AU REVOIR!

8/10/2022

Farewell to John

On Friday, August 29, John Tubbs took his last class at Urbana Fine Arts Center Student. After five years with us John moved to North Carolina where he will finish High School attending the North Carolina School of the Arts’ Program.
We are all so proud of John for this great accomplishment and for everything else he achieved during the past five years. John represented our studio at three Youth America Grand Prix regionals in Indianapolis and Chicago. In 2019 John performed in New York, after “Unaffected When We Join”, the ensemble piece he performed with Jade O’Connor and Jasmine O’Connor, choreographed by Andrew Cribbett, was invited to the YAGP finals. He also earned a scholarship for the Bolshoi Academy’s Summer Intensive after his participation at the YAGP.
It has been such a privilege to watch him grow.
It is always hard to say goodbye to students that leave, but this time it is especially hard and that is why the occasion deserves special attention.
John was the first student enrolled in our program, alongside Victoria Bagby. During our first recital, the two of them posed for the photo (courtesy of Greg Pluta) that became the trade mark of our studio and the two of them danced together again in this years’ recital, John’s last recital as a UFAC student.
We all hope to see John in the near future when he visits his parents in town and we all hope to have John back in the years to come as a guest dancer or teacher, if he chooses to continue in the performing arts field. He certainly has the qualities needed for a successful dance career.
Our thanks to John for bringing so much joy to our classes and performances and to his parents Catherine and John, for all the support given to us over the past five years.

Above:
John Tubbs and Victoria Bagby in 2017 and 2022.

Above: John Tubbs with Jasmine O'Connor and Jade O'Connor performing "Unaffected When Ee Join, choreographed By ANDREW CRIBBETT at the YAGP Finals, NY, 2019.