DANCE

  • At SPA, we offer a comprehensive program designed to train every student who attends. Our goal is to provide the necessary tools and expertise to each individual to make their dance experience unique and rewarding.

  • The unique instruction offered to students at SPA by our Modern Contemporary, Jazz, and Ballet classes is unlike any other high school dance program in Utah. It's a great fit from beginners to more advanced dancers.

  • At SPA, we strive to create a supportive and encouraging environment for every student, regardless of their experience level. Our goal is to provide them with the tools and knowledge they need to make their dance experience enjoyable and successful.

Dance Conservatory

Dance Conservatory is an incredible performing dance company that represents SLSPA at Shakespeare, UDEO State Festival, and other events. Our dancers demonstrate hard work, dedication and passion in every performance, and we are extremely proud of their achievements. Dance Conservatory also offers its members the opportunity to create their own work and perform pieces from professional choreographers. Their dedication to the craft is evident in the quality of their performances. We also love to see our dancers take advantage of opportunities to travel out of state and receive training beyond what we offer here. The experiences they gain through these opportunities helps them to grow as dancers, performers and people. Dance Conservatory is a powerhouse of talent and we can’t wait to see what they will do next!

For the student who has trained their whole life and wants to pursue dance after high school, we offer a supportive and nurturing environment to help them succeed. We offer classes in multiple styles to help them refine their technique and stretch their limits. We also have a competitive environment to help them learn what it takes to be successful in the competitive world of dance.

For the student who dances to support their musical theatre dreams, we offer classes that help them develop their skills in both dance and musical theatre. Our teachers are knowledgeable in both disciplines and can help the student find the balance between the two to make their performance the best it can be.

For the student who has never danced before and wants to try it out, we provide a welcoming and relaxed atmosphere for them to explore the world of dance. Our teachers are experienced and knowledgeable, and are passionate about helping the student find their own unique style and grow as a dancer.

Performance Opportunities

At SPA, our students are given a wide variety of opportunities to gain experience performing in different settings including competing at the Shakespeare Festival, UDEA State Festival, and other competitions. We also produce a number of performances at SPA where our students are able to perform the pieces they choreograph themselves as well as pieces they learn from professionals from the industry.

Learning Collaboration

In this piece, you can see a music student and a dance student collaborating in a meaningful way. We encourage integration among students pursuing different art forms to teach professionalism.

Meet Our Professional Dance Faculty

At SPA, we are proud of the professionals we have hired for our Dance Department. They are a wealth of knowledge for our students wanting to pursue a career in dance after high school because they have experience in the industry. They are also highly instructive for our students who want to take dance classes to support their growth as students as artists.

  • Contact: bhansen@saltlakespa.org

    (801) 466-6700 ext 111

  • Bethany J. Hansen, a graduate of Brigham Young University (BA) and Jacksonville University (MFA), is a sought-after teacher, choreographer, and performer. Bethany is the Head of the Dance Department and Dance Conservatory Director at the Salt Lake School for the Performing Arts (2007-present). Bethany is also the Assistant Chair of the Dance Department at Westminster College (2014-present). Previously she taught at Ricks College and Brigham Young University – Idaho (2000-2004). Bethany has received many awards including the 2019 Utah Dance Education Organization Teacher of the Year representing Higher Education, 2016 Howard Gilman Fellowship supporting her MFA, the Sorenson Legacy Award for Excellence in Arts Education 2016 Outstanding Secondary Dance Educator and the SPA Legend award from the Salt Lake School for the Performing Arts.

    Her graduating students have gone on to dance professionally with Repertory Dance Theatre, The Walt Disney Company, Table of Silence Project in NYC, Houston Texan Cheerleader (NFL), Vitacca Ballet, Central West Ballet, Oklahoma City Ballet, Movement Talent Agency, and Stiletto Entertainment; while others have continued their collegiate study on scholarship at Trinity Laban Conservatory (London), Ailey/Fordham University (NYC), Marymount Manhattan College (NYC), North Carolina School for the Arts, The Hartt School (Connecticut), Boston Conservatory, CAL Arts (California), University of the Arts (Pennsylvania), Brigham Young University, University of Utah, and many other distinguished programs.

    As a choreographer, her work has been performed throughout the United States and Canada. She is honored to have trained with Pat Debenham, Peggy Hackney, Alonzo King, Ana Sanchez-Colberg, Christina Teague-Mann, Cari Coble, and John Paul Zaccarini to name a few. She has guest performed with Repertory Dance Theatre, Jacksonville University, and with Bay Area Dance in San Francisco.

    Her movement can be described as powerful and driven by force, using momentum in an expansive and creative way, playing with the architecture of the body and space fused together by detailed transitions. Yet it finds a controlled release by accessing proper anatomical alignment.

  • Contact: fbianchi@saltlakespa.org

    (801) 466-6700 ext 113

  • A native of Colorado, Francesca has been training in various genres of dance since she was three years old. Her versatility allows her to create a unique movement quality that can be seen through her passion for performance and choreographic achievements. Recently graduated from Point Park University, one of the top ten schools for the arts in the United States, Francesca not only has had the amazing opportunity to work with their esteemed faculty, but has also been blessed with the opportunity to perform under respective choreographers in works such as: ‘Play By Play’ by Penny Saunders, ‘Nightshades’ by Teena Marie Custer and ‘Diversion of Angels’ by Martha Graham. She’s currently under the mentorship of tap dance extraordinaire, Jason Janas, as a two year member in his tap dance company, Co.MITT. Francesca hopes to continue her artistic endeavors and use her gained knowledge to expand and grow upon her time at Point Park University. Her desire and aspiration in life is to use her artistic ability to reach farther than the eye can see.

  • Contact: marmstrong@saltlakespa.org

    (801) 466-6700 ext 112

  • Michelle Armstrong began her early ballet training with Susan Wright and later with Willam Christensen. Under Mr. C’s direction, Michelle danced many leading roles in his original ballets such as “Maggie’s Dream”, “Orpheus”, and “Old Vienna.”

    Michelle was a guest artist with the Utah Opera dancing in “Die Fledermaus”, “Aida”, and “Faust.” From 1985–87 Michelle danced with Ballet West and in 1988 with New York City Ballet under the direction of Jacques d’Amboise. In 1991 Ms. Armstrong partnered and studied with Anatoli Kucheruk of the Kiev Ballet, Russia. She has over 20 years of training in the Russian Method of Ballet and is currently teaching this technique at The Ballet Centre.

    In 1992 Ms. Armstrong was named Artistic Director of The Ballet Centre where she is the principal choreographer, producing and directing many one-act ballets. In 2002 Michelle Armstrong was awarded a position in the “Ballet Intensive from Moscow” under the direction of Dmitri Roudnev and Svetlana Osiyeva.

    Michelle has a BFA in ballet-teaching emphasis, from the University of Utah, and is certified in the National Teaching Curriculum with ABT. In 2016, Michelle traveled to St. Petersburg, Russia to study ballet pedagogy under Mr. Oleg Vinogradov, Artistic Director of Mariinsky Ballet Theater-St. Petersburg, and his highly qualified faculty of Russian ballet masters.