EXCITING DEVELOPMENTS ARE UNDERWAY IN THE FORT WORTH ACADEMY OF FINE ARTS’ DANCE DEPARTMENT
FORT WORTH, TX (July 19, 2024) – Following a successful year, FWAFA’s dance department has exciting changes ahead with the appointment of Jasmine Jaramillo M.A. as the new dance department chair and the addition of Anthony Wade Jr. M.F.A. as the new secondary dance instructor.
The dance department was founded in 2000, followed by the establishment of its first student company, Academy Dance Company, in 2001. Over the years, the program expanded to cater to 400 students annually, providing training in a range of dance genres, particularly emphasizing Western Concert Dance styles such as Ballet, Modern/Contemporary Dance, and Jazz. Jasmine Jaramillo, alongside former chair Krista Langford and elementary dance teacher, Lori Vasquez, collaborated to enhance the team and expand the program to its current state. Langford has taught at FWAFA for nine years and was chair for five years. In the spring of 2024, was promoted to a role with Texas Center for Arts + Academics as the Director of Admissions and Community Outreach. Thanks to the teamwork and synergy between Jaramillo and Langford, the transition is expected to be smooth and swift.
“As the new chair of the dance department, I’m excited to honor the dance faculty that came before me and I’m excited to continue providing a safe and nurturing environment for our young dancers.”
Jasmine Jaramillo has taught for 17 years and has been an instructor at FWAFA for five years. Originally from Denton, TX, she trained at Denton Dance Conservatory. Jaramillo earned a Bachelor of Science degree in History with a dance minor and a Master of Arts degree in Dance History from Texas Woman’s University. She is proficient in ballet, pointe, modern, and jazz, having collaborated with artists like Thom Clower and Lesley Snelson. Jaramillo co-directs the CholoRock Dance Collective in Denton, which showcases Hispanic and Tejano(a) heritage through contemporary movement. In 2021, she established the Jaramillo Dance Group, focusing on performance art from a feminine perspective. Jaramillo has showcased her choreography at various events including the 254 Dance Festival, Denton Dance Festival, Youngtanzomer Tour in Austria, and many others.
Lori Vazquez has been an essential member of the dance department at FWAFA since the autumn of 2021. She teaches Elementary Dance, directs Junior Company, and co-directed Company II with Jaramillo and Langford. Vazquez, a native of Fort Worth, TX, received her training at dance studios in the DFW area and at Arlington Heights High School. With over seven years of experience as a dance educator, she began her career as a teaching artist in the after-school programs of the Chicago Public School system. Vazquez holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Columbia College Chicago, specializing in teaching and choreography, as well as a Master of Arts degree in Teaching from Texas Woman’s University.
The latest addition to the dance department is Anthony Wade Jr., who, like the previous instructors, is commencing his teaching career at FWAFA. Wade, originally from Wilmington, DE, relocated to Fort Worth, TX at the age of 16 and graduated from Arlington Heights High School. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Ballet and Modern Dance from Texas Christian University (TCU) and a Masters in Choreography from the University of Roehampton, London, England. For the past five years, he has devoted his professional life to the art of dance as a member of B. Moore Dance, a Dallas-based company.
“Our dance department is truly exceptional! The FWAFA dance department has captivated audiences with their talent and creativity throughout the years. Through rigorous training and collaborative efforts, students have not only honed their technical skills but also developed a profound appreciation for the art of dance. I am absolutely thrilled about the future of FWAFA dance!”
– Dr. Jennifer Jackson | FWAFA Principal
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ABOUT ACADEMY DANCE ACADEMY
Academy Dance Company (ADC) features student dancers from Fort Worth Academy of Fine Arts (FWAFA). ADC performs regularly in the community and at National and Regional High School Dance Festivals, performing works by guest artists, the FWAFA Dance Faculty, and FWAFA student choreographers. FWAFA Dance alumni have performed with Bruce Wood Dance, South Chicago Dance Theatre, Ballet West, and a variety of community and regional dance, theatre and opera companies. Graduates are currently training in dance and musical theater programs across the nation including Marymount Manhattan, Point Park University, University of Oklahoma, Texas Christian University, Oklahoma City University, and Norwalk Conservatory.
ABOUT TEXAS CENTER FOR ARTS + ACADEMICS
Texas Center for Arts + Academics (TCA+A) is a 501c3 nonprofit with a mission to inspire and empower students with a lifelong passion for learning, academic achievement, and artistic excellence. TCA+A manages two public charter schools, Fort Worth Academy of Fine Arts and Texas School of the Arts, three premier choirs, and four after-school conservatory programs that provide a vast array of professional training in Dance, Music, Theatre and Visual Art. TCA+A is located in the creative hub of Fort Worth with more than 1,000 youth enrolled in its schools, conservatories, and summer programs annually.
MORE INFO:
Keep track of the FWAFA Dance Department and all the amazing things happening at Texas Center for Arts + Academics’ schools – Fort Worth Academy of Fine Arts and Texas School of Arts – by following us on social media Facebook: @texascenterforartsacademics @fortworthacademyoffinearts @TexasSchoolOfTheArts
MEDIA INQUIRIES:
Flor D. Cabrera | Director of Marketing and Communications | Texas Center for Arts + Academics flor.cabrera@artsacademics.org | 817.766.2390 (ext 113)