Auditions
Date: Thursday, July 23rd
3:00 pm Ages 6 - 10
4:15 pm Ages 11 -13
6:00 pm Ages 14 +
7:15 pm Pointe
Location: Clemens Center
Bring Completed forms to the Audition
Audition requirements:
Females: Black Leotard with Pink Tights, Pink or Black Ballet skirts or shorts over the leotard are permitted. Hair in a bun.
Males: Black Shorts, White Shirt, Hair neat or pulled back.
Bring all dance shoes for all styles you will be auditioning . (Tap, Jazz, Lyrical, Ballet and Pointe)
Email NHDTheater@gmail.com for Additional Information and Questions
Meet the Artistic Team!
Leslie Updyke
Founder & Artistic Director
Tina Ranck
Assistant Artistic Director
Miss Leslie is the owner, director, and dance instructor of Leslie School of Dance and Artistic Director/Choreographer of the New Heights Dance Theater.
Leslie studied with Madame Halina in Elmira beginning at the age of three. Leslie opened Leslie School of Dance in Elmira in September of 1991, and the Watkins Glen Studio in September of 2004. She attended Mercyhurst College and the State University of New York – Purchase, majoring in ballet with a concentration in teaching and has a business administration degree from Corning Community College.
Leslie has performed with the Elmira Corning Ballet Company, the Twin Tiers Ballet Theater and with the Mercyhurst and Purchase Dance Corps. She was involved with many professional productions performing multiple lead roles. She has choreographed the Nutcracker in Motion and Walking on the Horizon. Leslie prides herself on offering a very artistic approach to teaching ballet.
Leslie, and her husband, Greg, have three children and reside in Watkins Glen.
Leslie can be reached at either of the Leslie School of Dance locations in Elmira Heights and Watkins Glen
Miss Tina was born and raised in Elmira. She is proud to continue to live here with her two sons. She is a hair stylist in Painted Post for Shear Illusions, as well continueing her dream in instructing Dance.
Tina studied classical ballet with Rafael Grigorian for twelve years where she performed in The Nutcracker, Baba Yaga, Chipillino, and Romeo and Juliet. While studying for eight years at Leslie School of Dance, she performed in the Nutcracker in Motion, Fairytales, and Stepping into the Season. Tina has been teaching at Leslie School of Dance since 2000, and is a choreographer for New Heights Dance Theater.
Bryce Hedges
Artistic Choreographer
Miss Bryce has been teaching dance at Leslie’s school of dance for 10 years. She has taught everything from ballet, jazz, and tap to acro! Currently she teaches tap and pointe. She has also been a part of NHDT for 8 years and the LSoD competition team for 5 years! She loves to share her love for dance at the same place she found her love and passion for the sport! Outside of the studio she teaches in the Elmira city school district and loves spending time with her husband, two cats, and all of her friends and family
