The first time I tried to find serious ballet classes near my home in Burney, I almost gave up. A quick online search just turned up a couple of kids' tap classes in a strip mall basement. It felt like my dream of dancing professionally was stuck before it even started.
What I didn't realize then is that Burney sits in a kind of sweet spot. We're a tiny dot on the map, sure, but we're also just a reasonable car ride from some of the best ballet training in the Midwest. That 35-minute drive to Cincinnati? It became my weekly pilgrimage to a world I'd only seen on YouTube.
My journey started close to home. The Lawrenceburg Dance Academy, just a 20-minute drive, was where I built my foundation. The instructors there had trained at the bigger schools I’d later attend. They taught me how to hold my port de bras and, more importantly, how to be a student. Many of us who got serious later on started right there in those community classes.
But eventually, I needed more. That’s when the real driving began. For me, it was Cincinnati Ballet Academy. Walking into that grand building for my first audition was terrifying. The training was intense—Balanchine-style with a Vaganova backbone. We’re talking 20-hour weeks, live piano in every class, and teachers who’d danced with major companies. That 35-minute commute turned into a ritual; my car knew the way by heart.
I have friends who chose different paths. One drove the 90 minutes to Indianapolis Ballet Conservatory because she wanted the pure Vaganova method and the academic partnerships they offer. Another found her place at Louisville Ballet School, loving the smaller, tight-knit vibe and the guaranteed performance opportunities with the main company.
If you’re just starting out or want to dance for joy, don’t overlook the closer options. The Batesville Community Education Center has great introductory adult classes. It’s proof that ballet isn’t only for the pre-professional track.
The reality is, your ballet journey from Burney will involve a car. You’ll learn to stretch in the passenger seat and review combinations in your head during the drive. But every mile takes you closer to a sprung floor, a live pianist, and teachers who can take your passion and forge it into technique.
Those drives taught me as much as the classes. They were my commitment made visible. So don’t look at Burney as a limitation. See it as your starting line. The studio door is waiting—you just have to be willing to make the drive.
