In 2012, Julianna Rubio Slager and Amy Kozol Sanderson founded Ballet 5:8. As leading companies cycled through the same classic works, they saw this beautiful art form becoming stagnant and in danger of missing the next generation. They founded Ballet 5:8 to tell stories of the 21st century while retaining the classic beauty of ballet. For Ballet 5:8, faith is an important aspect of meaningful storytelling. Drawing from inspiration from Christian belief, each Ballet 5:8 performance wrestles with themes that portray both the darkness and hope of life in the modern context. The School of Ballet 5:8 extends the company's mission to over 400 students each year at campuses in Orland Park and Chicago (Beverly), IL. The school includes a nationally-recognized classical ballet training program, a range of recreational dance classes for all ages and levels of ability. Ballet 5:8 is passionate about body-positive, kind, scientific training that benefits the individual dancer. It is our honor to invest in our local communities through accessible, high-quality dance education.