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	The History of Le Ballet Petit

Kittie LaPointe

In the early fifties, a young mother wished to share her love of dance with her daughters and their friends. She had been classically trained and performed professionally before her marriage. So Kittie LaPointe began to teach ballet in her northwest side basement in the Ravenswood Manor neighborhood. That was the beginning of a unique non-for-profit neighborhood organization - Le Ballet Petit - that has introduced hundreds of youngsters to the joys of dancing over the years. In those early days several young neighborhood girls met in the LaPointe basement. It was more like a club than in school. They paid dues, kept attendance, and formulated rules for what they decided to call Le Ballet Petit.

When a small corner storefront became available at 4630 North Francisco, Le Ballet Petit was too big for the basement and just right for a one room studio. Incorporated first as Le Ballet Petit Parents Guild in 1964, the name was subsequently changed to Le Ballet Petit Guild in 1965. Kitte LaPointe and her husband Arthur LaPointe worked tirelessly with the help of several dedicated supporters to offer their students the unique opportunity of performing in full length ballets. Sets and scenery were designed and costumes created for The Nutcracker, Hansel and Gretel, Cinderella, Coppelia and Le Sylphides. Each June a show highlighting the talens of all the students was held.

Then the popular dance school was told to vacate the corner storefront to make room for a drugstore. For a few years, it shared quarters with another dance school Betsy Herrstrom's. Fortunately the ownership of the corner building changed once again. The dance school moved back to its favorite spot, just steps away from the Francisco stop on the Ravenswood line and across the street from the little park playlot. Expanding into the storefront next door, Le Ballet Petit could now boast of having two studios with dressing rooms in the basement. As the years passed, the school continued to introduce dance to hundreds of children. Productions of The Nutcracker were mounted every few years, usually at the Athenaeum Theatre. The corner dance school was becoming a landmark.

Ida Velez

The year is 1987 with its August flood spelled disaster for Le Ballet Petit. Water destroyed many of the priceless costumes, shoes, and props, and much of the equipment necessary for its wonderful full scale productions. For four years the LBP Guild produced no ballets. Then in 1991 a successful fundraising campaign - Adopt a Nutcracker - was able to raise enough money for new costumes, scenery, and props. By offering a group price ticket to girl scout troops, Le Ballet Petit was able to present The Nutcracker to nearly 2,000 cheering viewers. A spring production of Coppelia was also very warmly received and Le Ballet Petit was back on its feet and going strong with dedicated dancers and energized volunteers. Assured that the wonderful organization that she had founded would continue, Kittie LaPointe resigned and Ida Velez assumed the position of Executive Director. Productions of Cinderella and Swan Lake in the following years were also well received, especially by the girl scout troops that continued to regularly attend.

In 2004, Le Ballet Petit will celebrate it's 50^th anniversary. The not-so-little corner dance school with a big heart continues to fulfill the hopes of dancers who dream of being on stage as the overture begins to enchange the audience and draw them into the magical world of dance.