Having been involved on many levels with this studio for its entirety, I know well the character of the faculty and staff. They are people of integrity and ethical decision making in every circumstance. If there are problems, they are dealt with privately and with clarity. Students are loved and encouraged in their development, parents/guardians are kept apprised of progress, and safety is a hallmark at every level. Professional standards are expected for all trained dancers and performers, and a spirit of excellence is ever the goal for which to strive.

We could not be happier with our experience at Wilmington Conservatory of Fine Arts over the last 3 years! We have loved the professional staff and appreciate how they have poured into our children excellence in instruction, while expressing genuine care and love for the students. For many of the kids, the studio has become like a 2nd home. It has been a safe haven where wonderful friendships have been formed and the teachers encourage the students, both in youth and adult classes, to aspire to better health and love of the arts in a wholesome atmosphere. We would highly recommend the studio! There are so many wonderful opportunities and the performances are top notch. We do not believe there is a better studio in our area!

This studio has been an incredible blessing to our daughter for over 8 years! If you’ve ever seen one of their shows you know how amazing and professional the training is. But even more important is how Cory and the whole staff encourage the dancer as a whole person. I would 100% recommend this studio for dancers of all ages and abilities!

I have known the owner of this company for 26 years, and she has dedicated her life to mentoring and training the youth in this area. She and her current staff are of high integrity and experience. They are a valued company in this community. I would highly recommend this conservatory to anyone who is interested in their child training in the arts in a safe environment.

This dance studio is hands down the best in Wilmington! Not only does my daughter obtain top notch dance training but she has developed lifetime friendships, moral values, & a good work ethic! Cory, the director, along with all the teachers & staff are amazing! So thankful & blessed to be a part of this dance family!

WCFA has been a great experience for our daughter and for us as her parents. Cory and her staff have been great instructors and mentors for our daughter. They push her and stretch her limits to become better each week and from semester to semester. They help develop talent and more importantly work with the dancers to develop good character. Character that is line with our Christian beliefs and world review.

We thought we were in a safe place with our daughter but couldn’t be anymore disappointed with the things we saw and witnessed amongst the teachers. The amount of gossip I heard was simply shocking and the constant wonder if they were talking about my daughter was nerve-racking. The teachers were nice to our faces but it just felt so fake after everything we heard. We were originally told such good things about the dance school but after being there firsthand, I highly recommend avoiding that place.

My daughter has been taking classes at WCFA for 3 years. The director is very knowledgeable and professional. The high quality staff is very friendly and patient with the children. They offer a variety of classes. The atmosphere is very loving and a great place for any child no matter their level. We love WCFA and have truly enjoyed our time at the studio.

Best classical training in the area. Exceptional professional instructors with fantastic experience. Warm environment that supports friendships and focused technique. Top notch performance opportunities at the Wilson Center too. My daughter has been dancing with WCFA for 8 wonderful years. WCFA is her happy place!! We are so blessed to have such an outstanding studio in Wilmington.

Very talented ,caring staff who share Christ’s love through dance and the fine arts.The students are so polite and have a joyful spirit and give their all in their lessons and performances.I’ve known Cory for over 12 years and have always supported her dance ministry as she follows Gods call on her life. I am in awe of these students and teachers , as I have watched them perform over the years . So very blessed by Turning Pointe and WCFA!

My daughter has been studying dance at WCFA since kindergarten and is now a rising high school junior! This is a unique place where you can say things like studying dance and fit right in! The instructors know what theyre doing. They teach dance safely and rigorously, while making it a rewarding and enjoyable activity for anyone who wants to learn. For everything the students get from their dance education, including Turning Pointe Dance Company, it is a wonderful value. I particularly like how they give equal opportunities to all students, including those who are not naturals, to achieve a high level of skill and advanced ability. This is not a typical trait of high-quality dance studios. As a former dance student, I recognize that high quality dance education is valuable for everyone, whether or not they will pursue a professional career in dance.

I have known Cory Smith, the owner of the conservatory and founder of the non-profit Turning Pointe Dance Company, for over 25 years. She taught me when I was younger and now, I have the honor and joy of her teaching my daughter! There is no other place I’d rather my child be, than WCFA. It is truly a safe place, a family, and a privilege to be a part of. If my daughter doesn’t pursue dance in the future, I will still continue to support the vision of this studio/company and the heart they have for the next generation!

WCFA combines a safe space to grow and learn as a dancer and doesnt sacrifice technique or quality in the process. When I started dancing there I felt like I was a part of the family. Theres nowhere else like it.

My daughter has been dancing with WCFA for 10 years. The studio is literally like her second home. The staff and students are like a second family to us and we would not trade them for anything. Not only do the staff shape her as a dancer, but as a person. The performances WCFA puts on are that of a professional company and I know my daughter is getting the best and most well rounded training in our area. We are so thankful for everything the studio has done for our family!

Words can not express all that WCFA has done for our family . Our daughter has learned such skills including different styles of dance but also teamwork , grace and humility . They teach the students to be able to use their talents for the glory of others not just the joy they get from it but what they can give back to others . Even at a young age through the teen years we have never worried of the appropriateness of costumes , music or choreography. We love the quality productions , training and support the owner gives ! WCFA has been a second home to your daughter !

