Central Indiana Academy of Dance

What Central Indiana Academy of Dance does

Central Indiana Academy of Dance (CIAoD) is a privately held, single-location pre-professional dance academy operating from 14950 Greyhound Court, Suite 4 in Carmel, Indiana, founded in 2009 by Suzann DeLay. The academy delivers classical ballet and multi-genre dance instruction to students from age 2 through adult, organized into five divisions: Pre-School (ages 2-6), Lower Division (Levels 1-3B), Upper Division (Levels 4+), Pre-Professional (Levels 4-9), and Open Division (Hip Hop, Musical Theatre, Boys Class, Adult Ballet). The curriculum is built on the American Ballet Theatre (ABT) National Training Curriculum, which synthesizes French, Italian, and Russian training traditions, and is taught by ABT Certified Teachers, several of whom hold professional performing credits at companies including Pacific Northwest Ballet, Sacramento Ballet, and The Joffrey.

The academy operates a direct-to-consumer revenue model anchored by annual tuition for a 39-week academic program (August to May), paid in monthly or biannual installments, with a non-refundable annual registration fee of $40 per individual or $45 per family. Supplementary revenue streams include week-long summer dance camps for ages 3-6 ($155/week), a Youth Ballet Summer Intensive, flexible summer classes, private lessons, and CIAoD branded merchandise sold through Squadlocker. The academy is the home of the Central Indiana Dance Ensemble (CIDE), a Regional Dance America honor company serving as the resident pre-professional ballet company of the Allied Solutions Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel, providing students with professional performance opportunities.

The business is owned and operated by Co-Owners Suzann DeLay and Ashley Jacobs, with 8 employees total. Distribution is direct: families self-register through The Studio Director online portal, select classes, and complete enrollment digitally. Marketing relies on the company website, email newsletter, annual Open House Week, community performances (e.g., Penrod Arts Fair, Christkindlmarket), and word-of-mouth referrals. The academy has earned Youth American Grand Prix Outstanding School Awards in 2012 and 2014, demonstrating validated training quality at a national competition level.

Name

Central Indiana Academy of Dance

Legal name

Central Indiana Academy of Dance

Website

https://ciaodance.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Central Indiana Academy of Dance is a privately held, single-location dance academy in Carmel, Indiana, delivering ABT-based ballet and multi-genre training from pre-school through pre-professional levels, serving approximately 150-300 students annually and operating as the home of the Central Indiana Dance Ensemble.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Dance Education

NAICS

Fine Arts Schools (61161), Educational Services (61), Dance Companies (711120)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Dance Education (Ballet, Contemporary, Hip-Hop, Cultural Dance) (EDAMAAAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Classical Ballet (Full-Length & Repertoire) (MPAGADAA), Contemporary & Modern Dance (MPAGADAB), Dance & Movement (Ballroom, Contemporary, Social Dance) (EDAAAGAD)

Keywords

• Dance education
• Ballet training
• Pre-professional dance
• Youth dance programs
• Performing arts instruction

Headquarters

HQ city

Carmel

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition: Annual tuition for 39-week dance program paid in two installments (August & January) or 10 monthly installments. Covers ballet, pointe, jazz, tap, modern, contemporary classes across all divisions.
2. Registration Fees: Non-refundable Annual Registration Fee: $40/individual or $45/family, required to secure student space in class.
3. Summer Programs: Summer camps for ages 3-6 ($155/week), Youth Ballet Summer Intensive, and flexible summer class registration.
4. Merchandise: CIAoD branded merchandise including t-shirts ($22+) and sportswear through online store.
5. Private Lessons: Additional coaching and choreography sessions available based on instructor availability.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Central Indiana Academy of Dance is a single-location dance academy in Carmel, Indiana that delivers a 39-week dance education program organized into five divisions (Pre-School, Lower, Upper, Pre-Professional, and Open) covering ballet, pointe, jazz, tap, modern, and contemporary for students ages 2 through pre-professional level. The curriculum follows the American Ballet Theatre National Training Curriculum and is supplemented by summer camps, a Youth Ballet Summer Intensive, branded merchandise, and private lessons.

