THE BEAT
BACKSTAGE DANCE STUDIO
issue 01 september 2026
BUILDING CONFIDENCE, CHARACTER, AND COMMUNITY SINCE 1984!
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the beat
contents
LEENA HUANG
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 SEPTEMBER!
issue 01
Welcome Letter from Marty!
04
First Week of Class Checklist
05
Preparing for Class
06
Navigating the Studio
07
Character Focus
08
September Birthdays
09-10
SYDNEY CHENOWETH
03
Meet Out Teachers!
11-14 15
Parent Education
16
A BIG Thank You!
17
Pop-Up Classes!
18-20
KAYLEE FEATHER
School-Year Session Overview
Skills of the Month
21
Studio Policies
22
Upcoming Events
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WE ARE CELEBRATING 43 FABULOUS YEARS AT BACKSTAGE! We can’t wait for another fantastic year of dance as we kick off our 2026-2027 season. A huge WELCOME to those of you who are joining us for the first time this year, and we are grateful to those of you who are returning for year two, three, ten or more!! Please take a moment to read through this and our upcoming monthly newsletters to familiarize yourself with what’s going on at the studio and in classrooms. We try to provide as much information as we can to keep you as informed as possible throughout the year! We’ve included photos of our teachers on the staff page of this newsletter, and also be sure to check out our staff wall in the studio, which includes photos and fun facts about all our teachers! Both our new and returning staff have been diligently preparing for classes this year, participating in trainings, working toward certifications, and earning their CPR/First Aid credentials. They can’t wait to meet your dancers soon! We look forward to partnering with you this year, as we strive to provide the best experience for you and your family and make year 43 another fabulous year! As always, thanks so much for dancing with us! Marty Roberts Owner/Director
marty roberts
A WELCOME FROM
issue 01
FIRST WEEK OF CLASS CHECKLIST Check your child’s class day and time. Login to Jackrabbit HERE. Arrive earlier than the start of your child’s class to check-in. We will have a tent set up outside the main studio doors, where you will check in, receive a nametag for your child, and find out which studio room your class is in. Does your child have the dress code clothing requirements for their class? Please make every effort to ensure your dancer comes to class in the appropriate clothing. Check the dress code requirements on our website for any questions. If you need a dress code item, please note that we keep an inventory of dress code items that can be purchased at the studio. Please contact the studio (425.747.5070) and a member of our Customer Care Team will be happy to assist you! We are so happy to have parents, grandparents and assorted caregivers take time out of their busy schedules to bring children to the studio for dance classes! For the first class of the session, we invite you INTO the classroom to meet your child’s instructor during the last 5 to 10 minutes of class. We hope to partner with you in your child’s dance education and social-emotional development!
There are benches and other seating areas in the studio lobby for parents to stay and watch their child, however, many parents drop off and pick up their dancer at the end of class. Interested in running an errand or grabbing a cup of coffee? The Factoria area has lots of options nearby where you can check a few items off your list while your child dances!
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Tips & Tricks
PREPARING FOR class One of the best ways to ensure your child’s success in their dance class is by helping them prepare! Make sure you pay close attention to the guidelines on this page to set your child up for a great experience! Make sure your child arrives on time and ready to dance (this might include a snack in the car, and a visit to the restroom before class starts.)
Your child should come to class every week so they don't fall behind, and so they continue to build community within their class! We will offer make-up classes through December, however, it benefits your child, your child’s classmates, and the teacher when they attend their scheduled class each week.
If your child comes to the studio with a jacket, dance bag, water bottle, etc, they can keep these items in a cubby (most are located just outside the studio rooms) during class.
If you have any questions or concerns about your child’s class, please reach out to us! If it is a question for your child’s teacher, we can put you in touch with them to answer your question or resolve your issue.
Make sure your child is wearing the proper dance attire, including shoes, and that hair is styled accordingly.
Please email dancewithus@backstagedance.org and we’ll be happy to help!
