THE BEAT
BACKSTAGE DANCE STUDIO
e c n e d i f n o c
issue 02 october 2026
BUILDING CONFIDENCE, CHARACTER, AND COMMUNITY SINCE 1984!
01
the beat
contents
CHLOE CHENOWETH
TABLE OF
TAKE A PEEK IN THIS MONTH’S ISSUE OF THE BEAT TO KEEP UP WITH ALL THINGS GOING ON AT BACKSTAGE DANCE STUDIO IN OCTOBER!
issue 02
03
Lobby Etiquette
04
Studio and Class Etiquette
05
Dress Code Reminders
06
Passport Books /
07
Character Focus
08
October Birthdays
WARI JUNYA
Halloween Spirit Week
09-10
Spring Show Theme Coming Soon!
11
Parent Education
12
Teacher Spotlight
13
Dancer of the Month Details
NATHANIEL LEE
14-16
Skills of the Month
17
Make-Up Classes
18
Upcoming Events
03
the beat
LOBBY ETIQUETTE
Parents/guardians may wait in the lobby while students are in class, but may not enter the class to observe unless expressly invited by a teacher. All students and parents/guardians are expected to be respectful, supportive and encouraging to each other and to the studio’s instructors and staff. Keep conversations family friendly and mindful of our youngest dancers. Do not leave children under the age of 7 unattended at the studio. Please plan to stay at the studio with your child until the start of class and to arrive promptly at the end of class to pick them up. Respect the building and supplies by keeping it neat, clean, and in good condition. Dancers who eat meals/snacks at the studio should ensure that trash, crumbs, etc. are cleared away after eating. Dancers should store their personal belongings in a cubby (it is also helpful to have a designated dance bag to store all belongings in, to minimize items getting lost).
etiquette
STUDIO
issue 02
STUDIO AND CLASS ETIQUETTE Dancers are expected to arrive for class on time in dress code clothing, dance shoes, and with other class equipment. Please allow enough time for your child to dress and be prepared before class begins. Dancers should go to the bathroom before class and not during class unless there is an emergency. Jewelry must be removed before class. Wristwatches, necklaces, large rings on ears or fingers, and bracelets on wrists or ankles are a potential hazard should they come off while dancing so they don’t catch on clothing, hair, or other dancers. Small non-dangling earrings are allowed. Spill-proof water bottles are recommended for students in all classes. Dance shoes must be worn for classroom and performance use only. Street shoes or dance shoes worn as street shoes are not allowed since dirt, gravel, or grease can cause damage to the Marley floors. Please arrive at the studio in your street shoes and then change into ballet, jazz, tap, hip hop shoes, etc. Silence and stow your cell phone in your dance bag so that it will not disrupt class or anyone in the lobby. At the barre, make sure you’ve got enough room between you and the people in front of and behind you so that you can do a grand battement in each position and not touch each other. Don’t hang on the barres. Choreography created at our studio cannot be performed at a talent show or any other performance without permission from the choreographer and/or studio owner.
04
05
the beat
Don’t Forget!
DRESS CODE reminders Is your dancer dressed appropriately for class? We will be enforcing our dress code again this year, so make sure your dancer comes to class with the required dancewear! Proper dress code allows our instructors to see body lines and correct technique, keeps our dance floors clean and dirt free, and helps your child to focus on classroom instruction.
Still need to purchase shoes or dancewear apparel? We have an inventory of items for sale at the studio! Please check with a member of our Customer Care Team at the front desk for details.
Please see our Dress Code HERE. In addition to proper dancewear, your child should come to class with the required dance shoes! Dancers may dance barefoot if they forget their shoes, but please make every effort to remember to bring this important dress code item every time you come to the studio!
Finally, make sure your dancer’s hair is styled for class as well. Your dancer should come to class with hair in a bun (ballet classes) or pulled back in a ponytail/away from the face for all other classes.
issue 02
06
PASSPORT BOOKS Passport Books are coming home starting in October for our younger students. This includes dancers in our Creative Movement, Pre-Ballet, PreHip Hop, Ballet Basics/2, Ballet/Tap, Hip Hop Basics/2, Hip Hop/Flip Flop/2 and Broadway Bound classes. Passport Booklets highlight skills the dancers are working on in class, and teachers recognize students' diligence toward completing the skills by placing stickers in their booklets. These have been a big hit with our young dancers in the past! Please help us in teaching your child about responsibility by assuring they bring the Passport Booklet to class every week to earn recognition stickers. Please note that each child will receive only ONE passport book, so please make sure your dancer takes good care of theirs!
