Pawleys Island Faces and Places - Ilka Doubek, Litchfield Dance Arts Academy

Most little girls at least pass through a phase of wanting to be a ballerina. (For some, like me, it is a passion that never departs.) The beautiful costumes and fairy tale stories float through playtime and dreamland. The truth of the matter is that training to be a professional dancer takes a great deal of hard work, dedication, and YES, blood, sweat, and tears. If you have a little girl (or boy!!!) who would like to become a dancer, you might be surprised to find a world-class dance studio tucked away in Pawleys Island - Litchfield Dance Arts Academy, under the artistic direction of Ilka Doubek.

Litchfield Dance Arts Academy (LDAA) is celebrating 17 years of dance education in Pawleys Island. Classes are offered from ages 2 though adult in ballet, tap, jazz, contemporary, musical theater, hip hop, and tumbling. Although there are classes available for simple recreation, LDAA is definitely a school for dancers who are looking for serious training. Dancers who exhibit a high level of skill and dedication are invited into the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) training program, an internationally acclaimed syllabus for young dancers. Ms. Doubek personally places each student in the appropriate class level; she certainly has the credibility, as her resume is sparkling and impressive.

Ms. Doubek has been a professional ballet and modern dancer since 1973. Prior to founding LDAA, she was a member of the Omaha Ballet, the San Diego Ballet, Frankfurt Ballet (Germany), and the Hamburg Ballet (Germany). She has also been a guest solo dancer and choreographer in many of Europe's performing arts festivals and major opera houses. Her husband, Tom Fox, is a successful international opera singer (Baritone), who has performed in every major opera house in the world. Their daughter, Lida Fox, is a rising star in the modeling world, already jet-setting from New York to Paris and Milan to walk the runway. She and her family have built an amazing facility in the heart of Pawleys Island, rivaling any dance studio anywhere I have ever been!

LDAA functions in association with the Litchfeld Ballet Foundation, a 501-C-3 that provides the dancers of LDAA with opportunities to perform throughout the community, such as annual performances with the Pawleys Island Festival of Music and Art . The students participate in local and regional dance competitions and hold regular holiday performances and springtime recitals at Wheelwright Auditorium at Coastal Carolina University.

Ilka is fiercely dedicated to providing the highest level of training for her dancers. This standard is reflected in the amazing artists she produces at LDAA. At times, her approach can seem intense to parents who are unfamiliar with the "real world" of dance. Having spent a lifetime training and performing as a professional dancer, I can attest to the difficult daily challenges faced by dancers, amateur as well as professional. It is a rewarding, if complicated and competitive, career path to take. 

So, if you live in Pawleys Island and your child expresses an interest in dance, start at the top of the crop at Litchfield Dance Arts Academy. (If you do not live here full time, check out the LDAA summer programs and hang out at the beach while your child trains...)

Even if he or she does not pursue a professional career, they will leave LDAA with a foundation of discipline, posture, and dedication that will extend to every aspect of their future life.

Contact LDAA directly at:

dancewithilka@aol.com

843-237-7465

 "I do not try to dance better than anyone else.

I only try to dance better than myself."

- Mikhail Baryshnikov

Another reason to move to Pawleys Island...LDAA! Call me today and I will find you your dream home in paradise.

Happy House Hunting!

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