Redeemed!

A New Chapter in Turning Pointe’s 25-Year Story

urning Pointe School of Dance, a Christian nonprofit based in Holland, is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year with the return of a powerful spring production that continues the story of Jesus’ life. First introduced in 2024, Redeemed! picks up where the school’s Christmas show, The Promise is Jesus, left off, following Jesus through his ministry, the resurrection, and ultimate redemption.

“In The Promise we tell the story of Advent and Christ’s birth,” says Debra Burr, Executive Director of Turning Pointe. “With Redeemed! we wanted to continue that journey, focusing on Jesus’ ministry, act two of that story— his disciples, the women at the cross, and ultimately, his resurrection.”

Turning Pointe is known for its high-quality dance training and Redeemed! is no exception. The school’s pre-professional dancers—aged 10 to 18—play a central role in the performance. These students rehearse for months leading up to the production, which features classical ballet, contemporary ballet, and other dance styles. “Our pre-professional dancers put in a tremendous amount of work to bring this story to life,” Burr said.

The addition of Redeemed! to its yearly schedule of performances marked the beginning of a new chapter in the school’s artistic journey, thanks to the vision of its new Artistic Director, Kaylin Bazick. A former Turning Pointe student, Bazick brings fresh insight to the production. After a professional dance career that was cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic, she returned from New York to share her experience and expertise. “It’s exciting to see her come back full circle to the place where she first began,” Burr says.

In line with Turning Pointe’s mission, the school offers both dance education and performances grounded in a Christian foundation. The school offers two primary divisions: the pre-professional division, designed for students pursuing a career in dance or who wish to study dance and choreography in higher education, offering rigorous training that can include up to five days of practice each week. And there’s the recreational division, which provides a flexible schedule for younger students or those simply dancing for fun. The school also engages with local homeschool communities, offering dance classes during the daytime hours for the children involved in seven homeschool groups across Holland and Hudsonville.

While Redeemed! naturally resonates with the themes of Easter—reflecting the rebirth and renewal of the season—it also marks the evolution of Turning Pointe’s programming. Since Burr became Executive Director in 2014, the school has expanded its spring productions with Christian themes and Redeemed! continues that tradition.

“We’ve always done Christian-themed performances but Redeemed! takes the next step in Jesus’ life, beyond His birth,” Burr said.

Turning Pointe School of Dance has created a niche in the community, providing an alternative to secular dance performances in the area. “We want to create an experience where families feel safe and welcome to enjoy a quality performance,” Burr says. Turning Pointe’s performances regularly sell out and Redeemed! is expected to continue that trend.

Turning Pointe’s 25th anniversary marks a period of growth as the school continues to embrace its mission of using dance to share the message of Jesus while evolving its performances and outreach programs, spreading the message to more people. In December of 2024, an underwriter purchased all 500 seats at the Knickerbocker and invited people who work in social services to view a performance of The Promise gratis.
Reedeemed! will be performed April 24, 25, and 26 at Hope College’s Knickerbocker Theatre.