Dancers Developing the Next Generation

Mareck Center for Dance is a place for every body and skill level. 

When Sarah Barnett was looking for a dance school for her daughter, Mareck Center for Dance was exactly what she wanted. 

“We really appreciate that the emphasis at Merack is on personal growth and technique and creativity, rather than just prep for competition,” said Barnett. “It’s a healthy environment for a young dancer to build skills without the pressure of a competitive dance scene.” Her daughter has now been dancing at Mareck for three years. 

Mareck Center for Dance, formerly Missouri Contemporary Ballet, was founded in 2006. Initially, the company performed and practiced in donated spaces. Today, Mareck is located in the Balsamo Warehouse at 110 Orr Street in downtown Columbia. Karen Mareck Grundy is the director. 

“It kind of almost fell into my lap,” Mareck Grundy said. “All of the things happened within almost a week’s time span. And so I was like, ‘Wow, I guess this is what I’m supposed to do.’”  

Expanding to contemporary dance allows for a more rounded approach to a variety of forms instead of being limited to ballet. The name change, which occurred in 2020, honors Mareck Grundy while better encompassing the center’s mission and style. 

THE COMPANY 

Mareck Contemporary Dance Center is the home of nine professional dancers who dance with the company and teach classes. 

“It is giving dancers an opportunity to use their classical technique in a contemporary way that isn’t stuck on gender norms,” said Grand Rapids, Iowa, dancer Victoria VanderPlas, who has been a member of the dance company since 2019 and school director for the last three years. “A lot of the dancers at Mareck have to be able to do very explosive, powerful work, which is typically reserved only for men. And likewise, the male dancers have to be capable of doing fluid, soft, traditionally feminine dance moves.” 

The dance company is currently working on its nineteenth anniversary show, a modern retelling of Cinderella. It will be performed with a full orchestra.  

“I think the dance world is seeing a lot more of these companies that use classical techniques to create contemporary visions that aren’t the classic ballets, like we’re doing with Cinderella,” VanderPlas explained. “The music is all Prokofiev, but the story is an adaptation. The story is set even more in the 2000s.” 

Mareck Center for Dance offers unique opportunities to not only be professional dancers but to actively participate in the community through classes and outreach programs. 

“We have these big hopes, like, ‘Oh, I want to be the next Mia Hamm,’ but there’s so many people that hold jobs and hold positions in all these worlds that they’re not necessarily recognized to that extent, but they give back to the community,” VanderPlas added.  “How we bring up our youth is the most important piece of it all.” 

THE SCHOOL AND OUTREACH 

Mareck Center for Dance follows the vision of“transforming lives through dance” and embodies that philosophy through its classes and outreach programs.  

“We love that Mareck really focuses on growing our kid as a whole human, where she can teach and be taught, but also that she has to be prepared for class, and she has to learn to be on time, and she has to take care of her body, and she’s really welcoming to new classmates,” Barnett said. “And she has to communicate with her teachers and figure out how to balance time between her other commitments and dance.” 

Barnett added, “She’s growing as a dancer, but also as a person.” 

Traditionally, ballet is extremely rigid and has a reputation for being hard on bodies with repetitive use injuries. In her work to counteract that potential, VanderPlas applies her degree in exercise science to create a safer practice.  

“I like providing students options in certain exercises,” she said. “They understand that there’s a certain expectation for technique and what I do want to see, but at the same time, they also know that they get choices if their body is feeling very tired that day,” she explained. VanderPlas also encourages strength training as part of dance. 

Students are encouraged to take notes and are given vocabulary sheets to reinforce key concepts. Along with that approach, classes and costumes are affordable. 

“Mareck does a really nice job of making sure dance is accessible for everyone,” Barnett said. “The costumes are either at no charge or very low charge. It’s not like every single semester we’re paying out the wazoo for rehearsal fees and costume fees.” 

Mareck also offers open division classes for ballet and modern dance for teens and adults. Barnett started taking ballet classes recently when another studio mother’s encouragement. 

“But there’s never any judgment in this space,” she said. “We’re all here together, feeling good about moving our bodies. And I hope that’s what my tween girl gets out of this, too.” 

Classes offered through the “dance ability” program focus on disabled dancers with a curriculum designed with input from physical and occupational therapists. Classes are offered for ages 4 and up, including adults. 

“In addition to being specifically designed for them, we cap the tuition price so that it is affordable for them,” VanderPlas noted, “knowing that a lot of these families have additional costs that make it very challenging for them to take part in activities.” 

Along with the classes offered in its studios, Mareck Center for Dance also partners with The Boys and Girls Club of Columbia to provide free weekly “dance reach” classes. The youngsters get one dance lesson with a professional for twelve weeks, and they will perform at Dancing with the Missouri Stars in May. Costumes and training are provided at no cost, thanks in part to grants and dance center fundraisers. 

“I love all my students, but the Dance Reach kids that I teach have held on to my heart,” she said. 

To learn more or to donate, buy tickets, or sign up for a class, visit mareckcenterfordance.org or call 573-825-0095. 

Upcoming events: 

Dancing With Missouri Stars 2025 

May 22 at the Mizzou Rec Center 

Doors open at 5:45 p.m., show starts at 7 p.m. 

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland  

June 7 at 7 p.m. and June 8 at 2 p.m. at the Missouri Theatre 

School 

June 16, summer session starts (four weeks) 

June 21, pre-professional summer intensive and youth ensemble auditions 

June 23, last day to register for summer camps and Intensives 

July 7-11, children’s camp

July 14-18, junior summer intensive 

July 21-25, pre-professional summer intensive 

July 28- August 1, adult summer intensive