with Melodye Sweetin
Transform your body and mind with the art of ballet
About Melodye Sweetin
Melodye started dancing when she was 3 years old in Chicago. By the time she was 12 years old she was being mentored by John Kriza, former Artistic Director of The American Ballet Theatre. Under his direction she developed into not just a dancer, but also a teacher. Mr. Kriza arranged for Melodye's first job at Hull House teaching Project Head Start kids Creative Movement when she was 14. In exchange she earned a scholarship to Hull House Art & Music Camp and performed a lead role in "Theme and Variations." After camp Melodye had the opportunity to perform with The American Ballet Theatre & The Stuttgart Ballet. When she was 18 she was awarded the lead dance role in Chicago Public School's All City Theater production of West Side Story. Her plan was to head to New York to dance after high school until she tore her ACL in a ballet class accident. Fast forward 4 years, college, surgery, & rehab.
in 1980 Melodye met Lirena Branitski who had just immigrated from the USSR where she had been a prima ballerina with the Ukranian National Ballet and a frequent guest artist with the Bolshoi Ballet. Melodye helped Lirena form a non-profit, and they went on to start a ballet school teaching the Vaganova syllabus. The school performed excerpts from ballets such as Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, Giselle, The Nutcracker, & more. At the Branitski Ballet Company we taught students who went on to dance with companies such as The Joffrey, The Boston Ballet,& The San Francisco Ballet.
What is inclusive ballet?
Coming soon
What to expect
coming soon
Everyone is welcome !
Senior Citizens, Children, & Adults will find a fun, supportive, inclusive beginner ballet class studio experience.
More to come !
Check back soon for ballet basics !
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