Announcing the School of Ballet 5:8
ORLAND PARK, IL – In celebration of their tenth anniversary, Ballet 5:8 School of the Arts has been rebranded to the School of Ballet 5:8, better reflecting the affiliation between the pre-professional dance school and professional touring company, Ballet 5:8. Under the leadership of Artistic Director and co-founder Julianna Rubio Slager, the School has grown to serve over 400 students each year at three different campuses, including Orland Park, IL, Beverly (Chicago), and Valparaiso, IN. Classical ballet training, recreational dance classes, and adult dance-fitness classes make the School’s trusted expertise accessible to students of all ages and abilities.
The School of Ballet 5:8 offers a level of professional dance education rarely found in the Chicago suburbs. The Conservatory program attracts students from across the country, who train up to 25 hours per week and progress to positions both within Ballet 5:8 and in other professional companies. In the pre-professional levels, young dancers enter into some of the most informative years of their advanced classical training, including pointe. Classes are taught by current and former professional dancers and students progress through a carefully crafted graded syllabus. Our Children’s and Youth Division includes classes in ballet, acro, contemporary, and tap. Specialized boys’ classes at the School of Ballet 5:8 are a place for young men of all ages, backgrounds and levels of ability to dance and thrive. Lastly, Adult Ballet & Fitness classes include the same level of professional expertise, but with a casual dress code, moderate pace, and enjoyable environment to explore a pre-existing love of dance or develop a new skill.
“The School of Ballet 5:8 is an incredibly unique place to train as a dancer. When we created the School I set out to dream of a place that seemed like a fairytale world compared to what I experienced as a young dancer. Harsh instruction, body shaming, and injuries are so common in dance. Often these things are seen as ‘the price of the artform.’ But what if there is a better way?” asked Julianna Rubio Slager. “We’ve been researching, learning, working, developing, and morphing for ten years to create a program that harmonizes the needs of the body, mind, and spirit. It is a trusted, proven, stable environment for dancers to train in. I am very proud of what our phenomenal teachers and students have accomplished together--I can only imagine how much more is ahead in the next ten years.”
Interested families are invited to attend the Ballet 5:8 Palooza from 10:00am-3:00pm August 7, 2021, at the Ballet 5:8 Studios in Orland Park, IL. The event will feature free mini-dance classes for all ages, a bouncy house, face painting, storytime read-along with a real ballerina, magic acts, Disney princesses, free cotton candy, Master Classes with esteemed classical ballet experts, and free Ballet 5:8 swag when you register for Fall classes. The event takes place at 11545 183rd Pl, Suite 101, Orland Park, IL.
ABOUT BALLET 5:8 - Founded in 2012, Ballet 5:8 is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts organization based in Orland Park, IL. Ballet 5:8’s dance education arm, with locations in Orland Park, Beverly (Chicago), and Valparaiso, IN, serves the Chicago South Suburbs and beyond, making high-quality dance training accessible to students of all ages and levels of ability in a nurturing environment where students thrive.