Backstage Dance Studio-April 2024 Newsletter

BEAT

BACKSTAGE DANCE STUDIO THE

SPRING SHOW NEWS

WITH DANCING DADS!

PHOTO WEEK, DRESS REHEARSALS, TICKET SALES (& PRICES)

Spring Show preparations are in full swing! Costumes are being distributed, dancers are continuing to polish their dances, and attendance in classes is SUPER important. Make sure your dancer comes to class regularly between now and SHOW TIME so they have the best opportunity for a successful performance on stage!!

APRIL 1: Deadline to register for DANCING DADS! Every studio dad is welcome to join in the fun of performing in ALL SIX Spring Shows, May 18th and May 19th.

To participate, Dads must commit to dancing in ALL SIX Spring Shows. We also ask that participants commit to attending at least five of the six studio practices to participate in our Dancing Dads performances.

Rehearsal Dates, held at Backstage, are as follows:

Tuesdays, April 16 through May 7, 7:30-9:30pm

Wednesday, May 8, 8:00-9:30pm

Tuesday, May 14, 8:45-10:00pm

Friday, May 17 = stage rehearsal at IKEA Performing Arts Center, 8:00-8:30pm (this is the only rehearsal not at Backstage)

How to Register: Register ONLINE through your Backstage Dance Studio Portal, HERE. There is no tuition charge or registration fee associated with Dancing Dads.

SPRING SHOW NEWS

MARCH 25 - APRIL 6: Costume distribution in classes Your dancer will receive their show costume during class All costumes have been tried on and costume fit approved by teachers before they are sent home Please note that there is a COSTUME INSTRUCTION FORM in your dancer’s costume bag with important information about the Spring Shows This will also be sent to you via email so you don’t miss any of the details!

As you will note if your child participates in a ballet class, there are some different options for tights and shoe color for ballet costumes this year Many thanks to Emily Elien, high school senior and a member of our Signature Team, for spearheading the initiative to make our costuming more inclusive for all

Note that you can prepare your dancers with everything they need for recital at Stage Left Dancewear’s online store! Once you've placed your order, you’ll receive an email from Stage Left when it's ready to pick-up in-store!

Ballet Tights Dress Code!

IMPORTANT NOTE IF YOU WISH TO DO THIS!

YOUR BALLET SHOES MUST MATCH THE COLOR OF TIGHTS

This year we are expanding the ballet dress code to allow dancers to wear ballet tights and shoes of their skin color if they would like to!

Capezio, Bloch, and many dancewear brands have shoes available for order

Dancers can also pancake satin & canvas shoes with ballet shoe paints or their own foundation

Pick up your tights at Stage Left today!!

APRIL 18: SPRING SHOW TICKETS GO ON SALE

PRIORITY TICKET SALES begin on Tuesday, April 16 at 11:00am (for families of graduating seniors and those with a priority code for handicapped seating). GENERAL TICKET SALES begin on Thursday, April 18 at 11:00am. All online ticket sales will close on Thursday, May 16th at 8:00pm.

We are using Dance Recital Ticketing (DRT) for ticket purchases again this year and the link to purchase tickets will be shared closer to mid-April. Please note, dancers do NOT need a ticket to the show(s) in which they are performing. Ticket prices are tiered, based on seat location. Online ticket pricing ranges from $20 to $28 (plus DRT service fee). Any tickets remaining after online sales will be sold at the theater on show days for $30.00 cash/check/Venmo only.

APRIL 15: SPRING SHOW MEDIA FEE DUE ($80, one charge per family with dancer(s) in the shows)

APRIL 29 - MAY 4: SPRING SHOW PHOTO WEEK DURING REGULAR CLASS TIME (WEAR COSTUMES TO CLASS!)

MAY 13 - 15: DRESS REHEARSALS AT THE STUDIO! (NOTE: There are NO REGULAR CLASSES THIS WEEK; the dress rehearsal takes the place of your child’s regular class).

Red Show Dress Rehearsal: Monday, May 13, 4:15-6:00pm

Orange Show Dress Rehearsal: Monday, May 13, 6:45-8:30pm

Yellow Show Dress Rehearsal: Tuesday, May 14, 4:15-6:00pm

Green Show Dress Rehearsal: Tuesday, May 14, 6:45-8:30pm

Blue Show Dress Rehearsal: Wednesday, May 15, 4:15-6:00pm

Purple Show Dress Rehearsal: Wednesday, May 15, 6:45-8:30pm

Do you have questions about the Spring Show? Please see the website for additional details or email us at dancewithus@backstagedance.org and we will be happy to help! see you

APRIL

GRATITUDE

We are encouraging our ancers to focus on ATITUDE this month! earn a card for having an ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE ng the month of April!

Gratitude means t appreciation. It's the w get when someone he out a great solution problem that you've b solve. You can show gr kindness, respect, grac empathy and by be

BACKSTAGE!

