Kalamazoo Ballet Legacy
Six decades of classical training, artistic excellence, and generations of dancers in Kalamazoo.
More Than Sixty Years of Dance in Kalamazoo
Founded in 1965 by Thérèse Bullard, Kalamazoo Ballet and the Bullard School of Ballet & Highland Dance established a tradition of rigorous classical training, artistic breadth, and professional standards that would shape generations of dancers.
Today, that legacy continues through Tye Chua Dance, the official home of Kalamazoo Ballet™ — preserving its history while carrying its training and artistic traditions forward for a new generation.
Founded in Kalamazoo
Thérèse Bullard establishes Kalamazoo Ballet and the Bullard School of Ballet & Highland Dance.
Years of Training
Generations of dancers have trained, performed, taught, choreographed, and carried the tradition forward.
A Living Tradition
Kalamazoo Ballet™ continues today through Tye Chua Dance in downtown Kalamazoo.
Founded by Thérèse Bullard
In 1965, Thérèse Bullard founded Kalamazoo Ballet and the Bullard School of Ballet & Highland Dance, establishing a home for serious dance training in Kalamazoo.
Her approach brought together strong classical ballet technique, Highland dance, contemporary movement, performance experience, and a deep belief in developing thoughtful, well-rounded dancers.
From its earliest years, Kalamazoo Ballet offered students the opportunity not only to train, but to rehearse, perform, and become part of a larger artistic community.
The Beginning
Thérèse Bullard establishes Kalamazoo Ballet and the Bullard School of Ballet & Highland Dance.
An Artistic Community
The company becomes part of the regional dance movement, building a repertoire of ballet, Highland dance, and contemporary work.
Generations of Dancers
Students train, perform, teach, choreograph, and carry their dance education into professional and artistic careers.
Tye Chua Dance
Tye Chua Dance is founded, carrying forward the training traditions, artistic standards, and teaching lineage of Kalamazoo Ballet.
A Living Legacy
Tye Chua Dance serves as the official home of Kalamazoo Ballet™ in downtown Kalamazoo, continuing the tradition for a new generation.
Thérèse Bullard
Thérèse Bullard brought an extraordinary breadth of professional experience to Kalamazoo. Trained in Canada, she danced professionally with companies including the Royal Winnipeg Ballet and Radio City Music Hall Ballet before building an extensive career as a teacher, choreographer, and arts leader.
Through Kalamazoo Ballet and the Bullard School, she created a rigorous but expansive approach to dance education — combining classical technique, musicality, performance, artistic versatility, and an expectation that dancers understand their craft deeply.
Her influence continues through generations of dancers and teachers who trained directly under her and now carry that tradition forward.
Thérèse Bullard
Born in England and raised in Canada, Thérèse Bullard trained at the National Ballet School of Canada and went on to dance professionally with Canada’s Royal Winnipeg Ballet and the Radio City Music Hall Ballet. Her performing career also included television appearances and touring productions throughout North America.
Her career as an educator was equally expansive. She served on the faculties of Wichita State University, Western Michigan University, Creighton University, and Nazareth College, and taught master classes internationally throughout Europe, Canada, England, Malaysia, and Japan.
Thérèse held a Master’s Degree in Communications from Western Michigan University and studied with influential teachers including Phyllis Atkins, Grace Holdich, Gwenyth Lloyd, Gladys Forrester, and Antony Tudor.
In 1965, she founded Kalamazoo Ballet and the Bullard School of Ballet & Highland Dance, creating an institution that combined rigorous classical training with Highland dance, contemporary work, choreography, performance, and broad artistic education.
Her contributions to the arts were recognized with numerous honors, including the Irving S. Gilmore Kalamazoo Medal of Arts Award, the Thistle Award from the Scottish Society of Kalamazoo, and Western Michigan University’s Community Dance Advocacy Award. She was also named an honorary member of Regional Dance America.
More than sixty years after the founding of Kalamazoo Ballet, Thérèse Bullard’s influence remains visible in the dancers, teachers, and artistic traditions shaped by the institution she created.
A Legacy Beyond Kalamazoo
The influence of Kalamazoo Ballet has never ended at the studio door. Dancers trained by Thérèse Bullard carried that foundation into professional performance, choreography, teaching, artistic leadership, and dance communities throughout the country.
Aimee Tye
After training under Thérèse Bullard and performing with Kalamazoo Ballet, Aimee continued her training at Canada’s Royal Winnipeg Ballet School and went on to perform with Detroit Metropolitan Ballet Theatre, Winifred Haun Dancers, Second City Ballet, Salt Creek Ballet, and Joel Hall Dancers. She later spent nineteen years as Associate Director and faculty member of Hyde Park School of Dance in Chicago.
August Tye
A Kalamazoo Ballet dancer from an early age, August went on to become an award-winning choreographer, performer, educator, and artistic director. Her career has included Joel Hall Dancers, Salt Creek Ballet, Second City Ballet, and the Lyric Opera of Chicago, where she has choreographed extensively and served as Ballet Mistress.
Angi Polderman
Angi progressed through Kalamazoo Ballet to the rank of Principal Dancer and earned the Royal Academy of Dance Solo Seal. She continued her training at the University of Michigan, Portland Ballet, and Miami City Ballet, later dancing professionally in Miami before returning to Kalamazoo to perform and teach.
The Tradition Continues
The studios, productions, and generations have changed, but the foundation remains recognizable: thoughtful classical training, artistic curiosity, disciplined rehearsal, meaningful performance, and individual attention to the dancer.
Today’s students are part of a history that began in Kalamazoo more than sixty years ago — not as a recreation of the past, but as the next chapter of a living artistic tradition.
The legacy of Kalamazoo Ballet is not something we simply preserve. It is something our dancers continue to build.
The Lineage Continues
Kalamazoo Ballet’s legacy lives not only in its name, but in the dancers and teachers who carry its training forward.
Aimee Tye, August Tye, Angi Polderman, and Ava Polderman all trained directly under Thérèse Bullard through the Bullard School and Kalamazoo Ballet — representing generations of dancers shaped by the technique, artistry, discipline, and teaching tradition she established.
Aimee Tye
Aimee began at the Bullard School and progressed from apprentice to company member and soloist with Kalamazoo Ballet before continuing her training and professional career.
August Tye
August trained with Thérèse Bullard from childhood, performing leading roles with Kalamazoo Ballet before building a career as a dancer, choreographer, educator, and artistic director.
Angi Polderman
Angi trained under Thérèse Bullard and progressed through Kalamazoo Ballet to Principal Dancer, earning the Royal Academy of Dance Solo Seal before continuing her training and professional work.
Ava Polderman
Ava began her ballet training under Thérèse Bullard at Kalamazoo Ballet and continued her development and performance experience with Tye Chua Dance — carrying the direct teaching lineage into another generation.
Eugene Chua
Founding Director Eugene Chua brings a distinct professional classical lineage to Tye Chua Dance. He began his ballet training with David Shields, former soloist with Sadler’s Wells Royal Ballet, before dancing professionally with Boston Ballet and later as a Principal Dancer with Omaha Ballet.
His training and professional experience add another perspective to the studio’s classical foundation — expanding the tradition while respecting the artistic and pedagogical roots that have shaped Kalamazoo Ballet since 1965.
Be Part of the Next Chapter
More than sixty years after Kalamazoo Ballet first opened its doors, new generations of dancers continue to train, perform, create, and grow within the tradition it began.
