Today we’d like to introduce you to Mia Klinger.
Hi Mia, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start, maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers.
Nan Klinger Excellence in Dance was started by Nan Klinger in 1953. Following in the footsteps of her mother, Gertrude Holvey, who had started a dance studio in Akron during the 1920’s and was passed down to one of her graduating pupils so she could start her own family. Nan was the first dance teacher in the area to teach 1 1/2-hour classes, require dancers to wear a leotard and tights with hair pulled back in a bun.
Classical Ballet was becoming known in America thanks to George Balanchine. Nan Klinger became one of the first teachers to receive a grant from the Ford Foundation and learning the Balanchine technique very early on. To give her students more performing experience, she started the Cuyahoga Valley Youth Ballet in 1975. (Doing Business as Ballet Excel Ohio since 2014) This was the fourth oldest youth ballet in the United States.
Since then, many stars of ballet have taught at the studio, including but not limited to Frederick Franklin, Jacques D’Amboise, Daniel Duell, Michael Vernon, James Sewell, Tom Gold, Oleg Brianksy, Debra Austin, Melissa Hayden, and many more.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
2020 was honestly the biggest struggle. Since then, it has been a slow improvement in students, but not back to normal quite yet.
As you know, we’re big fans of Nan Klinger Excellence in Dance. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about the brand?
We are celebrating 70 years of dance. We are well known for training dancers in classical ballet. Many who have gone on to professional careers in dance. In collaboration with Ballet Excel Ohio, which is our resident ballet company, we offer scholarships to underserved children who might not otherwise take classical ballet. We are the largest outreach program in Northeast Ohio, serving children in classical ballet through the Ballet Excel Ohio program Reach Out And Dance(R) or ROAD(R).
Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
The parent volunteers who make the productions happen from costuming, sets, props, and everything else in between. Without them, we would not be able to do what we do.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.klingerdance.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/klingerdance
- Facebook: facebook.com/klingerdance
