Dance School: Arts center celebrates 10 years

When Caroline Mack started her nonprofit arts center on Jan. 10, 2000, she said she knew "it would be hard, but it's also been interesting, fun and rewarding."

To celebrate the 10-year milestone, the Caroline Mack Center for the Arts will present a banquet Saturday night, featuring entertainment by current and past students. The event begins at 7 p.m. at the Sumter County Fair Building on Artillery Drive.

Mack teaches dance, voice, modeling and drama at the center on West Liberty Street, but she offers something that most "dance schools" don't - tutoring.

"We think we provide a real service to children in the community," Mack said, "and, also, to adults."

"Over the past 10 years we've really gotten to see character growth in our students," she continued. "A lot of them have gone off to college with full scholarships."

A native of Lee County, Mack received a bachelor's degree in music performance from Converse College in 1993 and a master's degree in music from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in 1995.

Two years later, she was crowned Miss Black USA, retaining the title through 1998, when the pageant changed owners as her reign was ending. She also won the talent competition with her vocal performance.

Following her reign, Mack returned home and lent her efforts and her soprano voice to charitable works in both Lee and Sumter counties.

She used her organizational and leadership skills to fundraisers such as concerts, walk-a-thons and other events.

Using her "leftover pageant money," Mack opened her performing arts center on Broad Street, later moving to the Liberty Center at 12 W. Liberty St.

She continues to lend her voice and her time to worthwhile community efforts.

Saturday's catered affair will include several dance numbers, a fashion show by the modeling students, music from her piano students, short monologues from drama students and songs from voice students.

"We'll also have a few people make some short remarks," Mack said. "We want to recognize people who've been part of the process along the way."

In addition, Mack herself will perform.

Admission to Saturday's banquet in celebration of the 10th anniversary of the Caroline Mack Center for the Arts is $20 for adults, $15 for students 12 and younger. For tickets or more information call (803) 774-4005.