Miss Lauren teaches Creative Movement, Pre-Ballet, Hip Hop Basics, Jazz 1, Ballet/Tap and you can also spot her in the studio on Tuesdays and Fridays helping with Ballet 203/204, STARS 102 Tap, Hip Hop, and Acro, and STARS 103 Ballet.

Miss Lauren grew up dancing here at Backstage Dance Studio and was a member of the Signature Team for seven years After graduating from the studio in 2022, she is thrilled to be back to teach in the place that she long considered to be her second home She currently attends the University of Washington in Seattle and is pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Linguistics. In the classroom, Miss Lauren hopes to inspire dancers to work hard and be proud of the work that they have done, watching them take responsibility for their own progress. She also loves to just jam out and dance around to any Disney or Taylor Swift song.

FUN FACTS:

Teacher Spotlight LAUREN

When she's not teaching, Miss Lauren also loves to sing, read, and watch her sisters dance. She also enjoys acquiring new tap shoes for her personal collection.

SUMMER IS OPEN FOR REGISTRATION!

We are excited to announce that our summe pen for registration!!

offering 7 weeks of classes and 6 4 through August 9. There are also nsive workshops for experienced d ugust 12-16 and August 20-23)

DAY THROUGH YOUR JACKRABBI

RAFFLE FOR $50 OFF! CKY DR

RAW raffle for $50 OFF summer registration is still going haven't yet registered your child for summer, now is the Backstage families who register for a class, camp or intensive workshop before April 15th will be entered into a raffle for $50 off summer tuition. There will be 3 winners--we hope YOU are one of our LUCKY dance families!

INFORMATION SUMMER CAMP

Join our team of dancing detectives to discover clues through super sleuthy ballet moves and jazzy grooves to solve the mystery mission! Dancers will fill their spy kit with spy tools as they prepare to crack the case before their final performance!

Tiny dancers will be transported through rainbows and clouds as unicorns to a whole new world in this sweet dance camp! This enchanting camp is full of all things unicorn, ballet, jazz, glittery crafts and even Rainbow Rewards (aka FUN PRIZES)! It’s sure to be a magical time!

Ever wanted to have a slumber party in Barbie’s Dreamhouse with your favorite doll? This dazzling jazz, creative movement and ballet dance camp offers just that! From exciting games, cute choreography and pink crafts, tiny dancers will make memories with their doll friends doing all things slumber party!

Session 1

June 24 - 28, 9:00 am - 5:00 pm, ages 6-11. Early Bird

Pricing: $780 if registered by June 1, $800 after June 1. Non-refundable deposit of $75 due upon registration

Session 2

July 15 - 19, 9:00 am - 5:00 pm, ages 6-11 Early Bird

Pricing: $780 if registered by June 1, $800 after June 1. Non-refundable deposit of $75 due upon registration.

Session 3

July 29 - August 2, 9:00 am - 5:00 pm, ages 6-11.

Early Bird Pricing: $780 if registered by June 1, $800 after June 1 Non-refundable deposit of $75 due upon registration

UPDATES!

S I G N A T U R E T E A M

Our Signature Team had a busy month in March, competing at both Encore and Celebrity Dance Competitions in the Seattle area!

Special shoutout to Reckless/Custom Cut Modern’s performance at Encore, “The Heroic Weather Conditions of the Universe”, for their Division 2 Champions award! And to teachers Kelly Bahr and Tani Ohashi for their choreography award!

At Celebrity Dance Competition, our Signature Team shined like CELEBRITIES and did a fantastic job! Backstage also won Celebrity’s STUDIO SPIRIT AWARD for the THIRD year in a row! Way to go, Signature Team!

Are you interested in our competitive program or just want to see some GREAT dancing? Support our Signature Team on April 21st at Renton High School's IKEA Performing Arts Center for Footnotes, the annual showcase featuring all our competition team dances. Our Signature Team dancers range in age from 7 to 18. More information available soon on the Backstage website. Showtime is 2:00pm, tickets are $25 (plus ticketing service fee) and will go on sale April 4th at 11:00am. Purchase your tickets through our ticket vendor, Dance Recital Ticketing.

FOOTNOTES SHOW

stars

updates

Our STARS Teams continues to prepare for the second competition of the year, at Starquest Dance Competition at Highline Performing Arts Center later this month. Our STARS 101 and 102 teams will compete in hip hop and tap and our STARS 103 team will compete in hip hop and contemporary. They are working hard to shine on the stage again this month!

