Encore School of the Arts and Miss Michele and Co. are teaming up to offer a master class with NBA dancer Marisa Viestenz.

At Encore School of the Arts on Sunday, Sept. 12, from 6 to 7:30, there will be a brief Q&A session immediately following class.

Cost is $10 per student. The class recommended for intermediate to advanced dancers age 10+.

Visit

www.encoredancedowagiac.com <http://www.encoredancedowagiac.com> for details.

Make checks payable to Miss Michele and Co.

The former Miss County was selected a member of the National Basketball Association Oklahoma City Thunder Girl Dance Team in July.

Finals were held on the stage of Toby Keith’s Bar and Grill in OKC’s Bricktown.

Auditions started Saturday, July 10.

More than 120 dancers were cut to 61, then to 40 for the finals.

Interviews and boot camp with the team trainer continued throughout the week.

The NBA organization stressed it sought not only good dancers, but poised, well-spoken young women to represent Oklahoma City and to be ambassadors for the Thunder organization.

Twenty dancers were chosen for the dance team — 11 veterans and Marisa as one of nine new team members.

Marisa seemed destined to win an “On Broadway” Miss Cass/St. Joseph County 2006 Scholarship Program because that or a cruise ship was where she wanted dancing to take her. That premonition was further reinforced during the opening number to ABBA’s “Dancing Queen.”

Marisa finished first runner-up to 64th Miss Dowagiac Kristin Rose the year she graduated from Union High School, 2003.