Ballet and jazz dance, every Saturday.
Three classes in one studio, for children, teenagers and adults, all taught by choreographer Petur Iliev. No audition, no previous experience, and the first visit is always free.
Ages 8–12 · 2:00–3:00 pm
Ballet for children
A real introduction to classical ballet: positions, posture, musicality, taught from the beginning every season.
Ages 13–113 · 3:15–4:15 pm
Open ballet for teens & adults
One class for every level. Beginners and returners work side by side: barre, centre, and a short combination to finish.
Ages 13–18 · 4:30–5:30 pm
Jazz dance for teens
Jazz technique built on a classical foundation: isolations, turns, and stage presence worked on week by week.
| Class | Age | Saturday | Monthly | Drop-in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ballet for children | 8–12 | 2:00–3:00 pm | $60 | $20 |
| Open ballet, teens & adults | 13–113 | 3:15–4:15 pm | $80 | $25 |
| Jazz dance for teens | 13–18 | 4:30–5:30 pm | $60 | $20 |
Classes run year-round, with a summer break in July and August. First visit free for every class.
Discounts: $50 a month for children’s ballet or teen jazz if the student also attends another Bulgarica class · Open ballet $70 a month if you also attend another Bulgarica class, or $75 for a parent who attends the class together with their child. Discounts cannot be combined.
01
Find your hour
The three classes run back to back on Saturday afternoon and are grouped by age, not by ability. There is no audition and no placement test; pick the hour that matches your age and come.
02
Try it free
The first visit costs nothing, in any of the three classes. Bring soft shoes and clothes you can move in; parents are welcome to stay and watch.
03
Stay by the month
Pay by the month, or single classes when the week allows. Questions about levels and enrolment go to admin@bulgarica.org or (773) 231-2545.
One room, three generations, one afternoon
Everything happens in the Bulgarica Center's studio on South Elmhurst Road: barres along the wall, mirrors, and a floor that carries children at two o'clock and adults at a quarter past three. Families wait between classes; many households have two of the three hours booked.
Petur Iliev, choreographer and artistic director
Petur teaches all three classes himself. He trained at Bulgaria's National School of Music and Dance Arts and holds a degree from the National Institute of Choreography; his career began as a soloist with the Philip Koutev State Ensemble in Sofia.
Through his Dance It! programme, dancers have won places at the Pacific Northwest Ballet School and the School of Ballet Chicago, and in 2008 he founded the Iliev Dance Art Foundation in support of dance education. He has taught semester-long ballet and jazz courses at Purdue University for students with no prior dance training.
In class the work is technique and posture, musicality, and stage presence, with every level starting from the basics.
No audition. No experience. The first class is free.
Saturdays at 1120 S Elmhurst Rd, Mount Prospect. Join any week.