The Oriental Arts Education Center is a comprehensive arts education institution with a primary focus on dance, offering courses in dance, vocal music, instrumental music, drama, fine arts, and modeling.

OAEC currently has three campuses. The main campus, established in 2010, is in the southwest of Houston. Subsequently, the Sugar Land and Katy campuses were opened, offering convenient transportation, elegant environments, and fully equipped facilities.

OAEC’s teaching method is unique in its blend of Eastern and Western styles. Particularly in choreography, to create many outstanding pieces. OAEC’s exceptional stage presentations and remarkable teaching achievements earned the 2022 Nexstar National Championship’s “Excellence in Choreographer Award” and the “Best Dance Studio” honor.

eMotion Dance Company was established in 2002 by Sanja Korman, former dance teacher at Bellaire High School, and is currently under the direction of Artistic Director, Paris Kent. Today, the award-winning high school-based company is recognized for its student choreography in each of its Breakdance, Hip Hop and Modern dance teams. eMotion Dance Company is involved in numerous performances, presentations, and competitions throughout the community. eMotion Dance Company is a place where you can express yourself and have fun.

Established in 2000 at HISD’s Westside High School, The Inertia Dance Company is dedicated to developing young men and women with active and creative minds. Through all elements of dance education, Inertia stresses excellence in the classroom and the total development of each student: spiritual, moral, intellectual, social, emotional, and physical. The Westside Dance Program offers students a wide variety of dance styles and techniques. Students in grades 9-12 have the opportunity to study dance as part of their academic program fulfilling fine art, physical education, or elective credits.

#INERTIAPROUD

Cessar Mandujano is a Mariachi singer known for his unique sound in his voice that captivates the public. His goal is to live through the music and share a beautiful tradition with the world in order to keep it alive. Although all must come to an end, Cessar believes that music will be forever alive in this world.

The HUB Houston was established in 2015 as a non-residential program supporting neurodiverse teenagers and young adults as they navigate their personal journey through academics, employability, community involvement and care. Their mission is to build a sense of real belonging for everyone and use those relationships to discover and practice individual strengths. The HUB is committed to fostering personal growth and unlocking individual potential in a relationship centered community for neurodiverse teenagers and young adults.

Through these guiding principles, it was a natural outcome for a band to form! In January of 2016, Mr. Ken Stueart, an Arkansas native, joined the faculty of The HUB. Through his musical background (graduate of Belmont University in Nashville), his experience as a member of The Encore Theatre family, and his ability to spot raw talent, a band was soon formed, aptly named The HUBCAPS.

They have shown an exceptional ability to constantly improve and evolve, stretching their comfort zone, and becoming known for their awesome sets!

The Intempo Dance Ensemble is a non-profit organization 501(c)(3) homed at Intempo Dance Academy in Katy TX. It is an advanced performing program for students who want to collaborate with other artists and professionals in their desired specialty: dance or music. ​Intempo Dance Ensemble recognizes dancers and musicians who show technical promise, drive to succeed, and excellent work ethic by selecting them to be part of the Company Program. The Company Program is divided out to three different branches:

IDE (Community Company),
Intempo Dance Sensations (Competition Team),
​TX Symphonic Ballet (Pre-Professional Performing Company)

The mission of the HSPVA Music Department is to provide students highly specialized and rigorous musical training, fostering an appreciation for the arts, guiding them on their journey towards graduation and post-graduation studies as future performers and arts advocates.

Jazz has always been a vital part of the music department at HSPVA.  The HSPVA jazz program includes two big bands and two “official” combos.  Other related courses offered include Jazz History, Jazz Fundamentals/ Improvisation, and a Rhythm Section class. Since the inception of the TMEA All-State Jazz Ensemble in 1979 (and more recently All-State Jazz Ensemble II), the jazz program has had well over 100 students selected to these prestigious ensembles.

Houston Show Choir is made up of talented adult singers who perform an entertaining, diverse repertoire with lively choreography. Singers memorize the songs so they can connect directly with the audience while singing and dancing, thus delivering an optimal experience for everyone!

The choir has performed at public and private events all over the Greater Houston area (and occasionally beyond) since 1932, delivering distinctive, entertaining shows that are filled with dynamic energy and musicality.