My 13 year old son has been dancing with the conservatory since he was 4. In a world of Dance Moms and cutthroat competition, WCFA has managed to build something remarkable, while taking the high road to do it. Ive been there through growing pains and faculty turnover but the core team and the essence of excellence and professionalism has remained intact. As one of the only male dance students and the only one in the upper levels, the road for my son hasn’t always been easy. That said, in ten years, I can count only a handful of issues that have arisen, all of which I was able to address directly, either with the faculty or the owner. These moments were handled with grace, sensitivity and to my satisfaction. All of this, however, is just icing compared to the dance education my teen is receiving. Years of patient instruction and high technical standards are what define the WCFA curriculum, preparing students for any professional forum they choose to enter upon leaving. WCFA students are recognized for their etiquette and technique and many have gone very far. I very much hope my son is one of them but no matter what path he ultimately chooses, our investment in him through WCFA is preparing him for whatever lies ahead.

As a dance parent for over a decade and one who grew up performing, I can say without hesitation that WCFA is a professional, caring, and nurturing environment in which a young artist will thrive. My daughter began dancing at the age of 2 and soon joined a local ballet school which focused strictly on ballet. Her training was wonderful, but after 7 years, she wanted to diversity and learn other genres. Immediately after one visit at WCFA, we knew the right place was the Conservatory under the direction of Cory Smith. One of my favorite things in life is watching my daughter, who is known to be quiet, storm out of the studio at WCFA with an enormous smile ready to tell me all about the class and what she learned and moreover about the friends she has made and enjoyed. I was initially concerned that diversifying would lower the quality of each genre after so many focused years of ballet, but in actuality the opposite was true! Because of the ballet background and amazing technical training with qualified teachers at WCFA, she quickly picked up the other genres and with joy! The benefit of the other genres is that it strengthened her tremendously overall (stamina, technique, mental focus). She was welcomed with open arms by the teachers and the students, and many of the older girls are mentors to the younger dancers. We will begin our third year this fall, and we have never regretted the decision to join the WCFA family. Many of the instructors and dance families have been at WCFA for over a decade. There are three instructors who have been with Cory since almost the beginning, and that says a lot! There is a GIFTED ballet teacher trained in London who teaches young ballet to lucky dancers! Another ICONIC modern/contemporary dancer has trained literally with the best modern instructor in the world and graces us with her instruction in modern/contemporary and yoga. Yet another strong and brilliant teacher gifts the dancers with the gift of Progressing Ballet Technique, and WCFA is the only studio in Wilmington to have PBT, a core strengthening technique that benefits the dancer in all of her/his genres. An energetic tap teacher was recently added as well! The icing on the cake is the multi-talented director Cory Smith, who brings not only her ballet background to the studio but her ability to lead with grace to the entire school. Ive never seen anyone lead like Cory. She is not a dictator. The way that she values her teaching staff shows in her method of collaborative leadership. Each teacher has a voice. I love the way she allows dancers to be who they are and doesnt try to mold them. I love that my daughters heart is enriched with character. I love that she builds up her students and teachers and even other studios! On numerous occasions I have heard Cory and other teachers speak praise of other studios; and to me, thats a healthy place indeed! One MAJOR thing a dance parent should observe when placing a very young dancer is the health of the older dancers. Our dancers are STRONG not frail and unhealthy. Food discussion is not an obsession. A dancer should not be made to feel she should look a certain way. They are allowed to be children first and enjoy the arts as part of that childhood. My childs mental and physical health glistens after several hours at WCFA. Shes strong, joyful, and compassionate knowing that she has friends who want to learn and who encourage her, and she encourages them! WCFA is professionalism through and through. Each instructor even gives each dancer a hand-written evaluation each semester. It is so encouraging to know where one needs to work and where one is thriving. Performances are beautiful and are held near Christmas and every spring at the Wilson Center. Tuition is a good value and one can even pay an unlimited fee to add extra classes like art, theater, and jazz. Cory Smith has been delivering the arts as a gift to the Wilmington area for nearly 20 years. Her steady, loving nature and experience brings wisdom and peace to all who are fortunate to dance and teach at WCFA.

Not only is this school exceptional in its classical ballet training, Cory and her team make learning and dancing fun! Our whole family became invested in this school, as each instructor and Mrs. Jane, poured into each of us.My daughter loved being challenged in her skill and learning, growing and encouraged in her passion for/of dance.DAC is truly an exceptional place to invest in. I will forever be thankful for the foundation they helped build in my daughter. They also inspired my son (11 at the time to dance) and has been dancing ever since!

Not professional.

5 stars!

Wilmington Conservatory has been like my 2nd home! Its hard to find a place where all the teachers care for the students personally while receiving professional dance training. I have been studying ballet here for seven year and it has given me amazing opportunitys. Offering all different dance styles, plus music and acting has helped me become a well rounded performer. I will be forever grateful for the strong foundation I received at WFCA.

Our teenage son has had a great experience with the Theater class at the studio! The staff is welcoming, professional and make you feel like family!

This studio has been a 2nd home for my kids! Thanks WFCA for the friendships and excellent training they have gotten there:)

We love everything about WCFA: the teachers, classes, performances, location, atmosphere. Turning Pointe is also a wonderful part of the experience.Cory and her faculty and staff treat us like family.

Professional teachers in a supportive environment, offering a variety of dance styles with foundation in classical ballet.