What Is The
"Conservatory On"
Model?
Company 360's Conservatory On Forbes is the exciting, imaginative and prescient initial foray into their grander "Conservatory On" dream; a dream that will become the arts based referendum on the traditional academic and conservatory schemas, and a replicable model for creating equitable and geographical access to top-tier arts and academic instruction.
The idea has grown out of the recognition that the elite dance training programs around the country, the full day programs that are priced out, or located out, of the average American family's ability to attend, succeed on the notion that their training is unattainable. We plan to turn that notion on its head. To spur on this "Conservatory On" initiative, we will first create a model on Forbes Street in Fredericksburg, VA. This model will be built into an incredible secondary school performing arts experience built to be sustainable within comparable tertiary and secondary markets with disproportionately high arts interest and low full conservatory arts education opportunities.
While our One Room School House Conservatory (or Neighborhood Conservatory) is a mission driven incubator venture in the Mid-Atlantic, the "Conservatory On" initiative is aimed at becoming a multi-decade vision to infuse physical, mental, soulful, geographic, and economic equity into the elite conservatory dance world. We aim to reenvision whole-trainee-education from the ground up; then seed and cultivate comparable Neighborhood Conservatories the country, continent, and world-wide.
Conservatory On:
The 5-Year Incubator
Year 1
Move Company 360 into their new space on Forbes Street. They will build out The Conservatory on Forbes' year-long curriculum, community integration, advertising plans, and physical space through focused work sessions and focus groups led by our Founding Conservators (outlined below) and populated by Company 360 Trainees and local dance students.
Year 2
Welcome the first group of Full Conservator Instructors and Trainees to The Conservatory On Cambridge. Continue to build curriculum, All-Access programming, and programmatic quality.
Year 3-4
Arts and Academics Conservators continue to hone and refine their pedagogy. Trainees at Forbes Street continue to pursue their on-stage and tech skills. Leadership team, including Founding Conservators, will develop the charter of replication and pursue accreditation as the foundation for future "Conservatory On" expansion. Additionally, Leadership Team will engage with the community to locate and determine feasibility for a built-to-suit expansion, with plans to keep the original Forbes Street location as the home of Company 360 and all Conservatory On initiatives.
Year 5
Year 5 will be the target year for building and moving into a new built-to-suit location in the Fredericksburg area. In tandem with this move will be a projected doubling of the student body to no more than 80 students. Additionally, the Leadership Team will identify and pursue secondary and tertiary markets for additional "Conservatory On" locations.
Years 5+
Beyond the first 5, we project expansion into additional markets to create a growing and sustainable "Conservatory On" network of training programs. This stage will include travel and training of additional Conservatory Leaders and Conservators, much at our original Conservatory on Forbes location. We will develop and build out new Conservatory spaces and bring our equitable fusion of arts and academics to more trainees. These years will foment our original vision and truly begin to spread Company 360's mission of equity in dance and the arts.
Who We Are
We are the artists and educators that make up 501 (c)(3) professional dance and performing arts company, Company 360 Incorporated; and we are the natural extension of Company 360's mission toward access to high quality art and art education. We are those who believe in a more equitable, body-positive, inclusive and professional arts culture. We are those who have worked tirelessly from within the system and continue to meet road blocks and distractions that lead to minimal gains. We are now resolute to question a status quo that often hurts and homogenizes. We are the new foundation upon which young artists can hone technique, achieve their academic potential through liberal arts studies, find their advocate and artistic voice, and then create inspiring, next-generation one-world art.
We are the Conservatory On ...
And we vow to create an innovative dance and performing arts opportunity that reimagines the One-Room School-House, redeems the standard conservatory model, and reenvisions whole-trainee-education for future generations of passionate, pre-professional performing artists.
We Believe In
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Cultivating a body neutral approach to the physical arts
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Breaking the binary in education, on stage, and beyond
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Creating community givers and advanced story tellers rooted in acts of service
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Fostering the complete artist, equally at home in the spotlight and in the wings
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Instilling knowledge and respect for the historic roots of the arts
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Establishing equity in the arts through financial sponsorship and all-access opportunity
The Conservatory
Experience
Where Art And Academics Collide
We have watched as the arts, unarguably the foundation of society, continue to be relegated to a second tier position. Budgets become stripped as we grind our students, regardless of their passions, onward toward benchmarks instead of passionate engagement and true personal growth.
We believe in educating and growing the whole student, as well as the whole performer. For this reason we will blend the worlds of arts and core academics, spiraling together lessons in music and math, art and history, storytelling and language, design and science. From projects to socratics, to critical thought and reasoning, we will build a dynamic trainee core capable of tackling the full spectrum of post-graduate challenges and professional dreams.
