The Carmel Academy of Performing Arts, which has been providing unmatched dance, acting and vocal music training in the area for almost 65 years

CARMEL, CA, March 04, 2018 – The Carmel Academy of Performing Arts, which has been providing unmatched dance, acting and vocal music training in the area for almost 65 years, improved even more with its ongoing association with the highly regarded Royal Academy of Dance training program.

“Four years ago we became a Royal Academy of Dance-certified training facility, the only training facility of its type between Los Angeles and San Jose,” says Carol Richmond, owner of CAPA. “RAD sets standards in classical ballet and we now have three teachers who are trained in the RAD system. It’s solid, current technical training that is age-appropriate.”

Initially founded in 1920 to reinvigorate dance teaching in the United Kingdom, RAD has expanded its influence and activities worldwide with more than 1,000 students in its teacher training programs. The RAD examination syllabus is taught to more than a quarter million students in 79 countries, helping teachers to perfect their teaching skills and pass their knowledge on to their students. RAD has about 14,000 members worldwide and is considered one of the world’s most influential dance education and training organizations in the world.

According to its website, “The RAD promotes the knowledge, understanding and practice of dance internationally. We seek to accomplish this through promoting dance, educating and training students and teachers and providing examinations to set standards and reward achievement.”

To Richmond, affiliating with RAD strengthens and elevates the training programs already in place at CAPA. What she stresses is that affiliating with RAD does not make CAPA a training facility for professional dancers.

“There’s this misunderstanding that this is pre-professional training. It’s not about launching a pro career,” says Richmond. “This is solid, proper training that all classical ballet should be. It’s a method taught by syllabus for both boys and girls where you know the child is ready to commence to the next level because they know the work. Standardization is vital with technical training and also allows a high level of artistic ability.”

CAPA currently has three RAD-certified dance teachers: Sandra Burnham, Philip Pegler and Kelly Pegler (detailed bios below). Burnham has 50 years experience as a dancer and teacher and was an international ballet examiner for RAD in London. Philip Pegler first took classical ballet when he was 5 and was a teacher at Elmhurst School for Dance and director of the Calvert-Brodie School of Dance, among others. Kelly Pegler is a certified Pilates teacher, has a bachelor’s degree from RAD and was a teacher at The Royal Ballet School.

Richmond believes 2018 is a “tipping point year” for CAPA. She wants to continue to educate the public about the value of their affiliation with RAD, but also shed some light on CAPA’s upcoming summer programs, which also involves RAD-certified dance classes.

Registration begins Feb. 26 for the seven-week summer camps, June 11-Aug. 3, including sewing camp, aerial silks camp, vocal camp, contemporary jazz dance camp, competitive dance camp, classical ballet, and more.

For more information on RAD and CAPA’s summer programs, call (831) 624-3729.

CAPA Royal Academy of Dance Teachers:

Sandra Burnham

British born Sandra Burnham has 50 years’ experience as a professional dancer, teacher and examiner of classical ballet. She opened and ran her own highly successful ballet school in beautiful North Yorkshire for 20 years, during which time she became an international ballet examiner for London’s Royal Academy of Dance.

She has taught and examined in Ireland, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Germany, Mexico, Brazil, Shanghai, Hong Kong, the Carribean, Canada and the United States. She teaches summer schools, intensives, and coaches dancers for Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP).

Her teaching is noted for its careful combination of technique with interpretation, and for her disciplined care for and compassion with her students.

Philip Pegler

Born in England in 1974, Philip Pegler began his study of Classical Ballet at age five. In 1986, he embarked on his professional training, at the Bush Davies School, followed by The Vaganova Academy, The Legat School, and The Harid Conservatory in Florida, where he graduated in 1992. Later that year, Philip was accepted into The Royal Ballet School where he completed his training as a dancer and teacher.

After graduating, Philip became Ballet Master and Soloist Dancer with Columbia City Ballet in South Carolina, appointed the following year as Artistic Director of the South Carolina Dance Theatre. In 1998, he became Director of the Calvert-Brodie School of Dance where he taught notable students such as Cameron Adams, Dusty Button, Brooklyn Mack, Sara Mearns, Joseph Phillips and Joy and Christian Tworzyanski.

In 2002, Philip was appointed Professor at the University of Florida where he created a new curriculum for the University’s Ballet program as well as serving as a pre-performance lecturer at the Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. From 2009-14 Philip taught at Elmhurst School for Dance before returning to the U.S. He is currently the Ballet Director of the Carmel Academy of Performing Arts and a faculty member of Los Angeles Ballet Academy.

Kelly Pegler

Kelly was born in Palos Heights, Illinois and as a young child moved south with her family to live on Florida’s Gulf Coast. She began dancing soon after, and at the age of 12 decided to focus on training in Classical Ballet. From 2004-2007, Kelly was a student at the American Academy of Ballet in New York where she studied under many respected teachers and former dancers including, Olga Dvorovenko, Jay Jolley, Sara Knight, Stephanie Saland and Violette Verdy.

During her time in England, Kelly gained her bachelor’s degree from the Royal Academy of Dance and taught at many schools throughout London. She was also chosen to partake in the making of BBC film “Margot” and relished in the experience of working alongside actress Ann-Marie Duff and theater legend Sir Derek Jacobi.

From an early stage in her dance training, Kelly used Pilates as a form of body conditioning. Her love of Pilates led her to train with Master Pilates Teacher Alan Herdman in London, where she became certified as a comprehensive Pilates teacher. While on the course, Kelly was fortunate to study with physiotherapist Shirley Hancock, gaining an invaluable insight on rehabilitation for clients of all ages.

After completing her Pilates certification, Kelly was invited to teach the girls Body Conditioning at The Royal Ballet School. Through this position at the school, Kelly was able to observe and work with dancers from The Royal Ballet. Whether it be for rehabilitation or maintaining a well-balanced, healthy body, Kelly is eager to continue developing her practice and sharing her love of the life changing way of Pilates.

Carmel Academy of Performing Arts

Mission Street & 8th Avenue

Carmel, CA 93923

(831) 624-3729

www.carmelacademyofperformingarts.com

Contact:

Marci Bracco Cain

Chatterbox PR

Salinas, CA 93901

(831) 747-7455

http://www.carmelacademyofperformingarts.com