THE BEAT
J A N U A R Y !
S A Y H E L L O
THE BEAT
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THE BEAT 03 SPRINGSHOW
LOST AND FOUND
Is your dancer missing a shoe, jacket, water bottle, etc?
We collected a number of items in our lost and found during the month of December, so we have postponed donating our lost and found items until the end of January We will bring all lost and found items into our main lobby in mid-January, so please make sure to check for any items your dancer may have left behind.
Items not claimed by the end of January will be donated to our local Goodwill.
STUDIO SPIRIT WEEK
LET’S GO BDS!!!
Show your Backstage pride during studio spirit week, Monday, January 13 through Saturday, January 18.
Wear your Backstage gear to class or show your spirit by donning our studio colors, black, red and purple!
Just make sure what you wear is something you can easily dance in! We can’t wait to see your Backstage pride during spirit week this month!
THE BEAT 07 UPCOMING POP-UP CLASSES REGISTER NOW
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FREQUENTLY ASKED 08 QUESTIONS
Can I add or change classes?
We have closed enrollment for the 2024-2025 school-year session, with the exception of Acro, Creative Movement, and Tech classes that do not participate in our Spring Shows Please contact us at dancewithus@backstagedanceorg with any questions
Is my child registered for the Spring Show?
If you turned in your Show Participation/Costume Form prior to Winter Break, you are all set! If you aren't sure whether or not you turned in your child's form, you can check your portal account for a costume fee (charged in November or December, depending on when you turned in your form) or contact the studio office for confirmation If you did not turn in a form, we did not order a costume for your child and your teachers have noted that they are not participating in the show
Can my child continue to take classes if they aren't participating in the Spring
Show?
YES! Your child will continue to learn new technique and skills, in addition to the choreography that will be performed in the Spring Shows As we get close to our Spring Show performances, we will communicate with those not participating in the shows regarding their last scheduled classes for the session
Are make-up classes available?
Make-up classes will be available through the end of January (an extended opportunity, due to the prolonged power outage in November) Beginning February 1, however, make-up classes will no longer be available Classes will be focused on preparing choreography for our shows and building community within the classroom, and we encourage regular attendance so that students do not fall behind. Classes not participating in our shows (Creative Movement and Acro) will still have make-up class opportunities after February. Please contact us in the studio office with any questions.
SI DEBUT TEAM AND STARS TEAM NEWS
Our Signature Competition team of 70 dancers has been hard at work since August, perfecting skills and learning choreography that they perform on stage at various competition venues. The competition season kicks off this month and continues through the summer. Our team dancers will represent Backstage at six regional competitions in addition to a national competition.
GOOD LUCK SIGNATURE TEAM DANCERS!
Our Debut Competition Team is also hard at work in their ballet, tap, hip hop and dancer development classes! They will participate in two competitions in 2025, which they are preparing for by learning choreography in class. The Debut team is for dancers in grades K-1 who love to dance, are focused, passionate, and are looking to ease into the competitive dance experience.
Our 56 dancers who make up our STARS teams have been invested in building a strong team by giving 100% effort in their hip hop, tap, contemporary, ballet and dancer development classes Our four STARS teams are learning choreography in classes that will be performed at local competitions in March and April. We can’t wait to see our STARS teams on stage in the spring!
SUPPORTING OUR COMMUNITY DURING THE HOLIDAYS – Seattle Angels
We had such an amazing response to our Seattle Angels fundraiser in November/December! Thanks so much to those who donated items to support local foster families who are served by Seattle Angels. Because of your generosity, we donated a truckload of toys, games, puzzles, blankets, squishmallows, and gift cards to the Seattle Angels organization They added our items to the Love Boxes they distributed to families during the holidays and said that our donations will also be used to provide additional support to families at other times of the year. Way to go, Backstage Dance families! Together, our amazing community makes a difference! S U P P O R T I N G O U R C O M M U N I T Y
CHARACTERFOCUS
Our character focus for JANUARY is...
SELF-DISCIPLINE
Self-discipline is the ability to push yourself forward, stay motivated, and take action, regardless of how you're feeling, physically or emotionally!
Look for a culture card coming home with your dancer this month! We hope everyone will earn a card for working on their SELF-DISCIPLINE this month!
What are the benefits of self-discipline? The feeling of being in control of yourself Higher rates of goal achievement and su Feeling more motivation towards your go
DANCER BIRTHDAYS
Jayla M. January 1
Ariella B. January 2
Ruth B. January 2
Stella G. January 2
Sofia S. January 4
Julia H. January 5
Gigi M. January 5
Lua M. January 6
Zara B. January 7
Genevieve P. January 7
Edie T. January 7
Eric T. January 7
Ella W. January 7
Juliet H. January 8
Ella A. January 9
Claire M. January 9
Aanya K. January 11
Charlotte O. January 11
Siena K. January 12
Alia K. January 12
Ziva N. January 12
Isabella P. January 12
Elaina Y. January 13
Chloe L. January 14
Jolene H. January 15
Audrey L. January 15
Madeline N. January 15
Eliana R. January 15
Sasha A. January 16
Ellie C. January 16
Dorian F. January 16
Sophie F-S. January 16
Maeve H. January 16
Emma N. January 16
Luke M. January 17
Nicole C. January 18
Parker M. January 19
Gigi C. January 21
Blythe P. January 21
Harper K. January 22
Mia W. January 22
Mimi B. January 23
Camilla D. January 23
Harper K. January 23
Soren M. January 23
Luka R. January 23
Cameron B. January 24
MJ M. January 24
Eliana K. January 25
Myla Z. January 25
Ava P. January 27
Camilla D. January 28
Kieu An R. January 28
STAFF BIRTHDAYS
Miss Faith January 24
Miss Marty January 28
TEACHERSPOTLIGHT THE BEAT 13
RHONDA
Rhonda is one of our awesome Signature and STARS Team teachers and also teaches ballet and jazz classes in our recreational program Rhonda has been dancing for nearly forty years and has been on the faculty at Backstage since 1990 She received her training at JoAnn McKimson School of Dance, Marty Roberts Dance Studio, Backstage Dance Studio, Bellevue Community College, Tremaine Dance Studio in Studio City, California, and Star Struck Dance Studio in Durham, Oregon.