With a multi-talented core of teaching professionals, and an eventual goal of 4:1 student to faculty ratio, the ability for personalized education will be at the forefront of all we pursue. Our professional educators, drawing from multi-talented backgrounds, will work collaboratively to create engaging and imaginative presentations that motivate and excite our trainees, both in-person and through our All-Access digital initiative. These incredible educators will combine arts technique seamlessly with academic learning, linking forevermore the kinesthetic with the scientific, the passionate with the prosodic.
Though the schedule will continue to evolve, the non-negotiable will be offering students aged 13-18 years of age at least 6 hours per day of academic infused performing arts training. The conservatory will run 5 days a week, following the regional school calendars in order to allow families to different paths for different students. Friday's will be dedicated to Acts of Service, as outlined below, in order to create philanthropic and empathetic artists of the future.
A Workshopped List Of
Proposed Classes
The Origins and Future of Dance
The Physics of Light and Sound
Directing For Stage & Screen
Choreography
The Rules of The Humanities
Carpentry & Stagecraft
Lighting Design
Audio Recording: Advent To Now
ASL & Other Physical Languages
Media Arts For Performers
Surgical Dramaturgy
The Performative, Anatomical Voice
The Rise of Film and Television
French For Dance, Revolution, & Peace
The Music Of The Enlightenment
Business Of The Arts
Easel Arts & The Human Form
Representing Our Physical World
The Formulas That Bind Us
Civic Engagement
Acts Of Service
Also Known As
Conservatory
Of The
Community
At the heart of Company 360, the Professional Dance Theater Company and parent organization, is a missive to make an impact far beyond studio walls and stage curtains. At The Conservatory on Cambridge, we take this mission to heart as we build a dance and performing arts culture that finds itself exclusive in its inclusivity. We then go the extra step to build acts of service into our curriculum, dedicating at least half of every in-session Friday to engaging beyond the Conservatory walls. Whether volunteering at local elementary schools, performing for residence homes, creating and delivering care packages for those in need, cleaning up local recreation areas, engaging as cast-members of our weekly All-Access classes, or providing in person arts access to shelter women and their children, we make a promise to all our prospective and current trainees to make giving a priority. Then, as a silver lining, we create empathetic performers motivated by the human spirit and able to draw from a broader view of our collective human experience.
Conservatory All-Access
When we began to craft a one-room-school-house-conservatory, we knew that the capacity of the building would never be able to contain the capacity of the 360 mission: providing arts, access, and advocacy to all. Although we know the vision can be realized in diligent and due time, we wanted to provide something more along the way to share our equity-driven arts instruction.
From this realization arose the All Access Program, a once a week, no tuition, full frills ticket to training and learning from our Conservators and guest artists, right alongside our incredibly talented and compassionate pre-professional trainees.
Sample Episodic Concept: Year 1: Week 3
Overcoming Stigmatization In The Arts
1:3 - Mental Health In The Arts
Explored through the lens of harmful dance stereotypes, we welcome you to join us for a socratic discussion and healing contemporary class dedicated to exploring body image, build-up-training, and the mental health pitfalls at the heart of societies relegation of the arts. One part discussion, two parts dance training, and all parts healing.
A Sample
"Season So Far"
The Female Voice In Arts & Culture
Equity In The Arts
Year 1 - Week 2
Dive into a new weekly combination from Bailey Anne Vincent and jump into a class that explores the history of the female voice in the arts. From pen names to penitentiaries, take a journey with us one gracefully tragic, yet hopeful, ballet step at a time.
Know The Culture, Know Your Worth
Culture Of The Arts
Year 1 - Week 1
Why do performers believe that the worse they're treated, the better they will become? Why do directors and leaders in the arts abuse their positions? How can we break the cycle and curate spaces that are rigorously challenging but also safe for a performer's body, mind, and spirit? Join our conservators and students as they delve into the tragedy of poor arts leadership psychologically, emotionally, and kinetically.
Our Founding
Conservators
While a school may have faculty, an arts academy will traditionally have instructors and visiting artists, we view our educators a little differently. We believe they should be able to shape students and build them up without ever needing to tear them down. We believe strongly in the pliability of the young artist to learn and grow, especially when correctly and respectfully motivated, and so those who lead our trainees must be something more. For that reason, those that would typically be considered teachers in a school are our conservators of the arts; curating and challenging and developing our trainees through experience, empathy, and excellence. Although open to the best educators possible, our goal is to additionally have every conservator also be an active or past performer, providing the example that a performer can be much more than what takes the stage. In addition to the goals of our educators, we are also thrilled to be a majority women initiative, continuing the groundwork laid by so many others before us to establish gender equity in the arts and beyond.
