PORT ST. LUCIE PEOPLE
speak French. A few years later, their new daughter meant a
bigger house and with it, a larger music studio.
In 2006, the family moved to Tradition. LaCroix worked as
the choreographer for St. Edwards School in Vero Beach, then
as the choir teacher. From there, she was the music teacher at
Bayshore Elementary in Port St. Lucie and was voted Outstanding
First Year Teacher at the county and district levels. At St.
Lucie West Centennial High School, she built a vibrant theater
program that debuted her own musical, For What It’s Worth.
LaCroix branched out in 2018, creating her own company.
“I wanted to do too much, too soon,” she says. When a
dream job at the new Creative Arts Academy of St. Lucie in
Fort Pierce opened, she jumped at the opportunity. “Teaching
proper techniques, composition, body percussion and
creative movement develops a strong work ethic and self-discipline
in my students, which in turn leads to self-confidence
and feelings of self-worth. I hope to instill life-long understanding
and appreciation for all the performing arts with the
hopes that my students’ lives will be enhanced, as my own
life was.”
For much of her life, LaCroix has taught piano, voice and
drama, but she never lost the desire to perform. Along with
family, teaching full-time, and her now-part-time company,
LaCroix has acted in infomercials and in improvisational and
dinner theaters. She has also sung with Music Box of Merrill
Lynch and at other venues on the Treasure Coast.
Cast as a recurring character in a television series currently
being pitched, she also appeared in The Awakening, a featurelength
film which premiered in West Palm Beach in March.
“I’ve taught and nurtured others a long time,” says LaCroix.
“It’s time to ‘do me,’ too.” E
LaCroix has been training, teaching and performing since the age of 5.
Now, at 46, she tries to make more time for pursuing her own passions.
Around the busy life of education and family, she also answers casting calls
and performs in the area.
42 Port St. Lucie Magazine
BIBI – WEST PALM BEACH STUDIOS
ELLEN GILLETTE
The March screening of The Awakening had elements of a class reunion with cast, crew, friends and family thrilled to see the final result of years of hard
work. Shown left to right are screening guest Wil Jackson, actor John Duffy and LaCroix.