Step-ball-change may be the mantra of dance teachers around the country. But these days at River City Dance Center, the emphasis is on the final part: change. Earlier this spring, Kelly Holyoke Fitzpatrick, founder, dancer and choreographer, sold River City’s Bangor and Ellsworth studios where thousands of students have learned not only step-ball-change, but all aspects of ballet, jazz, modern and contemporary dance.

Morita Tapley of Morita’s School of Dance in Hermon purchased the Bangor studio above the Greyhound Bus Station on Main Street in Bangor. Michelle Graves, a chiropractor and former student of Fitzpatrick’s, with her business partner Cheryl Fresh, purchased the studio on Main Street in Ellsworth.

“I danced with River City in Bangor since I was 10,” said Graves, who also owns Ellsworth Chiropractic. “I want to continue the school the way it was, and I want to dance for the rest of my life. So why not do it this way?”

Fitzpatrick, who studied dance with the late Polly Thomas, a beloved dance instructor in Bangor, opened River City in the 1980s and later expanded to Ellsworth. Five years ago, Fitzpatrick, a prima ballerina with Robinson, stopped dancing and moved to Freeport to work as a realtor. She continued to run the business, commuting one day a week to teach in Bangor.

“It was too hard running it long distance,” said Fitzpatrick, who began dancing at age 3. “I wasn’t able to keep it up the way it should have been kept. I miss the kids but I don’t miss the hassle.”

Tapley, who studied dance with Fitzpatrick as a young girl, sees her acquisition as part of a lifelong commitment to teaching dance in the area. Her Hermon school is known for its tap classes and for its performance-based approach. Even though both schools offer traditional ballet, jazz and contemporary dance, such as hip hop, River City’s focus has been more on process.

Students from both schools, as well as other schools around the state, perform each year in Robinson Ballet’s holiday production of “The Nutcracker.” The Bangor ballet company shares second and third floor classrooms with River City, but the two businesses are separate. Robinson Ballet is run by Keith Robinson and Maureen Lynch, longtime teachers at River City. They will continue to teach at River City, according to its new owner.

Tapley, who has run the Hermon school for 38 years and is also a horse breeder, plans to add tap and more large-scale performance opportunity for students at River City. Next year, her two studios will combine to represent Maine at Dance Excellence, an invitational festival for young dancers. In addition to her new role at River City, Tapley is overseeing the construction of Morgan Hill Events Center in Hermon, where her original dance school will soon relocate.

“I have really strong ties to this area,” said Tapley. “I enjoy teaching. I think it would have been great to perform in big shows, but because of ties here at home and raising Morgan horses, I chose to stay here and further dance education.”

Graves and Tapley each employ between four and six dance instructors. Morita’s School has about 140 students, said Tapley. River City has about 150, and Ellsworth about 75, said Fitzpatrick.

Both new owners expressed a desire to continue dance education, particularly for young dancers with big dreams.

“It’s exercise. It’s a creative outlet. It’s self-esteem. It’s accomplishment,” said Graves, who will increase her teaching load from one to four classes in the fall. She also plans to offer yoga and Pilates.