NAVIGATING THE STUDIO Backstage is a large facility and we want you to feel comfortable and know what is happening within our walls. We have seven dance rooms, located in two different buildings. Our main studio building has four dance rooms, our customer care station, and main administrative offices. Our satellite building is across the parking lot from the main building and houses three additional dance rooms (Rooms 5, 6 and 7), with small waiting areas outside rooms 5 and 6. Your dancer will take class in the same dance room every week. There is sometimes a need to change rooms, and if that is the case, we will post signs and notify students of any changes as they arrive at the studio. Please also check the chalkboard and dry erase boards in the main building for teacher/class locations. Parents are welcome to watch from the lobby through windows into the studio rooms. Please do not tap on the windows or cause distractions to the dancers in the classroom, however. Please be timely when dropping off dancers AND when picking them up. Please also note that we have an open lobby area with multiple office spaces behind our reception area. Our office is staffed until 9:00 each night, and staff are there not only to help you and your dancers, but also to complete projects and tasks for the studio. Please talk to your dancer about behavior in the studio lobby: using indoor voices, no running or tumbling, no rowdiness. We know your dancers are often excited to see their dance friends, however, please note that our lobby is also a business space and remind your dancers that it is not a play space. Our parking lot can be CRAZY. Please drive slowly and carefully through the lot at all times, and teach your child to watch for moving cars in the parking lot, as well as recognize backup lights. Do not allow your child to play in the parking lot.
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focus
CHARACTER
Each month, Backstage chooses a character-building skill for dancers to focus on. When a teacher sees a dancer demonstrating the month’s character focus, they will give the dancer a character card, recognizing their efforts! Our character focus for each month of the dance season follows: B-Bravery (September) A-Accountability (October) C-Courage (November) K-Kindness (December) S-Self-Discipline (January) T-Tenacity (February) A-Acceptance (March) G-Gratitude (April) E-Excellence (May)
This month, we will help our dancers focus on being Brave. BRAVERY can be demonstrated in a variety of ways: raising your hand to answer a question being first in line to demonstrate a skill helping a classmate attending to your first dance class trying when you can't YET do a skill falling and getting back up asking a question Look for your child to bring home a culture card this month when they demonstrate bravery in class or at the studio!
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Luna H. 1-Sep Jooah P. 1-Sep Mira R. 1-Sep Isabelle Z. 1-Sep Leahnora M. 3-Sep Julia Z. 4-Sep Brixton L. 5-Sep Taotao S. 5-Sep Nahomi T. 5-Sep Valentina A. 6-Sep Cyrielle T. 7-Sep Olivia F. 8-Sep Amina B. 10-Sep Chloe C. 10-Sep Daryn D. 10-Sep Colette P. 10-Sep Jenny X. 12-Sep Emma S. 13-Sep Madeleine B. 15-Sep Mandy L. 18-Sep Elizabeth N. 19-Sep Soleil W. 21-Sep Fiona N. 22-Sep Karin S. 22-Sep Kaylee H. 23-Sep Reese L. 24-Sep Heidi L. 24-Sep Hannah W. 24-Sep Amelia W. 24-Sep Daniel C. 26-Sep Kai E. 26-Sep Melody L. 27-Sep Haidee S. 27-Sep Serena W. 27-Sep Kimberly L. 28-Sep Emilija M. 28-Sep Lois E. 29-Sep
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
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MARTY
BAILEY
KELLY
LETA
EL
MADISON
TOMOKO
CHISAKO
ISABELLE
AINS
teachers
MEET OUR
ISE
JENAE
ALYSSA
KELLSIE
LAUREN
SLEY
ADRI
AVA
GRACE
REBECCA
We LOVE our BDS teachers! They are so excited to start a new dance season with your children! In addition to having years of experience, education, and special certifications in all dance styles, our staff are all CPR/First Aid certified to keep your dancer safe!
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school year session OVERVIEW
SEPTEMBER: DANCE SEASON BEGINS! We are so excited to welcome dancers to Backstage to kick off the new school-year session! Since we operate on the school-year calendar, classes continue month-to-month from September through May/June. Billing takes place on the first business day of each month. If you need to withdraw your child from their class during the school-year session, we ask that you let us know two weeks prior to the end of the month and we will withdraw them for the following month. Is your dancer in our Foundations (ages 3-6) or Graded (ages 7+) program? Check out our BDS Welcome Booklets, which contain all the details needed to prepare your dancer for the 26-27 dance season! FOUNDATIONS WELCOME BOOKLET GRADED WELCOME BOOKLET
NOVEMBER: ENROLLMENT CLOSES/SPRING SHOW PREPARATIONS BEGIN! Backstage has a Spring Show toward the end of the session that most of our classes (with the exception of Creative Movement and Acro) participate in! We close enrollment at the end of November, ask families to complete a show participation form, and begin to order costumes for dancers. Students learn choreography January through May that is performed on stage during our show performances. Shows take place at IKEA Performing Arts Center at Renton High School each year. This year, our Spring Shows will be on Saturday, June 5 and Sunday, June 6. Save the dates!!
