S A Y H E L L O T O M A R C H !
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Do you need to double check which show your dancer is in? This information will be posted on our website soon; in the meantime, you can see which color your child’s class is in on the Backstage website (under Fall 2024, in each class description) or in your Jackrabbit family portal
During our Shamrock Spirit Week (March 17-22), teachers are inviting parents to come into class for the last 5 to 10 minutes to see what your child has been learning in class this year! Students may show you part of the choreography they have been learning for the Spring Show, or demonstrate technique they have been working on throughout the course of the session. Each class will have a little something different to share.
We hope you can join us for this quick check-in!
Wear your green, gold, or special St Patrick’s-themed spirit-wear to class!! Make sure you can still move freely in it and dance it out! Monday, March 17th through Saturday, March 22nd.
ALSO, if you have a stuffed animal you’d like to join you in class that week, bring them along for the spirit week fun!
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 3:30 to 4:15pm (Feb 27 - Apr 3).
COST: $180 for the 6-week session.
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.
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.
When will my child receive their show costume?
We have received many of our Spring Show costumes and have had dancers try them on in class to ensure fit Costumes will continue to arrive throughout the month of March and in-class try-ons will continue. Costumes will be sent home with dancers after Spring Break in April.
What is the process for taking photos for the Spring Show?
All students who are participating in the Spring Shows will come to class in costume during the week of May 12 through May 17 Students will take individual and group photos in their Spring Show costume during class time Nigel Cooper Photography is taking all photos and will distribute a link to digitally download your child's photos approximately two weeks after the Spring Shows The cost of the digital download is included in the Spring Show Media Fee that will be charged in April (this fee will only be charged to families with students participating in the Spring Shows).
If my child misses class, can they still make it up?
Because we are focused on learning choreography for our Spring Shows in all participating classes, attendance at this time of year is SO IMPORTANT Therefore, we are no longer offering make-ups for classes missed Please encourage your child to attend class regularly and practice their dance at home! Students in Creative Movement and Acro classes WILL be permitted to do class make-ups after March since those classes are not participating in our Spring Shows. Contact our customer care team in the studio with any questions.
As we enter the second half of the 2024-2025 school-year session, we wanted to pass along a few details about our post-Spring Show timeline. Dancers will return to regular classes after our Spring Show (on Monday, June 2nd) and continue through Saturday, June 14 These last weeks of classes will include assessments/evaluations, end-of-year celebrations and recognitions, and two weeks of “try-it free” classes to explore new dance styles Watch for an email in the coming months with more details about the schedule for the final weeks of our session.
Is the last day different for classes not participating in our Spring Shows (Creative Movement and Acro classes?)
Students who do not participate in our Spring Shows (those in Creative Movement or Acro classes only) 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, however, will NOT have classes the week of May 27th, which is the week of our Dress Rehearsals and Spring Shows. Families with students in Creative Movement and Acro classes will receive individual email reminders about the May schedule, with details about their end-of-year performances (in the studio, during class, beginning on May 17th through May 23rd).
Summer will be here before we know it, and it’s the perfect time to keep dancing, try something new, and have fun at Backstage Dance Studio! Registration is now OPEN for our 6-week Summer Session, which runs from June 30th through August 7th, and we are offering a variety of dance classes in all styles and levels for dancers of all ages For our younger dancers, we’ll also have 3 weeks of themed performing arts camps, and for 6-11 year olds, we are offering 3 weeks of dance camps AND dance/gymnastics camps. We encourage all dancers to continue their training, explore new styles, and enjoy a summer full of dance and creativity. Don't miss out register today on the BACKSTAGE WEBSITE and join us for a summer of fun at Backstage!
It is our privilege to have your family as part of the Backstage Dance community! And we'd love to see you continue with us for future sessions! Summer registration just opened up, and current Backstage families who register for a class, camp or punch card 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!
Tuesday-Thursday / 9:00a to 12:00p / Ages 3-6
July 8-10: Princess Ballet
Join us for a magical Princess Ballet Camp, where dancers can explore the enchanting world of ballet!
July 22-24:
Trolls Rock Hip Hop
Get ready to rock and roll at our Trolls Rock Hip Hop Camp for kids!
July 29-31: Fairy Ballet
Step into a world of magic and grace at our Fairy Ballet Camp!
