The Willis Ballet
Click here for the Current Schedule of Classes
Click here to view Photos from our CASCADE of DREAMS End of the Year Program 2008.
Professor Peggy Willis-Aarnio, Director of the Conservatory of Classical Ballet
The Willis Ballet Apprentice Company, Professional Students at the Willis Conservatory of Classical Ballet received an honor on April 14, 2007 by winning the Gold Medal and Top 1st Place in the "DMI Sun City National" Dance Competition held in Panama City Beach. Congratulations to our students!!
Congratulations to Meredith Bush...our first Merit Scholarship Winner
\A Brief History
The Willis Ballet Company of the Conservatory of Classical Ballet was formed in February, 1983. The Willis Ballet Company (originally in 1983, semi-professional performing company, now a professional touring company) had its premiere performance in the Spring of 1983 in Panama City, Florida, at the Marina Civic Center Theatre. The Willis Conservatory of Classical Ballet is the training school for the Willis Ballet. The Company’s Lubbock premiere entitled "Ballet Extravaganza," was presented at the Civic Center Theatre in March of 1984, in celebration of Lubbock’s 75th Anniversary. To date, in addition to numerous performances in various University and Lubbock area theatres, the Company has performed on tour in Texas, New Mexico, Florida, Tennessee, Illinois, as well as on a very special Tour to England in 1987 (see photo gallery.) The Willis Ballet's sister company, The Saint-Petersburg Classic Ballet Theatre of Marina Medvetskaya, performed in a Homecoming Gala to welcome Professor Peggy Willis-Aarnio back to Panama City Beach, Florida in April of 2003. The Willis Conservatory of Classical Ballet will serve the community of Panama City and Panama City Beach by offering ballet classes to those students wishing to make a career in classical ballet (The Professional Program where students study 6 days a week) and those students wishing to study ballet, but are not wishing to pursue a professional career (the Non-Professional Program, where students study 2 to 3 days a week..) The Willis Conservatory of Classical Ballet will also offer ballet appreciation classes, ballet for adults and a broad Pre-ballet program for children 3-4, 5-6, and 7-9 year olds. We also offer Ballroom Dance Lessons occasionally. Check with us to find out when our next 6 week course begins.
If you wish to enroll in the Willis Conservatory of Classical Ballet or contribute to the Scholarship Professional Training Program, making it affordable for talented students in the Panama City area, please e-mail us at wiballet@msn.com.
Members of Prof. Willis-Aarnio Professional Children's Class, meeting 6 days a week are invited into her Willis Conservatory Youth Dancers.
We are Dedicated to the Complete Tradition of Classical Ballet in Education, Teaching and Performance.
Photo from the 12th Annual International Teacher's Congress for the Study of The Teaching Method of Classical Ballet. Summer 2008.
We were so pleased to host teachers and students from Texas and Costa Rica!!
The Willis Ballet, Official Company of The Willis Conservatory of Classical Ballet
Please contact us at CCBallet@Knology.Net or wiballet@msn.com
We are proud of our sister company, The Saint-Petersburg Classic Ballet Theatre of Marina Medvetskaya, 2007
Saint-Petersburg, Russia
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