HALLOWEEN SPIRIT WEEK Celebrate the Season!! Dancers, wear your costumes to class beginning Monday, October 26th through Saturday, October 31st. We'll do the monster mash and boo-gie the week away as we celebrate the season! Please no scary costumes, and make sure you can move, groove and dance freely in it!
07
OCTOBER
the beat
focus
CHARACTER
ACCOUNTABILITY
This month, dancers will focus on being accountable, which can include: taking responsibility for their actions being on time and ready to dance collaborating with classmates owning their feelings receiving and applying feedback practicing at home If your dancer demonstrates accountability in the classroom or at the studio, they will be recognized with an ACCOUNTABILITY card!
Ella S. 2-Oct Bailey P. 3-Oct Nanita T. 3-Oct Maia R. 4-Oct Angela G. 5-Oct Myndy L. 5-Oct Hikaru Y. 5-Oct Yami H. 7-Oct Evan M. 7-Oct Ana H. 8-Oct Landon O. 9-Oct Lucy W. 9-Oct Clover D. 10-Oct Julia S. 12-Oct Miriam O. 14-Oct Talia O. 14-Oct Mahek A. 15-Oct Zoe L. 15-Oct Micah N. 15-Oct Luna P. 15-Oct Bailey D. 16-Oct Zoe Z. 17-Oct Sienna M. 18-Oct Alice L. 20-Oct Amber S. 21-Oct Nicole C. 22-Oct Cora H. 22-Oct Adelina M. 22-Oct Mana S. 23-Oct Chloe Z. 25-Oct Rachel C. 26-Oct Nora H. 26-Oct Jude P. 26-Oct Rory P. 27-Oct Shivali D. 29-Oct
Miss Alyssa 17-Oct
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
08
09
coming soo
SPRING SHOW THEME
on!
Get ready, dancers and families—the countdown to announcing our Spring Show theme is on! Themes from past shows include Alice in Wonderland, The Little Mermaid, Frozen and The Wizard of Oz! Can you guess what this year’s magical theme will be? The big reveal will happen soon! Stay tuned for clues and get ready to join in the excitement as we announce another fun theme for our year-end shows!!
11
the beat
With ParentMap
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.
PARENT education For the month of October, ParentMap Talks is back to help cut through the noise and bring parents together with monthly webinars featuring the leading voices in child development. They tackle today’s biggest parenting issues, from ADHD and mental health to EdTech and puberty. You can register for one or all of the live Zoom talks, and you’ll also get on-demand video access for a full year. Human Raised: Helping Kids Flourish in the Age of AI Oct. 15, 2026, noon–1 p.m. PT As AI becomes more embedded in our kids’ home and academic lives, many parents are asking how much is too much.
Dana Suskind, a pediatric surgeon and New York Times bestselling author of “Human Raised,” explains what children still need from the adults who love them. You’ll learn how to set healthy boundaries, nurture curiosity and critical thinking, and make sure technology strengthens rather than replaces human connection.
You can purchase a “season pass” for all eight Parent Map parenting webinars for the school-year session (approximately $60), or choose to purchase access to the October session only (approximately $11). Register HERE for all the details.
12
spotlight
TEACHER AINSLEY
Miss Ainsley was born a dancer, her toes perfectly pointed before she could even walk. By age 7, she started competing in jazz, contemporary, hip hop, tap, ballet and musical theatre. She grew up dancing in Washington at The Surge Dance Center and The Company Space with a few years in Utah at Center Stage Performing Arts Studio. In Utah, Ainsley learned ballroom from DWTS pros and loved training in new styles. She enjoys hardworking days in the studio and especially treasures every moment she gets to spend on stage. Ainsley is also a current student at the University of Washington, Seattle. She is applying into the Nursing Program at UW in the fall and dreams of becoming a nurse practitioner or CRNA. Ainsley also loves to work out, try new coffee shops and can often be found relaxing with her family and boyfriend. Ainsley loves all things Justin Bieber, travel and will never shy away from a challenge. Ainsley has a passion for dance and for watching children grow to be confident in themselves. She is new to Backstage this year and is already loving it! She is excited for the year ahead!
fun facts:
Miss Ainsley’s favorite food is a Mediterranean chicken bowl (with a crispy Diet Coke!) Her favorite animal? It’s hard for her to choose–either birds or dogs!
13
the beat
DANCER OF THE MONTH – DETAILS Will you be our first Dancer of the Month for 2026-2027?
