Ballet is an art form – it can tell a story through movement of the body; it can be magical and exciting. When MCM chatted with Tara Gragg, Artistic Director of the Flint Youth Ballet (FYB), the dance students were busily preparing for their parts in the upcoming performance of “The Nutcracker”, a Flint Institute of Music (FIM) production that has been a family holiday tradition at The FIM Whiting for many years.
In existence for 37 years, FYB is the advanced ensemble of FIM Flint School of Performing Arts (FSPA) dance students. This is Gragg’s first year as artistic director, following in the footsteps of Karen Mills Jennings, her longtime mentor who retired in June 2023 after 43 years in the position.
Nutcracker 2022
Gragg, however, has been a familiar face at FSPA for many years. “I grew up in the program,” she states. “I took classes and performed at the FSPA from age four until I graduated.” The talented dancer and teaching artist grew up in Grand Blanc and graduated from Grand Blanc High School. She then went on to earn a BFA in ballet from the University of Oklahoma. She furthered her education at the Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet (CPYB) Teacher’s Workshop.
As a professional, Gragg has performed with companies including Tulsa Ballet and Grand Rapids Ballet, as well as the Lyric Opera of Chicago as a featured soloist. She danced with Newport Contemporary Ballet in Rhode Island and then joined Boston Ballet School as a full-time faculty member before returning to FSPA.
“A lot of the dancers are successful, high-achieving young individuals. It is a great privilege to see them work so hard in class and create art people want to see.”
Tara Gragg
Artistic Director, Flint Youth Ballet
According to Gragg, the current group of FYB dancers numbers around 40; they study at the FSPA facility five days a week. The training is rigorous and requires a lot of discipline. “We have a wide range of students,” the director informs. “We are a school for everyone regardless of background, level of talent or financial situation.”
Gragg teaches all levels of dance classes, assisted primarily by Elizabeth Philippi and Natalia Retzloff who both have extensive dance backgrounds. The students perform throughout the year, including the Festival of Dance each spring. The program often includes a ballet by a guest choreographer or a renowned piece such as “Serenade” by George Balanchine, who is recognized as one of the most influential choreographers of the 20th Century. “It was a great honor for us to perform something like that,” says Gragg.
A Typical Day at FYB
FYB students attend academic classes at a public or private school or are home-schooled, then attend ballet technique class from 4:30-6pm. After a break to eat, they are likely rehearsing an upcoming performance from 6:30-9pm. On Saturdays, the dancers are in class and FYB rehearsals from 9am-5pm. The older students often serve as teaching assistants for the younger ones. “They demonstrate steps,” Gragg says, “and they also act as role models.”
Currently, the FYB director is working on the program components for FYB’s 2024 Festival of Dance, which is performed in May on Mother’s Day weekend at the University of Michigan-Flint Theatre. “It’s a lovely theater!” Gragg exclaims. The performance is attended by friends and family of the dancers and is open to the public.
Being an FYB student takes commitment, adds Gragg. “A lot of the dancers are successful, high-achieving young individuals” she states. “They have to love what they do. It is much too hard to do if it isn’t something you love.”
Flint Youth Ballet Support Fund
A dancer’s pointe shoes are very expensive and wear out quickly; the Support Fund helps with this cost. Students take the time and dedication to learn how to correctly sew the ribbons on their shoes and paint them to match the color of their skin. Tights and shoes used to only be available in the color pink. “Our students are culturally diverse and not all the same color,” says Gragg.
The Support Fund helps students with tuition to attend an intensive summer ballet study, which is held off campus. It also helps purchase leotards and cover the cost of attending auditions at colleges. “These funds help them to realize and achieve their dance goals.”
Also a young mom, Gragg is proud to be the artistic director at Flint Youth Ballet. “I feel so lucky! I love teaching,” she shares. “It is a great privilege to see the students work so hard in class and create art people want to see. It is very rewarding.”
Tara Gragg, Artistic Director, Flint Youth Ballet
