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Washington Evening Journal
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Library visit gives children a glimpse of The Nutcracker
Southeast Iowa Union offers audio versions of articles using Instaread. Some words may be mispronounced.
WASHINGTON — Children arrived at the Washington Public Library last week ready for stories and movement, as Elizabeth’s Academy of Classical Ballet visited the Wee Read and Early Out Hangout programs to share a preview of this year’s Nutcracker.
The young audience listened, watched, asked questions, and even tried basic ballet steps, turning the library rooms into miniature studios for an afternoon.
Families and library leaders described the visits as joyful and engaging, with participants getting close looks at costumes, hearing about the ballet’s traditions, and dancing along with performers. The sessions also offered an early glimpse of what audiences will see when the company takes the stage at the Washington Community Theater on Friday, Dec. 12 at 6:30 p.m. and Saturday, Dec. 13 at 1:30 p.m. for a show free to the community.
The outreach aligns with an annual rhythm at the Ainsworth-based academy. As rehearsals intensify in December, dancers step beyond their studio walls to meet the community where it gathers. Rather than rely solely on opening-night audiences, owner and director Elizabeth Billups places ballet directly within public spaces, broadening who encounters it.
Billups began ballet at age seven and followed her interest into professional performance. She studied dance at the University of Illinois, taught and performed in Philadelphia, and later continued her work in Portland, where her love of choreography deepened.
After moving to southeast Iowa, she recognized a need for modest, faith-aligned classical ballet instruction and responded by opening her own academy approximately five years ago.
Today, Elizabeth’s Academy of Classical Ballet holds 18 classes a week, from pre-ballet through pointe. Students also study tap, lyrical dance, tumbling and more. The academy also offers classes for adults. Many dancers return each fall leading into winter to rehearse The Nutcracker, the school’s largest production.
According to Billups, rehearsals for the production begin in September. As showtime draws closer, dancer take on extra practice times to solidify their choreography for the stage.
The academy performs on a stage floor donated by the Washington Community Theater — a surface worn enough that dancers regularly retape cracks. A February Winfield Area Grateful Gathering fundraiser helped raise money toward replacing it, another example of community support feeding a program that, in return, entertains and educates its neighbors.
That spirit was visible in the library rooms last week. Students demonstrated fundamentals of ballet, answered questions about pointe shoes and costumes, and invited children to mimic simple steps. Arms lifted like snowflakes and tiny feet practiced first positions.
For families, the visits provided access without barriers. Children who had never seen a ballet found themselves dancing alongside costumed performers. Because admission is free, attending the full production becomes an easy next step.
After each performance, dancers host a cookie reception, offering time for conversation and photos. Billups sees those interactions as part of why the shows exist: to give something back to the community that sustains the academy.
Once the curtain closes, attention pivots to the spring show. But for now, a December visit to library programs begins a story arc consisting of Billups making ballet accessible to all.
Comments: AnnaMarie.Kruse@southeastiowaunion.com
