Rhythm…funk…innovation…excitement: that’s the North Carolina Youth Tap Ensemble (NCYTE). One of the best youth tap ensembles in the world, NCYTE features 40 dancers, ages 8 to 18, who hail from throughout North Carolina. Don’t let the word “youth” fool you. These dancers tear up the floor with poise, passion and professionalism. NCYTE honors the traditions of this unique American form while infusing it with youthful energy, contemporary music, and innovative dances from some of the world’s most talented choreographers. Their educational concerts and demos teach percussive dance styles from around the world and throughout history. Founded by JUBA award winning artistic director Gene Medler in 1983, NCYTE entertains audiences with cutting-edge contemporary choreography along with traditional rhythm tap. NCYTE has toured throughout the U.S. and the world, with performances in Austria, Brazil, Canada, China, Finland, Germany and Mexico. The company has toured or collaborated with the Greensboro Symphony, Michelle Dorrance, Squirrel Nut Zippers, Mallarme Chamber Players, and the North Carolina Jazz Repertory Orchestra, among others.

A professional touring theatre company in continuous operation since 1981.
The company provides sets costumes, scripts and music in conjunction with professional consultation in theatre and musical theatre productions.

The Sumter Civic Dance Company provides Dance education through residencies, demonstrations, and performances. All performances are age appropriate and some pieces tell a moral story. Their residencies are grade specific teaching dance corresponding to what the students are learning in school. For instance: 3rd graders are studying SC History. Therefore, they teach The Charleston and the Shag, the SC official state dance.

Act!vated Story Theatre is the national touring theatre division of L'Eau Theque Productions, a non-profit corporation, known nationwide for fun educational family shows. The duo presents entertaining theatrical productions, based on multicultural folk tales and classical literature before a giant over-sized book with all the theatrical trimmings.

With rave reviews in New York City (Cabaret Scenes Magazine) and hailed as "one of the most celebrated teams" in the Lowcountry (Lowcountry Today), Charleston, SC sisters Gracie & Lacy captivate audiences with their "smooth-as-butter harmonies" (Viera Voice), power-house vocals, intricate tap dancing, and drop-dead-gorgeous costumes!They are best known for their preservation of The Great American Songbook and United States history of the 1920s-1960s.Gracie & Lacy's unique backstory inspires students that no matter their age or their resources, they can pursue their passion.At the ages of eight and ten, Gracie & Lacy strung a bed sheet curtain on a garden hose across their garage, and thus, "Broadway On The Driveway" was born.Soon off the driveway, the company grew to include a full orchestra, technical team, and casts of up to 90 performers.The annual productions reached thousands of patrons each year, packing the house at local performing arts centers in St. Louis, MO.Gracie & Lacy expanded Broadway on the Driveway's reach to include performing arts classes in theatre, vocal performance, and dance, serving hundreds of students over the course of 15 years.In addition, their programs have been featured in both public and private schools, universities, libraries, and museums.They host the annual "Great American Songbook Star Search" each year during Piccolo Spoleto Festival to recognize outstanding youth.With infectious humor and wit, Gracie & Lacy relate well to students of all ages and abilities.They emphasize the importance of character and teamwork, and connect students with areas where they can shine, building confidence and leadership skills.They make learning music, public speaking, dance, and history fun, through interactive games, stories, songs, and a trunk full of costumes, props, and more!Gracie & Lacy work with teachers to enhance objectives set forth by the South Carolina Teaching Standards in History / Social Studies, Music, and Theatre, and Dance.They specialize in the history of World War II, Prohibition Era, Charleston, SC History, Songwriting, Choreography, Dance and Music of The Great American Songbook.

Silver Trout concerts are diverse, interactive and full of music and laughter.
Music on 7 instruments, storytelling, puppetry and poetry demonstrate that there are "So Many Ways to Share a Story.
Performances include an original puppet fable, dramatic storytelling, and award-winning original songs. There is even a Spanish-speaking sloth! Concerts are adaptable for multiple grade levels from Pre-K through Middle School.
Workshops and multi-day residencies feature puppetry arts and songwriting.

