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New Fine Arts Academy Opens In Lakeville, Looking to Fill Void Left by School Cuts

Organizers seeking to take some of the sting out of school district budget cuts.

When the Lakeville School Board announced their initial plans to cut music and arts programs in the district due to a $15.8 million budget deficit late last year, Joy Afdahl knew it was time to begin actively pursuing her dream.

That dream became a quick reality when Forte Fine Arts Academy opened for registration earlier this week. The non-profit program is scheduled to begin providing classes for area youths in June to help fill some of the , were officially reduced or eliminated in February beginning with the 2011-2012 school year.

“It’s been a dream for years,” says Afdahl, the academy’s executive director and saxophone and clarinet specialist. “When we first got word from the district, it really affected my own children and we started talking to set things in motion.”

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Afdahl’s oldest daughter attends and came home noticeably upset upon hearing she would no longer get to enjoy band classes in her school.

“She cried for about an hour,” said Afdahl. “It really crushed her.”

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Afdahl, who has been a private music teacher in Lakeville for the last 11 years and also works with the St. John’s Lutheran Church music programs, began networking to fill out a roster of instructors in a wide range of arts disciplines.

“A lot of music teachers attend the same church I do, including a few of the ones that will be losing jobs,” said Afdahl. “We started talking and it just kind of snowballed from there. It really took on a life of its own.”

Afdahl says the networking spread rapidly throughout area music and arts circles and soon Forte Music Academy had a working roster of instructors and a game plan to provide a wide range of classes and instruction.

There are currently 11 instructors on the Forte Fine Arts Academy roster offering more than 20 classes in music instruction, drama and art. A string specialist will soon be added as will additional classes in a variety of age groups and disciplines.

The instructors all have previous experience teaching youth and many have been touched by budget cuts either in Lakeville or other school districts.

Classes range from individual to group instruction. They include elementary and middle school-age band ensembles as well as middle-school and high-school jazz/rock combos. Individual instrument instruction is available on most instruments and specialists are also on board for drama and art.

“We’re incredibly excited,” said Afdahl. “We’ve had such a positive response. I’ve yet to meet anyone opposed to this.”

While Afdahl acknowledges that Forte Fine Arts Academy won’t be able to reproduce the experience that will be lost to students of learning the arts within the schools, she says students will still benefit from the camaraderie of the academy’s programs and professional instruction.

“When we did sit down and talk as a staff, we decided we didn’t want to repeat or take over what the school’s were doing,” she said, “we wanted to enhance what the kids were learning and let our teachers teach to their strengths. Each teacher has an insane amount of energy.”

Afdahl says the group wanted to create a school that would allow a complete arts education under one roof. The academy’s official motto is “Changing the world on student at a time,”

Forte Fine Arts Academy will set up shop at St. John Lutheran Church for the summer and is looking at leasing more permanent space elsewhere in the community. Classes will be offered year-round.

An initial ZUMBA dance fundraising event has been scheduled for April 30 at in downtown Lakeville. The academy is also encouraging parents and others interested in the arts to volunteer in helping with orientation and other efforts.

The group is seeking to put scholarship program in place by the fall to help the programs be affordable and accessible to everyone.

“We’re not trying to create musicians or artists,” said Afdahl. “We’re trying to create a love for the arts that the students can incorporate into their daily lives.”

You can visit the Forte Fine Arts Academy website for complete class offering and registration information.

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