A Ballet Education

It is that time of year, the end of the year, but what is usually a time of reflection and growth seems to be overshadowed by the gloom, hatred, and uncertainty of 2021. Most everyone right now can’t wait for 2021, the new year bringing a sense of hope for the future, that all of the negativity is going to stay in 2020, and I hope that too… While the world of Instagram and social media is having everyone repost their highlights of the year and their top 9 (don’t get me wrong, I did it too), I actually had to take a step back and be thankful for this year. First, let me thank all of you for your continuous support, readership, and following. This year we have donated over $30,000 in scholarships/company donations/causes and have given away over $5,000 in products and gift cards to amazing brands.

Evelyn Lyman, The Ballet Clinic, photographed by Ashley Lorraine Baker

This year I had a lot to be thankful for… In January I was as happy as a clam, minding my own business, teaching, hanging out, and trying to start settling down in Scottsdale. We had our Winter Intensives, and we started the choreography for our June Show. In February we did our Valentine’s Day shoot and I took kids to compete at the YAGP Semi-Final New York. In March, I went to Kansas City’s YAGP Semi-Final. By March 16th, we were at home on quarantine orders, and everything completely shifted into chaos and the new normal…

But during quarantine, I was able to focus a lot on A Ballet Education, I had so much free time since I was not in the studio or guest teaching. When things started to go sideways, I decided to make a planner that would help all of my students keep track of Zoom Codes and staying in shape. Little did I know that it was going to explode and that by May 2020, we would have shipped over 1,000 planners worldwide.

Additionally, Ashley and I were able to refocus our efforts on the Magazine and bring on Elizabeth Weldon to help create a stunning issue that would continue to grow throughout the rest of the year.

Issue 19

By June 2020, we were back in the studios, without masks. We were told it was safe, and things were slowing down. Little did we know that would only last two weeks before we were back to stay-at-home orders. By August, we were back in studios but were only allowed to have six kids at a time, and so we were putting in 10 hour days trying to see all of our students at least once a day. Then, by September, we were told we would be allowed to open again with masks… And so, Season two of the Ballet Clinic Resumed, our faculty had expanded from three to six, and our student population had grown from 12 to 32, and we published the beautiful September Issue.

Ginabel Peterson, Jazz Bynum, Katlyn Addison, and Gabrielle Salvatto of Ballet West photographed by Joshua Whitehead.

Our season kicked off to a great start.

In October, we launched the ABE Merch Line along with our Spooky Season Stuff!

By December, we were back in the full swing of things. The magazine has grown, the ABE Merch was taking off, the planners are still going like hotcakes, and our December Issue had come out.

Person using a laptop computer from above

Another new challenge that December brought was live broadcasting our exams at The Ballet Clinic. It was a very fun new challenge, but we were able to produce amazing live streams and broadcast the exams so parents could see.

So as you can see, I have a lot to be thankful for this year. And while this year brought chaos, destroyed the world of arts, and financially broke the system, it also brought me passion, it brought creativity, it brought me the willingness to fight and keep going for everything I love so much. This year has been hell, this year has been a shit storm, but this year has also made me work even harder, and reminded me that nothing is guaranteed. This year has given me amazing collaborations with Tea Leaves and Co, NG Generation and Grishko World, Cary Conservatory, Elite Classical Coaching, winning outstanding teacher at YAGP, being listed as one of the top ballet schools in the country, being nominated for Influential Contributor and Influencer, and so much more.

As I move on to 2021, I am excited for the next year. I am excited for The Ballet Clinic Season 3. I am excited to see what the future holds for my students, and I am excited that A Ballet Education, A Ballet Magazine, A Ballet Network, The Ballet Clinic, and The Pointe Shoe Clinic are thriving.

So peace out 2020. It has been real.