Summers County Performing Arts brings Music and Dance Education to downtown Hinton

HINTON W.Va. (Hinton News) - Organizers are excited to announce the opening of Summers County Performing Arts Music & Dance Studios in the historic district of downtown Hinton. The studios are located at 211 Temple Street and are fully equipped professional music and dance studios. The owner/artistic director/instructor/choreographer is Lisa Ann Colombo. Colombo and building owners Sonya Murrell and Joleen Linville are working together to create an outstanding facility for music and dance arts education.

Colombo has an extensive background in performing arts education. Her bio is as follows:

Lisa Ann Colombo Artistic Director/Instructor/Choreographer/Composer/Music Producer

Colombo has been teaching dance for over 47 years. She began her study of dance at the age of ten with Helen Decker of Welch, West Virginia. She continued her study with not only local instructors but with top dance masters such as Luigi, Al Gilbert, Karen Hebert, Dawn Crafton, Joan Lather, Joel Ruminer, Rose Barile, Savion Glover, Frank Hatchett, Gus Giordano and numerous others. Colombo studied piano and voice for many years - from a very young age - and continued her studies at Bluefield College in Bluefield, VA. At Bluefield College, she was a dance instructor for the Fine Arts Community School for several years. Her dancers have competed in regional and national competitions - from regional competitions in Charlotte, NC & San Jose, CA - to Nationals in New York City and Orlando, FL. Her students have won numerous awards for their excellence. She and her students have appeared on several television shows – including NEW FACES, THE WHITE HORSE CAFÉ, THE WILDHORSE SALOON, DANCELINE, & DANCING AROUND WITH PINKY O’NEAL.

Colombo was hired by "EMG" (Educational Management Group) of Scottsdale, AZ, as a featured dance instructor for an educational dance video that was available to schools all around the world.

Colombo has owned dance schools in West Virginia, Virginia and Arizona during the past 47 years. While living in Arizona she taught at NORTH PHOENIX DANCE SCHOOL (Phoenix), off-ice ballet at the "ICE CHALET" (Phoenix), and taught dance for Peoria School District's SUMMER ACADEMY in 1997 & 1998. She also taught Country Western Dancing at WESTWORLD (Scottsdale).

Colombo trained in Ballroom Dancing in Vinton, VA, and taught Ballroom at the FRED ASTAIRE DANCE STUDIOS in Phoenix and Sun City, AZ, as well as in the two Virginias. She was the Artistic Director / Instructor / Choreographer at "ACTION ARIZONA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER" in Pima, AZ before returning to West Virginia.

Colombo enjoys theatre as well as dance & music. She appeared as the "Mountain Poet" in Jean Battlo's "APPALACHIAN DAWN" - where she is noted as choreographer for the musical and songwriter for the love song - "Gifts". She also portrayed the role of Dorothy in a musical production of "THE WIZARD OF OZ."

Colombo has studied with acting coaches and casting directors in Charlotte, NC, Orlando, FL, Tucson, AZ, Thatcher, AZ, New York, NY, and Los Angeles, CA. She has directed plays and musicals - including "OZ", "HAPPILY NEVER AFTER", "THE TWELVE DANCING PRINCESSES", “SNOW WHITE & THE SEVEN DWARFS” and others. While in Arizona Colombo was choreographer for EASTERN ARIZONA COLLEGE in Thatcher, AZ, for the drama and music departments. At EAC she is noted for her choreography in "FIDDLER ON THE ROOF", "GREASE", and "SPRING SING 1999". She also served as choreographer for "FIDDLER ON THE ROOF" (2005) & "OKLAHOMA" (2010) at Bluefield College, Bluefield, VA. Other choreography credits include work with "SUMMERS COUNTY KIDS" (Hinton, WV) and "SUMMIT THEATRE" (Bluefield, WV).

Colombo served as choreographer for Virginia and West Virginia's "YOUNG WOMAN OF THE YEAR" (Junior Miss). She was also the choreographer for local pageants including "Miss Mountain Festival 2000" and "Miss Mercer County 2001."

