GRIDLEY, CA (MPG) - Barefoot Dance & Co is gearing up for one of their biggest events of the year, the Dupree Dance Convention in San Francisco.

Dupree was founded by Roland Dupree, renowned for his highly successful career in dance, instruction and choreography in 1978. Dupree invites dancers from all over California and beyond to partake in instructional courses led by master dancers and competing in multiple disciplines at a wide variety of levels. Now owned and operated by Zack and Kari Anderson, the Dupree legacy lives on at the Dupree Dance Convention.

Similarly, Tatum Bidegain, instructor and owner of Barefoot Dance Company in Gridley has also carried on a legacy.

Bidegain has fostered a love of dance from childhood, instructed in her youth by Lynne Leishman of Lynn’s Dance Arts. Later in life, Bidegain joined Leishman as co-instructor at Leishman’s dance studio. In 2012, Leishman handed the reigns of Lynn’s Dance Arts over to Bidegain after 30 years of teaching Gridley and area dancers the love of the craft.

Under new ownership and with a new name, Barefoot Dance Co has grown since 2012. Boasting over 13 instructors that work with the students one -on-one and as a team, especially with the competition teams. Barefoot offers instruction in ballet, jazz, musical theatre and more. Dancers range from as young as 3 years old up to 18, or when students transition to the college level. Dancers who seek to be a part of the studio’s traveling competition teams must audition before a panel of judges, prior to the start of the dance season (September to June) and must be 8 years of age or older.

Traveling to Dupree has been a tradition dating back to Lynn’s Dance arts and has carried over to Barefoot. This year, 14 members of the dance company are going to Dupree to learn from master dancers, observe other dancers, and compete as part of a team or as soloists.

Even though the event is a competition, Bidegain says organizers really strive to make Dupree a family-oriented event. The two-day convention allows for “the kids to really form a relationship with these teachers…. We love it.” She continues, “We always do really well coming from our small town… It’s rewarding for the girls.”

In 2019, 5 girls at Barefoot were the recipients of half-tuition scholarships: Saydie Price, Addison Busch, Ciara Clipse, Hazel Ruzic, and Skye Wilkins. The scholarships paid for half of their total dance instruction costs. Bidegain says, “Last year was like, an amazing year. We did, the best we have ever done at Dupree.” The instructor expects this year to be a little different after losing ten senior dancers to college but remains excited, “We’re just starting fresh again and it’ll be great.”