Additionally, we work with local and international performers to bring in specific styles, instruments, and traditions that our trainees and conservators are interested in. Through these partnerships we aim to meet most passions either within the school day or directly after, with sound-dampened rehearsal and classrooms outfitted in our lower level. Guest conservators will be on a per diem basis as required for our current student base.
Our Founding Conservators
John LaBarbera
Founding Executive Director/ Conservator of The Humanities
Bailey Anne Vincent
Founding Artistic Director/
Conservator of Dance & Choreography
Erin Willis
Conservator of Music & Dance
Bethany Alley
Conservator of Math, Physical Sciences, & Dance
Samantha Barrett
Conservator of Civic Engagement & Dance
Conservators To Be Added
Kori Joseph
Conservator of Ballet
To Be Announced
Conservator of Media Arts & All Access
To Be Announced
Conservators of Theater Arts
To Be Announced
Conservators of Languages
To Be Announced
Conservators of Physical & Mental Health
To Be Announced
Conservators of Instruments
Proposed
Admissions Process
& Fees
Step 1
Apply
A cornerstone to The Conservatory ethos is equity and access. While that is a driving force, in order to cultivate an exceptional conservatory atmosphere there is a certain level of earnestness and fundamental skill required to enroll. For this reason the very first step in the Admissions process is to submit an application.
Step 2
Interview
After you have applied, our faculty will review your submission. If the criteria is met, as outlined below, then a representative of The Conservatory will reach out to you directly to schedule a tour. Following the tour you will meet with the Directors and at least one other faculty member.
Step 3
Audition
Following your interview, you will receive a determination from The Artistic Director. If we believe you will be a good fit, we will invite you to one of our 4 auditions held in the main studio each year.
Step 4
Decide
Following your audition, you will receive your determination letter, a proposed entry level of instruction, and an outline of any financial obligation. After you receive our decision, all that's left for you to do is make yours in return.
Step 5
Commit
To secure a spot, say yes to our offer and submit your Commitment Fee & Deposit. Then mark your calendar and start the countdown to joining an incredible performing arts community growing, challenging, and achieving!
Trainee Tuition And Fees
Tuition will be our primary target for endowment, donation, or other charitable giving once established. We hope to see this number hit $0.00 in order to provide true Arts Access-For-All, equalizing and even nullifying the traditional conservatory playing field.
Additional Conservatory- Supporting Revenue Streams
Additional in-studio showings, stage performances, non-tuition earmarked fundraising events, rental fees, Evening and Weekend Training Fees, and more will become a part of the overall revenue strategy for the initial Conservatory On model at Cambridge Street. These additional revenue streams, following regional trends, are projected to bring in an extra $100,000 per year.
Projected Operating Revenue
Tuition, Fees, and Supporting Revenue
Projection at 32 Students By Year 2:
$632,000
*Fee Based Break Even Point Is Projected Between 30-32 Students with capacity for up to 40
Our Projected Average Costs
What this all leads to is a school with significant budgetary requirements. However, it also presents immeasurable potential to change the way that school is done, the way that educators feel about their calling, and of course the way that students develop in the short amount of time they are allotted to do so. Although a variety of permutational and contingent budgets have been prepared, a brief summary of the first Conservatory On financials is found below.
While the budget below represents an average year across the first 10, the first year, as seen in the timeline below, is planned to be an introduction of our Professional Group, Company 360 Dance Theater, into the space followed by intense curricular planning and a measured release of arts and academic instruction to a beta group of home and alternative school students. Year 1 costs will be lower than following years as we create a most excellent program through diligence and expert consultation.
Year 1 solvency will be supported by negotiated lease rates across Years 1 and 2 as well as the Founding Executive and Artistic Directors' Conservatory Salary being limited to a rate of only 10% of income. Additional Conservatory personnel costs will be limited to contracting the Founding Conservators and Advisees for curriculum development and beta-classes. Operating costs will be limited to lease and building fees, marketing, and fundraising initiatives. In total, the Year 1 operating budget is projected closer to $150,000. See below for Conservatory On sustainability projections.
Projected Operating Costs
Projected Annual Operating Costs
$605,848
Year 1:
The Conservatory On Cambridge
Late August 2022 - Begin part-time, 3 hours per day, offerings of dance and performing arts training. Also, begin to market the beautiful space for rent to establish visibility and revenue.