Early Bird Price (register by June 1): $180/week
After June 1: $200/week
Non-refundable deposit of $50 due upon registration
Monday-Friday / 9:00a to 5:00p for 2-in-1 / Ages 6-11
Monday-Friday / 9:00a to 1:00p for 1/2 Day / Ages 6-11
June 24-27: Wicked
Unleash your inner witch or wizard at our Wickedthemed camp! (*NOTE: this is a 4-day camp)
July 14-18: Swiftie Summer
Get ready to shake it off at Swiftie Summer the ultimate camp!
August 4-8: Zombies, Werewolves & More!
Get ready for a spooky and thrilling week of dance at our Zombies, Werewolves & More camp!
egister by June 1): $700/week ($560 4-day camp) week ($600 4-day camp)
eposit of $75 due upon registration. mps:
Early Bird Price (register by June 1): $380/week ($305 4-day camp)
After June 1, 2025: $400/week ($320 4-day camp)
Non-refundable deposit of $50 due upon registration
S U M M E R C A M P S
Our character focus for MARCH is...
We will be encouraging our dancers to focus on ACCEPTANCE this month!
We hope everyone will earn a card for working on both self-acceptance and acceptance of others during the month of March!
“Acceptance is observation of life and acceptance of judgment about whether what is happening is good o bad, right or wrong.”
- Ron Smotherma
Please see our BDS blog HERE for more
Kaylee W. 1-Mar
Brynn B. 2-Mar
Katy D. 2-Mar
Leila S. 3-Mar
Ellia B. 4-Mar
Irene R. 4-Mar
Claire B. 5-Mar
Kaylee F. 5-Mar
Ashlyn C. 6-Mar
Orli K. 6-Mar
Sophie G. 7-Mar
Elise T. 8-Mar
Prisha S. 9-Mar
Claire D. 11-Mar
Charlie J. 11-Mar
River T-S. 13-Mar
Dylan S. 14-Mar
Avery W. 14-Mar
Sofie E. 15-Mar
Arthur F-S. 15-Mar
Chloe L. 16-Mar
Sonali D-M. 17-Mar
Aidree R. 17-Mar
Charlotte S. 17-Mar
Lillian T. 17-Mar
Zeynep B. 18-Mar
Adrian H. 18-Mar
Sky T-S. 18-Mar
Elanor S. 19-Mar
Adalyn T. 20-Mar
Niah B. 21-Mar
Amabely B. 22-Mar
Helena C. 23-Mar
Makayla D. 23-Mar
Emily P. 23-Mar
Zari R. 23-Mar
Laina C. 24-Mar
Zoe E. 24-Mar
Yuna L. 24-Mar
Alani S. 24-Mar
Dorothy K. 27-Mar
Irene T. 27-Mar
Erika C. 28-Mar
Ariana E. 28-Mar
Emma S. 30-Mar
Noelle E. 31-Mar
Miss Lauren 11-Mar
Please help us welcome Rebecca Wildner to the Backstage Dance Studio staff! Miss Rebecca joins us this month, having just moved from New York at the end of February She is originally from Seattle, so she is excited to be back in the area Growing up, she studied at the Pacific Northwest Ballet School in the Balanchine technique, and later completed her higher education in dance at The Joffrey Ballet School in New York City in the Vaganova and Balanchine Techniques Miss Rebecca spent her summers training with the American Ballet Theatre, Ballet Chicago, The Joffrey Ballet School, The Rock School for Dance Education, the American Academy of Ballet, and the Kirov Academy of Ballet. After her studies, she continued her ballet career, performing mostly contemporary works. Rebecca has performed works by George Balanchine, Marius Petipa, Robert Joffrey, Gerald Arpino, Frederick Ashton, Dionna Pridgeon, Merce Cunningham, José Limón, and Martha Graham, amongst many other choreographers.
Miss Rebecca is taking over for Miss Faith and will be the new teacher for the following classes, beginning this month: Hip Hop Basics, Ballet Basics 2, Pre-Pointe and Stars 103 Contemporary on Tuesdays; Stars 102 Purple Ballet, Stars 102 Red Ballet and Contemporary 2/ 3 on Wednesdays She looks forward to getting to know everyone this month!
FUN FACTS:
Miss Rebecca lived in NYC for 13 years! She is a seasoned hiker and outdoor survivalist enthusiast who loves to take on interior design projects in her free time!
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.
Have you ever looked at your child and thought: Who even is this kid? Different doesn’t have to mean difficult. Join ParentMap on March 20 for an empowering session with pediatric psychologist and parent coach Dr. Ann-Louise Lockhart. Discover practical strategies to connect with your unique child even when their temperament, interests and communication style differ from yours.
