VH Dance Center, School of the Chicago Festival Ballet, relocating to Aurora
VH Dance Center, School of the Chicago Festival Ballet, in Naperville will be relocating to Aurora as of July 1, 2020.
After over 20 years in Naperville, construction plans at the current mall have required the school to find a new location. The studio will be located at 4222 Meridian Parkway, Suite 100, Aurora, IL 60504.
VH Dance Center is the School of the Chicago Festival Ballet, whose founder and director is internationally renowned choreographer Kenneth von Heidecke. He is a renowned choreographer for opera and ballet companies around the world having choreographed over 60 operas and 80 ballets.
Von Heidecke began his career as a dancer, working his way through the ranks of many prominent companies such as La Scala in Milan, Rome Opera, San Francisco Ballet, Ballet Met and Chicago City Ballet.
Most significantly, he was hand-chosen by legendary Prima Ballerina Assoluta Maria Tallchief to appear in the 1975 world premiere of George Balanchine's "Orfeo ed Euridice," a groundbreaking moment in his career. Over the years, Tallchief continued to coach Von Heidecke in the Balanchine repertoire and referred to him as her protégé.
The school's new location is minutes from Fox Valley Mall in Aurora, I-88, and the Route 59 Metra station. Students who wish to take Metra to class will get a tuition credit equal to the Metra student fare (with receipt) as well as rides to and from the station.
The new studio has over 3,300 square feet of space, and two large dance studios with sprung floors. The school also will have a "Healthier4U" vending machine with healthy snacks and drinks.
The studio offers preprofessional ballet, classical ballet, preballet, adult/teen beginning ballet, Ballet for Figure Skaters, jazz, hip-hop, contemporary, WERQ fitness and more! Classes are offered in person, with safety precautions to comply with state regulations, as well as virtually on Zoom. New students get 4 weeks free tuition for the summer term, through Aug. 8, at the new location, using the promo code SUMMERFREE at dancestudio-pro.com/online/vhdancecenter.
With Chicago Festival Ballet, VH Dance Center students have the opportunity to participate in "The Nutcracker," choreographed by Kenneth von Heidecke, locally at the Rialto Square Theatre in Joliet. Younger children will be selected for roles in local theaters.
The more advanced dancers will have the opportunity to go on tour with the professional troupe, which this season includes performances at the Ritz Theatre in Tiffin, Ohio and at the Shauer Center for the Performing Arts, in Hartford, Wisconsin.
"Very few ballet schools, if any, tour out-of-state with professionals, but it's such a wonderful experience for the students," Von Heidecke said.
The school has been proud to serve the Naperville area for over 20 years and is excited to open at the new Aurora location in July!