Ballet Etude offers Upper Valley high-quality technique, performance
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REXBURG – Some people would consider it a challenging workout, while others could say it’s an ageless art form to be appreciated. The directors of Ballet Etude in Rexburg say it’s more, as they are blending strength, flexibility, technique and artistry into one.
“Ballet is intricate and it’s specific, and there’s a right way to do things, and there’s a wrong way to do things, so we really are committed to teaching it the right way,” said Madissen Fujimoto, co-owner of Ballet Etude.
Fujimoto and Kiersten Lewis direct the non-profit organization. They opened the doors of their company in January 2023. The 501(c)(3) is committed to high-quality ballet training and making performances more accessible to the community.
“There’s really not a whole lot of opportunity outside of BYU-Idaho, especially for advanced classically trained ballet dancers,” Fujimoto said. “So, (we) wanted to start a company, so we did that in January of 2023.”
The ballet group started with adults only in August 2022, with the goal of creating a semi-professional dance company. Soon after beginning, Lewis and Fujimoto realized they wanted to offer the community more. The two were motivated by a desire to train their own children in the art, and by February of 2023, they decided they needed to do a full program.
“We need(ed) to create a whole academy and train dancers up,” Lewis said.
“There’s not a lot of places for adults to go,” Fujimoto added, “and I know just from talking to people at the studio that there’s a lot of adults that wish they would have done it when they were a kid. But it’s expensive, so they couldn’t, so we provide that outlet for them.”
Lewis, who is from Nevada, and Fujimoto, from California, are both trained in classical ballet.
Popular methods for dance include the Vaganova method, the Cecchetti method, the Balanchine method and the Royal Academy of Dance method (RAD) to name a few. The curriculum they’ve chosen to model is one authored by Marcia Dale Weary instituted at the Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet when she founded it in 1955.
“The curriculum is efficient—Marcia Dale Weary was a ballet genius. She knew how to explain things in a way that anybody could understand it,” Fujimoto says.
Lewis and Fujimoto say the results of Marcia Dale Weary’s methodology speak for themselves.
“The Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet churns out professional dancers like nobody’s business,” Fujimoto said. “By the time they’re graduating high school or earlier, they’re ready for a professional career with a company.”
Lewis says the technique is such that it can be built upon.
“My favorite part of this whole thing is seeing the progress of the dancers,” she said. “I would say, all of them have noticed incredible improvement, greater understanding in the details of the technique, greater ability to perform it well.”
Barbara Merrill is in the adult class and is currently experiencing health challenges.
She says she’s always loved dancing and wanted to take the adult class despite her health struggles.
“I thought if I don’t do it now, I’ll never do it,” Merrill said. “They have both been very supportive. I’ve gone slower than most of the students. … They just keep encouraging me. They’re my cheering section, and I appreciate them.”
Rex Barzee, a computer science professor at Brigham Young University-Idaho says, when he joined the class, he was looking for a new fitness challenge. He’s now been involved for a year and a half.
“Dancing has improved my coordination … definitely improved my flexibility and my strength,” he said. “It’s such a positive place for people of all ages … and all body forms. People are so friendly to one another and simply want to help. It’s just really a chance to make some lifelong friends.”
Ballet Etude has performances coming up that the community can look forward to — “Christmas at the Ballet,” on Nov. 22 and 23; “For the Love of Ballet,” a Valentine’s-themed fundraiser gala on Feb. 8; and their Peter Pan-themed spring showcase on May 30 and May 31.
“We have performing opportunities for them as well, which is so fun,” Lewis said. “We try in each of our shows to create scenes where dancers of all levels can participate and feel pleased with what they’re doing — feel good about, and proud and confident in what they’re doing on the stage.”
Find more information on the shows or how to get involved at BalletEtude.com.