"It's 'Birth of Christ' in December, and 'Life of Christ' in the spring," said Wood.
In addition to teaching classes, directing the shows, designing choreography and finding music, Wood also makes the costumes. In fact, she learned how to use a saw much earlier than she ever learned how to stand on point.
"I started dancing when I was in my mid thirties," she said. "I signed up for a ballet class mainly because I needed to exercise, and after doing it for a while, I began to love it."
Professional ballerinas often retire at the age when Wood first tried on her toe shoes, so she did not dream of becoming one. However, her ballet classes still led her to a new career and new mission in life.
"I saw a performance of worship dancers in California, and it opened my eyes to understanding that you can worship God through dance," she said. "It put a desire in my heart to do that."
Then Ballet Magnificat!, a professional group from Mississippi, came to Lexington to perform, which provided another strong influence on Wood.
"I saw a performance where classical ballet is used in a context of Christian dance," she said. "It gave me a new inspiration and new vision."
Wood joined a local Christian dance group called Kentucky Repertoire Dance Theatre. She continued taking ballet lessons, since "classical ballet is the best training for any kind of dance," and she also performed with the group whenever it had shows in Lexington and the area.
"They performed out of state, too, but most of the time I couldn't go because of my teaching job," she said.
Being a first grade teacher first at Warner, and then at Brookside Elementary School, Wood did not participate in many of out-of-state shows, but when the company scheduled two trips to Russia, she could not turn down the opportunity.
"I really wanted to go," she said. "But it also meant that I needed to practice a lot to get ready."
During their two trips, in April of 2000 and in May of 2002, the dancers from Kentucky performed in Moscow churches, public schools, orphanages, hospitals and nursing homes. Wood realized once more what a great impact worship dance could have on people. She decided to start a new ballet school in Wilmore.
"My purpose was two-fold," she said. "I wanted to spread gospel through dance, and also to provide a place where people can learn how to dance whether they can afford it or not."
Nine of her students are on scholarships, and some pay as much as they can. To make it possible, Wood keeps cost down by making all the costumes herself. She also uses the help of her husband, Stephen, who makes sound track and helps to keep the company running. Parents, who volunteer with all kinds of tasks including serving cookies to the audience during intermission, also help make the program possible.
"We're not looking to grow, but we want to make it possible for more children to take classes on scholarship basis," said Wood.
She said that she also wants to have more shows available for nursing homes residents.
"It's very worthwhile," she said. "We give people hope, we inspire them."
For more information on Wilmore School of Christian Ballet, and also to make a tax-deductible contribution to a scholarship fund, call Roxanne Wood at 858-4034.
