.edu or call (507) 453-5500. The Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts is an affiliate program of Saint Mary’s University.
