Bringing our community together One step at a time Professional training Unparalleled Performances Accessible Community Outreach
WWW.FLORIDADANCETHEATRE.ORG
ABOUT FLORIDA DANCE THEATRE
Florida Dance Theatre inspires life-changing interactions through unparalleled performance experiences, professional training, and accessible community outreach.
UNPARALLELED PERFORMANCES
As Lakeland's only professional dance company, FDT works through partnerships with Florida Southern College, Lakeland Symphony Orchestra, and Polk Museum of Art to create iconic programming worthy of Lakeland's art base.
PROFESSIONAL TRAINING Our training academy is taught by the professional dancers of our company. We are also fortunate to Our classes, which range from age 3 to adult offer a variety of styles and skills.
ACCESSIBLE COMMUNITY OUTREACH
WHY FDT?
FDT believes that everyone should have access to the Arts and that the Arts benefit everyone. Whether it be through out scholarship programs for underserved youth, our Arts for the Aging outreach, or by making high quality performances accessible, FDT understands that a community that has access to the Arts can bring significant benefit to everything from education, housing, development, crime rates, and even health measures.
WE BELONG TO YOU Florida Dance Theatre is Lakeland's only fully non-profit professional dance company and training academy. It has been opening doors for the arts and our community for 29 years. As we have approached our 30th anniversary, we have chosen to seize this opportunity and revitalize the organization. As Lakeland's Premier Professional Company and Academy, we recognize that FDT does not belong to any one person, or board, but rather to YOU, our community. To this end, we have set forth a set of initiatives and we will be launching our annual fund with the goal of relocating and revitalizing Lakeland's home for dance. Celebrating our 30th and launching into a new chapter with a new location will create wonderful new possibilities for our community. The question is, will you be part of the possible?
Partner with us Professional Training Unparalleled Performance Accessible Community Outreach Be part of the possible
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Florida Dance Theatre is approaching it's 30th anniversary and we need a new home to create 30 more years of impact in our community. We are in need of community partners who will help us to expand our board and financially partner in our goals of reviatalization and relocation.
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Did you know that installing a sprung floor for dancers can cost between $50,000-$100,000?
Did you know that operation consultant evaluations can help organizations run better? Did you know that a ballet dancer can spend thousands each year for pointe shoes?
Nearly 30 years ago Carol, our founder, saw a need in our community. She saw children who needed an outlet and shortly afterword realized that our city was ready for the next step of having a professional ballet company. Our audiences remark that having a company means not having to drive to Orlando or Tampa to experience quality performances. Also, having a professional company that partners with other organizations to bring arts integration can have profound economic and social effects.
Having a professional company and training academy under one organization has enormous benefit for dancers and students. There is nothing quite like teaching that will require your own mastery of a skill, but for students the benefits are even greater. They have instructors that are up to date with what is happening in the world of dance, and the classes tend not to be stale or old. It is quality training. They are taught how to be in a professional environment and how it would be in a company. Dancers learn etiquette, discipline, hard work, and perseverence.
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Why travel to Tampa or Orlando to find quality performances when you have them in your own backyard? Florida Dance Theatre is Lakeland's only professional dance company and is completely nonprofit. Being attached to our non-profit Academy ensures quality instructional opportunities for dancers of all skill levels.
UNPARALLELED PERFORMANCES
Partnering with organizations like Florida Southern College for performances and holding open auditions ensures that FDT belongs to Lakeland and not one business or person. We belong to YOU.
ARTS IN EDUCATION Scholarships for students Our children need the arts more than ever. Dance is an art form that ties together every other kind of learning and enhances student outcomes. Unfortunately, so many families cannot afford for their child to experience things like dance. We work with Polk County schools to offer free programing and scholarships for students because we believe that each child deserves the best we can give them.
ARTS IN HEALTH INITIATIVES Integrating Dance and Health This year we began our Arts in Health integrations by partnering with Watson Clinic Foundation to bring dance experiences to breast cancer survivors. We also partnered with local nursing and assisted care facilities to provide tickets to whos as part of our passport to the arts series.
PASSPORT TO THE ARTS Administration One of our core beliefs is that arts should be accessible. To that end we partner with organizations like Polk County Schools, Lakeland Symphony Orchestra, and the Chilren's Museum to provide opportunities for people of all backgrounds to experience the arts.
OUR STORIES ""I have been involved with FDT, in different ways, over a span of 25 years. I danced in the academy under Miss Carol in the late 90's and early 2000's and have great memories of performing in many Nutcracker productions. I watched the children I took care of in my early 20's come through the doors and dance in many productions. The past three years I have watched my own daughter grow here and learn to love dancing from her instructors! She has no fear of dancing on stage and looks forward to attending classes every week. We would not go anywhere else!
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"What our family loves most about FDT is the opportunity to both learn from and dance in productions with the professional company! FDT has a beautifully diverse culture of professionals and this sends a wonderful message to our children to see them in action and be able to performa alongside them! My girls adore their teachers and dancing on stage with their friends and teachers!"
OUR STORIES "The world of dance can be a rigorous place and in some dance companies the culture is right out toxic, but FDT is a place where everyone is welcome and nurtured. It is the place I am proud to call home because I know that all are welcome here. We work hard and there is always more to learn." ""I couldn't believe it when I found out that I was able to be an apprentice. I am a Lakeland native, and I was so thrilled to be able to dance with professionals. I have wanted to dance my entire life, and I think it's pretty amazing that we have a company of this calibre in our own backyard. It's just so rare to be able to have the opportunity to serve our own communities in this profession."
BE PART OF THE POSSIBLE
PARTNER WITH US
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Relocation- we will need to build out our new space with sprung floors to protect dancers Funding to open a GiveWell account and to expand programming and scholarships Expanding our Board of Directors and community advocates
Thanks to you, Florida Dance Theatre has been Lakeland's only fully nonprofit professional Ballet Company and Dance Studio Academy. This year will mark our 30th anniversary. As part of this new chapter, we are undergoing a revitalization and most notably, we are on the move! We need partners to help us financially, through donations, and time to fulfill big goals for our community. Can you be pART of the possible?
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