Idaho Fine Arts Academy

Fill | Teacher Appreciation - Spread the Love! Is there a particular teacher that has gone above and beyond in your, or your student's, life? We want to know about it! Please respond to this brief survey to tell us all about a teacher you really appreciate. Note: you can respond to this survey multiple times if you have multiple teachers to....

🎭✨ Syncopation – An Evening of Musical Theatre, Jazz Music, and Dance ✨🎶

The Idaho Fine Arts Academy invites you to Syncopation, a vibrant performance featuring the talents of IFAA high school dance majors with special guest vocal majors. This exciting concert celebrates the energy and artistry of musical theatre, jazz music, and dance in one unforgettable evening.
Join us Tuesday, April 28, 2026, at 7:00 PM at the Meridian Middle School Auditorium for a dynamic showcase of student choreography, live singing, and jazz-inspired performance. IFAA students have worked collaboratively to create a program that highlights their creativity, technical skill, and passion for the performing arts.
🎟 Tickets: Suggested donation of $5 for students and $10 for general admission. Tickets may be purchased online through MySchool Fees, at the IFAA office, or at the box office the evening of the show.
Come celebrate and support the talented young artists of Idaho Fine Arts Academy and experience a night filled with rhythm, storytelling, and stage energy.

Learn more and get tickets:
www.westada.org/o/ifaa/ 🎶

Our teachers don’t just encourage students to take creative risks… they live them.

IFAA math teacher and intervention specialist Laina Crew is a lifelong learner in every sense of the word. Inspired daily by her students and colleagues, Laina made it a personal goal to keep pushing beyond her comfort zone whether that meant tackling heights, ropes courses, or trying something completely unexpected.

That curiosity led her to explore the world of professional film and television, where she applied through Legacy Casting and landed a background role on Landman, a production created by Taylor Sheridan and filmed in Dallas. Her experience quickly turned into a featured background appearance in a restaurant scene alongside Billy Bob Thornton, appearing in season 2 episode 10, the season finale. A true bucket list moment.

As Laina shared, “The students and staff at Idaho Fine Arts Academy inspire me every day to try new things in the classroom and out.” That spirit of curiosity, courage, and growth is exactly what we strive to model for our students.

Please note while we celebrate this incredible professional experience, the series itself is intended for mature audiences.

We are incredibly proud of Laina for embracing lifelong learning and creative risk and for showing our students that growth does not stop when school ends. 💙🎬✨

CreativeCourage ProfessionalArts

Huge congratulations to IFAA freshman and film student Samantha Bates! This past weekend Samantha was recognized for her top 10 finish in the CapEd Trailer Contest. This award was presented at inaugural Idaho Film Fest at JUMP. This contest is dedicated to showcasing the state’s most talented young filmmakers. We are incredibly proud of Samantha for her hard work and creativity!

Congratulations to IFAA freshman and film student Samantha Bates! This past weekend Samantha was recognized for her top 10 finish in the CapEd Trailer Contest. This award was presented at inaugural Idaho Film Fest at JUMP. This contest is dedicated to showcasing the state’s most talented young filmmakers. We are incredibly proud of Samantha for her hard work and creativity!

So proud to welcome home Valerie Denton, IFAA Class of 2017 🎭✨

A former IFAA theater major, Valerie went on to earn her BFA in Theater from the University of Idaho and then chased her dream all the way to Disney World. Today, she works as an entertainment technician and specialist in Orlando—living proof that passion, grit, and hard work pay off.

Valerie returned to campus today with her parents by her side, sharing her journey with our middle school and high school theater and vocal majors and inspiring the next generation to dream big and stay the course.

She is a proud representative of IFAA, truly West State Ready, and a powerful reminder that dreams can become careers. 🎶💫

✨ LOVE, WINS ✨
A powerful, free, multidisciplinary arts experience featuring music, dance, visual art, poetry, and spoken word.

📅 Thursday, February 5, 2026
🕕 6:00–9:00 PM
📍 JUMP – Pioneer Ballroom
🎟️ FREE | Open to the Public

Presented by Idaho Fine Arts Academy & Guest Artists, this First Thursday Downtown Boise event centers on themes of self-love, family love, and hope for the future.

🎤 Featuring special guest hip-hop/rap artist wins
🎨 Projected visual art by Sector Seventeen
🎶 Middle School Concert – 6:00 PM
🎶 High School Concert – 7:30 PM

Join us for an evening where creativity, community, and love take center stage.

💛 Art has the power to heal.
💛 Love wins.

After 22 years of dedicated service in the West Ada School District, we celebrate the retirement of Mrs. Cynthia Anderson. Cynthia has been a steady, compassionate, and indispensable presence at the Idaho Fine Arts Academy, supporting students, families, and staff with professionalism, warmth, and unwavering commitment. Her impact on IFAA reaches far beyond her daily work and will continue to be felt in the culture and community she helped build. We are deeply grateful for her years of service and wish her joy, fulfillment, and new adventures in this well-earned next chapter. Cynthia, you will be greatly missed, and your contributions to IFAA will always be remembered.

What a powerful night of music and community! Thank you to IFAA parent Casey Byington for organizing this event!

Several of our IFAA students, performing with their bands The Traveler and jdhix, took the stage at Treefort Music Hall for a fundraising concert benefiting The Idaho Foodbank.

While this wasn’t an IFAA-sponsored event, we’re incredibly proud of these students for using their art to make an impact — raising over $1,000 in cash donations and collecting a truck full of food for Idaho families in need. ❤️

Their musicianship, professionalism, and community spirit were on full display — truly inspiring!

IFAA headshots are ready for purchase.

Idaho Fine Arts Academy Presents Momentum & Memory: A Dance, Music, and Theatre Collaboration

Meridian, ID – November 19, 2025 – The Idaho Fine Arts Academy (IFAA) proudly presents Momentum & Memory, an evening of original dance, live music, and theatrical performance featuring IFAA’s middle school dance, theatre, and vocal majors. The concert will take place at 7:00 PM on Wednesday, November 19, 2025, at the Meridian Middle School Auditorium, located at 1507 8th St NW, Meridian, ID.

Momentum & Memory explores the intersection of movement, sound, and story through a blend of contemporary dance and live instrumental performance. The concert weaves together vintage and cinematic music styles with 1930s-inspired radio show vignettes created and performed by IFAA’s eighth-grade theatre majors.

The program will feature original modern and contemporary ballet choreography by IFAA students, alongside a professional contemporary modern dance work titled Gasp!, choreographed by Leslie Kraus, Artistic Director of the Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company.

Professional lighting and sound design for the concert are generously sponsored by Elevate Show Services, enhancing the visual and auditory experience for audiences.
This immersive, multi-disciplinary performance invites audiences to experience the artistry, collaboration, and innovation that define IFAA’s dance, music, and theatre programs.

Tickets are $5 for students and $10 for general admission. They can be purchased online, from IFAA dance performers, or at the theater on the day of the performance.