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Mission Statement

As its mission Ballet Tennessee strives to make a positive impact on people of all ages, races, abilities, and economic levels through the art of ballet by providing professional quality performance and instruction.

Further Information

Commendation

"You really have a jewel here in Chattanooga..."

- Denise Jefferson, former Director of the Ailey School. She was a guest teacher in BTSI for four summers and we remember her fondly. Ballet Tennessee mourns her passing.

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ANNA BAKER-VANCURA

Ms. VanCura trained with Josephine and Hermene Schwarz of Dayton, Ohio. She was selected by Frederic Franklin for a Ford Foundation Scholarship to study in Washington D.C.

Professional Credits:

    * Ruth Page's International Ballet
    * American Ballet Theater
    * National Ballet of Washington D.C.
    * Chicago Ballet
    * Chicago Lyric Opera Ballet

Anna Baker-VanCura dancing in 'Burlesk' choreographed by Larry Long (1979) for Chicago's Ballet Midwest

Ms. VanCura was on the faculty of the Unversity of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana. She was recognized as Artist in Education by Ohio Arts Council and served on the Dance Panel. She remains an out-of-state consultant.

She studied in Russia on the first three years of the Soviet method of training. A popular guest master teacher, Ms. Van Cura has taught for the Tennessee Association of Dance, Bill Evans Summer Dance Institute, Memphis Dance Alliance, and Northwest Ballet of Florida.

She received her third Outstanding Teacher Award from the Tennessee Governor's School for the Arts as one of the state's outstanding educators. She was awarded along with 10 prominent women leaders in Chattanooga the 'Unbought and Unbossed Award from Girls Inc.

Anna Baker, Orrin Kayan and Janine Granger in Frederick Ashton's Monotones for Chicago Ballet, 1974