Cleveland City Ballet & Bang

We are Cleveland's oldest, most respected dance studio, offering a range of services designed to inspire and challenge the youth of our community. Our mission is to provide quality arts instruction that is tailored to students of different levels and abilities, creating within each student an appreciation of and a love for the arts.

Our History

Cleveland City Ballet was founded in 1936 by Frances Gould and has been a cornerstone of quality dance education for the youth of Cleveland and Bradley County. The studio has undergone changes in ownership, from Ms. Paula Duff in the 1970s to Ms. Carolyn Clark in the 1990s, and finally to Connie and Steve Gatlin in 2005, who relocated the studio to the Old Woolen Mill. Today, Connie and Abigail Gatlin own the studio, with Connie serving as Artistic Director. Our studio now occupies over 7,000 square feet of space in the historic building on South Church Street, including dressing rooms, storage facilities, and four spacious studios, each named after esteemed dance instructors.

Our Mission

As a private arts academy, our mission at Cleveland City Ballet is to provide unparalleled arts instruction that both challenges and inspires the youth of our community. Our accomplished faculty delivers a progressive curriculum tailored to students of varying levels and abilities, fostering an appreciation for and a deep love of the arts in each individual. We believe in excellence, hard work, the transformative power of the arts, and the importance of children as beacons of hope for our world.

Our Services

We offer a variety of classes for different age groups and skill levels, including ballet, jazz, modern, and more. Our class schedules are designed to accommodate the needs of our students, and we ensure that each class meets the minimum enrollment size to provide personalized attention. We also offer summer dance camps and recital packages for those who want to take their passion for dance to the next level.

About Our Owner

Connie Gatlin, the owner of Cleveland City Ballet, has long been a passionate advocate for the arts, particularly in supporting educational and community theater and dance performances for the youth in her community. Her journey towards enhancing dance education began when her daughter, Abigail, sought training beyond their local community. Connie embarked on visits to renowned dance training studios, which motivated her to improve the quality of dance education available locally.