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TAB in the Media
Dance Teacher Magazine, April 2007
The Texas Academy of Ballet, located just outside Austin in Pflugerville, Texas, opened for business in January. Founded by Carolyn Bognar, a former dancer and registered teacher of the Royal Academy of Dance, the school offers a comprehensive dance program with an emphasis on classical ballet. After a successful performing career in Germany and Israel, Bognar founded and directed the Ballett und Tanzakademie in Marburg, Germany for 16 years and then taught at various dance schools in San Francisco. With the belief that a comprehensive arts education is essential for preprofessional dancers, Bognar will offer her students an RAD-based ballet curriculum with additional classes in music, tap and jazz. In addition, she plans to bring in renowned guest artists for workshops in modern and other styles. Students will have the opportunity to participate in annual RAD examinations and take part in two major annual performances.
Janelle Abbott
Dance Magazine, April 2008
CAROLYN BOGNAR TEXAS ACADEMY OF BALLET Pflugerville, TX
One year in business 100+ students
PROUD MOMENT: As a teacher you have proud moments every day. I had a school in Germany for 16 years. Henning Rubsam, was one of my students at age 15. He has his own company now (SENSEDANCE based in New York City). That was a great thing to happen.
When I started, I had only one student with dance background and thirty 3-year-olds. I'd never taught 3-year-olds before! By the time I left, I had one student accepted to The Rock School summer intensive on full scholarship and another accepted at the American Ballet Theatre summer intensive.
When I left Germany I said I'd never have another dance studio because it's a lot of work. But when we moved to Texas I couldn't find a job freelancing, so I put all my retirement money into a new school. It's been one of the best things I ever did.
CREATIVE SOLUTION: We didn't have any older students. I threw caution to the wind and set up a summer intensive of my own last summer. Henning came and taught for me. We ended up with 13 10 and 11-year-olds as on-going students out of that. Henning is returning for our summer intensive this year in August.
CURRENT CHALLENGE: I'm a Royal Academy of Dance teacher. That's the training I had growing up. When I got to Texas, I wanted to enroll students for the RAD examinations, but they didn't have training. For the last year that's been part of the education. I tell them: "If you want to get anywhere in dance and you love it, you need to come several times a week."
We're doing our first exam this month--we'll see what happens. One of the requirements is that you have live accompaniment. Austin is rich in musicians, so I found a pianist. There's a well-known RAD examiner in Dallas and he's offered to give three workshops on weekends before the exams. The children are getting more and more confident every day in what they're doing. There is also a monetary commitment required of students. We have many on scholarship and if they can't afford it, we pay for them.
NATIONAL DANCE WEEK: We're doing Peter Pan for our spring show. That week we'll take it around to grammar schools in the area. Our jazz teacher will give free workshops for three Saturdays leading up to and during NDW.
Studio Director Roundtable. (Interview) |
