HISTORY OF LANDRUM
Welcome to the Landrum School of Performing Arts, founded by Frances Landrum in Whitestone, New York, where the quality of your child’s dance education has been our number one priority since 1945. We hold the distinction of being one of the first businesses to establish the Village of Whitestone, as well as the Borough of Queens’ oldest and finest dance studio.
Frances Landrum was one of the original New York City Rockettes – known then as the “Roxyettes.” Ted Mangrum was a principal dancer with the Eglevsky Ballet as well as the Ballet Rousse. Together they were the most dynamic teaching combination that fostered thousands of students dancing in and out of our doors since its inception.
Frances Landrum and Ted built our school on pure, timeless technique, not passing fads, believing that with strong fundamentals anything in dance is possible. Frances, unforgettable in her fishnet-covered legs, inspired young tappers, while Ted, commanding ballet in his captain’s hat, left a lasting mark on every student. Ted’s son’s visit, fresh from the original West Side Story, was a thrill for our young dancers, and Frances’s daughter Bea Agnew helped run our famous RKO Keith’s recitals in Flushing for 25 years.
For nearly 70 years, Landrum has been a tradition, welcoming generations of families from Queens, Long Island, Manhattan, Brooklyn, and the Bronx. Today, we carry forward their legacy of quality training in dance, acting, and singing, offering every student the chance to grow, perform, and be part of something truly special.
