MCA announces registration open house January 5

WINONA, Minn. — The Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts announces the semester II registration open house, Thursday, Jan. 5, from 4 to 7 p.m., at the Valéncia Arts Center, 1164 West 10th St.

Registration for Semester II dance and music programming as well as the new visual art division classes 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 for children including leotards, tights, ballet slippers, jazz shoes, and tap shoes.

Dance class offerings, beginning Jan. 9, are available for ages 3 to adult and include beginning through advanced levels in classical ballet, tap, jazz, creative movement and modern, hip hop, and a special tuition free boys and men dance program. MCA dance division offers students exciting technique classes and performance opportunities in a nurturing and rigorous but non-competitive environment. Semester II also provides programming specifically for beginning teens and adults by offering classes in partnership with Winona County Community Education, including: Clogging I, Clogging II, Nia, Power Piyo, Teen and Adult Ballet, and Teen and Adult Tap and Jazz. Parents who have a child enrolled in a semester II class at MCA may participate in an adult class or choir tuition-free through the MCA Adult Arts Wellness program.

Academic credit is available to high school and college students through Cotter High School and Saint Mary’s University for a variety of MCA classes. Intermediate and advanced dancers ages 13 to adult are encouraged to audition for MCA’s Dance Repertory Company Spring concert, Le Corsaire. Roles are also available for community adults. Auditions are Friday, Jan. 20, 4 p.m., at the Valéncia Arts Center.

MCA Music division offerings include Creative Music and Movement for children ages 3 to 4 years old, Winona Area Youth Singers, for students in grades 4-8, a new beginners Guitar class for ages 15 to adult, a Flute Choir for ages 16 to adult, and private instrumental lessons in flute, clarinet, saxophone, violin, cello, piano, guitar, banjo, mandolin, and voice.

MCA’s new visual art division classes include: Exploring Sculpture for ages 8 – 14, Funtastic BookArts for ages 10 to adult, Intro to Mosaic for ages 14 to adult, Bookbinding -- Two Sewn-Boards Bindings for ages 16 to adult, and Figure Drawing for ages 16 to adult. MCA semester II visual art classes are offered tuition free this semester in celebration of the launch of the visual art division. Material fees apply. Classes held are weekly throughout semester in The Monet Room at MCA's Valéncia Arts Center.

MCA Semester II programming provides 4 to 15 weeks of instruction depending on specific course/activity registered for. Dance classes conclude with a demonstration week, March 19-24. Those dancers in the Dance Repertory Company spring concert, Le Corsaire will perform April 27 and 28 at Saint Mary’s University Page Theatre. Winona Area Youth Singers, members of the MCA flute Choir and selected instrumental lesson students will conclude the semester with the MCA music division spring concert, April 23. Beginner and intermediate music lesson students will have the opportunity to perform in an informal concert on March 1. All music division concerts will be held at MCA’s Valéncia Arts Center Recital Hall.

Tuition for MCA programming varies depending on course length and level. Discounts and scholarships are available. This activity is made possible in part by a grant provided by the Minnesota State Arts Board, through an appropriation by the Minnesota State Legislature from the Minnesota arts and cultural heritage fund with money from the vote of the people of Minnesota on Nov. 4, 2008.

For more information about MCA’s open house, or semester II offerings, visit www.mnconservatoryforthearts.org, e-mail mca@smumn.edu or call (507) 453-5500.