Colombo is the former owner of STARZ PERFORMING ARTS ACADEMY, which is now owned by her daughter, Gabrielle Colombo Massie. Since the opening of STARZ in June 2000, STARZ DANCERS have won a tremendous amount of regional and national awards while competing at ACCESS BROADWAY regionals and nationals, LA DANCE FORCE regionals, SHOWSTOPPER regionals, ENCORE regionals, LA DANCE MAGIC Regionals, and STAR SYSTEMS regionals and nationals, and other competition networks. Student accomplishments have been no less than fabulous - from division winners, high-score award winners, scholarship recipients, and professional dance company members.

Colombo’s main objective is to provide local children & adults with top-quality instruction and opportunities that are usually offered only in larger cities - and to teach life skills through dedication, working together, and reaching goals. Performing arts education creates a type of joy that will last a lifetime.

Colombo currently teaches various styles of dance as well as private piano and voice lessons in Historic downtown Hinton, WV.

Colombo is the CEO of BEAUTY OF DANCE LLC – BEAUTY OF DANCE RECORDS & BEAUTY OF DANCE MUSIC FOR PROFESSIONAL DANCE EDUCATION. She is a member of the MUSICWORKS UNLIMITED “creative team”. Her original music for dance education is available worldwide through www. musicworksunlimited.com . – which for Colombo is a dream come true.

Kyla Meadows will also be teaching classes at Summers County Performing Arts. Meadows has loved to sing and dance since a very young age. She started dance lessons at the age of three. From 6th through 11th grade she studied voice, ballet, lyrical, jazz, tap, pointe, musical theatre, acting, ballroom dancing and piano with Lisa Colombo at Lisa’s School of Music, Dance & Design (Summers County, WV). She then started studying at STARZ PERFORMING ARTS ACADEMY – and was a member of the STARZ Competition Team, STARZ en Pointe & STARZ Production Company. Meadows studied at The Institute for American Musical Theatre in NYC (2022) on Scholarship. She also attended the three-week intensive BROADWAY BOOT CAMP at IAMT (NYC) during the summer of 2021. Meadows attended JOFFREY BALLET SCHOOL'S PRE-PROFESSIONAL JAZZ & CONTEMPORARY INTENSIVE in NYC (2021), and also attended JOFFREY VEGAS in Las Vegas, NV (2022). Meadows placed second at HINTON’S GOT TALENT in 2018 (vocal & tap dance selection) and won the “PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD” at HINTON’S GOT TALENT in 2020. She was a guest performer at The United Way’s “DANCING WITH THE STARS” event in 2019 & 2023, and also performed at “WONDERLAND OF TREES” (2019) – sponsored by The United Way. Meadows has competed at Showstopper Dance Championships & Southeast Showdown Competition (2020/2021). She has also studied with Artists Simply Human in Greenville, SC. Meadows has taken master classes at STARZ from guest artists - including Mark Sampson, Olivia Cece, Cassy Surianello, Victor Smalley & Tessa Hogge. She also attended Ballet Boot Camp at Beckley Dance Theatre School. Meadows’s voice is heard in dance studios and recitals all around the world, as a featured vocalist for BEAUTY OF DANCE: MUSIC FOR PROFESSIONAL DANCE INSTRUCTION. Meadows loves to share her knowledge of voice and dance with young students. Michelle Adair will be teaching Belly Dance lessons at the new performing arts center.

Adair's introduction to Belly Dance was in the early '90s. She began taking lessons with Sandy Stewart "Alexandria". Her first performance - "Evening in Baghdad" - was in 1991.

Adair taught "Belly Dance Basics" classes and started the Zennube Belly Dance group in Fayetteville, WV in 2013. She completed her Chakradance training in Asheville, NC in 2015, and is currently certified in dance therapy.

Adair has taught workshops in Hinton, Princeton, Charleston and in Gallup, NM.

