Arts Academy Schedules Auditions for Teen-Agers

Auditions are scheduled this month for an array of free classes to be offered to budding teen-age artists and entertainers.

The classes, which will start Oct. 11 for the fall semester and Jan. 31 for the spring, will be offered by the Academy of Performing and Visual Arts at five locations, including Redondo Union High School in Redondo Beach.

Sessions in the part-time program will be held on Saturday mornings.

The academy was organized in 1984 by UCLA Extension and a consortium of 41 county school districts to help restore arts education programs that were eliminated in public schools after enactment of the Proposition 13 property tax limitation initiative in 1978.

Arts Professionals Teach

The program, which is open to ninth- through 12th-grade students who live and attend school in the county, provides instruction and guidance by arts professionals, said academy consultant Sharon Levin. She said both public and private school students may attend, but most of the participants have come from public schools.

There will be about 200 openings at each of the five schools. The other schools are Beverly Hills High School, Glendale High School, Excelsior High School in Norwalk and Foshay Junior High School in Los Angeles.

Auditions will be held in the school auditoriums at all five locations starting at 8:30 a.m. Sept. 27.

Students will be asked to perform for dance, voice and drama classes, and a portfolio of recent art work will be required for visual arts participants. Enrollment information is available by calling the academy at (213) 825-5242.

Performing Arts Classes

Classes to be offered at Redondo Union High School include jazz improvisation and rock ensemble, musical comedy chorale, singing, ballet for the theater, modern dance styles, tap dancing, acting, printmaking and artistic careers.

Some of the classes will meet one evening a week as well as Saturday mornings.

The academy’s classes and locations may change each year as the curriculum is modified to meet the needs of students, officials said.

Funding for the program comes from the state, unified school districts, private donations and grants, Levin said.

In its first year, the academy received $498,000 in state funds, but last year the funding was reduced to $329,000, Levin said. She said the academy has applied for third-year funding, and is beginning this year’s program by drawing on reserve funds.