The University of Louisville Dance Academy (ULDA) closed its doors for the last time on June 30, 2019. The ULDA, founded in 1972, was originally directed by Marie-Cecile Heller and subsequently by Cher Carnell. In 1991 Cynthia Bronner and Chuck Bronson became co-directors. 1996 brought the formation of the University of Louisville Dance Theatre (ULDT), a pre-professional ballet company, created to provide additional educational experiences and performing opportunities for ULDA students.
It has been our honor to be affiliated with the ULDA and our students. That has been a privilege that has enriched our lives for these many years.
We hope that our students have learned as much from us as we have from them. Teaching is a sacred trust that we have taken seriously and endeavored to treat with respect. Our students shall be dearly missed but we have faith in them and know that they will move forward into rewarding and fulfilling lives.
As we close our doors we are bombarded with memories and thoughts of what the schools legacy will be. It is ironic that recently a former student, Wendy Whelan, was named the assistant artistic director of the New York City Ballet. Equally ironic is that in 2016 Clinton Luckett, another former student, was named assistant artistic director of American Ballet Theatre. Suzanne Wilham was the associate director of the Jubilee in Las Vegas. Forrest Hersey performed in the Cunningham Centennial Celebrations (Merce Cunningham). Former students have danced with American Ballet Theatre, the American Repertory Theatre, Complexions, the Dallas/Fort Worth Ballet, the Eugene Ballet/Ballet Idaho, Dance Kaleidoscope, Les Ballets Jazz de Montreal, the Louisville Ballet, Miami City Ballet, the Nashville Ballet, the New Jersey Ballet, the New York City Ballet and the San Diego Ballet. Students from the ULDA have been invited to study during summer programs at the Alvin Ailey School, the School for the Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, the Dance Theatre of Harlem School, the Harid Conservatory, the Houston Ballet Academy, the Joffrey Ballet School, the National Ballet of Canada School, the Orlando Ballet School, the Pacific Northwest Ballet School, the Pennsylvania Ballet School, the Rock School, the Royal Academy of Dance (the school for the Royal Ballet in London), the Royal Winnipeg School, the School of American Ballet (the school for the New York City Ballet), the San Francisco Ballet School and Walnut Hill. There are also numerous students who have gone on to major in dance at such universities as Radford University, SUNY (State Universities of New York) at Purchase, The University of Oklahoma and Jacksonville University. Beth McNeill earned a post graduate degree in dance at the Tish School at New York University. Other students have gone on to own studios and/or teach and choreograph.
However, as important as the accomplishments in the field of ballet are to the legacy of the school, equally important are the accomplishments of our many students that went into a vast variety of other pursuits. We have former students that are attorneys, hairstylists, massage therapists, nurses, occupational therapists, pathologists, physical therapists, physicians, parents, teachers… They take with them discipline, self-motivation, self-reliance, a well-developed work ethic and the knowledge that the world is of a scope much larger than their personal wants and needs. They are good citizens of the world working to make it a better place.
We are extraordinarily grateful for the kindness, love and support that we were shown as we shut down the ULDA. Your actions on are behalf buoyed us up during a very difficult situation. Thank you to everyone that attended the performances in May. It was inspiring and uplifting to be embraced and surrounded by all of you. We are also grateful for the many lovely notes we received. They continue to bring us comfort.
In closing, we are grateful to every parent who shared the development of their child with us. We are grateful to every student who shared their life and dreams with us. We are grateful to the SODA (Supporters of the Dance Academy) Board in all of its incarnations for your unwavering support. You all take with you our love, respect and profound gratitude. You are all members of our ULDA family and we hope that you will always remain in touch. You will forever remain in our thoughts.
Chuck and Cyndi
August/2019 Up-Date - We have found new teaching positions and are in the process of making the necessary adjustments to being affiliated with different programs and the impact it has on our lives. Nothing will ever be like the ULDA but neither one of us is ready to hang up our teaching shoes. We are grateful to still be teaching.