Product overview

Central Indiana Academy of Dance is a single-location dance academy offering a comprehensive curriculum from ages 2 through pre-professional levels. The program is organized into divisions: Pre-School Division (Parent & Me, Beginning Movement, Creative Movement, Pre-Ballet for ages 2-6), Lower Division (Levels 1-3B for ages 6+), Upper Division (Levels 4+ with flexible scheduling), Pre-Professional Division (Levels 4-9 for aspiring professional dancers), and Open Division (recreational Hip Hop, Musical Theatre, and Boys classes). The academy also operates a Summer Programs suite including dance camps for ages 3-6, Youth Ballet Summer Intensive, and flexible summer classes. A companion merchandise line (CIAoD Sportswear) is available through Squadlocker. The academy serves as the home of Central Indiana Dance Ensemble, its resident pre-professional company that performs at the Center for the Performing Arts. The curriculum is based on the American Ballet Theatre National Training Curriculum.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CIAoD Sportswear: A performing arts sportswear merchandise line for dance families

Products and services

• Pre-School Division

Quantifiable outcome

• Alumni have gone on to professional careers with major ballet companies including Ballet West, Dayton Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Nashville Ballet II, Boston Ballet, and others
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Central Indiana Dance Ensemble (CIDE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCIDE is the resident pre-professional ballet company housed at the Academy. It is a Regional Dance America member company performing at the Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel. The Academy provides training for CIDE company members, and CIDE provides additional performance opportunities for Academy students. CIDE celebrated its 26th season in 2026.
• American Ballet Theatre (ABT)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Academy's curriculum is based on the ABT National Training Curriculum, a comprehensive program for the development and training of young dancers that incorporates elements of the French, Italian and Russian schools of training. Faculty includes ABT Certified Teachers.
• Regional Dance AmericamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCIDE is an honor company with Regional Dance America, providing additional training opportunities, festivals, and professional development for students and faculty.
• Allied Solutions Center for the Performing ArtscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Academy's CIDE is the resident ballet company for the Allied Solutions Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel, Indiana, providing professional performance venues and community visibility.
• STAR Bank Performing Arts Center at Zionsville High SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual performance venue for CIDE's Nutcracker production and Academy's 18th Annual Student Showcase.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Ballet Internationale: Indianapolis-area classical ballet company and academy. Closely comparable to CIAoD/CIDE as a regional ballet training company in the same metro market.
• Indianapolis School of Ballet / Indiana Ballet Conservatory: Indianapolis-area pre-professional ballet academy serving a similar family demographic. Directly comparable as a local ballet school competing for the same Carmel/Indianapolis students.
• Dance Kaleidoscope: Indianapolis-based professional contemporary dance company with an associated school of dance. Comparable as a regional dance institution blending training and performance in the same metro.

Broad incumbents

• Houston Ballet Academy: Academy of Houston Ballet offering pre-professional training. Comparable as a national ballet academy destination for CIAoD students pursuing serious dance careers.
• School of American Ballet: Affiliated with New York City Ballet, SAB is the premier US pre-professional ballet academy. Comparable as the upper bound of the pre-professional pipeline several CIAoD alumni have entered.
• Pacific Northwest Ballet School: School of Pacific Northwest Ballet in Seattle. Comparable as a major pre-professional ballet academy whose graduates include several CIAoD alumni, illustrating the career-outcome pathway.
• Joffrey Ballet School (Chicago): Major national pre-professional ballet academy offering year-round and summer programs. Comparable as a benchmark for the pre-professional track and a destination for CIAoD graduates seeking higher-level training.
• Boston Ballet School: School of Boston Ballet, a leading US ballet academy. Comparable as a national pre-professional ballet training pathway cited among CIAoD alumni placements.

Regional players

• Louisville Ballet School: School of a regional professional ballet company in Louisville, KY. Comparable as a nearby regional pre-professional ballet training program with similar curriculum structure.
• Cincinnati Ballet Otto M. Budig Academy: Regional pre-professional ballet academy attached to a professional company in Cincinnati, OH. Comparable as a Midwestern resident ballet company/school pipeline for serious students.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/central-indiana-academy-of-dance

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Central Indiana Academy of Dance