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S A Y H E L L O T O D E C E M B E R !
Take a peek i month’s iss THE B to keep up w things going
Backstage Dance S in Decem
DRESS CODE CONTEST WINNERS!
CONGRATS CLASSES!
First, we must acknowledge that we had over 50 entries for our Dress Code contest, which means we have SO many dancers coming to class in proper dress code each week. Keep up the awesome work, dancers!
The winning classes are:
Pre-Ballet, Saturdays at 10:45 with Miss Lauren Hip Hop Basics 2, Mondays at 5:00pm with Miss Kellsie Ballet 4, Tuesdays at 7:15 with Miss Rhonda
These classes will receive an ice cream party at the end of classes the week of December 2nd! Congratulations to the dancers in these classes!
COLORING CONTEST WINNERS!
ATS ARTISTS!
Thanks to all our talented artists for participating in our November coloring contest! It was a very tough decision, but we have chosen three winners + an honorable mention!
Ages 6 & under: Emi W. (Ballet Basics)
Ages 7 to 12: Nathalie T. (Hip Hop 3/Tap 3/Acro 3)
Ages 13 and up: Elise T. (Signature Team member)
Honorable Mention: River & Sky’s Dad
--- CONGRATULATIONS ARTISTS! ---
Pick up your prize at the front desk in the main studio after December 2nd!
THE BEAT 05 UPCOMING POP-UP CLASSES
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DECEMBER 06 FAQ
Can I add or change classes?
Enrollment for the 2024-2025 school-year session will close on December 2 Acro, Creative Movement, and tech classes will continue to be available to enroll in throughout the year, space permitting, as those classes do not participate in the spring show We will also continue to offer short-session “pop-up” classes throughout the remainder of the session, so watch your email for details on those!
Am I required to participate in the Backstage Spring Show?
NO! If you do not wish to have your child participate in our show, that is not a problem. Your child is welcome to continue coming to class, learning technique, new skills and choreography that will be performed in the show
What if I forget to turn in the Show Participation Form by the deadline?
Spring Show Participation/Costume Forms are due on December 9th Forms turned in between December 9th and 15th will incur a $25 late fee FORMS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED AFTER DECEMBER 15th
If my child misses a class, can they do a make-up class?
Due to the extended power outage and class cancellations the week of November 18th, we have extended the class make-up deadline through the end of January. Note that make-up classes will not be available beginning February 1st (with the exception of Creative Movement classes, where make-ups are available throughout the session) because classes will be working on choreography for the Spring Show
Also, please note that, similar to weather-related closure days that many school district add to the end of their calendars, Backstage treats the final two weeks of our session (first two weeks of June) in a similar way, where students can try as many classes as they like for no additional fee. Therefore, weather-related, unexpected closures can be made up at the end of the session as well.
HOLIDAY SPIRIT WEEK!
During this holiday season, we pause to reflect on the many things we are grateful for Parents, we are especially grateful to you for giving your child the gift of dance We understand the struggle can be significant at times, juggling multiple kids’ schedules and getting them to all their activities on time! We see you, and we appreciate you making the commitment to being part of the Backstage Dance community!
As our thank you to you for choosing to be part of our Backstage community, we are hosting a holiday warm beverage cart at the studio the week of December 16! Stop into the studio Monday through Friday of that week from 4:30-6:30 and on Saturday, from 10:00 to 12:00 when we will have a barista on hand to serve yummy hot chocolate and warm apple cider drinks to our wonderful Backstage families!
Note that December 16-21 is also our Holiday Spirit Week, where dancers can wear their holiday or cozy winter pajamas to class to celebrate the season In addition, our younger Foundations-level classes (Creative Movement, Pre-Ballet, Ballet Basics, Ballet/Tap, Pre-Hip Hop, Hip Hop Basics and Broadway Bound) will invite parents into the dance room for the last 5-10 minutes of class during the week of the 16th to demonstrate what they have been working on in class! Please join us for a festive week of community!