POP-UPS FOR

CREATIVE MOVEMENT

Join Miss Danielle for a fun-filled introduction to music and movement! Creative movement classes are designed to encourage a child’s imagination and exploration through guided movement exercises We hope your tiny dancer will join Miss Danielle for this playful pathway to dance! Register through the Backstage website

-week session, Tuesdays from 3:30 to 4:15pm for 2-3 year olds

pril 16th through May 7th (Session 4)

ND May 21st through June 11(Session 5)

OST: $120 for each 4-week session

RETAIL ASSOCIATE LOOKING FOR:

Stage Left Dancewear (Backstage Dance Studio’s retail store) is seeking a Retail Associate to join our team this summer (beginning in July or August). We are looking for a responsible individual, at least 16 years old with reliable transportation, to work with us!

Retail Associates at Stage Left Dancewear are responsible for:

Greeting customers when they walk through the door Building rapport through conversation and knowledgeable, honest recommendations

Managing sales transactions (in-store and online) and arranging for pick-up of the customer’s order, if needed

Assisting in ordering and maintaining stock, as well as setting up merchandise displays on the sales floor

Collaborating with fellow team members to keep the sales floor area organized at all times

Assisting with promotional projects, as needed

Interested parties should send emails/resumes to info@stageleftdancewear.org.

DANCER

B I R T H D A Y S !

Soline R. April 1

Talia V. April 1

Jordan B. April 2

Gia M. April 2

Stella Y. April 2

Connor D. April 3

Lael J. April 3

Aria K. April 4

Andrew P. April 4

April W. April 4

Priyanka T. April 5

Josie H. April 6

Joyce G. April 7

Scarlett J. April 7

Theodore A. April 8

Nathaniel L. April 10

Natalie S. April 10

Adrianna Z. April 10

Neha M. April 11

Alison S. April 12

Charlotte L. April 14

Sophie K. April 15

Lily M. April 15

Iris N. April 15

Addison E. April 16

Miss Ann April 2

Hermione Z. April 16

Salma C. April 17

Dante D. April 17

James G. April 17

Divina S. April 17

Brooklyn B. April 18

Athena H. April 18

Sacha J. April 18

Bria T. April 18

Esther W. April 20

Addison F. April 22

Violet P. April 22

Nirav K. April 23

Virinchi K. April 23

Ella Z. April 23

Sydney S. April 24

Claire S. April 25

Blake G. April 26

William S. April 26

Ashley F. April 27

Rei Y. April 27

Quincy C. April 28

Zachary M. April 28

Jordynn L. April 29

CLet’selebrate!

PARENT MAP

+ GREAT C

Backstage would like to partner with you on your parenting journey! We will inform you of parenting workshops and speaker series that may be of interest to you, and hope to bring you some of our own events throughout the year

Stronger Together: Navigating the Complexities of Relationships

April 16, 2024, 1:00 PM PDT

REGISTER NOW

Rock-solid relationships take work Join ParentMap for "Stronger Together: Navigating the Complexities of Relationships and Marriage" with marriage experts Kaley Klemp and Nate Klemp, Ph D Learn from their years of experience and research-based insights to unlock the secrets to a happier, healthier home.

In this can’t-miss conversation, learn practical tools and strategies to:

Help deepen your connections with your partner and children

Navigate the challenges of modern family life

Improve both your personal and professional relationships

Staying Close While Standing Back | Great Conversations

April 16, 2024, 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM PDT

REGISTER NOW

Staying Close While Standing Back: The Art and Science of Parenting Adolescents: For parents of preteens and teens---parents looking for new ideas on everyday conversations with their children Class is via Zoom Meetings at Pacific Time

Conversations are the building blocks within a family to share ideas, sharpen our edges, build trust, problem-solve, gather information, argue our point, and share our stories. Family conversations can be intense and heated or spoken in whispers - they can last seconds or days - and end with a slammed door, a sigh, or a hug Each one shapes part of who we are as a family and as individuals Julie Metzger will give parents an opportunity to consider strategies to strengthen family communication with adolescents.

end of datessession

Dancers will return to regular classes after our Spring Show (on Monday, May 20th) and continue through Friday, June 14. These last weeks of classes will include assessments/evaluations, end-of-year celebrations and recognitions, and a week of “try-it” classes to explore new dance styles. Watch for an email in early May with more details about the schedule for the final weeks of our session.

Students who do not participate in our Spring Shows (including those in Creative Movement or Acro classes) will continue with classes under the same schedule as those who participate in our Spring Shows (with a session end date of June 14th). Students in Creative Movement and Acro classes (and those students in other classes who have opted out of Spring Show participation) will NOT have classes the week of May 13th, which is the week of our Dress Rehearsals and Spring Shows. Families with students in Creative Movement and Acro classes and those not participating in the Spring Show will receive a credit for one class on their May tuition billing.

Creative Movement classes will have a performance for their families in the studio (during class) the week of June 3rd, and Acro classes will invite families in during the last 10 minutes of class that week to show parents the skills they learned during the session! More details about our end-of-session schedule will be shared in the coming month!