Adair has been a dancer with Foundations of Freedom at the Bright Life Arts Studio in Gallup, NM. She has performed in numerous live and recorded performances while in Gallup, NM. Adair has also performed at several dance events with Sirena Dance Studio in Albuquerque, NM - Sadie Adair - Owner & Instructor.

Belly Dance Instructors who have influenced Adair over the years are Sandy Stewart "Alexandria" of Beckley, WV; Katayoun Hutson - International Dance Instructor; Leaf Ashely - Dance Instructor, Choreographer & Owner of Bright Life Arts Studio in Gallup, NM 2018-2023; Sadie Adair - Performer, Instructor & Owner of Sirena Dance Studios - Albuquerque, NM; Suhailia Salimpour of Suhailia Salimpur Belly Dane School (California) 2023 - currently a student.

Adair loves to teach Belly Dance. She has always been intrigued with Middle Eastern music and dance. She danced to her mother's Belly Dancing records when she was very young.

Dance is Adair's heart and soul. It has truly been the best medicine for her throughout her life. She loves to inspire others, help to build self-esteem and bring community together for the love of dance.

Larryn Betts will be teaching Violin and Viola lessons at Summers County Performing Arts during their upcoming 8-week session.

Betts is a current Music Education Major at West Virginia University. She has played violin for over 10 years and has experience playing over 6 different instruments. She currently plays with the West Virginia University Symphony Orchestra and has a leadership position with the Orchestra Team. She is currently studying under Professor Johnson with the WVU violin studio. In the past, Betts has played with the Sarasota Youth Orchestra, Florida All-State Orchestra and the Bradenton Symphony Orchestra, and has several years of string music teaching experience. Betts recently moved to Hinton, WV after spending years looking forward to when she would be able to move into this beautiful state.

Betts has competed in the Florida Solo & Ensemble competitions at the District and State levels, earning Excellent and Superior placements. She has been placed in the Manatee Sarasota All-County Orchestra, and Florida All-State Orchestra, competing against her peers for this placement. Betts performed as the concertmaster of her Middle and High School Orchestra experience, where she gained experience leading an orchestra. Last year Betts worked at the SDMC Orchestra Camp, teaching children ages 10-14 strings technique and orchestral music skills.

Currently, Betts is working towards her Music Education degree at WVU, where she plays in the Orchestra, a Violin & Viola Duet, and a Steel Band Ensemble. Betts's goal in life is to share the love and appreciation for music with as many people as possible.

Summers County Performing Arts will offer the following classes during their upcoming summer session: “Tiny Dancers” - pre-ballet & tap for ages 3-5; “Twirls & Taps” - ballet & tap for ages 5-7; Ballet, Jazz & Tap for ages 8-12; Ballet, Jazz & Tap for ages 13-18; Pointe for ages 10-18 (2 years of previous classical ballet training required); Contemporary Dance for grades 6 thru 12; "Actor's Connection Improv & Monologues" for Ages 10-18; Tap Dancing for Adults (beginner & intermediate classes); Ballet Basics for Adults; Move & Groove for Adults (low impact stretching & jazz dance); Line Dancing for Adults; Belly Dancing for Adults; Piano (private lessons); Voice (private lessons); Violin & Viola (private lessons); Hip-Hop for grades 3 thru 6; Hip-Hop for grades 7 thru 12, “Music Makers” (group voice lessons for grades 2 through 6), and the following dance camps:

BARBIE GIRL - Song & Dance Camp for ages 4-8

POP STAR - Song & Dance Camp for ages 4-8

DISNEY PRINCESS - Song & Dance for ages 3-8

HULA GIRLS - Song & Dance Camp for ages 4-8.

Group Dance Classes & private piano & voice lessons will be offered for home school students during afternoon hours throughout the school year.

For more information about classes contact Artistic Director Lisa Ann Colombo @ summerscountyperform ingarts@gmail.com or call/text 304-445-8075. Their website is www. summerscountyperformingarts. com .

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