A Dancing Success

The Academy of Ballet Arts may be new to South Jordan, but it’s certainly not new to the art of ballet. For more than 30 years, the ABA has been training students in classical ballet, pointe, jazz, tap, Pilates and hip hop, with many of its graduates moving on to promising careers in the field of dance. “We teach boys and girls as young as 3 years old all the way to adults and all experience levels,” says Sheila Cramer, ABA director.

Located at 10512 South Redwood Road, the ABA opened for classes this fall after selling its building in Sandy. “We moved because this is closer to home. It’s a better location. The area is really growing and there are a lot of kids and families moving here,” Sheila says.

More than a dozen dancers from the ABA have received the William F. Christensen scholarship at the University of Utah, five have danced for the Utah Ballet and still others have gone on to sign professional contracts with the New York City Ballet, Odyssey Dance Theater and Ballet West.

Many former students have also gone on to open their own dance studios or start their own dance companies. Younger students have received scholarships and been accepted into summer programs with the New York City Ballet, San Francisco Ballet and Pacific Northwest Ballet, to name a few.
 “We’ve had a lot of success with dancers being able to go on to do other things,” Sheila says. “Our studio emphasizes technique and because we do, it allows our students to make a career out of dance. We have a lot to offer that way.”

Sheila began teaching at the ABA in 1986, after training in Rapid City, S. D. and dancing for the University of Utah’s ballet department. In 1996, she bought the ABA from its former owner, Karen Chatterton. In her spare time, she has served as the ballet mistress (1988-2000) and artistic director (2000-2004) for Mountain West Ballet.

Sheila is also the artistic director for the nonprofit performing company, Intermountain Ballet Theater. IBT puts on performances all throughout the Salt Lake Valley and is open to anyone in the community who wants to audition. Most recently, they performed “The Nutcracker,” “Giselle” and “Coppelia.” 

To find out more about the Academy of Ballet Arts or to sign up for classes, call 907-5731 or e-mail: balletteacherinutah@gmail.com.
You can also visit the website at www.aba-studios.com.

This business highlight provided courtesy of The Valley Journals. Written by Crystal Liechty.

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