Recently, dancers from Ashley Ridge High School, Summerville High School, Fort Dorchester High School, River Oaks Middle School, Alston Middle School, Rollings Middle School for the Arts, and Oakbrook Middle School participated in the first annual “Arts Alive” dance convention at Ashley Ridge High School. Students received instruction in an assortment of dance styles from numerous renowned dancers.
Most dance enthusiasts usually have to travel out of town to Myrtle Beach, Columbia or Charlotte for a dance convention to study with professional dancers and master instructors. Arts Alive was created by professional dancer and former Mrs. Hawaii, Tara Easley, to bring a dance convention to more local venues across South Carolina, North Carolina and Georgia. The Arts Alive presented at Ashley Ridge High School was very special since it was the first time a dance convention has been presented in a public school system.
Karen Bellush, dance educator for Ashley Ridge and Fort Dorchester high schools, is a former Radio City Rockette and teaches with Arts Alive. After teaching Arts Alive at a Charlotte venue she thought that it was an opportunity that her students needed to experience.
“We are very fortunate to have such amazing Fine Arts opportunities in our public school system in Dorchester District 2,” Bellush said. “All of the dance teachers in DD2 have tremendous resumes, just as our guest artists, but I find that it is beneficial to let our students experience current professional dancers and be exposed to different dance styles. They learn from other professionals the various work there is out there for dancers and the importance of training. You can never learn enough!”
In addition to taking master classes, scholarships were given to five deserving dancers; Lauren Burt (ARHS), Clintisha Galliard (SHS), Courtney Wiand (RMS), Courtney Jackson (RMSA) and Ricki Hughes (AMS).