Butler University Jordan Academy of Dance

Department of Indianapolis, the story of young dancers training for over 100 years and 31 May.

Butler University Jordan Academy of Dance will cease operations for financial reasons, parents and students informed Thursday.

The current account deficit is about $ 150,000, said Michelle Jarvis, interim dean of Butler's Jordan College of Fine Arts, and the university decided it could no longer afford to subsidize the academy. Its closure will not affect the Butler dance program.

Competition with schools of dance in profit in the metropolitan area is part of the blame for the battle of the school the last decade, Jarvis said.

"The dance came to a new vision with the public," he said. "There was an increase in the type of competency-based school. There are TV shows like" So You Think You Can Dance. "Such a view has changed things."

About 200 students aged 3-17 are enrolled in effect, as well as two full-time employees and six production workers. The Academy curriculum includes ballet, modern dance and jazz dance, but in recent years, hip-hop, Zumba, flamenco and exercise for adults was added effort to increase enrollment.

"These additional courses has never had a significant effect on enrollment," said Jarvis. "At a time 10 years ago, had 800 students. It has been declining, and are now lower than ever."

At least one parent thinks of marketing and lack of internal communication convicted College. Greg Phelps has been involved in Jordan Academy for 13 years and two children. His Grace the daughter of 14 years, is one of those directly affected by the closure. sad news, but urged his parents to welcome the new opportunity, heard on Wednesday, the Indianapolis School of Ballet.

"Six years ago I offered to help them create posters and advertisements," said Greg Phelps. "I kind of just did it because he believed in the cause." He said he was trying to fix the academy "market failure -. His visibility was almost nil" This more cumbersome registration procedures, discouraged some parents, "she said.

The university declined to comment, said spokesman Marc Allan.

The history of the Academy goes back to the Metropolitan School of Music, founded in 1895 the center. In 1909, the Metropolitan began offering courses in "theater and dance costume, hence the dance department has increased. The Butler affiliation began in 1924, and some years later was consolidated with other local schools to form Arthur Jordan Conservatory of Music. This institution is part of Butler in 1951. The Academy has been in its current location on 52nd Street and Boulevard Place, since 1983.

Jarvis said it would be impossible to assess students in the academy together over the years. More recent years has gone to great careers in dance: Jeanette Vondersaar, Het Nationale Ballet in Amsterdam, Brandon Dale, Stuttgart Ballet, Mary Beth Habeggar, Ballet West (Salt Lake City), Shannon Alvis, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago now with the Netherlands Dance Theater, Sadie Harris, Nashville Ballet, Angela Agresti, Cincinnati Ballet, now with the Het Nationale Ballet, Kevin Pugh, National Ballet of Canada.

SarahGrace Mariani, 16, studied at the Jordan Academy half his life. Praises "excellent training school, the phenomenal ballet technique" provides.

"We were all devastated" by news of Thursday, she said. "The hardest thing is that we are all family, etc.. You build these relationships and suddenly everything will be removed." She added that her ballet training project is uncertain.

If any pre-university training could be offered in Butler, Jarvis said: "If there is a program that will be different is my opinion that if a program is more competitive we must be prepared. This change. With this change comes the opportunity, but we must try. "

Meanwhile, the academy of the parents were given a list of area dance schools, with advice on what they and their children should look like they were trying to find the best "fit" for them.

Jarvis added that the end of the Jordan Academy of Dance is emotionally wrenching for the dancers and their families: "Taking dance classes is not just for dance classes, he said." It's the community spirit and friendships that last long there time. So it's difficult for everyone. "