Welcome Back!

We hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season, and that you’re ready to get back into the studio. Exciting things will be happening this semester, and our season culminates with our 2016 performance of…

It Happened One Night

Our performance this year is It Happened One Night. This is the story of a family of woodland fairies who are looking to marry off their brother. Two of the sisters just manage to cause mischief, while the oldest sister tries a magic potion to make the brother fall in love. Young ladies are invited to a ball to meet the brother, and the story hops to a surprising end!

We are looking forward to presenting this original ballet by Deni Jacks on Saturday, May 28 at the Danville High School Auditorium.

Parents

You will be receiving an invoice with your costume fee within the first week or two back. Payment for costumes for the spring performance are due January 15th. Dancers with more than one costume in the performance may pay 100% of the total costume cost in January, or 50% by January 15th and the remaining balance by February 15th. Checks or online payments are accepted.

Reminder that the performance includes parts written and choreographed for your dancer. Please notify the studio if a student must miss classes after February 1st. Students should be available for all rehearsals the week before the performance (May 23 — 28).

Tickets will be available for pre-sale in May. More information to come!

See Miss Mandy Perform

Miss Mandy will be performing Classic Greats with Dance Kaleidoscope January 7-10 at the IRT. This will be a great family show (Miss Emily has seen two of the pieces previously, and they were fantastic!). Come out, support our teacher, and enjoy everything from Romeo and Juliet to Frank Sinatra! Pick up a voucher for $6 tickets on the studio bulletin board.

Dress Code Reminder

Students should arrive at the studio ready to dance, with hair neatly in place, wearing clean, neat, uniform ballet attire. Dressing properly for class is a lesson in itself as students learn both discipline and cooperation.

• Girls should pull long hair away from the face into a ballet bun or braids. Short hair should be secured with barrettes or a headband.
• Girls wear plain black leotards (no velvet, attached skirts, rhinestones, etc.) with plain pink tights and pink leather ballet slippers.
• Boys wear black shorts or sweat pants, a white t-shirt and black ballet shoes.
• Please place student’s name in all articles of clothing.
• No jewelry or watches.

More information about our studio policies may be found here.

Studio Spotlight: Mandy Milligan, Instructor

Miss Mandy is originally from Sidney, Ohio. She graduated high school from Interlochen Arts Academy in 2010 with a focus in Dance and went on to attend the University of Cincinnati’s College Conservatory of Music where she received her BFA in Ballet Performance. In 2013 she spent a semester abroad studying modern dance at the Beijing Dance Academy.

Her professional experience includes an apprenticeship with Mamluft&Co. Dance, guest artist and choreographer for the Performance Time Arts series at Cincinnati’s Contemporary Dance Theater (2010-2014), performing artist in Cincinnati’s Area Choreographers’ Festival, and Dance Kaleidoscope Apprentice for their 2015-2016 season. This is her first season with The Children’s Ballet, and we are so glad to have her and her wide range of talents and knowledge, which includes teaching pilates!

Here is an early dance memory from Miss Mandy:

“Nutcracker was my very first performance as a 3 year old. I was a reindeer that led the sleigh with Clara and Sugar Plum across the stage at the end of the show, and I was terrified to go out on stage. They ended up throwing me in the sleigh with Sugar Plum just to get me to go on, and I just remember sitting there with tears in my eyes and waving at my mom in the light booth while they pulled us across.”

In Class

Last month in Miss Emily’s class we really dove into The Nutcracker. We danced the divertissements with fans, umbrellas, veils, and flowers; however, our favorite was dancing Mother Ginger with the parachute! We ended our semester by watching the New York City Ballet’s version of The Nutcracker.

Terms

A waltz (German: Walzer; French: Valse, Italian: Valzer, Spanish: Vals, Polish: Walc), probably deriving from German Ländler, is dance music in triple meter often written in time signature 3/4.

Pantomime (pan·to·mime) is dramatic entertainment, originating in Roman mime, in which performers express meaning through gestures accompanied by music.

Did You Know?

Making one tutu can cost up to $2,000, requires 60-90 hours of labor, and over 100 yards of tulle!

Upcoming Events

Tuition Due

First class of January

Costume Fee Due

January 15

Costume Balance Due (if more than one costume)

February 15

Spring Break

March 28 – April 2

Tech Week at DCHS

May 23 – 26

It Happened One Night

May 28