Once Upon a Ballet is a state of the art dance studio located in Mt Pleasant in Seaside Farms Shopping Center.
OUAB began in 2004 as a creative ballet program which traveled throughout Charleston’s peninsula as well as East Cooper, Daniel Island and James Island serving preschools and the pre-school community with an innovative ballet program created to begin the young dancers training with strong fundamentals all while capturing their hearts and imaginations to make sure each class allowed for the joy of ballet movement.
This was made possible by the creative and artistic spirit of founder Allyson Lewis as she designed over 60 pre-ballet curriculums and provided all of the theatrical elements of classical music, elegant costumes, delicate props, and supporting literature so that our very smallest dancers could perform a new STORYBALLET each week.
As the school grew, so did its dancers and a beautiful new space was constructed in 2008 to make a permanent home for an ever growing student body of dancers and performers. Today, the school teaches over 350 students many dance techniques, primarily ballet, but has expanded it’s curriculum to teach 2-16 year olds from beginner to advanced Ballet, Pointe, Jazz, Tap, Modern, and Hip Hop. Its sister school, the Musical Theater Center offers recreational and professional conservatory classes and is home to an award winning troupe of trained actors, dancers, and singers between the ages of 5 – 16. A non – profit theater production company, MTC produces 8 different musicals throughout each year for family audiences.
At Once Upon a Ballet, we are committed to making the student’s first experience with ballet a magical and positive one. Our facilities, curriculum and lesson plans are all prepared to provide a sound education in the fundamentals of ballet and the theatre arts. Our weekly storyballets offer each student the opportunity to express creativity, experience the joy of movement, and develop the strength and grace of a ballerina. Each instructor is trained to teach our unique curriculum and to foster the joy of dance in their students. With opportunities to grow in their dance development as well as build confidence and poise, our ballet and dance students thrive in an environment made to nurture their dreams.
Honesty: We adhere to the highest ethical and moral principles associated with dance education.
Integrity: We say what we mean and mean what we say. We take responsibility for our actions.
Inclusion: We include all levels of training and opportunity for all of our students.
Respect: Each student is shown professional consideration and is shown how to behave as such in our levels of instruction.
Individual Care: We educate each student as a unique emerging artist with individual programming and creative opportunity. No exceptions.
Striving for Excellence: We work to further the development in all areas of the educational experience we provide.
Creation of Opportunities: We create situations that are appropriate, and enlightening, in order to further a dancers desire to achieve, with Master Classes, Workshops and Performing Experiences.
At OUAB, we believe that: “In Every Child There Lives a Dancer.”