Once every three years, students at John S. Davidson Fine Arts School have a chance to see a different side of their teachers.

"It's a volunteer basis, but our goal is to have 100 percent participation," said Renee Toole, the producer of the faculty talent showcase held Friday evening at the school. "Some perform, do tech, sound assistant, videographer, usher, box officer worker. We've had so many who wanted to perform we have had to supplement the show with kids."

The variety show featured a blend of acts.

Some of the fine arts teachers performed in the genre they teach. Peri Faulks, a modern dance teacher and a 1998 Davidson graduate, paired with Aletha Snowberger, a 1994 Davidson graduate and 10th-grade world history teacher. They performed a modern dance piece to a poem written by Ms. Snowberger while a student at Davidson.

"They don't know that I can dance," Ms. Snowberger said of the students.

Ms. Snowberger said it was nice to be able to perform with Ms. Faulks. They took dance together when they were students.

Other fine arts teachers performed in a different genre. Kirsten Hughes has been the school's orchestra teacher since 2000, but her hobby is salsa dancing. So she performed a dance with partner Eduardo Diaz.

Ms. Toole said the show has several purposes besides giving the students something to talk about.

"It builds camaraderie among the faculty," she said. "It's also very revealing to teachers who are not fine arts teachers. It gives them a chance to see what it feels like to perform and gives them some insight into the students they are teaching."

Jimmy Bower, an 11th-grade U.S. history teacher, was co-host of the event this year. He performed in several comic bits in the show three years ago. Mr. Bower, a self-proclaimed jock, said he didn't understand the artistic performing side of many of his students until he took the stage.

"It was a rush like I never could have imagined," he said.

And the team building he experienced among his peers "was just like sports," he said. The teachers said they like having the show every three years and wouldn't want to become an annual event. "The kids enjoy it. If we did it every year, it might lose its novelty," said Ms. Snowberger.