April 30, 2022 — It’s time to let your dreams take Flight, once again! 

CROW (Children’s Repertory of Oregon Workshops) will hold open auditions for the 2022-23 Flight Dance Team this week. Flight has earned praise from the community, and has performed for many local businesses, organizations and events, as well as each year in the Holly Jolly Follies and CROW’s Spring Dance Showcase. 

"Being selected for the Flight Dance Team is a huge privilege,” said CROW Artistic Director and Flight Director Melanie Heard. “This is a rebuilding year, and I am excited to meet some talented new dancers as well as welcome back my incredible previous students.” 

Heard plans to push dancers to explore new styles, and to improve upon dance technique, precision, and emotional expression onstage. 

Flight is provided with original choreography by Heard, in a variety of genres such as contemporary, jazz, tap, ballet, and musical theatre. Heard’s extensive dance background includes professional choreography awards, touring as a National dance competition adjudicator, and study with the Joffrey Ballet Trainee Program and on full scholarship with the Kirov’s Universal Ballet Academy in her youth. 

For Heard, Dance has always been “her first love.” 

The 2022-23 Flight Dance Team audition will take place on Wednesday, May 4, at 5 p.m. at the CROW Center for the Performing Arts, 3120 Highway 101 in Florence. 

Dancers should wear non-baggy dance attire and ballet or jazz shoes for the audition. A dance combination will be taught. 

Dancers must be 11+ years old, and should have had some previous dance experience, but all are encouraged to come and give it a try. 

Flight team requirements, including cost, participation expectations, and more, can be found at www.crowkids.com. Flight is an annual program with a yearly tuition cost of $400, which breaks down to less than $5 per hour of instruction. 

Half and Full scholarships are available for those with financial need. 

Questions can be emailed to Melanie Heard at [email protected].