Bailey Barnum has been dancing since she was just under 2 years old.

Her first run-in with what would eventually become her life’s calling happened during her older sister’s dance class at the Glenwood Springs Center for the Arts, when the dance instructor noticed that the wall dividing the class from the seating area wasn’t enough of a barrier to stop young Barnum from learning the older girls’ choreography through the window. 

“My mom would bring me in to watch her classes,” Barnum said. “I would be on the side of the studio taking class with them, basically. One of my sister’s teachers noticed and started talking to my mom about possibly bringing me into classes.” 

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Barnum had her first performance at 2 years old, began assistant teaching dance classes at the age of 10, and never looked back. 

Now, at age 24, Barnum owns Legacy Dance Company, Glenwood Springs’ sole dance studio. 

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“I don’t see (my age) as shocking actually because my sister opened (the studio) when she was 23,” Barnum said. “So it doesn’t seem too crazy to me, but I think it is shocking to most people.” 

Barnum described the story of how she came to take over the studio as “layered.” When Barnum was in her senior year of high school, Glenwood Springs Center for the Arts (where the Barnum sister had been taking classes their whole lives), shuttered its doors. To ensure Barnum would have the opportunity to continue performing and competing through her senior year, Barnum’s older sister, Bella Barnum-Collier, created Legacy Dance Company in 2017. 

“My sister started Legacy Dance Company for me,” Barnum explained. “I’ve worked here as one of her teachers since then.” 

When Barnum graduated, she joined her sister in teaching and managing the studio. Just last year, however, Barnum’s older sister decided to make the move to Maine with her family and left her sister with an important question: 

“She gave me the choice to take over the studio if it was something that I truly wanted to do,” she said. “I really thought about it because I’ve loved dance forever, but I’ve never really thought about owning a studio. And I really sat with that and realized just how fantastic that would be. And I decided to dive in and take her up on that offer.” 

Barnum officially took over in May 2023 and nears her one-year anniversary of running the studio on her own. 

“I didn’t expect it to be so fulfilling,” Barnum said of her experience so far. “I’d say the biggest takeaway I’ve had this year is to take it one step at a time. It can seem really overwhelming and it’s such a huge responsibility, and I have such an appreciation for that.” 

Barnum’s ‘legacy’ with dance

Managing the studio can look like creating class schedules, working with the teachers on staff and endless behind-the-scenes work. Barnum, however, doesn’t stop there. 

In addition to managing day-to-day operations and long-term projects, she also teaches some of the dance classes. 

“I teach a little bit of all of the levels up to level four,” Barnum explained. “I teach ballet, contemporary, lyrical, jazz, tap … and sometimes we get to throw in modern and musical theater and other fun things like that.” 

Among all the different styles of dance that Barnum has mastered throughout the years, one stands out over the rest. 

“Tap, of course, it’s my absolute favorite,” she said. “I always had an ear for rhythm … I had the opportunity to travel to different intensives in Canada, in Texas and different places, and it really opened my mind to the possibility of rhythm tap, which is my true love in dance.” 

“There’s more of a connection to the rhythm, (and) less of just showing off steps to a song,” she continued. “It is my joy to be able to inspire that love for rhythm in my students as well.” 

One of the things that makes the chaos of managing a studio more enjoyable is the collaboration between Barnum and the other two teachers at the studio, Angelina Cagle and Laurren Muñoz, whom she considers her closest friends. 

“I grew up with Bailey,” Cagle said (or Miss Lina, as her students know her).  

“I was kind of thrown into (working at the studio),” Cagle continued, and then after a moment added, “Happily thrown into it.” 

Barnum’s older sister had approached Cagle right after opening the studio and had asked her to take up teaching, to which Cagle answered: “Sure, why not?” 

“I got to dance with my best friend again, because we grew up dancing together,” she said. 

Spring is a busy time of year for the three dance instructors, who typically teach anywhere between 100-160 students, most of them ages 2-15 (with the occasional adult group and “parent and me” classes for babies). 

Legacy Dance Studio hosted its spring recital this past weekend, which was Barnum’s first time organizing the theme (Songs of the Silver Screen) and running it through the theater. 

“It was definitely the smoothest it’s been, and just so fun,” she said. “It’s so wonderful to see these dancers out on stage.” 

Barnum has also danced with other studios and performance groups throughout the valley, though “that’s just the dance side.” 

“I also have a passion for musical theater,” she said. Barnum grew up doing Stagedoor theater and became part of Glenwood Springs High School’s theater department during her teen years despite being homeschooled. From 2017-2021, she worked as a dinner theater performer with the Glenwood Vaudeville Revue. 

“Oh, and I sing in a band,” Barnum added casually. Her role as lead singer with local The Missing Link Band began two years ago. She currently also juggles her management of the studio with her job at High Country Gems & Minerals (The Rock Shop).

Ready for what’s next

Legacy Dance Company is preparing for its summer session, which is broken into two sessions: one from June 3-28, and another from July 8-August 2, with a combined recital in August. In terms of how often classes take place, Barnum said scheduling is mainly left up to individual students to provide flexibility for families. 

“The summer is always tricky,” Barnum said. “People in this valley are very lucky to be able to travel all the time, so it’s harder to keep the curriculum going for the students who are here and also support the students who can only be here some of the time.” 

When it comes to picking up dancing, however, no season is ever too early or too late. 

“(Dance) can be therapeutic,” Barnum said. “In addition to that, dance is so good for your body in so many ways, not only as a form of exercise. It helps form neural pathways, it helps with gross motor skills, and for me, there is nothing more special than moving in space with your friends.” 

Though it hasn’t been long since Barnum took charge of the studio, she said she can’t imagine herself doing anything else. 

“It is just the most wonderful thing to be able to create connections with these dancers and see them grow,” Barnum said.