About Us – Tooele Valley Academy of Dance

I'intégrité dans la vie et la vérité dans le mouvement

Integrity in Life and Truth in Movement

Our mission

Tooele Valley Academy of Dance enables students to achieve excellence in the art of ballet by providing a solid foundation in technique, poise, strength, rhythm, and expression. Moreover, the Academy’s high standards of instruction and curriculum inspire students to develop personal and social integrity, confidence, and distinction. Presenting high caliber performance opportunities to its student body and the community at large, TVAD further enriches Tooele Valley’s cultural identity by cultivating local artistic resources in producing elegant works of art.

With a distinguished faculty, internationally accredited curriculum, and laudable facilities, Tooele Valley Academy of Dance provides pre-professional ballet instruction and performance opportunities to its student body. The Academy values dancers of all healthy physiques and abilities to achieve the vision: for every dancer an instructor, an ambition, a community, and a stage

Recognizing that the cost involved with quality instruction is often a significant barrier for many dancers, the Academy, a nonprofit organization, affords professional dance education to students of all financial backgrounds by relying primarily on public support.

Our story

Sarah Westhora & Andrew Pankratz are the original founders of our organization. In August of 2007, Sarah moved to Tooele County and formed the “Stansbury Park School of Ballet” close to her home. She directed Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker & Sleeping Beauty for the 2008-09 season and soon met Mr. Pankratz. The two formed the non-profit arts organization originally entitled “Pankratz Academy of Dance” and continued to produce full length ballets. In order to better reflect the organization’s mission of inclusivity of all of Tooele County, the organization’s name changed in 2012 to “Tooele Valley Academy of Dance.” From the beginning, TVAD, as it is often called, has provided opportunity and space for hundreds of youth and adults to joyfully participate in training in the art of ballet. From the first season to now, our tradition of producing classical, creative, and engaging ballet performances continues. Thank you for your part in supporting us.