SUPPORTING OUR COMMUNITY DURING THE HOLIDAYS – Seattle Angels
As a reminder, we are inviting our Backstage community to help us brighten the holiday season for foster families who are supported by the Seattle Angels organization and have extended the deadline to turn in your donations to FRIDAY, DECEMBER 6th
Seattle Angels will take our donations and put together what they call
“Love Boxes” during the week of December 9th to make the holidays just a bit brighter for area foster families. If you haven’t picked up a card at the studio but would like to participate, note the following is a list of items Seattle Angels would like to include in their Love Boxes:
Movie tickets/gift cards for a fun family outing
Grocery gift cards for special meals
Target and Amazon gift cards for older youth to purchase items for themselves
Blankets and hats for cozy winter days/nights
Squishmallow stuffies
Starbucks cards for a treat
Games for family time
Local sports team items
Puzzles or other art activities for families
Thank you in advance for supporting Seattle Angels and the local foster care community!
Please don’t forget to drop off your donations by Friday, December 6th! S U P P O R T I N G O U R C O M M U N I T Y
Our character focus for DECEMBER is...
CHARACTERFOCUS KINDNESS
Acts of... KINDNESS can make the w a happier place for everyone.
They can boost feelings of confiden being in control, happiness and optimism. They may also encourage others to repeat the good deeds they've experienced themselves – contributing to a more positive community
We hope all our dancers earn a KINDNESS card this month to crea a community of kindness here at Backstage!
DANCER BIRTHDAYS
Lucia P-V. 2-Dec
Anyi L. 3-Dec
Siena J. 4-Dec
Danielle L. 5-Dec
Beatrice U. 8-Dec
Inaya A. 10-Dec
Elsa Z. 10-Dec
Piper L. 11-Dec
Kaitlyn C. 12-Dec
Audrey L. 12-Dec
Sakura S. 12-Dec
Christa E. 13-Dec
Alexis M. 13-Dec
Delanie S. 13-Dec
Arloe C. 14-Dec
Anji K. 14-Dec
Audrey K. 14-Dec
Rory M. 14-Dec
Riley S. 15-Dec
Iris S. 15-Dec
Callie A. 16-Dec
Durga V. 16-Dec
Samanvi B. 17-Dec
Emi K. 17-Dec
Julia N. 17-Dec
Phoebe W. 17-Dec
Luna O. 18-Dec
Sophia Y. 18-Dec
Harper C. 19-Dec
Amelie K. 19-Dec
Aria M. 19-Dec
Paige D. 21-Dec
Catherine H. 21-Dec
Gigi W. 23-Dec
Keiko H. 24-Dec
Lena I. 24-Dec
Juliana V. 24-Dec
Jessica C. 26-Dec
Rowen G. 26-Dec
Grace A. 27-Dec
Riley H. 27-Dec
Lily H. 27-Dec
Olivia C. 28-Dec
Mira H. 31-Dec
Jessica S. 31-Dec
STAFF BIRTHDAYS
Miss Isabelle 8-Dec
TEACHERSPOTLIGHT THE BEAT 11
FUN FACTS:
CHISAKO
Miss Chisako, also known as Miss Taco, grew up dancing here at Backstage Dance Studio! She started her dance journey at Backstage when she was just four years old and joined the Signature Competition Team at the age of eight She started out as a Hip Hop dancer but then branched out to the many other styles that Backstage has to offer, like jazz, contemporary, tap and more! Being part of the Backstage family made her fall in love with dance, which is what led her to study dance in college. Chisako is currently in her first year of the dance major program at Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle.
This is Chisako’s first year as a teacher at Backstage and she cannot wait to see where this journey takes her. She is teaching Hip Hop/Flip Flop, Hip Hop/Flip Flop 2, Hip Hop Basics, Creative Movement, and Hip Hop 3-4. Chisako is honored to not only be a Backstage Dance Studio alumni, but now also a teacher at the studio. Chisako loves connecting with her students and sharing both the fun of dance as well as the knowledge and skills she has learned throughout her dance education She loves seeing dancers come out of their shells and find their own way of expressing themselves through dance
Miss Taco has a cat named Missy Elliott! Outside of dance, she loves to camp and spend time at the beach!
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.
The key to boosting your child’s brain power is all in a day’s play.
Join ParentMap for an inspiring ParentEd Talk with beloved Seattle-based educator and author Teacher Tom, where parents and caregivers will discover ways to nurture creativity and curiosity in young children.
