Here at Draper Center for Dance Education, we are always excited to have so many of our Alumni come back and visit. We are even more excited that so many have decided to enroll their children for classes here at The Draper Center. As a continuation of our previous post, here are some more featured Alumni, and why they have returned to The Draper Center with their aspiring dancer.
Kristen Stone
I’m grateful for the wonderful education and training I received as a dancer at Draper Center. The many years I spent growing up there taught me the value of hard work and gave me life long friendships. Draper also provided the opportunity to dance in not only competitive routines, but concert performances as well. I’m happy my daughter will receive the same training as I did from the some of the same teachers that inspired me to become the dancer and choreographer I am today.
Jillian Peschken
Draper has been an integral part of my life for many years now. I have the unique position of being not only a Draper alum and current faculty member, but also a Draper parent! When my daughter proclaimed to me at a young age that she wanted to be a Ballerina when she grows up, I knew that Draper is where she belonged. I too had once made that same proclamation as a young girl, and without the impeccable training I received upon attending Draper’s ballet school, I don’t think I would have achieved that goal. The professional training you receive as a student at Draper is second to none. I have had the privilege of seeing many different ballet schools around the country throughout my years professionally dancing, and it wasn’t until I left Rochester and saw firsthand so many of these different schools that I realized just how lucky I was to have received the training I did at Draper. The strength, artistry, focus, dedication, attention to detail, and not to mention talent of a Draper dancer, sets them apart and elevates them to a professional level. As a former professional dancer and as a teacher I am so proud of the work we accomplish in the studio on a daily basis. I love passing on the wisdom imparted to me from both Tim and Jamey. I am forever grateful for the outstanding training I received as a Draper student, the opportunities it provided me with in the professional dance world, and for the continued level of excellence we provide to this current generation of students, including my own daughter.