About our Studio
Germaine Smoak
Bledsoe, director, trained with her ballet masters in Berlin as well as
the United States and began dancing professionally at the age of 16 in
Berlin with the Opera Ballet. Along with a busy performing schedule,
Germaine began teaching in 1972.
Lori Smoak, co-director, began her training with the Munich Opera
Ballet (Munich, Germany) at the age of six. She danced professionally
throughout Europe and opened her first studio in 1963 in Berlin,
Germany. During her professional career she co-founded the Fort Worth
Ballet Association, Fort Walton Ballet Association, Fort Walton Beach
Ballet Association (now Northwest Florida Ballet) and most recently the
Civic Ballet of Volusia County.
In 1976, while vacationing in Florida, Lori and Germaine fell in
love with our beautiful area. Recognizing a need for a school with a
strong classical background in the growing Halifax community, they
re-located the European School of Ballet to Ormond Beach in 1977. Within
the next two years, they opened the second location in Daytona Beach as
well as creating the non-profit organization Daytona Beach Civic Ballet,
now known as the Civic Ballet of Volusia County. With costumes brought
over from the Berlin Opera, a group of eager dancers and parent
volunteers, Lori and Germaine launched the first of many ambitious
projects "Sleeping Beauty" sponsored by the Museum of Arts and Sciences.
During the following years they brought many of the great classics to
the stage including Coppelia, Swan Lake, Nutcracker, Giselle, Alice in
Wonderland, Hansel & Gretel, Snow White, Cinderella, Firebird, and the
Little Mermaid as well as many original and abstract works.
The European School of Performing Arts has trained dancers that
have gone on to professional dancing and teaching careers with the North
Carolina School of the Arts, Virginia School of the Arts, Berlin Opera
Ballet, Boston Ballet, Southern Ballet Theatre, Miami City Ballet and
the Houston Ballet to name a few.
In July 1999, the school relocated to its present spacious facility
at 360 Tomoka Ave., Ormond Beach
Whether or not a student goes on to pursue a professional dance
career,
the European School of Performing Arts
is proud to share with
every child,
the love and appreciation of the performing arts.