Nevada Arts Academy’s in southwest Las Vegas much larger, providing kids room to grow

Musician Jie Bu has a dream -- that children across the Las Vegas valley will have the opportunity to pursue their interests in the arts, including music, drama and dance, all under one roof. It's a dream he has been pursuing for 11 years with some success.

That's especially true with the early April opening of the Nevada Arts Academy, 6072 S. Durango Drive.

"We have been doing this on a smaller scale for many years," he said. "That was at another location. Now, we have this beautiful 5,200-square-foot facility, and we're taking advantage of it."

Bu is the owner of the academy, which he said is a results-driven institution.

"We want people involved with our programs to have fun, no doubt," he said. "But there isn't this attitude that it is all fun and no work. You work hard, and it is fun. But these are not mutually exclusive ideas."

The schools offers lessons in cello, violin, piano, flute and guitar; ballet, jazz, tap, Chinese dance and hip-hop; and painting, drawing, watercolor and basic cartooning.

Bu said students don't have to be children, but the school does work with children as young as 3.

We can work with you if you are 5 or 55," he said. "It's all about a passion for learning. I think it can be contagious."

For more information, visit musicartslv.com or call 248-1288. The facility is run by capable professionals who operate as co-owners of their specific disciplines, Bu added.

"Our dance school owners have performed with internationally renowned ballet companies," he said. "Our art director is a former Walt Disney cartoonist. That's what I mean by we are capable of training future professionals. We are capable because of the caliber of instructor you will find here."

Bu said the institution is designed to promote the development of professional dancers, artists and musicians.

"You certainly don't have to be headed in that direction to work with us, but we have plenty of people that want to be professionals," he said. "We can help them get there."

Flavia Monrante is a 13-year-old dancer who said she enjoys the challenge of the dance program.

"It makes me push myself," she said. "I get to a point where everything is just too hard, but then I remember my goals and connect with my teachers and somehow push myself past that physical or mental block. I'm always glad that I push myself when that happens."

Flavia said she dreams of one day becoming a principal dancer in an international ballet company.

" I take this very seriously, and I know that my instructors do, too," she said.

Brittany Kriechbaumer, 15, said she has been dancing for three years and enjoys her time at the academy.

" I know that if I work hard, I will see results," she said. "That's something that is promoted here. I don't know for sure that that is what happens at other studios. I'm sure they're all good enough. Maybe I'm a bit biased. But I think this is the best."

Contact Southwest and Spring Valley View reporter Amanda Llewellyn at allewellyn@viewnews.com or 380-4535.