Cultivate the talents of performing artists
Not only have hundreds of students and alumni found a home with the Performing Arts Department (PAD) across its remarkable history, but in a single year, over 5,000 audience members enjoy the generous and remarkable creativity of the Abbey Players, the Dance Program, and the Choir – as well as Arts at the Abbey, a series of free concerts and performances open to the public.
If you have yet to attend a Performing Arts Department show, you may not realize what you’re missing. But ask any student or alumni, and they’ll tell you that dance, music, and theater (musical or otherwise) are a potent force on campus. In fact, the PAD’s primary struggles involve meeting the ever-increasing student demand for new classes, larger casts, and other opportunities. The Dance Showcase alone has doubled in size in the past three years, as more and more students invest their time, energy, and gifts in the performing arts.
In fact, with 140 years of continuous theater on campus, the Haid is the longest-running theater in the state of North Carolina, cultivating local community, creativity, and enjoyment since its opening in 1883.
This growing legacy increasingly stretches the department’s resources, which makes opportunities like the Founders’ Day Challenge all the more critical to the future of Abbey Performing Arts.
This Founders’ Day, your gift will help to:
- Invest in new equipment such as aerial training equipment, swords for stage combat and costumes for dance performances.
- Refurbish the stage and curtain in the Haid Theater
- Enable students to participate in further adjudicated and performance opportunities, including the ACDA (American College Dance Association).
- Provide professional development for professors
And, as a special thank you for your donation to the Founders’ Day Challenge, we will send you novelty Belmont Abbey swag. When you give $10, you receive a glow-in-the-dark ultimate BAC frisbee. When you give $50 you receive a glow-in-the-dark ultimate BAC frisbee and a BAC canvas tote bag.
To commemorate Belmont Abbey’s 148th year, when you give a gift of $148 (or $13/month) you will receive four BAC black and gold leather coasters, a bag of St. Benedict hazelnut coffee and the BAC canvas tote bag.
Make a Gift to support Performing Arts Today!
Recent Donations
“My experience in the Performing Arts Department at The Abbey has completely changed my life. Over the past four years, I have been able to grow so much as a performer being a student in this department. Now, I get to grow more as an adjunct professor and choreographer. I’ve loved watching all of the students grow and being able to guide them on their journey. This department, being a large part of the college’s history, continues to give back to the community and to our students by celebrating every part of the arts. I’m so excited to see what is next in this department for years to come.”
![Whitney Yancy '23](https://resources.bac.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/WhitneyYancey-scaled.jpg")
Whitney Yancey ’23
“The performing arts department had taught me to come out of my shell and do things I never dreamed I could have done on stage. Theater was something I didn’t think k would be able to continue in college, but The Abbey made that possible. The community really feels like family and everyone else wants to see you succeed in every aspect of life. I would like to thank Whitney Yancey for helping gain confidence in my dancing onstage as a fellow dancer and now teacher. I would also like to thank Christopher Donoghue, Kristin Hayes, Blake Williams, and Melissa Price for all their hard work and endless support with me throughout my time at The Abbey and pushing me to do things I never believed I could do.”
Blythe Terrell ’24
“The Dance department has been more than just a fun hobby; it has been a canvas for self-expression, a stage for growth, and a gateway to unforgettable opportunities including choreographing and performing for the public. The Dance program offers something for everyone, whether you’ve taken many years of training or have never stepped foot in a dance studio before.”