Answers to Your Questions

No, we do not focus exclusively on ballet. While we are rebuilding the ballet program, we continue to emphasize all types of classes. 

Angela and especially Amelia do have strong backgrounds in ballet, so we are excited to bring more ballet opportunities back to the studio. At the same time, we have no plans to cancel or reduce focus on any programs. In fact, we are starting multiple Community Performing Teams this year including a Dance Troupe and Tumble Team along with Ballet and Junior Ballet Companies.

When Amelia was dancing in Baldwin she had an opportunity to train with Ashley Dangos Brittingham a former professional dancer from Tulsa Ballet. There were a number of advanced ballet dancers, including Miss Mara, and the experience prepared Amelia for dancing at the Kansas City Ballet School and the nationally recognized Oklahoma Festival Ballet at the University of Oklahoma. She credits her ballet training with providing a strong technical foundation for other styles of dance required in these settings like jazz, contemporary, and modern. 

We hope that an enhanced ballet program can grow interest and participation in ballet as well as create stronger dancers all around. Examples of our continued focus on non-ballet programs include:

• We work with Baker University cheer, dance, and music education programs to identify excellent instructors for our classes

• The competition team will continue under the leadership of Maddy Evenson

• Our Community Performing Teams offer additional opportunities for students across our programs

• Student teachers will only be teaching Foundations level classes, will have regular supervision, and will be following guidelines based on expected learning outcomes outlined by lead teachers in each style (Experienced high school juniors and seniors may be invited to teach Level 1 classes with significant supervision and guidance)

Class interests in our Fall Class Interest Survey varied quite a bit, so we have created a schedule that we offers everyone options to build the class combinations that meet their needs. So, instead of having only one combo class available, families can create their own combinations from across five stackable classes. Preschool classes are each 30 minutes which can be stacked for a required 1-hour minimum enrollment. Level 1 classes (1st & 2nd Grade) are 45 minutes each and can be stacked for 1 1/2 hour classes. A fun benefit of this approach is that students can participate in multiple recital pieces! Here are some examples of popular class bundles:

• ballet/tap combo

• dance fusion (or exploration)/tumbling combo

• ballet/tap/fusion (or exploration) combo

• tap/tumbling

• tumbling/wiggly warriors (or strength/agility)

Plus, classes can be split across different days!

Although they are not part of the stackable classes technically, we have followed a similar spirit for the Level 2-4 classes with classes that are often taken by the same students offered back-to-back to make scheduling easier for families. 

To offer families alternatives for recital costume expenses, we have devised a plan for different types of costumes for ballet students, preschool/early elementary students, and upper elementary/junior high/high school students. This will give families the opportunity to consider their preferred type of costume as part of their decision about which classes to enroll in. 

If you like the idea of simpler and less expensive costumes, your family can focus on ballet classes. If real costumes are important to your family, be sure to register for non-ballet classes.

Visit our Class Descriptions page for examples of the three types of costumes and estimated costs. Here’s a bit more background on our thinking about the different recital costume options:

• In the recital, all Ballet students will participate in a shortened ballet production wearing their class “uniforms” with borrowed skirts/pants and other accessories instead of complete costumes (class uniforms are listed with Class Descriptions). A costume "rental fee" will apply to help us build the inventory of ballet skirts and tutus. This approach is commonly used in ballet schools associated with professional ballet companies, including Kansas City Ballet, as well as programs with a focus on classical ballet, such as Lawrence Arts Center. Level 4 dancers with lead roles may borrow professional costumes from studio inventory. The ballet production will be performed at the beginning of the recital so that Ballet students can change into their other costumes in time for their other class performances if they take other types of classes. Students who take non-Ballet classes will have additional costumes as described below for those classes.

• Since many Preschool/Younger Elementary students take multiple non-Ballet classes, we are using “multiple-in-one” costumes where the same costume base is used for multiple classes with separate skirts/pants/accessories for each class. Costume manufacturers offer a number of such options for these age groups, so we should have many options to choose from. Plus, using the same costume base eliminates the challenges associated with strip-down costume changes for younger students. The benefit of these multiple-in-one costumes is that parents only purchase one full costume with additional, less expensive skirts/pants/accessories for the additional classes students are enrolled in.

• Costume manufacturers have fewer flexible costumes for older students and these students tend to want more stylish costumes that don’t lend themselves to multiple-in-one designs, so Junior High and High School students will have separate costumes for each of their non-ballet classes.

Our students have enjoyed our first season with  “marley” flooring for all classes in the front studio and the “glitter room.” According to Stage Step Flooring Solutions, the term “marley” in the dance world describes almost any roll-out vinyl floor used as a dance floor. They say the term marley comes from the company that started producing it — the Marley Company. 

Marley floors help keep dancers safe and increase confidence because they provide a surface that is non-slip but also not sticky. Dancers who take classes in other studios for auditions, summer programs, or workshops will find marley floors are the most common surfaces they will encounter. They will be more comfortable in new spaces if they have had the experience of marley in their home studio.

The drawback of marley floors is that they require careful use and maintenance. As a result, we have a waiting area for parents and a reception area for our director of studio operations at the front of our space to reduce traffic through the front studio. We will also create a clearly defined pathway for students and parents to use for accessing the “glitter” room and tumble room since dirt and debris tracked in from outside are very hard on marley floors. If you're interested, you can learn about the care and maintenance of marley floors in this PDF from the industry leader Harlequin Floors. You can learn more about marley floors and how they are used for performances in this video from Virginia Tech.

Our marley floors were donated by a large studio in Lawrence that upgraded their floors and discarded their previously used, but still serviceable, flooring. We appreciate their generosity! 

Yes! We host a combined winter holiday performance that includes Themes and Variations from Nutcracker’s Land of Sweets performed by Ballet Company and Junior Ballet Company students and a Holiday Spectacular featuring Dance Troupe, Tumble Team, and Choir.  

Yes! We offer four- to six-week classes for a range of dance styles. Depending on the demand for these classes, we hope to provide an absolute beginners dance technique class so that older beginner students can accelerate their skills and be ready for higher level classes with their peers. Please contact us with ideas for other short-term classes that you would be interested in!

Yes! We understand that creative arts education costs can be a challenge for family budgets. A group of dedicated BCCA parents has established a nonprofit, 501(c)3 organization called "Friends of Baldwin City Creative Arts Club." This group organizes events for families to earn funds to support their own students and to raise funds for our scholarship programs (see below). The group relies on an active board as well as parent volunteers for events. Please reach out to get involved!

Yes! We are committed to providing a welcoming and positive environment for all families and want to ensure equitable possibilities for students from all backgrounds. Friends of BCCA manages an application process for our need based scholarship program and a fund for pointe shoes. Contact the studio for information about these programs. Classes also decrease in price for students who take higher numbers of classes, and there are programs for families of BCCA staff to help with tuition.