Mavis Tracy Ballet School

The Mavis Tracy Ballet School has been a staple on the Windward side of O'ahu since being founded in 1960 by Mavis Tracy. The first few years Mavis held classes at the Kailua YMCA and for the last 37 years at its current location on South Kalaheo. It has remained a family owned and operated business since the very beginning. It has been passed from Mavis Tracy to her daughter Katie in the early 90's. And is now a partnership between Katie and her daughter Kari. The Mavis Tracy Ballet School's focus is on learning the structure and discipline of classical ballet in a nurturing and enjoyable environment.

Founder - Mavis Tracy
Mavis Tracy opened her ballet school in 1960, at the Kailua YMCA. She began her classical ballet training with Randy Walker in 1956. In the 60's, Mavis also studied under Yasuki Sasa at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. In the summer of 1979, she took her advanced dancers to Edinburg, Scotland. Where the American dancers joined the Scottish dancers to form the Scottish-American Ballet and performed at the Edinburg Festival. Mavis was an accredited member of the Dance Masters of America was also a founding member of the Windward Arts Council. Mavis Tracy retired in 1991, when her daughter Katie became the owner.

Katie McGlinn began her training with Randy Walker in 1956. She continued classes with various local teachers through her teens. Katie studied with Yasuki Sasa at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Also taking teachers intensive with Maria Vega and also studying with Finis Jhung. She began assisting Mavis Tracy in 1969, and became choreographer and ballet mistress in 1975. Katie became owner and director when Mavis retired in 1991. She now teaches the intermediate and advanced classes, and is choreographer and producer of the school's annual recital.