Tutu School creates early love for ballet in kids
Brooke Luminelli missed out on learning ballet at a young age. She was 10 by the time she fell in love with the classic dance form.
Still, passion, discipline and talent propelled Luminelli from Wisconsin to Southern California, where she earned a dance degree at UC Irvine and danced professionally at Disney parks here and in Tokyo.
Now, as a married mom with two girls ages 5 and 2, Luminelli operates five franchises of Tutu School for young children in Orange County.
The most recent opened in fall 2024 at Crossroads shopping center and has an enrollment of a little more than 300 children.
Based in the Bay Area, Tutu School is the brainchild of a dancer friend from Luminelli’s hometown of Madison, Wisconsin. The friend – also a California transplant – considered Luminelli the perfect person to launch franchises in Orange County.
From Disney shows to business owner
Luminelli says she loved her time as a Disney performer dancing in parades and the Fantasmic! show, but after six years she was ready for a career move. She became one of the earliest Tutu School franchisees.
Tutu teaches children creative movement and age-appropriate ballet technique, starting as young as 6 months and up to 8 or 9 years old.
Both of Luminelli’s daughters are Tutu students, attending the weekly, 45-minute classes her studios offer under monthly contracts. Her youngest was turning 6 months when the Baby Ballet classes launched; her oldest began as a toddler.
You might think, 6 months old and learning ballet? How does that work?
Luminelli explains that the Baby Ballet division for children 6-18 months old is designed around developing fine motor skills and parent-child bonding. Caregivers participate in both Baby Ballet and Tutu Toddler (18 months-3 years old) classes.
Older children attend Exploring Ballet (3-5 years old) and Primary Ballet (5-8 years old).
Storytelling strategy
There are recitals in winter and spring. If the littlest dancers want a parent to accompany them on stage, that’s fine.
“We want them to just have a fun time and feel supported, however that might look,” Luminelli says.
Storytelling is a key component of the classes. Students learn the stories – “Cinderella,” “Swan Lake” – that ballet portrays through movement and music.
Luminelli relies on a corps of teachers recruited for their strong dance backgrounds, love of ballet and, most importantly, patience and desire to work with children.
“They amaze me every day with how they connect with the students and their families, the creativity they have within their classes to keep their students engaged,” she says.
Luminelli’s own passion for ballet remains as strong as when she started at 10.
“I love providing classes to children,” she says. “I love providing job opportunities for teachers. I truly love this business just as much as teaching or performing, when I used to perform.”
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