Blake video to showcase Patel Conservatory partnership

As two performing arts schools located across the river from one another, Blake High School and the Patel Conservatory have enjoyed a fruitful partnership over the years.

That partnership will soon be the subject of a student-produced video for Arts Schools Network, a website for arts education professionals.

Filming for the Blake arts video began early this week.

Blake was one of only eight schools nationwide invited to submit a video for the site, said Blake principal Greg Basham.

Blake students are shooting the video this week, which will feature Sasha Alvarez and Jackson Kettell. Alvarez and Kettell are Blake students and Next Generation Ballet trainees who recently placed in the Top 12 in their division at the Tampa YAGP regionals. (Alavarez in Classical and Contemporary; Kettell in Classical.)

The Conservatory has worked with Blake on many projects including the Broadway Education Project with In the Heights.

We’ve also offered Blake students:

• Master classes with guest artists (Step Afrika, Improvised Shakespeare, Yasmin Levy, Opera Tampa and Complexions Contemporary Ballet)
• Vocal and dance outreach classes with Conservatory instructors; and
• Many opportunities for Blake students to attend dress rehearsals and performances at the Straz Center.

The video is expected to be submitted later this month and ultimately displayed on the Life in the Arts section Arts Schools Network.

The Conservatory is proud to share this partnership with Blake and be a model for promoting arts education on this national website. Thank you to Blake High School for including us in this amazing project!