Florrie's Frozen Adventure

The Florrie Flamingo© Ballet Curriculum for preschool aged dancers was created by Jessica Clayton. Jessica Clayton has an extensive career in ballet performance and teaching. Jessica studied extensively and received the bulk of her training at the Academy of Colorado Ballet. There she received exceptional training in the Vaganova method. Jessica was blessed with many performance opportunities at the Academy of Colorado Ballet. Performing with the studio company and appearing in Company productions. Jessica also trained at the Vail Summer Dance Intensive, the ABT summer intensive, and Colorado Ballet’s Summer Intensive Program for 3 summers. After her pre-professional training, Jessica moved on to dance professionally for seven seasons with Ballet Ariel in Denver, CO where she found fulfillment in performing numerous featured roles in both classical and contemporary productions. Jessica still performs, mostly in musical theater productions, at community theaters around the Denver Metro area all while owning and operating her many dance businesses. For ten years Jessica has owned and operated Dance Exploration, LLC a non-competitive in-school dance program offered to children as a before and after school program. While operating Dance Exploration, LLC, Jessica created the ‘Dance to Learn!’® Curriculum which is a whole-child approach to dance education. Jessica is currently working to complete a comprehensive online Dance Educator Certification program for the ‘Dance to Learn!’® Curriculum so other teachers can bring the joy of dance to children in their school environments. Jessica has always wanted to have a kid-friendly character accompany her classes to make learning ballet and the terminology more engaging and fun. That’s how Florrie Flamingo© was born. Florrie Flamingo© is a flittering flamingo character that dances through 26 dance and ballet movements to help baby ballerinas learn their “ABC’s” of Dance! Jessica is also a published Children’s Book Author. Her first story, “The Many Adventures of Marvelous Mavis,” was written as a story read to children participating in the Terpsichore Literacy Program, a reading readiness program offered in the Dance Exploration, LLC classes. Her second book, “Florrie’s Frozen Adventure,” is in the process of being published. Both stories are designed to integrate into the ‘Dance to Learn!’® Curriculum class flow and are used as supplemental tools designed to enhance the learning experience for budding dancers.

Lori Clayton is an artist and an educator in Denver, Colorado. She has illustrated all of the Florrie Flamingo Books for Ballet Class Series as well as the Florrie Flamingo Flash Cards. Lori has been creating and showing her art in the Denver area since the early 90's. She is currently teaching art to elementary school students in Aurora, CO. Lori appears with Author, Jessica Clayton at Book Readings and Signing events as Mama 'Mingo and will include an art lesson for children!