Abernethy Performing Arts

09/15/2026

09/08/2026

🩰 Meet Mr. Keith — Artistic Director & Master Teacher

At the heart of Abernethy Performing Arts is Keith Walls, founder, Artistic Director, and Master Teacher of APA.

Keith holds a B.A. in English with an emphasis in Secondary Education and Speech/Theatre from Missouri Valley College. His extensive dance training includes ballet, modern, jazz, and theatre, with teachers including **Frank Bay, Jacquie Kunzman, Nina Vasilief-Raymondo, Cynthia Tosh, Paige Finley, Jimmy Hao, **Natalia Stavro, and Diana Laurenson. His modern training includes the Graham, Limón, and Horton techniques, and his advanced ballet studies have included training in New York with Andre Silantiev of the Kirov Ballet.

In 2007, Keith founded Abernethy Performing Arts with a commitment to providing dancers with strong classical training while developing the whole artist. His students have gone on to advanced training, college dance programs, professional opportunities, and competition at Youth America Grand Prix.

Keith is also the founder/director of MOVE Early Education and continues to expand his work in movement and neuromotor development.

As a teacher, Keith believes that advancement isn’t simply about moving through levels. His goal is to develop strong, intelligent, confident dancers who understand their bodies, their technique, and their artistry.

Today, he continues to teach dancers from their earliest training through advanced ballet, pointe, partnering, variations, contemporary work, performance, and private coaching.

For nearly 20 years, Mr. Keith has been building more than a dance school—he’s been building dancers. 🩰❤️

09/07/2026

🩰 Meet Miss Melissa — Master Teacher & Private Coach

We are very fortunate to have Miss Melissa Grant continuing to share her extraordinary depth of experience with our dancers at APA.

Melissa began her classical ballet training with Marjorie Soriano, studying under the Royal Academy of Dance syllabus. She later received a scholarship from renowned ballet director Benjamin Harkarvy for training and apprenticeship with Pennsylvania Ballet.

Her extensive training and performance background also includes Boston Ballet and North Atlantic Ballet, along with performances closer to home with Portland Opera and Musical Theatre Company. Throughout her dance career, Melissa has appeared as a guest artist and performed leading roles in numerous ballets.

Melissa has also been an important part of APA’s advanced training and coaching history, including preparing and coaching dancers for Youth America Grand Prix.

⭐ Master Teacher & Private Coach

Miss Melissa works individually with dancers through private coaching, bringing decades of knowledge to technique, placement, alignment, artistry, musicality, pointe work, variations, and advanced classical training.

For serious dancers looking for individualized attention and the benefit of an exceptionally experienced eye, the opportunity to work privately with Miss Melissa is an invaluable addition to their regular training.

We are incredibly fortunate to have her knowledge, experience, and artistry available to our APA dancers. ❤️🩰

09/06/2026

🩰 Meet Miss Myah!

Another familiar face is stepping into a teaching role at APA this fall!

Miss Myah began dancing at a young age and has grown through her training at Abernethy Performing Arts.

In addition to her training at APA, Myah danced on the Canby High School dance team, winning at the state championships multiple times. During her senior year, she proudly served as a team captain.

Myah has been part of the APA family for years, developing from one of our young students into an experienced dancer who now has the opportunity to share her passion and knowledge with the next generation.

This fall, Miss Myah will be working with some of our youngest dancers, helping introduce them to the foundations of ballet, movement, musicality, coordination, and—most importantly—the joy of dancing.

One of the things we’re especially proud of at APA is watching our students grow up and begin giving back to the younger dancers following behind them.

We’re excited to have Miss Myah joining our teaching team this year! 🩰❤️

09/05/2026

🩰 Meet Miss Emma!

Another familiar face is stepping into a teaching role at APA this fall!

Miss Emma Neighorn began dancing at just five years old and joined Abernethy Performing Arts as a young dancer after beginning her training at the Jacquie Kunzman School of Ballet.

Emma has quite literally grown up at APA, developing from one of our young students into an experienced dancer who now has the opportunity to share that experience with the next generation.

