Eloy & Sarah Barragan
Plie and smile, jete, and smile
Eloy & Sarah Barragan
- Age: He’s 46, she’s 30.
- Live in: Iowa City.
- Occupation: Co-founders of City Ballet of Iowa. Eloy also is a professor of dance at the University of Iowa.
- Favorite thing: His is a nice glass of wine with strong cheese and a baguette. Hers is alone time with her husband, ideally on a beach.
Eloy and Sarah Barragan’s 22-month-old son, Orlando, is an ample source of laughter.
“His faces, how he imitates you is so fun,” Eloy said.
His wife agreed.
“It’s how he plays,” Sarah said. “He’ll think he’s invisible if he puts his hands over his face.
“He’s learning to play tag. We have a dog he chases. It’s fun to watch.”
In addition to their son, the couple gets a lot of enjoyment and laughs from their students at City Ballet of Iowa.
“They are a joy,” Sarah said.
The couple opened the dance company last summer. They practice in the Arts a la Carte space, 408 First Ave. in Coralville, and have about 50 students. Their youngest student is 4 and the oldest is 55.
They find their students’ energy for life refreshing. They can’t make it through a class with the younger students without laughing and smiling.
“You look at them and all your worries go away,” Eloy said.
— Deanna Howard
