ABOUT OH!
About Oh!
Oh! Ballet Arts Academy (BAA)
Oscar Hawkins (Oh!) Ballet Arts Academy (BAA) was established for the purpose of providing the community with an environment devoted exclusively to the study of classical ballet.
The Oh! Ballet Arts Academy primary focus is a educational offering a comprehensive course of instruction in classical ballet that follows the Vaganova method of training, service to the community through educational outreach and Dancing Beyond Barriers scholarships, and enrichment by engaging local and regional artists, musicians, dancers, poets, actors, theatre technicians, and master teachers for workshops and seminars which will be available to our students and members of the community.
The Oh! BAA intends to build for all students an awareness of the relationship between the discipline of ballet and the cultivation of poise, self-confidence and an enduring respect for artistry and the joy of dance. Training at the Academy will also ensure a strong technical foundation for those wishing to advance to a pre-professional level of dance. The Academy will guide dancers to a level of focus and confidence that gives them a sense of artistry and purity of style. A select group of The Oh! BAA students will graduate as pre-professional dancers and will join The Oh! Dance Collective, which will be housed in the Oh! Performing Arts Center. A dance company graduates of the BAA as well as local guest artist and international guest artist. It will be a company that will represent the fruits of the BAA’s teaching both in the community and in the greater metropolitan area.
Artistic Director Oscar Hawkins has designed this program to assure that todays young artist experience a well rounded beginning to their dance training. Mr. Hawkins has used his experience as a Vaganova Russian Ballet Academy graduate, as a professional ballet, contemporary, and commercial dancer to round out a more complete dance program. The classes will include some stretch and conditioning as well as Vaganova ballet technique and creative movement. The Oh! Ballet Arts Academy experience is focused on building tomorrows leaders.