This fall, Miss Emma will be working with some of our youngest dancers, helping introduce them to the foundations of ballet, movement, musicality, coordination, and—most importantly—the joy of dancing.

One of the things we’re especially proud of at APA is watching our students grow up and begin giving back to the younger dancers following behind them.

We’re excited to have Miss Emma joining our teaching team again this year! 🩰❤️

09/04/2026

🩰 Meet Miss Christy!

For many of our families, Miss Christy is one of the first teachers their dancer ever has at APA!

Christy Wright began her ballet training with Jackie Kunzman before joining Abernethy Performing Arts in 2012. As a dancer, she performed numerous corps and soloist roles and continued her training through summer intensives with State Street Ballet and the Walla Walla Summer Dance Lab.

In 2013, Christy joined the APA teaching staff, and she has since become an important part of both APA and MOVE Early Education.

This fall, Miss Christy will once again be introducing some of our youngest dancers to ballet through:

🌸 Pre Ballet — Mondays & Saturdays
🩰 Basic Ballet — Mondays & Saturdays
✨ Adult Beginning Ballet — Thursdays

Christy brings patience, experience, and a wonderful understanding of young children into the classroom—helping dancers build the coordination, musicality, classroom skills, and ballet foundations they’ll carry into the levels ahead.

We’re so fortunate to have Miss Christy continuing to grow right alongside APA and our dancers! ❤️

09/04/2026

09/03/2026

⭐ Meet Mr. Owen — New This Fall at APA!

We’re excited to have Mr. Owen Walls stepping into a new role at APA this year as the instructor for our Beginning Hip Hop class!

Owen has quite literally grown up at APA. He began dancing at a young age and has trained extensively in ballet, contemporary, jazz, musical theatre, hip hop, and partnering, while also gaining experience as a performer and choreographer.

As a young competitor, Owen represented APA multiple times at Youth America Grand Prix, earning Top 12 recognition, and he has performed in numerous APA productions over the years.

Now he gets to bring that experience—and his own personality and energy—to a new generation of APA dancers!

🔥 Beginning Hip Hop with Mr. Owen
Fridays | 4:45–5:30
Ages 6–12

This fun, high-energy class introduces dancers to hip hop movement, rhythm, musicality, coordination, and performance while building confidence and encouraging dancers to find their own style.

We’re especially excited to see another dancer who grew up at APA begin giving that experience back to our younger students.

Come dance with Mr. Owen this fall! 🔥

09/02/2026

Meet our teachers✨

New This Fall at APA — Train with Miss Samantha!

Samantha Fiello began her ballet training here in Oregon City and joined Abernethy Performing Arts at the age of six, where she trained and competed extensively as a young dancer. She represented APA multiple times at Youth America Grand Prix, earning several Top 12 placements at YAGP Seattle competition.

Samantha continued her advanced ballet training with Oregon Ballet Theatre School, where she performed with the corps de ballet in Paquita, as well as, The Nutcracker and a member of OBT 2.

Now returning to APA as an instructor, Samantha brings her experience in classical ballet, performance, competition, and artistic development to a new generation of dancers through Ballet Variations, Dance Improvisation, and private coaching.

We are thrilled to have Miss Samantha back home at APA—this time as a teacher and a dancer!

🩰 NEW — Dance Improvisation
Tuesdays | 4:30–5:30 | Ages 9+
Explore creativity, musicality, movement quality, and artistic expression while learning to create movement in the moment. A wonderful opportunity for dancers to develop confidence and discover their own artistic voice.

🩰 NEW — Ballet Variations
Wednesdays | 5:30–6:15 | Ages 9+
Study classical ballet repertoire while developing technique, musicality, épaulement, artistry, performance quality, and stage presence.

⭐ Private Lessons with Miss Samantha
Mondays | 4:15–5:00 | Ages 9+
Thursdays | 3:45–4:45 | Ages 9+

06/09/2026

Come Join the Magic! Get your tickets today! www.apadancetheater.com