We strive to inspire a sense of excitement and curiosity and to instill the disciplines of Dance & Music as art forms and a way of life

History

The Citadel Dance Center was founded by Eileen Cropley in 1998. The old Salvation Army building at 91 Hinkley was renovated to become the Citadel Dance Center. The center was dedicated to providing excellent dance training for the residents of Benton Harbor. The Citadel Music program was originally started in 1999 as part of the education program at the Salvation Army in Benton Harbor. It was moved into the Arts District in 2009 when Ken Ankli renovated 204 Water Street to include a state of the art Music Center.

The first word that comes to mind when thinking about the Citadel Dance and Music Center is excellence. After spending over ten years in both the dance program and the music program with our kids, I can easily say that the teachers in both programs are unequaled. They are highly skilled professionals and it is easy to see that they want to pass their love of dance and music on to their students.
— Jean Carrick, dance & music parent