Susana Abell is a highly respected, veteran performing and teaching artist whose career in puppetry arts has spanned three decades and three continents. Her work as a bi-lingual puppeteer and circus performer both in South America and throughout Europe prepared her for a successful seven year tenure as one of the most sought after teaching artists in New Jersey where her programs and residencies were directly sponsored by Carnegie Hall, The Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, the NJ Department of Education and the New Jersey Council on the Arts. Susana holds a Master of Arts in teaching and also has extensive experience as an arts administrator, serving seven years as Executive Director of an active arts council in rural North Carolina where her Arts-in-Education programming served to build community and support rural schools. She is currently co-director of Silver Trout Arts with her husband and fellow teaching/performing artist Timmy Abell. This highly successful collaboration has resulted in a full touring schedule of performances and arts integrated residencies over the past 12 years.

Scott Ainslie is a traditional acoustic Blues singer, guitarist, historian, storyteller, and songwriter. Ainslie graduated Phi Beta Kappa with honors from Washington & Lee University but his greatest love was studying with elder musicians on both sides of the color line – in the Old-Time Southern Appalachian fiddle and banjo traditions, as well as black Gospel and Blues musicians. Ainslie transcribed the original recordings and published a book on Delta Blues legend Robert Johnson, Robert Johnson/At The Crossroads (Hal Leonard, 1992), and recorded an instructional DVD on Johnson’s guitar work, Robert Johnson’s Guitar Techniques (Hal Leonard, 1997). Ainslie has six solo CDs to his name and maintains an active recording, performing and teaching schedule that carries him around the country, to Canada, and to Europe. His sixth album, The Last Shot Got Him, has been called “a must for fans of old-school Blues”. Ainslie has received numerous awards and grants for his work documenting and presenting traditional music. These include grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Slide Guitar Festivals’ Living Heritage Award among others.

Annex Dance Company is committed to promoting dance in its home location of Charleston, SC, as well as around the globe. Through performance, collaboration, outreach/education, Annex Dance Company continues to evolve with each project. Under the artistic direction of Kristin Alexander, the company strives to be an internationally recognized classical modern dance company with an edge. Annex Dance Company is committed to arts advocacy. The company promotes the arts through collaborative projects with artists of different mediums and provides opportunities for dancers of all levels, students through professionals.

Marina Alexandra has established herself as a dynamic performer with a powerful stage presence. Finger Style Guitar Magazine described her as an “amazing player that commands the guitar with world-class technique and musicianship that is uncommon.” She has received awards in several guitar competitions including the Music Teachers National Association State and Regional Competitions and semifinalist in the 6th annual Edwin H. and Leigh W. Schadt National String Competition for classical guitar. Marina has a concert career spanning the last fifteen years, taking her to Piccolo Spoleto Festival, National Public Radio, Allentown Radio, and hundreds of venues including colleges, guitar festivals and museums throughout USA.She has released three albumsincluding; Timeless Enchantment (Baroque, Classical, Modern, and Latin-American music) , A Moment of Magic (modern music by Russian composer, Nikita Koshkin) and Americas from North to South (flute and guitar music). Her albums received high praises from such prestigious music magazines as Soundboard, Classical Guitar (UK) and American Record Guide.

Gilbert Allen, a longtime resident of upstate South Carolina, is the Bennette E. Geer Professor of Literature Emeritus at Furman University, where he taught from 1977 until 2015. He has discussed literature and read his own work at public schools, colleges, literary festivals, writing workshops, and libraries throughout the Southeast. He has appeared frequently on South Carolina Public Radio, and he is listed prominently in Walter Edgar’s The South Carolina Encyclopedia. He was the 2002-2003 recipient of the South Carolina Literary Arts Fellowship from the South Carolina Arts Commission, and his short stories were chosen for the South Carolina Fiction Project Prize on five occasions. In 2007 his sequence of poems “The Assistant” received the Robert Penn Warren Prize in Poetry from The Southern Review, and in 2013 his short story “Trash” received Special Mention in Pushcart Prize XXXVII. He was inducted into the South Carolina Academy of Authors, the state’s literary hall of fame, in 2014. In that same year, Measure Press published his sixth collection of poetry, Catma. In 2016 his collection of short stories, The Final Days of Great American Shopping, was published by USC Press.

Well known for their trademark whimsical approach to storytelling and exquisite puppet design, Grey Seal Puppets offers a variety of puppet performances sure to tickle your fancy.Their repertoire includes a variety of productions from familiar fairy tales (The Emperor's New Clothes) to original stories (Bathtub Pirates).The company’s thirty-year history includes such honors as three Citations of Excellence from UNIMA-USA (International puppetry organization), the President’s Award from the Puppeteers of America, and the Award for Leadership in Theatre from the NC Theatre Conference.