Rhonda continues her dance education by attending several conventions and competitions each year and she continually learns and grows from working with her students. She hopes to pass on the joy, love, respect, appreciation and enthusiasm that she has for dance!
FUN FACTS:
When she’s not dancing, Miss Rhonda enjoys spending time with friends and family, scrap booking, traveling for competitions, and cuddling her dog!
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.
ADHD kids: Unique brains, amazing power. Join ParentMap on Jan. 16 as they speak with groundbreaking ADHD psychiatrist, researcher and best-selling author Ned Hallowell, M.D. Learn to navigate neurodiversity with the strengths-based approach necessary to help your kid (and family) finally thrive.
Navigating Neurodiversity: Strength-Based Support for ADHA Kids January 16, 2025 • 12:00-1:00pm PT
In this live ParentEd Talk, Dr Hallowell will explore: The latest brain science on ADHD
Strategies to help kids with ADHD, dyslexia and other syndromes harness their strengths
Tips to identify and celebrate kids' unique talents
How to tap into creative outlets for growth
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
THE BEAT
D
A N C E R O F T H E M O N T H
Leann Pi
Leann is in Miss Shandie’s Pre-Hip Hop class and was nominated for consistently following directions and having a positive attitude. Miss Shandie also appreciates that Leann is always smiling! Super job, Leann!
CONGRATS
to our January 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!
Alan Donner
Alan is in Miss Alyssa’s Hip Hop 4 and Miss Rhonda’s Ballet 4 class at Backstage Alan was nominated by Miss Rhonda, who says that Alan is awesome and always works hard. She also notes that he has gorgeous ballet feet! Awesome work, Alan!
Zoe Lo
Zoe is a member of our STARS 102 Red team She was nominated by her Hip Hop 102 teacher, Miss Kellsie, who says that Zoe is a great leader! She also appreciates that Zoe is positive, focused, practices her dance and is helpful to others. Amazing job, Zoe!
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!
JANUARY SKILLS OF THE MONTH
See the next page for more >>>
SKILLS OF T
ACRO SPLITS
Definition: An act of leaping in the air or sitting down with the legs straight and at right angles to the upright body, one in front and the other behind, or one at each side.
Side splits are executed by extending the legs to the left and right of the torso. Side splits are called straddle splits (or middle splits) in dance.
Front splits are executed by extending one leg forward of, and the other leg to the rear of the torso. In dance, a front split is named according to the leg that is extended forward.
VIDEO: How to do the splits!
BALLET GLISSADE
Translation: To glide.
Definition/technique: A traveling step starting in fifth position from demi-plié. The leading foot brushes out to dégagé as weight bears on the trailing leg, weight is shifted to the leading leg via a jump and the trailing foot extends out of plié into degagé. The leading foot lands tombé and the trailing foot slides in to meet the leading foot in fifth position demi-plié.
Can be done en avant, en arrière, dessous (leading front foot ends back), dessus (leading back foot ends front), or without a changement of feet.
VIDEO: How to glissade!
Definitio started 70's. Thi charact tensing muscles rhythm
Popping to speci variants pops, ch pops.
VIDEO: HIP POPPIN
THE MONTH 18
HOP NG
on: A style of dance that in the late 1960's and is dance style is erized by sudden and releasing of the s ("hitting") to the of beats in music. g can be concentrated ific body parts, creating s such as arm pops, leg hest pops and neck
How to pop!
JAZZ
CHARLESTON
Definition: Of African origin, is described as the wing of the buck and wing dance, only the dancer steps forward and backward instead of sideways. Founded in Charleston, South Carolina.
Begin with your palms parallel to the floor. Step forward with your left foot. Move your right foot forward, and tap it in front of your left. Step backward with your right foot. Then step backward with your left foot, and tap it behind your right. Repeat.
VIDEO: How to Charleston!
TAP
PADDLE
Definition: A scuffle, followed by step heel, all on the same foot.
Paradiddles have four sounds. Dig, spank, step, and heel drop.
Can do reverse paddles for more advanced - dig, spank, heel walk.
Can add an extra sound with a toe drop - dig, spank, toe drop, step, heel drop for more advanced.
VIDEO: How to paddle!
Coming soon!
LOOKING AHEAD
Winter Break (Studio Closed
Classes resume after Winter
Pre-Ballet Pop-Up (6-weeks) Begins
Creative Movement Pop-Up (6-weeks) Begins
Studio Spirit Week
Parent Map Webinar: 12:00pm
Martin Luther King Jr. Day (Studio Closed)
Jan 7
Jan 9
Jan 13-18
Jan 16
Jan 20
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BUILDING CONFIDENCE, CHARACTER, AND COMMUNITY SINCE 1984. THANK YOU FOR DANCING WITH US!