DECEMBER: WINTER BREAK! Backstage follows the Bellevue School District calendar and we match our dance class breaks with many of the school district breaks. Our longest break takes place in December, when the studio will be closed for classes December 20th through January 3rd. Make-up class opportunities end before winter break, so if your child needs to make up a missed class, make sure they do it before the end of December!
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JANUARY/FEBRUARY/MARCH: SPRING SHOW CHOREOGRAPHY! After winter break, dancers continue to learn new skills and technique in their classes. They also practice the choreography that they will perform at our Spring Shows!
APRIL: COSTUME DISTRIBUTION! Spring show costumes are usually distributed during classes just after Spring Break. In addition, information about Spring Show ticket sales and our Spring Show media fee (which covers class/individual pictures in costume, as well as show videos) are made available in April.
MAY: PREP FOR SHOW TIME! Spring Show Picture Week will take place during the month of May! See the calendar on pages 14 & 15 of this newsletter for dates. Our Spring Shows are the first weekend in June, so May is a month filled with last-minute prep and polish!
JUNE: SPRING SHOWS, TEAM AUDITIONS AND SUMMER SESSION! Our Spring Show Dress Rehearsal Week kicks off the month of June, and our Spring shows take place the weekend of June 5th and 6th! Our session typically ends a week or two after the conclusion of our Spring Shows. Stay tuned throughout the year for more information about the final weeks of our school-year session, which usually include “try it free”/make-up class opportunities! Just after our spring shows, we will hold audition preparation classes for those interested in auditioning for our Signature and STARS competition teams. Details on our competition team audition process and dates will come out later this year! Our summer session begins in mid to late June, and usually runs between six and seven weeks. We offer classes for all ages, as well as camps for ages 3 through 10.
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2026-2027at Backs S
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stage
September 9
FIRST DAY OF CLASSES, 26-27 SEASON
September 28
TRIAL CLASSES BEGIN
October 26-31
HALLOWEEN SPIRIT WEEK
November 25-29
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SPRING SHOW COSTUME FORMS DUE
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WINTER BREAK: STUDIO CLOSED/NO CLASSES
January 11-16
BDS STUDIO SPIRIT WEEK
January 18
EBRUARY
THANKSGIVING BREAK: STUDIO CLOSED/NO CLASSES
MLK DAY: STUDIO CLOSED/NO CLASSES
Jan. 19-Feb. 1
CLASS DRESS CODE CONTEST!
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VALENTINE SPIRIT WEEK
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MID-WINTER BREAK: STUDIO CLOSED/NO CLASSES
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SUMMER 2027 REGISTRATION OPENS
March 15-20
SHAMROCK SPIRIT WEEK/ BRING YOUR STUFFY TO CLASS WEEK
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SPRING FEVER SPIRIT WEEK
April 12-18
SPRING BREAK: STUDIO CLOSED/NO CLASSES
May 17-22
SPRING SHOW PICTURE WEEK
May 29-31
MEMORIAL DAY: STUDIO CLOSED/NO CLASSES
June 1-3
SPRING SHOW DRESS REHEARSAL WEEK
June 5-6
BDS ANNUAL SPRING SHOWS, IKEA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER
Mid-June
PRIORITY REGISTRATION FOR 27-28 BEGINS!
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With Parent Map
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 September, Parent Map has invited viral online creators and New York Times bestselling authors Kim and Penn Holderness to discuss ADHD, from their own personal experiences. ADHD Is Awesome: How to (Mostly) Thrive With ADHD With The Holderness Family Sept. 24, 2026, noon–1 p.m. PT Parenting a child with ADHD can be exhausting, frustrating and unexpectedly joyful — sometimes all before breakfast. The forgotten assignments. The emotional whiplash. The intense focus on exactly the wrong thing at exactly the wrong time. Families living with ADHD know that the same brain that creates real challenges can also bring creativity, humor, energy and a distinctive way of seeing the world.
New this year! Stay after each talk for a bonus 30-minute Q&A session with clinical professor of psychiatry Dr. Laura Kastner, featuring deeper conversations, additional resources and meaningful engagement with a community of parents navigating similar challenges. Reserve your spot for the live Zoom Talk and get access to the recording to watch anytime. ParentMap has partnered with over 180 schools and organizations to provide families with complimentary access to our talks. A valid promo code from a participating member is required to redeem your free tickets. Check here to see if your school or organization is a member.
thank you!
