ROCHELLE — Rochelle Performing Arts Academy joined the Rochelle Chamber of Commerce and planned on doing a ribbon cutting event at its Lincoln Mall location at 425 Lincoln Highway just before the pandemic started. 

It was finally able to hold the ceremony on Friday. 

“We're excited to finally be able to do this,” RPAA Director Christa McGrath said. “The past 18 months have definitely been crazy. We've had to adapt in ways we never thought we would. We never thought we'd have to teach online or dance outside. It's been interesting, but great. We've had great support from our families here through it all."

Rochelle Mayor John Bearrows attended the ribbon cutting and spoke about the need in town for organizations like the RPAA. 

"Many months ago we talked in a meeting I was at about what we want to see in Rochelle,” Bearrows said. “One of the things we talked about was the arts. It's a very important part of the community. I want to welcome you on behalf of the city and thank you for what you do for our youth to expose them to the arts and hopefully that will take them further in their careers.”

The RPAA moved to town in 2010 and started in another location downtown for a couple of years, McGrath said. The space was “really tiny” and the academy only had 25-30 students then. 

The organization grew and came down to the Lincoln Mall and has improved the space. A renovation was done in 2020. Some walls were taken down and some were added. One dance space became two. 

“Right before the pandemic we were at our highest peak, just over 100 students,” McGrath said. “We kind of dropped a little bit due to COVID-19 but we're on track to have another great year and have a lot of new students this year. We've done a bit of a facelift here. It's making sure we have a safe space for students to dance in."

McGrath said her philosophy is to make RPAA a family and a second home. There is programming for girls and boys from ages 18 months and up. Everyone who comes there to dance is welcome to be themselves. 

“It doesn't matter your skill level or your experience,” McGrath said. “We tell our kids to go out and do their best and it doesn't matter what score you get. It's about giving kids the extra opportunity to go out and do what they're passionate about.”

During the COVID-19 shutdown, the RPAA was unable to hold in-person classes. McGrath said programming had to pivot to Zoom and there was still a “pretty good” response from students. 

The RPAA was unable to hold its usual big performance last year due to the pandemic and had an outdoor performance later in the year. The kids got to do what they had been working so hard on for an audience. 

“It's been interesting,” McGrath said. “Dance is a lot about connection. When you have rules when you can't be close together or touch each other, it really has made us get creative and think outside of the box. We're really looking forward to getting back to our full schedule and opening up our doors to everybody again and welcoming new kids and our former kids back to dancing in person."