Harmony at Home: Successfully Navigating Parent-Child Differences March 20, 2025 • 12:00–1:00pm PT
Learn how to:
Support your child’s unique strengths and interests
Create a supportive, inclusive relationship with each child in your family
Navigate conflict toward resolution and cooperation
Register now for the live Q&A-style webinar for just $10 By signing up, you’ll receive access to the event recording to watch anytime, anywhere
A N C E R O F T H E M O N T H
to our March 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!
Miss Shandie nominated her student, Aillie Yoshida, for being such an exceptional student in Broadway Bound Miss Shandie says that Aillie is always focused and works hard, eagerly following and applying directions. Awesome job, Aillie!
Abrahamowicz
Kaibrie was nominated by Miss Rhonda, her Ballet 1 teacher Miss Rhonda says that Kaibrie is a wonderful student who always tries her best. She is friendly, helpful, and always on task.
Congratulations, Kaibrie!
David MacKinnon
David is a member of our Signature Team and was nominated by his tap teacher, Miss Marty Marty says that David has a great attitude and is a hard worker. She is proud of him for setting such a good example for his classmates. Way to go, David!
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!
MARCH
See the next page for more >>>
Definition: Full Scorpion: Both hands holding foot (or leg), supporting leg straight, still balance although a set time is not required, control, body upright and square.
Definition: Half Scorpion:
Balance for set time, torso squared to the front, working knee at 90 degrees, working thigh parallel to floor, straight supporting leg, posture, head lifted.
Definition: Baby Scorpion:
Balance for set time, torso squared to the front, working knee behind supporting leg, straight supporting leg, posture, head lifted, working arm straight.
VIDEO: How to scorpion balance!
Definition: A body position in which the weight of the body is supported on one leg, while the other leg is extended in back with the knee straight. Can be executed with the supporting leg en pointe or demi pointe or with foot flat on the floor.
VIDEO: How to arabesque! VIDEO: 4 arabesque positions!
Definitio that bre You cros the othe Breaker consider develop the style of pride.
VIDEO: H HIP
on: A transitional step ak dancers often use.
ss one foot in front of er and bounce back. s may devote rable time to ing their toprock, and e they display is a point . How to toprock!
Definition: A sequence of footsteps used to transition from one dance move to the next. Completing a full pas de bourrée begins by stepping back. Dancers then step to the side and back to the front. The movement is often repeated quickly to travel across the dance floor
Can be in place, travel front, back and side, or turn.
VIDEO: How to pas de bourrée!
Definition: A tap step consisting of a step, shuffle, and a small jump (with shuffling foot going behind).
A.K.A. Shuffle Off To Buffalo, was created by vaudevillian jig and clog dancer Pat Rooney in the 1880s.
Advanced students can do flap shuffle leap.
VIDEO: How to buffalo!
The SIGNATURE Team has been busy dancing their hearts out throughout all of February! They just finished up their first two competitions and conventions of the season, Revive and DanceMakers, with some dancers even travelling to compete at Tremaine, in Vancouver, over MidWinter Break. We’re so proud of the energy and passion they’ve brought to their classes and their competition performances and can’t wait to watch them continue to shine
Up next, Footnotes Signature Team Showcase on March 2nd, which includes our Debut Team’s first performances of the season! And then th more competitions this month, at Encore, N and Celebrity. Congratulations to our Signat Team for your hard work and dedication good luck with your upcoming performan
Our Stars 102 Red and Purple Teams are bu preparing for their first stage performance of season during the Footnotes Team Showc All Stars teams are also preparing for their competition of the season at AMP Da Competition and will have dress rehearsa class before hitting the stage at the end of month! Our STARS 102 Red and Purple teams compete in tap and hip hop, and our STARS and 104 teams have competition performan in contemporary and hip hop styles Good l to all our STARS danc
Coming soon!
Footnotes - Signature Team
Daylight Saving Time Begins
Shamrock Spirit/Bring Your S
Parent Watch Week
Parent Map Webinar: 12:00p
Spring Break (Studio Closed
Spring Fever Spirit Week
Spring Show Tickets Go on SALE Apr 14 19 May 1
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BUILDING CONFIDENCE, CHARACTER, AND COMMUNITY SINCE 1984. THANK YOU FOR DANCING WITH US!