Ballet is a captivating art form of incredible athletic feats enhanced by dreamy costumes that has long grabbed the attention of young children, one of which was Wisconsin native Genevieve Custer Weeks. After retiring from her own professional dance career, however, Weeks decided she wanted to be a part of changing one aspect of ballet — how children are introduced to it.
In 2008, she founded the first Tutu School, a space where all children were welcome to experience an introduction to ballet that is gentler, more playful, and meets children where they are in a way that focuses more on magic than discipline.
The concept caught on fast — with more than 120 franchises currently spanning the U.S., Canada and the U.K.
On June 1, 2025, the magic officially spread to Louisiana with the opening of Tutu School New Orleans at 2105 Magazine Street. Studio owner Louele Soong said she decided to take the leap after watching the franchise success of a few of her friends.
“I first learned about Tutu School in 2014 through a friend who was among the brand’s very first franchisees, she said. “I loved the company’s mission of nurturing creativity, confidence and joy through ballet for the littlest dancers. Since then, I’ve watched two friends successfully open and run their own studios. I realized what a great addition this unique ballet experience would be to our community.”
For Soong, combining dance and business was a win-win both for her and for families looking for a new way to incorporate creativity into their children’s early development.
“I grew up dancing and was excited about the opportunity to introduce dance to young children,” she said. “I reached out to [Tutu School] and took the time to learn more about the brand and what they were looking for in a franchisee. Through this process, I was able to connect with Tutu School’s founder and the amazing owner community.”
Tutu School’s offerings include 6- to 18-month-old “baby ballet” classes up to 6- to 8-year-old “primary ballet” learners. Unlike traditional studios, classes marry elements of play with instruction. Children may use wands like unicorn horns while they leap across the floor or choose their own colorful scarf to twirl with. They also stretch outside of just dance. The toddler classes, for example, incorporate a classical ballet story time session and finish with coloring time.
Local parent Brianna Wood immediately enrolled her 3-year-old daughter Penelope in Tutu School following a free introductory class.
“Her teacher, Miss Italia, was so welcoming and made the whole class so fun,” she said. “I love that she can get an introduction to dance that is really geared to where she’s at — that’s not too serious or intense — and my husband loves the enrichment aspect, the exposure our daughter is getting to classical music and different famous ballets. Penelope absolutely loves Tutu School. She talks about it all week long.”
For Soong, finding the right studio was an essential factor in providing the best experience for families.
“We spent a few months searching for the right space,” she said. “We had a wish list that included a space that was easily accessible in a family friendly neighborhood, good rental pricing and high ceilings. We were looking for something in the Uptown/Lower Garden District because we thought it would be a great addition to the current services offered here.”
Class membership is $99 per month for weekly 45-minute classes. A 10% discount is offered for siblings and interested dancers can take advantage of a free trial class. Enrollment is open all year for all levels and class sizes are limited to promote individual attention to all dancers.
“We set the capacity at 10 dancers in our Exploring Ballet (3-5 years) and Primary Ballet Prep (5-8 years) classes. Our Tutu Toddlers (1.5 – 3 years.) class is limited to eight dancers and Baby Ballet (6-18 months) is six dancers,” Soong explained.
Tutu School New Orleans currently has five instructors, each of whom has received specialized training according to Tutu School guidelines.
“They are truly the heart and soul of our studio, deeply passionate about working with children,” noted Soong. “Each teacher brings a strong background in various dance forms, including ballet, contemporary and competitive dance.”
In additional to regular classes, Soong is looking forward to launching dance camps starting this spring to coincide with school holidays and summer vacation, as well as offering opportunities for private and community events throughout the year.
“We host ballet birthday parties with the goal of creating unforgettable, stress-free celebrations for little ones,” said Soong. “We also offer ‘Pirouette Playdates,’ which are events organized through partnerships with local organizations and nonprofits. We recently partnered with a local nonprofit, Bonfolk Giving Good, to host a fundraiser during our October Ballet Book Club which was such a fun opportunity to give back to the community. We also host monthly Ballet Book Club events and have lots of fun things planned to celebrate all our favorite special occasions and holidays.”
Soong, a mother herself, said she is passionate about the wide array of benefits dance provides to children.
“Dancing is so good for concentration, strengthening memory, developing friendships and learning about teamwork while building confidence,” she said, noting that, “My favorite is the confidence they build through expressing themselves, performing and learning new skills. We see this every day at the studio, and it has been such a joy to see our little dancers transform after just a few classes.”
Tutu School
2105 Magazine St. // New Orleans
504-533-8688 // tutuschool.com/nola
@tutuschoolneworleans
