THE BEAT
F E B R U A R Y !
S A Y H E L L O
Take a mon to keep things
Backstage D
THE BEAT 05
UPCOMING POP-UP CLASSES REGISTER NOW
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! For children ages 2-3, the 6-week session is on Thursdays from 3:45 to 4:30pm (Feb 27 - Apr 3).
COST: $180 for the 6-week session.
Pre-Ballet
Introduce your little dancer to the beautiful art of ballet! This class will enhance your child's coordination, balance and flexibility with the teaching of basic ballet positions, steps, and terminology Miss Alyssa will also incorporate fun exercises in creative dance and music exploration in the pre-ballet class
For children ages 4-5, the 6-week session is on Tuesdays from 4:45 to 5:30pm (Feb 25 - Apr 1).
COST: $180 for the 6-week session.
Pre-Hip Hop
Introduce your little dancer to the exciting art of hip hop dancing! This class will enhance your child's coordination and musicality with the teaching of basic hip hop steps to upbeat music. Join Miss Shandie for this fun 45-minute, high-energy class! For children ages 4-5, the 6-week session is on Fridays from 4:15 to 5:00pm (Feb 28 - Apr 4).
COST: $180 for the 6-week session.
VALENTINE SPIRIT WEEK
Wear your red, pink or special Valentine's flair to classes the week of Valentine's Day! Make sure you are able to move and groove freely in your spirit wear of choice, though! Share your Valentine's joy in classes, February 10th through 15th!
SPREADING THE “SELF LOVE”
As February is a month for celebrating love, we are promoting self-love in the studio this month! Self-love is a key component of building selfcompassion Self-love helps us take care of ourselves, lower stress, and strive for success.We will have heart cut-outs in the studio (at the front desk and on studio tables) along with pens/pencils, and we encourage our dancers (and their parents) to share what they love about themselves by writing it on a heart We’ll also have tape available for dancers to hang their heart on our display wall in the studio We hope everyone takes the time to express their self-love this month!
CREATIVE MOVEMENT PERFORMANCE
Creative Movement
Our Creative Movement classes are designed for our youngest dancers, ages 2 to 4, to provide a fun-filled introduction to music and movement.
Students in Creative Movement classes will not participate in our Spring Shows at the theater; however, they will have a performance in the classroom at the end of the school-year session! This gives our youngest dancers the opportunity to do a mini-performance and show off what they have learned during the year to their families!
Creative Movement families, watch for an email with details about your dancer’s in-studio performance this spring, as well as end-of-session information.
Are you interested in our competitive program or just want to see some GREAT DANCING?
Support our Signature Team on March 2nd at Renton High School's IKEA Performing Arts Center during Footnotes, the annual showcase featuring all our signature competition team dances, from dancers ages 6 to 18. Our Debut Team (ages 5 to 7) will also showcase their competition dances, and some of our STARS Teams (ages 7 to 9) will be featured as well More information will be available soon on the Backstage website Showtime is 1:30pm, tickets are $25 (plus ticketing service fee) and will go on sale on February 5th at 11:00am. Purchase your tickets through our ticket vendor, Dance Recital Ticketing, beginning on February 5th. F O O T N O T E S
Our character focus for FEBRUARY is...
CHARACTERFOCUS TENACITY
Our character focus for the month of February is TENACITY. Tenacity is defined as "persistent determination." A person with a tenacious char achieve a goal they set despite any difficulties e while achieving that goal. We hope everyone w card for working on their TENACITY this month
The benefits of developing tenacity include: You will not let obstacles stop you from getting what you want. You will increase your desire to achieve things important to you.
You will not quit easily. You will develop greater self-confidence. You will have a positive attitude in tough situations.