Contact Information
Cynthia Bronner – cabron01@louisville.edu
Chuck Bronson – cebron01@louisville.edu
Judy Hake – judith.hake@louisville.edu
It has been our honor to be affiliated with the ULDA and our students. That has been a privilege that has enriched our lives for these many years.
We hope that our students have learned as much from us as we have from them. Teaching is a sacred trust that we have taken seriously and endeavored to treat with respect. Our students shall be dearly missed but we have faith in them and know that they will move forward into rewarding and fulfilling lives.
As we close our doors we are bombarded with memories and thoughts of what the schools legacy will be. It is ironic that recently a former student, Wendy Whelan, was named the assistant artistic director of the New York City Ballet. Equally ironic is that in 2016 Clinton Luckett, another former student, was named assistant artistic director of American Ballet Theatre. Suzanne Wilham was the associate director of the Jubilee in Las Vegas. Forrest Hersey performed in the Cunningham Centennial Celebrations (Merce Cunningham). Former students have danced with American Ballet Theatre, the American Repertory Theatre, Complexions, the Dallas/Fort Worth Ballet, the Eugene Ballet/Ballet Idaho, Dance Kaleidoscope, Les Ballets Jazz de Montreal, the Louisville Ballet, Miami City Ballet, the Nashville Ballet, the New Jersey Ballet, the New York City Ballet and the San Diego Ballet. Students from the ULDA have been invited to study during summer programs at the Alvin Ailey School, the School for the Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, the Dance Theatre of Harlem School, the Harid Conservatory, the Houston Ballet Academy, the Joffrey Ballet School, the National Ballet of Canada School, the Orlando Ballet School, the Pacific Northwest Ballet School, the Pennsylvania Ballet School, the Rock School, the Royal Academy of Dance (the school for the Royal Ballet in London), the Royal Winnipeg School, the School of American Ballet (the school for the New York City Ballet), the San Francisco Ballet School and Walnut Hill. There are also numerous students who have gone on to major in dance at such universities as Radford University, SUNY (State Universities of New York) at Purchase, The University of Oklahoma and Jacksonville University. Beth McNeill earned a post graduate degree in dance at the Tish School at New York University. Other students have gone on to own studios and/or teach and choreograph.
However, as important as the accomplishments in the field of ballet are to the legacy of the school, equally important are the accomplishments of our many students that went into a vast variety of other pursuits. We have former students that are attorneys, hairstylists, massage therapists, nurses, occupational therapists, pathologists, physical therapists, physicians, parents, teachers… They take with them discipline, self-motivation, self-reliance, a well-developed work ethic and the knowledge that the world is of a scope much larger than their personal wants and needs. They are good citizens of the world working to make it a better place.
We are extraordinarily grateful for the kindness, love and support that we were shown as we shut down the ULDA. Your actions on are behalf buoyed us up during a very difficult situation. Thank you to everyone that attended the performances in May. It was inspiring and uplifting to be embraced and surrounded by all of you. We are also grateful for the many lovely notes we received. They continue to bring us comfort.
In closing, we are grateful to every parent who shared the development of their child with us. We are grateful to every student who shared their life and dreams with us. We are grateful to the SODA (Supporters of the Dance Academy) Board in all of its incarnations for your unwavering support. You all take with you our love, respect and profound gratitude. You are all members of our ULDA family and we hope that you will always remain in touch. You will forever remain in our thoughts.
Chuck and Cyndi
August/2019 Up-Date - We have found new teaching positions and are in the process of making the necessary adjustments to being affiliated with different programs and the impact it has on our lives. Nothing will ever be like the ULDA but neither one of us is ready to hang up our teaching shoes. We are grateful to still be teaching.
Contact Information
Cynthia Bronner – cabron01@louisville.edu
Chuck Bronson – cebron01@louisville.edu
Judy Hake – judith.hake@louisville.edu