Calysta Alsborg received a bachelor of arts degree in Arts Management from California State East Bay and has extensive professional stage acting, tech, and directing experience providing her with a well-rounded foundation to teach theatre classes within the South Carolina College-and Career-Ready Standards for Performing Arts Proficiency. Most recently, Calysta taught all elementary through high school level theater classes at Blue Ridge Christian Academy (BRCA) during which she developed a four-year progressive theatre curriculum, based on the Stanislavsky Method, for high school students along with an elementary school adaptation of the program.The classroom lessons provide a solid overall understanding of theatre terms, audience critique, stage direction and production elements while incorporating the use of classical literature, poetry, music, movement, dance and visual art.The exercises foster a specific comprehension of script analysis, script writing, the role of a dramaturg, acting motivation and acting technique. At BRCA Calysta directed main stage high/middle school productions of Euripides Medea and Moliere's one act play, The Flying Doctor adapted by her high school drama class to take place in the 1950’s.Calysta also directed a middle school performance of scenes from Shakespeare’s A Mid-Summer Nights Dream. Her 2nd grade drama class produced Sneaker Cat, based on the book Puss N Boots by Claude Barbin, and her 4th grade class presented Goldilocks and the Three Bears in movement to music from Sergei Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet.The 5th and 6th grade provided a pre-show performance to the high school performance of Medea, in movement of Jason and the Golden Fleece to music from Samuel Barber’s Medea.Calysta’s high school drama students also participated in an ACSI speech competition and earned Superior and Excellent awards for their monologues.When Calysta decided to take a break from her professional career to start a family she began what would become the foundations of her teaching career by volunteering as a teacher’s assistant, substitute teacher, playwright, and director at her children’s elementary school, San Jose Christian School.During this time Calysta began developing the exercises used in her lessons plans. She wrote and directed several elementary productions; The Surprise Birthday Party, Sneaker Cat, The Tree Trees, (based on the book, and The Legend of the Three Trees by Catherine McCafferty.)For middle schoolers, Calysta adapted and directed the readers theatre script, Footprints of a Pilgrim by Ruth Graham Bell into a full-staged production.In college Calysta spent four years working in technical theatre as a master electrician and assistant technical director for the Seretean Center for the Performing Arts. Calysta also interned as an electrician for a year with the Professional Intern Program at the Juilliard School. She began her career in theatre management as the General Manager for StageSource, an arts organization that links directors and producers with actors in Boston, MA.She then moved to San Jose, CA where she worked in development and special events for the Lort B company, San Jose Repertory Theatre and was the General Manager for Gary Palmer Dance Company.

Mahoganee, a South Carolina Native & East Coast based artist blends a Style of Southern Soul, Funk, Jazz, Blues & Hip-Hop (deemed Funky Organik Soul) is a renowned vocalist, recording artist, songwriter and youth educator-mentor with national credits to her name. With over 20 years of experience in her field, she evolves as a consummate personality. Mahoganee is sought to perform at numerous and reputable corporate, private, civic and community events with audiences of dignitaries and 21st century iCons. She has amassed a growing fan base and continually earns respect from her “age-peers” and her “age-seasoned ” audiences. Both groups of supporters appreciate the sultry, earthy, authentic, vocal range spanning more than four octaves, and her commanding acapella stage presence. She has performed for audiences of 20,000 + with music heard in over 24 countries. Her music can be heard on numerous local and national FM/AM radio and internet radio stations.

Lindsey Anderson began her formal dance training at the SC Governor's School for the Arts and Humanities. She earned her BA in Dance Education from the University of SC and taught 4 years of public school dance while dancing professionally with Unbound Dance Company out of Columbia, SC. She has 12 years of private studio teaching experience and currently serves at the Director of Modern Dance at Columbia City Jazz Conservatory. Lindsey loves sharing her passion for dance technique, performance and choreography with public school students in our state. Her energy and genuine love for kids makes her a well sought after dance educator.