Houston Contemporary 2 (HC2) is a concert based, non competitive, pre-professional dance company focused on training and performance. Dancers will be exposed to multiple styles of dance education in preparation for a future career in dance. The teaching staff and outside choreographers have many years of experience with pre-professional youth ensuring their well-rounded contemporary dance education and assisting students with college admissions and/or other professional dance opportunities. The youth company will have the opportunity to perform throughout Houston during their season, including under the umbrella of the professional Houston Contemporary Dance Company, a 501(c)(3) sister organization to the Institute of Contemporary Dance.

Ballet Folklórico Herencia Méxicana de Houston is dedicated to the preservation and promotion of indigenous culture and folklórico art. Ballet Folklórico does not charge tuition, and their directors buy 100% of their traditional costumes. They believe that dance should be for everyone regardless of financial abilities.

Meyerland Dance Ensemble, based at Meyerland Performing and Visual Arts Middle School in HISD, is a pre-professional group of advanced young dancers who are pursuing technical and artistic excellence in all forms of dance as well as in student choreography. Under the direction of Chadwick Peters, these dancers have performed all over the Houston area and Texas at various events and venues, and do community engagement, outreach, and workshops through the Meyerland Junior Chapter of the National Honor Society of Dance Arts.

Alli Villines is a Houston-based singer, songwriter, puppeteer, actor, and teaching artist. In 2024, Alli released her first solo album, next to quiet: songs for closing your eyes to, a lullaby album based on melodies written while singing to babies in hospitals, to promote rest and relaxation for all ages, available on all streaming platforms.

Vaijayanthi Raghavan hails from a family of classical dance and Carnatic music connoisseurs. She began her dance journey at the tender age of 5 and started performing at the age of 7. Vaijayanthi obtained her training in the Thanjavur style of Bharathanatyam under the tutelage of Smt. Shalini Sarangapani, a direct disciple of the PadmaVibhushan Dr. Padma Subrahmanyam. Vaijayanthi has also been professionally trained to teach Nattuvangam. In the last 20 years, Vaijayanthi has choreographed and performed at several dance festivals and won numerous awards at dance competitions across India. She has inspired and taught many young students and peers in her community.

Cymphoni Fantastique is a classical-crossover string duo. They’ve been performing together for Houston for almost a decade now. Their arrangements and originals bring a unique blend to each of their performances and reflect their complementary styles. They’ve been well received all across North America from the prestigious House of Blues, to humble backyard parties. They’re on a mission to bring a little more soul to every soundscape they visit!

“From Bach to the Blues, we have a great time!”

Bayou City Ballet Youth Company is a nonprofit performance-based dance organization located in Houston’s Westchase District. The Youth Company’s performers are pre-professional middle and high school students selected from the greater Houston area who perform 8-10 times per year throughout West Houston, Midtown, and Downtown. Regularly supplemented by noteworthy professional artists, the group brings high quality ballet to over 5,000 Houston residents and visitors annually. Committed to making art accessible, the Youth Company programs 2-3 free events open to the public, and ticketed events start at just $10.

The Pershing Middle School Dance Company is a performance group of 23 members. The Dance Company performs at school events, state/local events and competitions.

The Cypress Winds Clarinet Quartet are a group of lifetime clarinet players dedicated to expressing their love of music. Founded in 2016, they perform in the Greater Houston area for museums, churches, community centers, and private events.

The quartet puts on beautiful performances of both contemporary and standard works. With over 100 years of clarinet playing combined, they are able to display their expertise and passion through a variety of musical styles.

As a senior ensemble they also focus on bringing music to the seniors of the community through both their performances and community outreach.

Open Dance Project (ODP) is an ensemble-driven dance theater company dedicated to developing and presenting world-class dance theater experiences in Houston and serving as a cultural resource through its engaging and enriching education and community programming. Founded by choreographer/educator Annie Arnoult in 2015 upon her return to her native Houston, ODP is a contemporary dance theater company whose highly stylized performance experiences break down conventional barriers between artist and audience to make dance more accessible and meaningful for both. Collapsing the distance between the subject and the stage, live performance and new media, dance, and theater, Open Dance Project’s immersive performances do away with traditional audience seating, inviting participants to explore from their self-determined vantage point – simultaneously demystifying dance and making dance matter.