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Ballet Keeps Director On Her Toes

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By DEREK MAUL

Tribune correspondent

Published: May 31, 2008

BRANDON - Growing up, all Alice Holden Bock wanted to do was to dance.

She started at age 5 and got hooked.

"I knew that's what I was always going to do," she said.

After graduating from Englewood High School in Jacksonville, Bock was accepted as a training dancer at New York City's renowned Joffrey Ballet. She traveled the country participating in workshops, training with the Southwest Ballet Center based in Arlington, Texas, and the American Ballet Theatre in New York before a knee injury redirected her into teaching.

"The injury taught me if you want something badly enough, you've got to work hard and go for it," Bock said. "Desire has everything to do with success."

Bock's desire overcame injury, earning her work with Jacksonville's Ballet Guild and then Dance Alive, now Dance Alive National Ballet, based in Gainesville.

In 1991, she moved to Brandon with her husband, Roger. Within a couple of years, she launched Brandon Ballet.

"Brandon Ballet brings the community together," Bock said. "It brings dance, costume design, music and choreographers from all over the world. We have professional dancers, and we bring in guest artists."

The company includes 36 dancers in training and four professionals. The troupe performs Tchaikovsky's "The Nutcracker" four times each holiday season and "Cinderella" twice a year. Bock hopes to add a third performance to the annual repertoire.

"We have beautiful costumes and wonderful sets," Bock said. "We have a full staff: production director, costume manager, marketing director, assistant artistic director, coach-choreographers and a volunteer board of directors."

For Bock, this year's highlight was "Cinderella," presented on Mother's Day at Lakeland's Polk Theater.

"We were raising money for the Lakeland Cancer Center," she said, "and it tapped into my heart."

Bock wears another hat at The Dance Center in Bloomingdale Plaza.

"I run The Dance Center, and I'm artistic director for Brandon Ballet," she said. "They operate separately, but the school makes the ballet possible."

Profits from the school pay the rent for the Brandon Ballet, she said.

Bock said the ballet is a nonprofit organization committed to community education.

"Our budget is around $150,000," she said. "But if we are to grow, we need three times that. The place hangs together on volunteers and donations, people who love the art.

"If you're interested in the arts, you'd love our organization. We need volunteers and support for the fundraisers - like The Sugar Plumb Tea," she said, referring to a formal tea that raises money for the ballet.

Passion elevates physical activity to art, Bock said.

"You have to be at a certain level, but it's in your heart, and you can't get away from it. It's like going to the Olympics - you have to train every day and give up other things. The dancer who does that can do anything in life.

"Success is easy. Staying there is difficult. Good teachers are always learning."

For balance, Bock enjoys her family.

"My husband taught me there's a world besides dance," she said. "He's a very good man. Everyone loves Roger."

Bock also enjoys boating, fishing and spending time with her sons.

"I'm optimistic," she said. "I see a lot happening in the community, and we want to offer more. We need a theater here, a big one.

"Someone asked me one time if I won the lotto would I still do what I do. I said, 'Oh yes, but a little bit less of it.'"

MEET ALICE HOLDEN BOCK

OCCUPATION: Artistic director, Brandon Ballet

LOCATION: Bloomingdale Plaza, 161 E. Bloomingdale Ave., Brandon

BORN: Jacksonville

MARRIED: Roger Bock, 1979

CHILDREN: Bryan, 21; Brandon, 18

MOVED TO BRANDON: 1991

NOTABLE QUOTE: "Art always gives back to the community."

CONTACT: (813) 684-4282

Derek Maul can be reached at derekmaul@gmail.com.

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