DANCER BIRTHDAYS
Paris L. 1-Feb
Presley A. 2-Feb
Siena M J. 2-Feb
Atlee M. 2-Feb
Sonya G. 6-Feb
Wari J. 8-Feb
Stella P. 8-Feb
Lana S. 9-Feb
Nora T. 10-Feb
Olive B. 12-Feb
Amber S. 12-Feb
Emma S. 12-Feb
Valeria S. 12-Feb
Chloe Z. 13-Feb
Emi W. 14-Feb
Olivia W. 14-Feb
Leena M. 15-Feb
Clara G. 16-Feb
Emily K. 17-Feb
Brynn P. 17-Feb
Nolan K. 18-Feb
Jane C. 19-Feb
Allison L. 19-Feb
Katelyn W. 19-Feb
Ellie Z. 19-Feb
Anais C. 20-Feb
Hera M. 20-Feb
Genoveva H. 22-Feb
Amely R. 22-Feb
Erin W. 23-Feb
Nora F. 25-Feb
Alana P. 25-Feb
Gabriela M. 26-Feb
Aria Z. 26-Feb
Aspen B. 27-Feb
Mila S. 27-Feb
Maria Z. 27-Feb
Owyn C. 28-Feb
STAFF BIRTHDAYS
Miss Shandie 19- Feb
TEACHERSPOTLIGHT THE BEAT 11
ALYSSA
Alyssa Lunardi began her dance journey at the age of twoyears-old in Southern California She is trained in multiple styles including Jazz, Ballet, Lyrical, Contemporary, and Hip Hop Alyssa’s passion for dance took her to compete with various teams including Dynamix Dance Academy, The Dance Gallery, Upland High School’s Express Dance Team, UHS Varsity Cheer, and finally the University of Oregon Competitive Dance Team (Go Ducks!) Alyssa holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from the University of Oregon and a Master of Science in Behavioral Psychology from Pepperdine University.
After undergoing a spinal fusion to correct her scoliosis, Alyssa returned to dance with a renewed passion to mentor others. Alyssa has had the pleasure of coaching for the University of Oregon Dance Team, coaching the Henry M. Jackson High School Dance Team, and judging Dance/Drill competitions for the WIAA. She currently teaches Ballet Basics, Tap 1, Hip Hop 2, Hip Hop 3/4, Jazz 3/4, and Acro 3/4 in addition to working with the Signature Team and directing the Teacher Assistant Program at Backstage Dance Studio. Alyssa loves connecting with her dancers, helping them achieve new skills, and fueling their passion for dance! She is excited to continue inspiring, educating, and advocating for the next generation of dancers
FUN FACTS:
In her free time, Miss Alyssa loves to read, go to the beach, and spend time with her family. Her favorite animal? Cats!
PARENT EDUCATION
Again this year, 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.
ParentMap will host a live chat on February 5th with trusted experts Julie Metzger, RN, MN, and Peter Metzger, MD, FAAP The Metzgers will share research-backed tips for talking to kids about growing up, body changes, sex, consent, healthy relationships and more essential topics. Discover how to be a trusted, safe space for meaningful (and sometimes tough!) conversations.
Confident Conversations: Guiding Kids Through Puberty and Adolescence
February 5, 2025 • 7:00-8:00pm PT
Parent Map Q&A-style webinars are now $10. Register here and you’ll also receive access to the event recording to watch anytime.
Join ParentMap on February 25th for a live Q&A with celebrated authors and educators Sam Goldstein and Robert B Brooks Learn how to nurture empathy, encourage constructive dialogue, and ensure your child has the skills they need to navigate social challenges with confidence and integrity. Let’s work together to raise the next generation of civil leaders who inspire positive change.
The Lost Art of Civility: Raising Respectful Kids
February 25, 2025 • 12:00-1:00pm PT
Parent Map Q&A-style webinars are now $10. Register here and you’ll also receive access to the event recording to watch anytime.
THE BEAT
D
A N C E R O F T H E M O N T H
CONGRATS
to our February Dancers of the Month! These dancers were nominated by one of their teachers for going above and beyond in class! Each dancer of the month will receive a certificate of recognition and a gift card to Stage Left Dancewear!
Way to go, dancers!