IZZY Dancer of the Month FEBRUARY 2026
Teachers will nominate students who: Received a WOW card during the month Have attended class regularly Arrive on time and in proper dress code Focus and work hard during class Have a good attitude and contribute to the class in a positive way Three students will be selected each month and will receive a special prize. October’s Dancers of the Month will be announced at the beginning of November. We can’t wait to recognize our first dancers of the month soon!
LUKE Dancer of the Month MARCH 2026
CHLOE Dancer of the Month APRIL 2026
issue 02
14
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!
OCTOBER acro
FORWARD ROLL
ballet
RELEVÉ
hip hop
KICK-CROSS-STEP
jazz
JAZZ SQUARE
tap
SHUFFLE
See the next page for more >>>
october
SKILLS OF THE MONTH
15
SKILLS OF THE acro
ballet
hip ho
Definition: An acro movement in which the body is turned heels over head with the back of the neck resting on the ground. Straight legs and stretched feet at push off, snap to a tucked position, push hands into the floor on roll (rolling on shoulders, not head), clean standing position in jazz first to end, posture at start and end, balance. More advanced students can work on variations like dive forward roll, needle to forward roll, handstand forward roll, etc. VIDEO: How to forward roll!
Translation: To rise. Definition: To rise up on the pointe or demi-pointe from flat feet often using a little spring from a demi-plié during which both feet are swiftly drawn up. Technique: Start with the feet together, keep the knees straight and lift the heels high enough so all of your body weight is on the balls of the feet – NOT the tips of your toes. Muscles: The gastrocnemius is the main muscle that lifts dancers into relevé, but it needs to work in balance with the other foot muscles in order to not sickle or pronate. Relevé vs. elevé: A relevé comes from plié, enabling jumps to happen as the progression, whereas elevé rises from straight legs and would not be a place to progress a jump from. VIDEO: How to relevé!
Definition: A dyna move that combin kicking, crossing, adding flair to you Start with a loose with your right fo make sure to do a While you're doin to your left. Your crossing in front o and you'll natural with that right foo left and forward w uncrossing your le starting with your Add arm moveme crossing your righ left wrist in front then open your ar sides and snap yo punch. VIDEO: How to kic
FORWARD ROLL
RELEVÉ
KICK-CROSS
16
MONTH
op
S-STEP
amic hip hop nes elements of and a step, ur dance routine. kick forward ot. As you kick, a slight bounce. g the kick, lean kick will go left, of your left leg, lly catch yourself ot. Step to the with your left leg, egs. Repeat r left foot. ents in by ht wrist over your of your stomach, rms out to the ur fingers or
ck-cross-step!
october jazz
tap
Definition: A fundamental step in jazz that involves a sequence of four steps that form a square pattern on the floor. You can do jazz squares rapidly or slowly depending on how the dancer wants to exaggerate and shape the movement. Dancers can add their own style to the jazz square as they become more comfortable with it. They can also try adding jazz hands, which involves spreading all five fingers out. VIDEO: How to jazz square!
Definition: A basic step that involves two brush taps, one forward and one backward, in less than two counts. It's a building block of tap dance that's used in many other steps and combinations. A shuffle does not change weight. Variations include crossing in front and crossing in back. VIDEO: How to shuffle!
JAZZ SQUARE
SHUFFLE
17
the beat
MATTEO MIGLIORE
It is in the best interest of your child to come to their registered class, as they are familiar with their classmates, their teacher and the class structure, and we encourage consistent attendance for optimal growth. Any dancer who has missed his/her class due to illness or schedule conflict may make up that class with an appropriate class based on age, ability and discipline within four weeks of the absence. Make-up classes for the 2026-2027 session will be available beginning Monday, October 5th through the month of December. There will be no make-up classes available after December as dancers will begin focusing on choreography for our spring show performances at that time.
MAKE-UP CLASSES
PHILIP TRESCASES
Dancers who are making up a class should check in at the front desk when they come for the make-up class to receive a nametag and instructions on which studio room the make-up class is in.
issue 02
18
events
UPCOMING ParentMap Parent Education Halloween Spirit week Spring Show Participation Forms distributed Thanksgiving Break (Studio Closed)
October 26-31 Week of November 9 (in class) November 25-29 November 30
EDIE TEHAN
Enrollment closes for 26-27 School-Year Session
October 15
STAY CONNECTED! @backstage.dance.studio @backstagebellevue @backstagedancestudio
love
DANCING WITH US?! We'd appreciate it if you could leave us a review! GOOGLE FACEBOOK
THE BEAT
BACKSTAGE DANCE STUDIO
ft. skye bass signature team dancer
THANK YOU FOR DANCING WITH US!