Award helps Delaware dance academy stage Harry Potter ballet

DOVER, Del. (AP) — For Michele Xiques Arnold, receiving a Delaware Division of the Arts fellowship for choreography and dance meant a lot of things — but top of mind was being better prepared to help the students at her dance academy.

Mrs. Arnold, director of First State Dance Academy, was selected as one of 19 Delaware artists by the division for their work. Portfolios from nearly 140 local creatives — from choreographers, to composers, to writers, to visual artists — were judged by out-of-state arts professionals.

“It’s nice to have recognition in the accolades from the state, which will hopefully tell people when they’re searching to find dance academy, pick First State,” she said.

Earning the Established Professional Award, Mrs. Arnold said she plans to use the $6,000 prize on a ballet show inspired by “Harry Potter.”

The show, presented by the academy’s DanceCompany-X, is set to debut at 6 p.m. on April 25 at Cape Henlopen High School near Lewes.

“There’s a lot of ‘Harry Potter’ fans, so I’m hoping this ballet will draw people who may have never been to the ballet to our show and have a new appreciation of it,” she said.

Mrs. Arnold was the recipient of the same award in 2014, as an emerging professional.

“This means a lot to me, recognizing me as an established professional,” she said.

Since that first award, she said that she has continued to improve.

“When I find music and stories, it challenges me, it pushes me,” she said. “If I’m not comfortable with something, I’ll research the style of dances. With each opportunity I get to choreograph, I grow.”

The show will take shape over the next few months. The work began with Mrs. Arnold settling on a story she enjoyed and taking notes to figure out how to adapt it...