Trent Arterberry’s unique brand of physical theatre combines mime, storytelling, puppetry and audience participation. “A proven crowd-pleaser” (The Boston Globe), Arterberry has performed everywhere from New York’s Radio City Music Hall to the QE2 luxury liner. He has given thousands of performances at schools across the US and Canada, and currently offers three different educational programs for elementary, middle and secondary school audiences.
Also an active artist-in-residence, Arterberry has directed performances with upper elementary, middle and high-school students, including plays by Shakespeare, Dickens as well as contemporary and original works.
"Arterberry grabs children from his first entrance with an arsenal of body movements and self-generated sound effects ... In short episodes as a racing-car driver, a pilot, a robot, a digital dude, and a puppet named Mr. Bigg, he fascinates his young audience and involves them in trying some of his moves." —NOW Magazine, Toronto
"Arterberry's genius is two-fold — storytelling that doesn't patronize and the agility to make it vastly entertaining." —Monday Magazine, Victoria

The power of performance arts opportunities can create confidence in groups and individuals that will last a lifetime. Whether it’s competition prep, film acting, or musical synergy development, bringing the fun is what Jeanette delivers. Arvay-Beck has been an SCAC Teaching Artist since 1994, is a former Richland One District Teacher of the Year, and recently retired after 35 years as a K-12 teaching artist.

Kathryn Ballou Ph.D. came to South Carolina from New York City where she was the founding artistic director of the Neighborhood Group Theatre (TNGT). Kathryn studied acting with Sanford Meisner and in another life appeared in a variety of films, commercials and stage productions. In 1984 TNGT was New York City’s only resident theatre company producing new plays and was nominated for an Obie as the best new production company in NYC. Kat likes to say she earned her Ph.D. during those years of struggle and fun on the city’s Theatre Row, but the actual Ph.D. and Masters came much later at Clemson University in 2000.In 1980 at Florida Atlantic University Kat received a BS in the biological bases of behavior and in 1982 graduated from The Neighborhood Playhouse School of Theatre.Kathryn was blessed to be taught and directed by Sir Ian McKellen and the late great Sanford Meisner.While at Clemson University Kathryn joined Chi Sigma Iota, Kappa Delta Pi and Teacher's Who's Who in America.Working with Clemson Dr. Ballou created a program called Drama-for-Life where students use theater as rehearsal for life.Using the performing arts to enrich the experience of life, is a mission that drives much of Kathryn's work.Dr. Kat taught drama at Greenville County’s Fine Arts Center (ARMES) for 26 years.During her tenure teaching Kathryn wrote and/or directed almost a hundred productions, and a few toured the world.'Shakespeare: Just Da Good Stuff' was performed at many Greenville County Schools and received rave reviews at the FRINGE Festival in Edinburgh Scotland and at Clemson’s Shakespeare Festival.'The Tempest: Shakespeare for Kids' was spectacularly performed at the Grand Bahama’s Children’s Home, Carnival’s ship the Fascination and was filmed by PBS, featuring a 7th grade Danielle Brooks (Orange is the New Black).'Shakespeare Boy Genius', a look at Shakespeare’s youth and his lost years, was well received at the International Thespian Festival in Gainesville Florida. 'So, You Think You Can Act' a piece where the audience solves a murder which occurred on stage, was much applauded at the International Thespian Festival in Alabama. 'Our Time: A reaction to 911', was performed Spring 2002 for NYC students who from their school windows had watched the Trade Towers fall. Together New York City’s and South Carolina’s children shared art, broke bread, cried and laughed. 'Voices from the Holocaust' is a film based on testimonies from the children the Holocaust, victimized but not killed. Their painful stories were not told until the children who suffered were old and dying.These survivors’ words were given to young drama students with profound results. Most recently excerpts from 'Shakespeare: More Good Stuff' were performed in a workshop at the Folger Theatre.Retired, but ready to play Dr. Kat lives on a ranch in Pickens with her husband of 42 years.When not at the theatre Kathryn is working on her book entitled, 'Searching for Character, Finding Self', and shopping her newest play, 'When Stars Collide'.

Gregg "Buffalo" Barfield presents highly interactive residencies and concerts featuring old time "Appalachian and Jug Band" instruments like the washboard, spoons, kazoo, jug and washtub bass.

Bright Star has been delighting and educating young audiences with their fun 45-minute two-person shows since 2003. Every year they travel the country with more than 20 tours, each with three shows. Subjects include Anti-Bullying, Holidays, Black History, Literary, STEM and more. In addition to their acclaimed shows, they also offer residencies, camps, workshops and Operation Friendship, their whole school anti-bullying program. They look forward to working with you this year!