A BIG
TO OUR REFERRING FAMILIES!
We are so grateful for the wonderful families who have shared their love for Backstage Dance Studio with others. Your referrals help our community grow, and we truly value your support and trust in us. Remember, each family you refer earns you a $20 credit on your account! We’d like to give a special shout-out to the families who have referred new dancers to the studio this year! Your enthusiasm means the world to us, and we couldn’t do it without you! Thank you to the families of the following dancers who have referred new families to Backstage for the 26-27 dance season:
Brynn Bright, Rose Carrico, Daryn Daw, Tammy Foss, Audrey Lin, Elli Luiten, Gia Morrow, Juliette Morrow, Mackinley Polzin, Dylan & Riley Sanders, Yuke Takemura, Eva Yang, Lillian Zhou
Thank you for helping us continue to share
the joy of dance!
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CREATIVE MOVEMENT POP-UP CLASS STARTING IN OCTOBER! Creative Movement for 2 to 3 year olds! Join Miss Madison for a fun-filled introduction to music and movement in an 8-week “pop-up” class! Creative Movement classes are designed to encourage a child’s imagination and exploration through guided movement exercises. Children will develop motor skills, listening skills, coordination, rhythm, spatial awareness, and creative expression. Fun props such as scarves, egg shakers, ribbons, parachutes, tunnels, hoops, and blocks make each class an exciting adventure in movement and discovery! We hope your tiny dancer will join Miss Madison for this playful pathway to dance! Friday, October 2 through Friday, November 20 8-week session, Fridays from 4:00pm to 4:30pm (30-minute class) Ages: 2-3 Cost: $158 for the 6-week session.
Register on the Backstage website today!
the beat
issue 01
18
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!
SEPTEMBER acro
HOLLOW
ballet
TENDU
hip hop
STEP TOUCH
jazz
JAZZ WALK
tap
FLAP
See the next page for more >>>
september
SKILLS OF THE MONTH
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SKILLS OF THE acro
ballet
hip ho
Definition: A foundational corestrength exercise where you lie on your back, pressing your lower back flat against the floor to create a stable, curved line from your hands to your feet with your shoulders and legs lifted. Key elements include pressing the lower back to the floor, lifting head and shoulders, extending arms overhead, and keeping legs together and toes pointed while maintaining a "tight," integrated body shape. VIDEO: How to hollow!
Translation: To stretch. Definition: A fundamental movement in ballet where the working leg is extended along the floor until only the tip of the toe remains touching the floor. Technique: Heel should be presented forward or “on top” in the pointed position. Little toes release first to close back to first or fifth position, not the heel to prevent sickling. Push down through the floor over the top of the foot. Remember to tendu slightly in front on a diagonal rather than directly side. Muscles: piriformis, lateral rotators. VIDEO: How to tendu!
Definition: A basi is exactly its nam a step to the side touch or toe next along with the rh variations can be a jump or a clap. stay on the music rhythm in your bo VIDEO: How to ste
HOLLOW
TENDU
STEP TOUC
20
MONTH
op
september
CH
c dance step that me. First you take then you tap or t to it moving ythm. Different added, including It is important to c and feel the ody. ep touch!
jazz
tap
Definition: A series of two steps. Step out with one leg then cross in front with the other, then step out again and cross in front with the other, and so on and so forth. After that, you’re free to build it however you want. Traditionally, jazz walks are done staying on the balls of your feet the entire time. However, there is a version of jazz walks where you lead with your heels and move through your feet. VIDEO: How to jazz walk!
Definition: A brush forward and a step (which is striking the ball of the foot on the floor with a change of weight; similar to a walking step, only done on the ball of the foot—the heel does not touch the floor). Can do in place, sideways, backwards for more advanced. VIDEO: How to flap!
JAZZ WALK
FLAP
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When you registered your child for classes at Backstage, you set up a portal account and signed off on our policies and guidelines. Important information about monthly payments, extra fees, absences, make-up classes, etc. are included in our policies.
STUDIO POLICIES
ELISE TRESCASES
ZOE ELIEN
Want a refresher? Please review our policies HERE.
issue 01
22
events
UPCOMING
September 9 September 24 September 28 October 26-31
MAKAYLA DU
First day of classes, 26-27 School-Year Session ParentMap Parent Education Trial classes begin Halloween Spirit week
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. misaki sano signature team dancer
THANK YOU FOR DANCING WITH US!