Butler University announced today that the Jordan Academy
of Dance, which has trained young dancers in Indianapolis since
1909, will close on May 31, 2011, due to economic
reasons.
Despite efforts to increase enrollment and boost revenue,
the Jordan Academy of Dance is not a sustainable program and Butler
University can no longer afford to subsidize the
operation.
The decision does not affect Butler's internationally
renowned dance program, which continues to flourish.
More than 200 students ages 3-17 currently take lessons at
the Jordan Academy of Dance, which is known for teaching ballet,
modern and jazz dance. The academy employs two full-time employees
and six hourly workers.
The academy, which is located at 52nd Street and Boulevard
Place, is the affiliate dance school of the Butler Ballet and
Butler University's Jordan College of Fine Arts. It received full
listing from the National Association of Schools of Dance's
Commission on Accreditation, making it one of only two
pre-professional, pre-college dance programs in the nation to earn
that status.
For many years, the Academy was the affiliate school for
the Jordan College of Fine Arts and its dance program. But now, as
a dance school funded by Butler, we cannot compete with the number
of for-profit dance schools in Indianapolis. The University, being
good stewards, has decided that the money used to subsidize the
Academy would be better spent on our central mission: our
nationally renowned undergraduate dance program.
The Jordan Academy is an offshoot of the consolidation of
several schools, chief of which was the Metropolitan School of
Music. The Metropolitan was founded in 1895 and housed in Circle
Hall, a building located on the corner of Market and Circle in
downtown Indianapolis. It has been housed at its current location
since 1983.
In 1909, Metropolitan began offering classes in "stage and
fancy dancing." Thirteen years later, the school officially
established a Department of Dance that taught ballet, Pointe,
classical, Grecian, oriental and stage dance, soft shoe, Spanish,
and Russian Folk Dance.
The Metropolitan and Butler began their affiliation in
1924. In 1928, philanthropist Arthur Jordan purchased the
Metropolitan and other local schools and consolidated them to form
the Arthur Jordan Conservatory of Music. In 1951, the conservatory
became a part of Butler University as Jordan College of Music. The
name was changed to the Jordan College of Fine Arts in
1978.
"Closing the Jordan Academy is a bittersweet decision,"
said Michelle Jarvis, interim dean of Butler's Jordan College of
Fine Arts. "The long, rich history of the Jordan Academy, the
wonderful dancers the academy has turned out, the wonderful
families that have participated and the community that we've made
at the academy are not easy to give up. But this is a decision the
University had to make."
Questions and Answers
Why did Butler decide to close the Jordan Academy of Dance?
~ Show Response
This was strictly an economic decision. The Jordan Academy
is not a free-standing enterprise. It is part of Butler University.
For years, the University has supported this concept of arts
training. But for approximately 10 years, the Academy has regularly
lost money. In several years, the losses have been in the
six-figure range. Butler can no longer afford to subsidize the
Jordan Academy.
For many years, the Academy was the affiliate school for
the Jordan College of Fine Arts and its dance program. But now, as
a dance school funded by Butler, we cannot compete with the number
of for-profit dance schools in Indianapolis. The University, being
good stewards, has decided that the money used to subsidize the
Academy would be better spent on our central mission: our
nationally renowned undergraduate dance program.
When did Butler begin to think about closing the Jordan Academy of Dance?
~ Show Response
Discussions began this academic year. But in the past few years,
there has been discussion about how the Jordan Academy could gain
enrollment and shift its programs to branch out beyond ballet,
modern and jazz dance, which would bring in additional students.
Those attempts were made with classes like hip-hop, Zumba, flamenco
and exercise for adults. But when a school has a particular
reputation - as JAD does - it's difficult to get students to
consider other options. So those expansion attempts were not
successful.
Jordan Academy of Dance has more than 200 students. Wasn’t that enough to sustain it?
~ Show Response
The majority of students come for lessons once a week.
While that generates revenue, it would take a minimum of 500
students to sustain the program.
What would it take to keep the Academy open?
~ Show Response
A large number of students across the tuition base and at
a variety of levels of training. A large number of adult
students as well.
What if I gave money to keep the Academy open? How much would I need to give?
~ Show Response
It would take at least a multimillion-dollar endowment to
continue to offer the programs at the current levels.
Could the University have sold the business?
~ Show Response
No. The Jordan Academy of Dance has a great reputation, but it
has no assets to sell.
What do you recommend to parents and students who want to continue to study dance?
~ Show Response
There are a number of schools around the city that have
flourished. Students should look at those schools to see which
works best for their training. These schools will welcome JAD
students because our students are good. They have sound training.
They know what they're doing. They understand the language of
dance. They are serious students.