Juliet Bench
Juliet is in Miss Kelly’s Ballet/Tap class at Backstage Miss Kelly says that Juliet is a hard worker in class and also a good listener. Great work, Juliet, for being such a good role model for your peers!
Brea Bernardino
Brea is enrolled in Contemporary 1 with Miss Kellsie and Hip Hop 2 with Miss Shandie Brea was nominated by Miss Kellsie for her positivity, eagerness to learn and improve, and helpfulness to others in class.
Congratulations, Brea!
Ava Zeng
Ava is a member of our Signature Competition Team at Backstage She was nominated by one of her team teachers, Miss Alyssa, for her spectacular performance and facial expressions during tap rehearsal Amazing job, Ava!
SKILLS OF THE MONTH
Each month of our school-year session, dancers in Acro, Ballet, Hip Hop, Jazz and Tap classes will be working on particular skills. We will list these skills, along with a description (and sometimes links to additional information about the skills) in the newsletter. Practicing these skills outside of class is beneficial, so we encourage you to ask your dancers for demonstrations at home!
FEBRUARY SKILLS OF THE MONTH
See the next page for more
SKILLS OF T
ACRO CARTWHEEL
Definition: A circular sideways handspring with the arms and legs extended. Proper stacking, straight arms with fingers forward, straight legs, wide split, transfer of weight softly bending through the knees and clean ending position, straight line of direction, balance, stretched feet, posture at start and end, clean tendu starting/ending position.
Beginners can work on monkey jumps or precartwheels where they’re in a support in the middle so they don’t have to reach as far.
BALLET ÉCHAPPÉ
Translation: To escape.
Definition: An échappé is a level opening of both feet from a closed to an open position.
There are two kinds of échappés: échappé sauté, which is done with a spring from the fifth position and finishes in a demi-plié in the open position, and échappé sur les pointes, or demipointes, which is done with a relevé and has straight knees when in the open position. In each case échappés are done to the second or fourth position, both feet traveling an equal distance from the original center of gravity.
VIDEO: How to échappé!
Definitio second a the feet sideway other fo to poste and vice
Dating b early 190 used in Howeve dance m differen and diffe the Hip
VIDEO: H HIP GRAPE F E B R U A R Y
Advanced students can work towards ariels or other variations.
VIDEO: How to cartwheel!
VIDEO: How to échappé on pointe!
THE MONTH
HOP
EVINE
on: An alternation of and fourth positions of ; one foot traveling ys on a straight line, the ot going from anterior erior fourth position, e versa.
back all the way to the 00's, it was originally Ballroom dancing!
er, over the years, this move translated to t types of dance styles erent eras, including Hop/Street dance era. How to grapevine!
JAZZ
FAN KICK
Definition: The leg makes a sweeping arc through space. It crosses in front of the body, then sweeps to make a half circle before touching the ground. The sweeping leg can be either straight or in attitude; ideally the leg should be at hip level.
The supporting leg can be in plié, relevé, or relevé with a bent knee (called plié-relevé).
VIDEO: How to fan kick!
TAP
CRAMP ROLL
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 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.
VIDEO: How to cramp roll!
MMER HEDULE
We are finalizing our summer class schedule as this newsletter goes to print! Stay tuned for summer updates and summer class and camp registration details within the next several weeks! We plan to offer six weeks of classes as well as our 2in-1 Dance/Gymnastics camps with Gymnastics East and our own BDS Dance Camps!
We can't wait to dance with you this summer!
Parent Map Webinar: 7:00pm Valentine’s Spirit Week
Mid-Winter Break (Studio Closed)
NEW Pre-Ballet Pop-Up (6-weeks) Begins
Parent Map Webinar: 12:00pm
NEW Creative Movement Pop-Up (6-weeks) Begins
Summer Schedule Released
NEW Pre-Hip Hop Pop-Up (6-weeks) Begins Footnotes Team Show: 1:30pm
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BACKSTAGE DANCE STUDIO
BUILDING CONFIDENCE, CHARACTER, AND COMMUNITY SINCE 1984. THANK YOU FOR DANCING WITH US!