Learn dance skills and good sportsmanship, make new friends, and begin to prepare for junior high drill team tryouts.  These were our goals for our daughter Isabelle when she started drill team dance in the 4th grade at the Academy of Performing Arts, home of Lone Star Jazz.

Over the years, Isabelle's experience at the Academy of Performing Arts has far surpassed our expectations.  With the training and support of her Academy instructors, Isabelle has been:

• a member of her junior high drill team, The McCullough Jr. High Highland Girls,
• a member of her high school drill team, The Woodlands High School Highsteppers,
• an award winning soloist,  winning more than 15 solo competitions, including the Showtime International Galveston National Overall Solo Champion 2010,
• an instructor on staff at the Academy of Performing Arts,
• the choreographer of an award-winning junior high trio,
• the choreographer and instructor of the 2011 Highland Girl tryout clinic dances,
• hired as an employee of Showtime International Summer Dance Camp Staff, and
• selected as a member of the Auburn University Tiger Paws dance team.

Isabelle has grown up at the Academy of Performing Arts.  She learned more than just dance skills, and she has a family there, not just friends.  She has gained important life skills and experiences that she will use throughout her life.   She has received constant encouragement, support, and endless opportunity.   I firmly believe that Isabelle's success as a dancer can be traced directly to the caring and committed staff at the Academy of Performing Arts. 

I am so grateful for everything that Jo Anna and her staff has done for Isabelle, and I look forward to watching Isabelle as she continues to grow and develop both as a young adult and a dancer.  Though she will be away at college much of the year, she will always be part of the Academy of Performing Arts family.

Thank you,
Rosanna Crouch