The Live Oak Conservatory, a division of Live Oak Theatre, has established a sterling reputation as a breeding ground for outstanding talent. It is a place where the actors and actresses, the dancers and singers of tomorrow learn and thrive today. Registration for Classes at the Live Oak Conservatory is now open to new students.
Live Oak Theatre & Conservatory is a family-friendly theater program that exists to enrich families, individuals, and the community by providing positive artistic experiences in the Performing Arts – including excellent, affordable, and edifying family-friendly entertainment, performance, and educational opportunities. The conservatory offers group classes and private lessons in acting, improv, youth art, musical theater, singing, hip hop, tap, jazz, ballet, Acro, and most musical instruments, including piano, guitar and violin.
Live Oak Theatre offers a wide range of opportunities for children (PRE-K – 18) and adults to learn about all the performing arts. Some of the classes offered include beginning and advanced tap, jazz and ballet, voice, musical theater, improv and acting at various levels.
The conservatory also offers private lessons in a wide range of musical instruments. All classes are taught by veteran performers and instructors.
“To compliment Live Oak Theatre’s tradition of bringing top-notch musical theater entertainment and training to our community, this Conservatory offers classes in dance, music and drama, which together make up a well-rounded and versatile performing arts educational program,” said Vince Vanni, Live Oak spokesman and conservatory teacher. “Children and adults can take these classes to enhance their creative and artistic skills and combine them with other fine arts and performing arts skills. The Live Oak Conservatory is Hernando County’s one-stop destination for education in the performing arts!”
Live Oak does not offer a traditional dance academy program as a theater and conservatory. Instead, its various dance classes are taught as a component of the performing arts. Classes are offered in acting, improv, voice, music theory, various forms of dance, and the visual arts, as well as private lessons in voice, piano, drums, guitar, and other musical instruments.
“We do not offer competitive dance. Our students learn dance as a performance art,” said Vanni. “All skills come together in our optional Youth Theatre program, which performs a minimum of two productions a year.”
Existing Live Oak students have been given the opportunity to register for the latest round of conservatory classes, with organizers saying that “re-registration for the Fall Conservatory classes is moving faster than ever.”
Conservatory classes will begin the week of September 9, and Youth Theatre classes will begin August 13. Parent meetings and audition dates will be announced.
“At this writing, the Thursday noon tap class for Beginners has only a few spots remaining; however, we have added a 3:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. tap class. But the 3:30 p.m. beginner tap class has only three spots remaining. Acro has only three spots remaining,” said Vince Vanni, conservatory spokesman and teacher.
Vanni is now teaching five acting classes, with only one or two spots remaining in some classes, especially daytime home school class times. After-school class times also have openings.
“The exciting thing is how many have already re-registered and how many new classes. I am teaching five classes, and four of them have one to five spaces remaining. We opened up an after-school time at 7 p.m. on Mondays. We also have an adult improv class,” said Vanni.
Live Oak also offers an interesting selection of music-themed programs. “We are different than a dance ac academy. We differentiate ourselves. No competitive dance teams. We teach dance as a performance skill used in musical theater,” said Vanni. “This year, there will be auditions for the Youth Theatre due to the great demand. However, we have added a musical theater class that prepares students with the skills necessary for musical theatre. Also, we now have dance classes and improv for adults.”
Vanni feels that arts education is highly valuable for today’s youth.
“The “total” arts education teaches kids to be leaders,” said Vanni. “Confidence in speaking before large groups, creative thinking… outside the box.”
The results can be not only impactful but downright precious.
“This week in advanced camp, I gave out the project. One of the newer younger kids who was invited to advanced for the first time asked, ‘Mr. Vince, can I do this?’ I asked one of the older kids to answer. She immediately said, ‘Mr. Vince says we ask for forgiveness, not permission!’ I encourage them to trust their instincts; That’s leadership,” said Vanni.
Visit https://www.liveoaktheatre.org/conservatory, email [email protected] or call 352-593-0027 with questions. Follow them on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/LiveOakTheatre.