ROLLOVER REGISTRATION/MEMBERSHIP

Information about our registration for classes for our 2024-2025 School-Year Session is coming soon! We are working on membership levels and priority registration for current families and will have this information available in our May newsletter. Our goal is to have the class schedule ready for viewing in early June!

Dancers

APRIL OF THE MONTH

Congratulations to our April Dancers of the Month! These dancers will receive a certificate of recognition and a gift card to Stage Left Dancewear! Please stop by the front desk to pick up your prize!

Makayla is a member of our Signature Team and was nominated by Miss Marty for working diligently in her Tap Tech class Marty says Makayla has fantastic focus, stays on task, and is friendly to all of her teammates Way to go, Makayla!

Evangeline was nominated by her Ballet Basics teacher, Miss Sofia Sofia says that Evangeline is always focused and is great at remembering the dance her class is working on every week! Great work, Evangeline!

David is enrolled in Ballet 4, Tap 4 and Jazz 4. He was nominated by his Tap teacher, Miss Kellsie, for being a great listener, picking up skills quickly, and always showing up with a positive attitude!

Awesome job, David!

OF THE MONTHSkills

Acro = Headstand

Ballet = Chaîné

Hip Hop = Coffee Grinder

Jazz = Pivot Turn

Tap = Cramp Rolls

ACRO HEADSTAND

Definition: Is a pose that is an inversion posture of standing head down. The technique is used in different settings such as yoga, breakdancing, acrobatics and beginner gymnastics.

Balance for set time, lengthened back, neck long, head and hands in triangle, shoulders pressed away from ears, abs engaged, knees bent, feet stretched, toes point up. Can practice different variations with legs.

https://www.youtube.com/wa tch?v=gU4MuKGfGc4

SKILLS OF T

Translation: Chains, links.

Definition: A series of rapid half turns on demi-pointe, or if wearing toe shoes, en pointe in a straight line or in a circle.

Technique: The dancer lifts onto relèvé (either demipointe, or if wearing toe shoes, en pointe), and then pivots from side to side, crossing the stage. Arms are typically held in a nice, round first position. Chaînés are almost always performed on the diagonal, and as quickly as the dancer can move! The most common place for a chaînés turn is at the end of a phrase in choreography: typically, to help move the dancer from the center of the stage off into the wings.

https://www.youtube.com/wa tch?v=UKeXDmVFz18

HIP COFFEE

Definiti the heli most ba moves. leg stan with yo side of Other le the floo the leg To avoi swing le hands a the floo pick the lifting it Drop yo

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THE MONTH

ion: Also known as icopter, is one of the asic breakdancing

Go down on one bent nding on your toes our hands on either your bent knee.

eg is lying flat out on or beside you. Swing that’s on the ground.

d being hit by your eg; you pick up your and put them back on or, then use them to e rest of your body up

t over your swing leg. our body and repeat.

/www.youtube.com/w =RLITT65qbDk

PIVOT TURN

Definition: Is a general classification for dance turns in which the performer's body rotates about its vertical axis without traveling. The performer may be supported by one or both feet, which swivel in place.

Stepping forward on one foot, quickly change direction of your body to face the opposite direction. Both feet remain on floor. To make a full, or complete, pivot turn, step forward again but in a line opposite from the original direction. Continue the pivot to end up facign in the original direction. Remember to spot.

https://www.youtube.com/w atch?v=5CxMKEx6bZo

Definition: A tap step that is performed by doing two steps (right then left or vice versa), followed by two heel drops (right then left or vice versa), releasing the first heel immediately upon completion.

Can add flap for a doubleflap step heel heel for more advanced.

Can add a shuffle step for a triple - shuffle step step heel heel for more advanced.

Can do reverse cramp rollsheel dig R heel dig L toe drop R toe drop L for more advanced.

Can do “around the world”step R step L, heel drop L heel drop R for more advanced.

https://www.youtube.com/w atch?v=s9pCUMKCvTY

ANNIVERSARY CORNER

More flashbacks to the early days of Backstage!

As we prepare for our 40th Anniversary Spring Show picture week later this month, we are throwing back to share show photos from the 80s!

Perhaps you can get some photo inspiration from these photos from Backstage Dance Studio’s early years!

40th / THE BEAT

ABOVE: Dancers posing for show pictures, circa 1984.

APRIL 8-13

APRIL 16

APRIL 16

APRIL 21

APRIL 29 - MAY 4

SPRING BREAK/STUDIO CLOSED

PARENT MAP PARENT EDUCATION SESSION, 1:00 PM

GREAT CONVERSATIONS PARENT EDUCATION SESSION, 7:00 PM

FOOTNOTES, SIGNATURE TEAM SHOWCASE, 2:00 PM (IKEA RENTON PAC)

SPRING SHOW PICTURE WEEK (WEAR YOUR COSTUME TO CLASS!)

THANK