Late September 2022 - Begin to spread the word about the new one-room-school-house Performing Arts Conservatory arriving for 2023-24 school year.
Early January 2023 - Enroll, by invitation only, a limited number of students for partial week full-day conservatory.
March 2023 - The first auditions to be held at The Conservatory on Cambridge.
May 2023 - Host multiple open community events with performances by Company 360, after-school arts organization partner showcases, facility tours, and sample classes run by founding conservators.
Late June 2023 - First week long Company 360 and Conservatory summer intensive.
August 2022 - Receive keys to new space and prepare main studio for use.
-Open doors to The Community Conservatory Workshop Series.
-Invite local arts organizations to tour and rent the space.
-First Portraits @ The Conservatory!
September 2022 - Continue to host training sessions. Begin hosting founding conservator planning sessions to build cross-category curricula.
January 2023 - Company 360 and The Conservatory's Inaugural Winter Gala.
Mid January 2023 - Build out additional conservatory spaces to including side classrooms, an audio engineering studio, and a video production studio. Begin open tours and interviews for 2023-2024 school year.
Late March 2023 - Enrollment invitations sent out for trainees selected by Artistic and Conservator team.
Early June 2023 - Second group audition held at Conservatory on Cambridge. Invitations to enroll sent to prospective artists.
July 2023 - Second week long Company 360 and Conservatory summer intensive hosted.
August 2023
The Conservatory On Cambridge welcomes its first full class of trainees!
In Summary
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Exciting New Full Day Conservatory Based In Historic 1891 Church
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Pre Professional & Professional Level Arts And Academics Together
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One-Room-School-House Sensibilities, Full Conservatory Training
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Acts-Of-Service - All Trainees work in the community Once A Week
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Staffed By Professional Artist-Educators of Company 360 & Beyond
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Pro Video Production of at least 1 Class Per Week to bring Top-Level intellectual and physical training to all
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A Goal Of Full Tuition Coverage To Achieve Arts-Access-For-All
With our small but mighty and experienced faculty, an interdisciplinary approach, built in acts of service, an All-Access digital arm created to bring our instructors to everyone, a goal of providing full-tuition coverage through endowments and charitable giving, and a missive to educate body-neutral arts leaders to think outside of themselves, The Conservatory is aims to rewrite the rules of arts and conservatory education, and invites you to come write along with us!
We are ready to provide the most robust referendum to public education that we possibly can. With belief, experience, and know-how there is no end to what we can achieve. Let's create the blueprint for other micro-school arts initiatives.
Whether funding a student's tuition, providing service to achieve the equity we strive for, supporting equipment or attire, partnering to expand our offerings, or becoming a major sponsor of the way school should function, we want to hear from you. Reach out below to start a conversation and learn more!
In Summary
-
Exciting New Full Day Conservatory Based In Historic 1891 Church
-
Pre Professional & Professional Level Arts And Academics Together
-
One-Room-School-House Sensibilities, Full Conservatory Training
-
Acts-Of-Service - All Trainees work in the community Once A Week
-
Staffed By Professional Artist-Educators of Company 360 & Beyond
-
Pro Video Production of at least 1 Class Per Week to bring Top-Level intellectual and physical training to all
-
A Goal Of Full Tuition Coverage To Achieve Arts-Access-For-All
With our small but mighty and experienced faculty, an interdisciplinary approach, built in acts of service, an All-Access digital arm created to bring our instructors to everyone, a goal of providing full-tuition coverage through endowments and charitable giving, and a missive to educate body-neutral arts leaders to think outside of themselves, The Conservatory is aims to rewrite the rules of arts and conservatory education, and invites you to come write along with us!
We are ready to provide the most robust referendum to public education that we possibly can. With belief, experience, and know-how there is no end to what we can achieve. Let's create the blueprint for other micro-school arts initiatives.
Whether funding a student's tuition, providing service to achieve the equity we strive for, supporting equipment or attire, partnering to expand our offerings, or becoming a major sponsor of the way school should function, we want to hear from you. Reach out below to start a conversation and learn more!
What we need right now, however, is to be able to sustain a first year of offering arts education, developing new body positive, socially conscious, story book dance shows for Company 360, and building the robust day-conservatory curriculum for 2023-24. Ready to help right now? Scroll on down to the unique photo-support option or show your support by signing up for early access to the first Community Conservatory Workshops in the brand new studio space starting in July of 2022!
Reach Out To Chat Arts, Explore Our Vision, and
Foster Trainee Dreams With Us
434-282-7795 (JL)
Concept and Imagery copyright Company 360 Incorporated, a 501 (c)(3) Arts Organization