Tucked into northwestern Indiana's farm country, Petroleum City isn't the first place most people picture when they think of ballet. Yet for nearly a century, this small industrial city has maintained a surprisingly resilient dance community—one that has adapted through economic downturns, the rise of youth sports, and a pandemic that forced studios onto Zoom in living rooms across Warren County.
Today, three main studios serve the area's ballet students, from toddlers in tutus to teenagers contemplating professional careers. Here's what you need to know about where to train, what sets each school apart, and how ballet continues to find its footing in an unlikely corner of the Midwest.
A Brief History: Ballet Takes Root in an Industrial Town
Petroleum City's ballet story begins in 1927, when Elena Voss, a former Chicago Lyric Opera Ballet dancer, opened a studio above the Woolworth's on Main Street. Voss had followed her husband to the area for a job at the Sinclair refinery and began teaching the children of factory workers and farm families in the spare room of her apartment. By 1941, her students were performing excerpts from Swan Lake at the old Paramount Theater—an event the Petroleum City Tribune described at the time as "an act of remarkable grace in a city of steel and smokestacks."
The tradition persisted through the decades, if unevenly. The original studio closed in 1968 following Voss's retirement, but former students reopened classes in church basements and community centers. A significant revival came in 1983, when the regional arts council secured a National Endowment for the Arts grant to bring professional dancers to Warren County for residencies. That funding helped establish the first sustained pre-professional track in the city and created a pipeline of local talent that continues today.
The Studios: Three Approaches, One Small City
Each of Petroleum City's current ballet schools occupies a distinct niche. Prospective families should consider not just location and schedule, but atmosphere, philosophy, and long-term goals.
Petroleum City Ballet School — The Pre-Professional Path
Location: 412 North Meridian Street (downtown, second floor of the historic Kress Building)
Ages: 4 through 18; adult beginner class offered Tuesday evenings
Tuition: $185–$340/month depending on level; merit scholarships available for boys and upper-level girls
Founded in 1997 by former American Ballet Theatre corps member David and Patricia Okonkwo, Petroleum City Ballet School (PCBS) is the most rigorous option in town. The Okonkwos retired from performing in the mid-1990s and chose Petroleum City—Patricia's hometown—over larger regional hubs like Indianapolis or Fort Wayne.
"We wanted to prove you didn't have to grow up in New York or Chicago to get serious training," says David Okonkwo, now the school's artistic director. PCBS follows the Vaganova method, with a compulsory modern and Pilates complement starting at age 12. The studio's sprung-floor Marley studios are the only professionally installed ones in Warren County.
The results show in student placements. In the past five years, PCBS alumni have joined trainee programs at Cincinnati Ballet, Milwaukee Ballet, and Nashville Ballet. The school produces a full Nutcracker every December at the Petroleum City Performing Arts Center, using professional guest artists for principal roles.
"It's intense," says Maria Santos, whose 16-year-old daughter has trained at PCBS since age six. "There are early mornings, there are tears, there are sacrifices. But when your child is doing something they love at this level, and you don't have to drive three hours for it—it's worth it."
Dance Academy of Petroleum City — The Versatile Training Ground
Location: 1802 East State Road 26 (Petroleum City Commons shopping plaza)
Ages: 18 months through adult
Tuition: $95–$220/month; multi-class and sibling discounts available
For families seeking exposure to multiple styles without the pre-professional pressure, Dance Academy of Petroleum City (DAPC) offers the broadest curriculum. Director Lisa Chen-Williams, a Juilliard-trained dancer who performed with Parsons Dance before settling in the Midwest, emphasizes cross-training from an early age. Most ballet students also take jazz, modern, or tap.
"Ballet is the foundation, but not every kid wants to live in a leotard for 25 hours a week," Chen-Williams says. "We want students to find the form that speaks to them, whether that's ballet, hip-hop, or musical theater."
The studio's annual spring showcase features all disciplines, and DAPC has developed a particular reputation for placing students in regional summer theater productions. The atmosphere is notably less formal than PCBS—students call teachers by first names, and the dress code allows colored leotards rather than strict black-and-pink.
