MSA dancers in special training

Special to Wesson News

Pictured (left to right) are Antonio Fini, Eydi Kitchens, Faith Alford and Tammy Stanford

A four week program during the summer under the artistic direction of Antonio Fini provided intensive training, mentorship, and performance opportunities for two Mississippi School of Arts seniors from Copiah County among just ten worldwide.

Faith Alford and Eydi Kitchens, both from Crystal Springs and MSA dance students, participated in the Villapiana, Italy, experience, on apprenticeships they were awarded with Fini Dance Junior Company, an elite pre-professional dance program that bridges the gap between student training and a professional career.

At the Italian town, which was recently named “City of Dance,” the Copiah County dancers worked with renowned choreographers and artists from both the European and American dance worlds.  They engaged in daily ballet classes led by esteemed instructors, ensuring a strong technical foundation:

• Ballet.  Michael Mao, Michael Mao Dance, New York.

• Ballet.  Concetta Barillaro, acclaimed Italian ballet teacher with a distinguished national career.

• Contemporary and Modern Choreography,  Yoshito Sakuraba, Abarukas Dance, New York.

• Choreography.  Gianni Santucci, choreographer for ballet, opera, film, and Netflix Productions.

• Professional Performance Coaching.  Abby Silva, Parsons Dance.

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“This immersive experience provides an extraordinary opportunity for young dancers to train and perform at a pre-professional level, giving them a taste of what it means to be part of a professional company” said Tammy Stanford, Director of the Dance program at MSA.

As part of the Fini Dance Junior Company, dancers also have the honor of performing at the Fini Dance Festival, an internationally recognized dance event.

The apprenticeship is a rare and prestigious opportunity for dancers at this stage in their careers. Only 10 apprenticeships are awarded world-wide.  It provides direct mentorship from industry professionals, builds connections with international artists, and prepares them for the next step in their journey—from student to professional dancer.

MSA is an eleventh and twelfth grade visual and performing arts residential, public high school in Brookhaven.  Students not only meet and exceed the traditional Mississippi high school curriculum, they receive special instruction in visual arts, vocal music, dance, writing/literary arts and filmmaking/media arts and theatre. MSA also has a “Collegiate Academy” program in which qualified students can earn their high school diploma and an associate degree at the same time at no cost.  In addition to MSA students winning awards for their work on the state, regional and national levels, the school consistently has one of the highest ACT averages in the state.

Students interested in MSA apply their sophomore year. MSA also offers a Summer Camp for rising 8th-10th graders with scholarships available.  For more information, contact admissions@msabrookhaven.org, visit www.msabrookhaven.org or call 601-823-1300.