students of all ages in its wide range of classes and programs for fall.
The 4,000-square-foot facility is located directly across from Target
in the large shopping center at NC 73 and Highway 21, just off I-77
Exit 25 East in Huntersville. It features two large studios for ballet
and several other forms of dance, private rooms for learning a variety
of musical instruments, a professional sound recording studio, closed-
circuit TV so parents can watch their kids in action, and much more.
Parents can enroll their children by dropping by the LNPA facility
10-2 or 3-8 Monday through Thursday, and Saturday 9-1. An Open House
is also scheduled for August 27 and 28. Parents can also view the
diverse options and register children online at www.lknerform.com/register/
.
"We are a conservatory-style school emphasizing strong technique in a
fun environment," said Erika Smith, Director and owner of LNPA. "We
have designed our programs to be very convenient for parents. They can
enroll multiple children in different arts classes at the same time,
and go shopping during class time if they want to."
As an added bonus for the open house August 27-28, open auditions will
be held at the LNPA for a feature film being planned for the Lake
Norman area. Main characters have been cast, but hundreds of secondary
roles and extras are needed, explained Mike Smith, Erika's husband.
"The movies are not formally connected to the LNPA, but we think it
would be fun to have some of our students and families in the movie.
Students enrolled at our school and their families will receive first
preference for parts being cast."
The LNPA had about 200 students during the last school year, and is
hoping for an increase for 2011-2012, Erika Smith said. "All of our
instructors have significant education and experience," she noted. "In
addition to my own background, for example, another dance instructor
Emily Green studied at the prestigious School of American Ballet, has
performed with numerous professional companies and for two seasons
with the touring production of Phantom of the Opera."
"Our program is designed to provide students with strong technique as
their artistic foundation," Erika said. "We are also parents of six
children, and offering this high quality of training at reasonable
prices makes it as open as possible to the whole community. That is
important to us."
Erika Smith and her husband Mike are both lifelong performing artists
themselves. Erika is a classically trained dancer who graduated from a
performing arts school in Florida and from UNC-Greensboro, studied at
the Martha Graham School in New York, and has choreographed and taught
all over North Carolina. In addition she co-founded The Dance
Cooperative in Wilmington, N.C., before moving to the Lake Norman
area. Mike sings, plays guitar, bass, piano and drums, and has
composed songs for commercials and movies. He won a Collective Works
Award in VH1's Song of the Year contest, and has produced several
films. He also owns and operates several medical practices in the
Southeast.