All in a Day’s Play: Boosting Brain Power Through Play Wednesday, December 4, 2024 • 7:00-8:00pm PT
Learn how to:
Embrace the natural playfulness of your child
Create a more playful environment at home
Foster creative problem-solving and self-motivation
Encourage cooperation over obedience
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
NOUNCEME THE BEAT SPRINGSHOW
THE BEAT 15
D A N C E R
O F T H E M O N T H
CONGRATS
to our December 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!
Daryn Daw
Daryn was nominated by her Hip Hop Basics 2 teacher, Miss Kellsie Daryn is great at demonstrating in class, is a good listener with a positive attitude, and Miss Kellsie observes that she is always helpful and kind. Way to go, Daryn!
Josephine Chung
Josephine was nominated by her Ballet 3 teacher, Miss Tomoko. Tomoko says that Josephine always tries her best in class and is a good listener.
Awesome job, Josephine!
Sophie Guattare
Sophie is a member of our Signature Team and was nominated by her Hip Hop Tech teacher, Miss Alyssa Alyssa notes that Sophie’s hip hop terminology is fantastic and that she has done an excellent job learning new grooves! Super work, Sophie!
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!
SKILLS OF T
E C E M B E R
ACRO HANDSTAND
Definition: An act of balancing on one's hands with one's feet in the air or against a wall. Balance with control, elbows straight, legs straight and together, stretched feet, fingers spread and engaged, eye focus forward, no walking, lunge with long back into kick up (Acrobactic Arts).
Beginners can do L - stands or just practice kicking lower leg to meet the other in the air.
Advanced students can practice other variations into it, straddle up, pike up, tuck up, or balancing for as long as they can.
VIDEO: How to Handstand!
BALLET BALANCÉ
Translation: Rocking step.
Definition: A balancé is a beautiful rocking step where a dancer moves while alternating balance between their feet. It is a three-step combination, and the rhythm is typically in three counts like a waltz. It has the motion of going “down, up, down” with the legs.
Technique: The dancer extends one leg to a degagé to the side, fondues and transfers weight onto that foot while crossing the other behind the ankle in coupé position, piqués on the back foot while slightly lifting the first, then fondues once again on the first foot.
VIDEO: How to balancé!
Definitio grooves the mus rocking Can add emphas music w upward grooves bouncie usually a jump or
And ess combos
VIDEO: H HIP DOWN
THE MONTH 18
HOP GROOVE
on: Down (or low) emphasize the beats in sic with downward motions.
d up (or lifted) grooves ize the beats in the with motions that lift s and bounce (or jump) to involve a lighter and r type of movement, adding in some form of hop.
ential to all hip-hop
. How to down groove!
JAZZ BALL CHANGE
Definition: A quick change of weight from the ball of one foot to the other.
A ball change uses the balls of the feet to shift the dancer’s weight from one foot to the next. Like the pas de bourrée, you can use a ball change to transition between dance moves. Dancers transfer their weight to the ball of one foot, and then step forward with the other foot.
VIDEO: How to ball change!
TAP STOMP AND STAMP
Definition: A stomp places the flat foot on the floor, lift foot off floor (no change of weight).
Definition: A stamp places the flat foot on the floor with a change of weight. Foot stays on floor. Both can be incorporated into routines with ease!
VIDEO: How to stomp and stamp!
Parents, please come into the and do a quick look through o and Found! Lots of water bottles and assorted clothing have be behind We will donate all uncl items at the end of Dece
LOST AND FOUND
Coming soon!
Spring Show theme announced!
Enrollment closes for 2024-2025
Last day to bring in items for Seattle Angels
Spring Show Costume/ Show Participation Forms due
Holiday Spirit Week (Holiday/Cozy PJs)
Hot Cocoa/Hot Apple Cider Bar
Winter Break (Studio Closed)
Studio Spirit Week
Martin Luther King Jr. Day (Studio Closed) Dec 2 Dec 2 Dec 6 Dec 9 Dec 16-21 Dec 16-21 Dec 23-Jan 5 Jan 13-18 Jan 20
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BACKSTAGE DANCE STUDIO
THE BEAT
BUILDING CONFIDENCE, CHARACTER, AND COMMUNITY SINCE 1984. THANK YOU FOR DANCING WITH US!