Lessons about discipline, hard work, time management, teamwork, dealing with disappointment, and learning one’s strengths and limits are all part of the implicit curriculum for Bluegrass Youth Ballet students.
“We provide an environment where students can build their self-esteem, self-confidence and self-respect,” said Adalhí Aranda, the organization’s founder and director. “These characteristics nurture excellence, as students carry them into other areas of their lives.”
Aranda has helped hundreds of students develop in dance and in life since she founded Bluegrass Youth Ballet (BYB) in 2003 with a total of 45 students. She incorporated the business as a nonprofit 501(c)(3) four years later. Today, BYB has 289 students ages 3 to 18 and also offers ballet classes for adults. The mission remains the same: to engage and inspire youth by providing access to the art of dance throughout the community.
Adalhí Aranda founded Bluegrass Youth Ballet in 2003. The company recently moved into a new studio at 442 Southland Dr.
Earlier this year, Aranda decided that Bluegrass Youth Ballet had outgrown its three-studio location on Mercer Road and began looking for a new location. She leased the former Hancock Fabric building at 442 Southland Drive and undertook a complete renovation. After five months of construction, the new space made its debut in September. The 13,000-square-foot building now includes four studios, a boutique, lounge area, kitchen, three offices and storage. Plans for a second phase of renovations include adding a fifth studio, a sewing room and a multipurpose space.
“We are still seeking support toward our capital campaign for more mirrors, barres, naming rights and more,” Aranda said. “BYB has operated in the black for the past 16 years, and with the support of generous sponsors and donors, we plan to continue that way far into the future.”
The organization has three full-time employees, two part-time administrators, a marketing director, costume mistress, pianist, five part-time teachers and a 12-member board of directors, most of whom are parents of past or present students. “I love to see things through their eyes and expertise,” Aranda said. “They are respectful and always honor my work, while making sure we uphold fiscal accountability as an organization.”
In addition to producing fully staged performances, BYB participates in community events and festivals such as Festival de Latino, the Thriller parade, Southland Street Fair and Kidchella. The organization started a Valley Park Outreach Program in 2013 to offer discounted classes, taught in both English and Spanish. The cost of the program is subsidized with grants from LexArts, Partners for Youth and other corporate and individual donors.
Aranda said her most pressing challenge is finding qualified instructors. “Losing a good ballet teacher is devastating,” she said. “It takes a national search to find the right person. We have even tried to hire teachers from outside the U.S. to fulfill our faculty.”
Aranda was born and raised in León, Mexico, and studied ballet in Guadalajara. Many of her instructors, she said, would often use harsh methods. “It felt as if many teachers’ goals were to put you down so much that you would quit,” she said. “I never understood why it had to be this way.”
All students are treated “as if they are going to become professionals. Because when they know we have high expectations, they will rise.” —Adalhí Aranda
Her dream was to one day start her own studio and create a positive environment where children would feel both strong and safe to grow in themselves and in their talent. It takes about 10 to 12 years to train a dancer, Aranda said, and only a small percentage make it to a professional level. While several students from Bluegrass Youth Ballet have gone on to dance with professional companies, all students are treated “as if they are going to become professionals,” Aranda said. “Because when they know we have high expectations, they will rise.”
Aranda moved from Mexico to Evansville, Indiana, in 1994 to join a professional dance company. Five years later, she got a contract to perform and teach in Lexington. “I fell in love with the people. I stayed because it just felt right,” she said. “Perhaps it would be easier to be in a bigger city. Or perhaps they are saturated, and it wouldn’t be easier at all. I will never know.”
Still, when Aranda is asked ‘Why Kentucky?’ her answer is always the same. “I didn’t choose Kentucky,” she says. “Kentucky chose me.”
Bluegrass Youth Ballet upcoming performances:
Dia de los Muertos, Nov. 1 at Lexington Opera House
Nutcracker in One Act, Dec. 20-21 at Singletary Center for the Arts
Visit bluegrassyouthballet.org for details.