Bella Ballerina franchisee Allie Wine. The children’s dance studio also features a retail space with dance gear. (Jack Jacobs photo)
A chain of franchised dance studios has made its local debut in a retail strip near Brandermill.
Bella Ballerina, a Leesburg-based chain that provides dance classes to children aged 18 months to 10 years old, recently opened at 13924 Hull Street Road.
The new franchise is owned by Allie Wine, who has a background in financial planning. After 12 years working in the industry, Wine said she decided she was ready for a change of pace and found one that tapped into her passion for dance, which included performing on her high school dance team and taking ballet classes on and off as an adult.
She stumbled across Bella Ballerina thanks to an online search and decided to bring the concept to the Richmond region. The franchise is Wine’s first foray as a business owner.
“For my entire life I’ve had a passion for dance and a love of working with kids,” Wine said. “I found Bella Ballerina through a Google search and it seemed like fate.”
Wine declined to share the investment made to launch her studio. According to the Bella Ballerina website, the startup costs of a franchise include a one-time fee of $42,000 as well as a monthly fee.
Most Bella Ballerina classes involve a story-time reading portion and a combination of jazz, tap and ballet moves that are related to the story read.
“We start every class reading a story, some that are familiar and some that are probably new to our dancers. We integrate the story into our dance routine with moves like, ‘Stretch your toe out long like Rapunzel’s hair,’” said Wine.
The studio also offers a ballet class for 6- to 10-year-olds that doesn’t involve a story-time element.
Four-week dance classes range in price from $85 to $105. Bella Ballerina also offers a 12-month package that allows access to classes for $80 per month during the period. The studio additionally will host birthday parties and summer camps.
Bella Ballerina occupies a 1,100-square-foot space that was formerly home to a frozen yogurt shop. The studio features a small retail area with dance-class supplies like tights and shoes as well as a viewing area for parents next to the instructional area.
The studio held its first classes on Feb. 20 and planned to hold a grand opening ceremony on Saturday.
Bella Ballerina opened its first location in 2011. The company’s website lists 14 studios in Virginia, the Carolinas and other states. The Chesterfield studio is the first in the Richmond region.
Bella Ballerina franchisee Allie Wine. The children’s dance studio also features a retail space with dance gear. (Jack Jacobs photo)
A chain of franchised dance studios has made its local debut in a retail strip near Brandermill.
Bella Ballerina, a Leesburg-based chain that provides dance classes to children aged 18 months to 10 years old, recently opened at 13924 Hull Street Road.
The new franchise is owned by Allie Wine, who has a background in financial planning. After 12 years working in the industry, Wine said she decided she was ready for a change of pace and found one that tapped into her passion for dance, which included performing on her high school dance team and taking ballet classes on and off as an adult.
She stumbled across Bella Ballerina thanks to an online search and decided to bring the concept to the Richmond region. The franchise is Wine’s first foray as a business owner.
“For my entire life I’ve had a passion for dance and a love of working with kids,” Wine said. “I found Bella Ballerina through a Google search and it seemed like fate.”
Wine declined to share the investment made to launch her studio. According to the Bella Ballerina website, the startup costs of a franchise include a one-time fee of $42,000 as well as a monthly fee.
Most Bella Ballerina classes involve a story-time reading portion and a combination of jazz, tap and ballet moves that are related to the story read.
“We start every class reading a story, some that are familiar and some that are probably new to our dancers. We integrate the story into our dance routine with moves like, ‘Stretch your toe out long like Rapunzel’s hair,’” said Wine.
The studio also offers a ballet class for 6- to 10-year-olds that doesn’t involve a story-time element.
Four-week dance classes range in price from $85 to $105. Bella Ballerina also offers a 12-month package that allows access to classes for $80 per month during the period. The studio additionally will host birthday parties and summer camps.
Bella Ballerina occupies a 1,100-square-foot space that was formerly home to a frozen yogurt shop. The studio features a small retail area with dance-class supplies like tights and shoes as well as a viewing area for parents next to the instructional area.
The studio held its first classes on Feb. 20 and planned to hold a grand opening ceremony on Saturday.
Bella Ballerina opened its first location in 2011. The company’s website lists 14 studios in Virginia, the Carolinas and other states. The Chesterfield studio is the first in the Richmond region.