Bluegrass Youth Ballet

Bluegrass Youth Ballet is a 501(c)(3) non-profit ballet school in Lexington, Kentucky, serving students from ages 3 through adulthood. The studio's mission centres on providing equal access to high-quality dance education for all youth in Lexington and surrounding counties, with particular emphasis on outreach to disadvantaged or marginalized youth.

The school operates from a facility on Southland Drive with five studios, each equipped with sprung floors, marley, barres, mirrors, fans, and sound systems. The building also includes a boutique for uniform needs, a sewing and costume room, a kitchen, changing rooms, and a large waiting area with viewing windows so parents can observe classes and younger dancers can watch older ones for inspiration.

BYB's curriculum spans from Creative Movement (ages 3–5) through Pre-Ballet, Elementary, Intermediate, Advanced, and Pre-Professional levels. The school emphasises a non-competitive approach that prioritises the whole dancer—body, mind, and spirit. Student placement is based on technique, physical development, age, and experience; new students ages 8 and up or those returning after time away must complete an evaluation before enrolling in Elementary level and above. The faculty includes experienced instructors such as Brianna Mullins, Elizabeth Stubbs, Gretchen Gunther, Nancy Dominguez, Chuck Bronson, Adalhi Aranda, Ella Dale, Reynaldo Vergara, and Adahli Corn.

The school runs a summer programme with classes and intensives at multiple levels, from six-week sessions for Primary Division students to three-week programmes for Elementary through Advanced divisions. Summer intensive faculty have included guest teachers Claudia Monja (a principal dancer with Joburg Ballet and trained at the Cuban National Ballet School) and Eddie Forehand (an 18-year professional with Richmond Ballet, Charleston Ballet Theatre, Augusta Ballet, Dayton Ballet, and Louisville Ballet).

Performance is central to the BYB experience. Rather than traditional recitals, students participate in story ballet productions for educational and cultural purposes. Recent productions include Dia de los Muertos (presented by 250Lex and the City of Lexington), The Nutcracker in One Act (which marked its 20th year), the Primary & Open Division Showcase, and Mira and The Thieves (spring 2026). Pre-Ballet 2 and older students are invited to participate in yearly productions through separate rehearsals to ensure quality instruction during regular classes.

The studio operates an in-house costume shop where students perform in custom costumes made on-site. A boutique sells dancewear and BYB merchandise. The school also offers a Tuition Assistance Programme (TAP) to make classes accessible to students regardless of socioeconomic status, and maintains a non-competitive culture where students focus on their own progress rather than comparison with peers.

In your first visit, students are placed based on age, experience, and physical development through an evaluation process. Classes are held in one of five studios with viewing windows, and instruction emphasises technique, creativity, and self-confidence in a supportive, non-competitive environment.

The faculty includes Brianna Mullins, Elizabeth Stubbs, Gretchen Gunther, Nancy Dominguez, Chuck Bronson, Adalhi Aranda, Ella Dale, Reynaldo Vergara, Adahli Corn, and others. Summer guest teachers have included Claudia Monja (Cuban National Ballet School-trained, principal dancer with Joburg Ballet) and Eddie Forehand (18-year professional career with Richmond Ballet, Charleston Ballet Theatre, Augusta Ballet, Dayton Ballet, and Louisville Ballet).

Classes begin at age 3 with Creative Movement; pre-school aged students start in beginner-friendly classes using playful themes and creative stories, while older first-time dancers enroll in Pre-Ballet or Beginning Ballet depending on age.