BRAVO to our Dance Department Seniors!

The Creative Arts Guild wishes to congratulate our Guild Dance Department and Ballet Dalton graduating Seniors: Finley Bonanno and Melanie Walker. These students represent not only a high level of achievement in dance but an enormous amount of additional school and community activities. Both dancers will be performing in the Guild’s annual Dance Concert and Recital May 9 and 10. Find tickets online at creativeartsguild.org.

Dance Senior Finley Bonanno

Finley has been dancing for 15 years, 7 of those with Ballet Dalton. She will graduate from Northwest High School with an Honors with Distinction status. In addition to dancing, she has been active in Drama Club, Beta Club, National Honors Society, Key Club, Art Club, International Thespian Society, and the Northwest Theatre Company. She will be attending Kennesaw State University in the fall with a major in Secondary Education with a focus in Mathematics, and also a minor in Dance. Finley wants to be a High School math teacher, and will be continuing to teach dance with The Creative Arts Guild.

Finley’s theater arts involvement has included Drama Club Vice President, honors with distinction, literary region runner up in duo interpretation. In Northwest Theatre Company, she was last seen as Audrey in Descendants and has starred as Hero in Much Ado About Nothing. Her dance achievements include Youth America Grand Prix competitor for 6 years. Snow Queen in the Creative Arts Guild’s annual production of The Snow Queen plus additional roles danced and played in The Snow Queen: Queen of the Sprites, Summer Princess, Snow Queen, Gerda, Spring Princess, Fall Princess. Notable awards and honors: Drama Bars, Georgia Governor's Honors Program Alternate – 10th grade; and Nominee - Grades 11, Region One Act Third Place Winners: Much Ado About Nothing, Literary Trio (Alternate), Showcase of The Stars 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winner in various years, Honors with Distinction Graduate, Dual Enrollment Honors, Honor Thespian, Scholar Thespian, Future Teacher Signee, Region One Act First Place Champion: A Midsummers Night’s Dream, Drama Letter - Grade 9.

She says that her highlights have been getting the chance to perform and choreograph for many different drama productions, performing and doing student choreography with the Guild, and dancing with my best friend Melanie and everyone else I got the chance to meet and work with. “Dancing with Ballet Dalton and at the guild has been my whole life. I’ve met my life long best friends and all of my teachers are like my family. The whole staff has helped nourish my love for dance and performing.”

Dance Senior Melanie Walker

Melanie has been dancing for 9 years, 7 of which were with Ballet Dalton Company. She will be graduating from Northwest Whitfield High School with future education plans of attending Dalton State College where she expects to receive a Bachelor's degree in English with a Secondary Education Certification. After college, she plans to return to Whitfield County Schools to teach English at the High School Level. Her high school activities have included Drama Club. Beta Club, International Thespian Society, Key Club, Art Club, Spanish Honor Society, Whitfield County Schools Superintendent Student Advisory Council, and Yearbook Committee.

Her dance experience has included Youth America competitor for 5 years, Leading roles as Spring Princess, Fall Princess, Snow Queen, and Gerda in The Snow Queen. She has collected numerous awards and honors: Drama Bars, Georgia Governor's Honors Program Nominee - Grades 10 – 11, Northwest Theatre Company Secretary, Northwest Theatre Company Social Media Manager, Bear Tracks Yearbook Staff, Business Manager Grade12,

Region One Act Third Place Winners: Much Ado About Nothing, Region Literary Competition: Duo Interpretation Runner Up, Region Literary Competition: Trio Vocal Third Place, Scholarship Recipient (Offered) - Grade 12, Literary Competition Soloist (Alternate), Showcase of The Stars: Judges Choice Award - Grade 12, Honors Graduate, Dual Enrollment Honors, Honor Thespian, Scholar Thespian, Future Teacher Signee, Region One Act First Place Champion: A Midsummers Nights Dream, Showcase of The Stars: Judges Choice Award – Grade 11, Showcase of The Stars: First Place Award - Grade 10, Region One Act First Place Champions: Romeo & Juliet, Academic Letter - Grades 9 and Drama Letter - Grades 9.

Melanie notes that highlights of her activities are “taking on High School alongside my best friend (Finley DUH). I have taken part in many opportunities, such as the Student Advisory Council and many more. Interning in the front office of Northwest High School. I took as many dual-enrollment classes as I could, which has led me to be a whole semester ahead on my college classes. I loved performing onstage with Drama Club, merging what I have learned from Ballet Dalton, and sharing that with others. A best-of-was performing onstage as Evie for my final Drama Club production. Lastly, the past four years have allowed me to gain many new friends and fantastic memories I will cherish forever.” Reflecting on her school and dance experiences, she said "My time with Ballet Dalton has taught me to never be afraid of yourself and always push yourself to do great things. It has also taught me you should take time to enjoy what you are doing because before you know it, you could blink, and it's time for you to take your final bow."