Happy Monday Spokane!

We'll start the week off with one of Miss Janine's favorite quotes by Carlos Castoneda...

"The trick is in what one emphasizes, we can make ourselves miserable or make ourselves strong, the work is the same" ...In other words, it's all about ATTITUDE! We hope you start your week off with a fantastic attitude! :)

We thoroughly enjoyed our evening with Aspen Santa Fe Ballet during their visit to the Martin Woldson Theatre in Spokane. Miss Janine chose "Red Sweet" as her favorite, while Susie and most of the girls chose "Blanc Noir", a Moses Pendleton piece.

Click on our Facebook page for a sampling of Aspen Santa Fe's work...:)

Nutcracker Audition Info...

Important notice regarding Ballet Memphis Nutcracker Auditions...For pointe dancers, you may wish to attend a pointe class held on Fri. afternoon at Ballet Arts, just prior to auditions. E-mail School Director Janine Fraser for more info, or call Ballet Arts at 838-5705.

It's that time of year again...:)

...when parents come to Studio Director Janine Fraser, seeing that their may be some new children in the class this year, and want to move their child up up up up up to the higher levels...:) Please read Miss Janine's thoughts on advancement in class levels, and how we promote children by ability, rather than simply desire. Don't get us wrong, we LOVE desire, but that won't get you through a "glissade pas de chat entrechat quatre, entrechat sinq, pas de bourree pas de bourree, couru grande jete" unless you have actual training and ability to perform...:)
Copies of the notes below are also in the parent letter file near our inner studio door if you would like a copy.


Miss Janine’s note regarding class advancement…
Specifically, a parent/dancer wanting to move up to a level that she does not truly belong in…and yes, this applies regardless of how badly the parent or child wants to move up, as advancement is based upon physical ability, not desire…

Imagine a house. A messy house, things out of place, things that don’t belong there. If you have a messy house and want it to look better, you don’t just go out and buy a bunch of “fancy” furniture to make it look nice. That doesn’t solve your messy house problem, it’s still a mess. You have to clean it up FIRST. You put things where they are supposed to be. You get rid of things that don’t belong there.
Now liken dance technique to a messy house. Examine the dancer that thinks she should move up to a harder class. Visualize how she looks when doing a simple “retire tombee pas de bourree, grande jete grande jete grande jete”. Is it clean and precise, or messy, just like the house? If it’s messy, regardless of the reason, whether that be due to recreational training (only one or two classes a week, or classes without focus on true ballet technique), too
few years of training, insufficient training, lack of discipline, lack of focus, or many other reasons, what should she do to improve her dancing? Does she go out and ask to be taught a bunch of new “fancier” steps, to make her appear better onstage? No, because just like placing stylish new furniture into a messy house does not make the house beautiful, moving a child up into a class to do new, harder steps will not make her dance better. In fact, because the steps are harder, she will probably dance even more poorly, and more insecurely, because it is beyond her ability. The answer is to stay and clean up the house, or the dance technique. Get rid of the bent knees, or sickled feet, the poor posture, or whatever is “messy” in her technique. Just like the house, you put things in the right place (tummy/ribs in, not out for example) and get rid of the things that don’t belong (is that hand supposed to fly up in the air like a claw when you saute?).

Often a parent feels it will be better for the child’s self esteem to be moved up, when in fact it can do exactly the opposite. The child is now expected to perform skills they have not even been taught yet, and at a higher level, and when they cannot, a once secure and confident child can become very insecure in his or her dancing. I have moved a child up a time or two that this has happened and felt very badly when the child became frustrated and quit altogether. I am now cautious about any child moving up too quickly, as continuing their natural love of dance is my first and foremost goal!

I know it’s hard as a parent when you want so badly for your child to move up, and I know that every parent wants their child to be with the “big girls”, but please realize that some dancers have to be the “big girls”. Realize that when you tell me the other girls in her class are below her level, that you may be asking me to place your child in a too high level, where guess what happens…
Other parents then call me complaining about the girl (your child) who is below her daughter’s level, who doesn’t really belong there, so can they move up to the next level?

My last note, and perhaps the most important, is this…Before you ask to advance your daughter, please ask yourself this…Is she obviously THE MOST ADVANCED CHILD IN THE CLASS? If so, then you may well have reason to seek advancement, and I welcome your questions about possible advancement. If not, then I will need to know why you feel that we should move her up ahead of the girls who are more advanced than her (since of course, promotions in level are first offered to the most advanced child). If you have any questions, please see me,
Studio Director Janine Fraser…

Hooray! Nutcracker Auditions with a new company!

For many years we have had Alberta Ballet visit Spokane to present the Nutcracker Ballet. However, this year, we have a new company, Memphis Ballet, bringing us this holiday classic, and we are thrilled! Memphis Ballet is a nationally aclaimed company known for their kindness and professionalism in working with the local instructors and dancers, and for their unique choreography.

Cut and paste this link for a video of the company dancing...http://www.balletmemphis.org/box_office/box_office_detail.php?content=Video&navone=Video

Memphis Ballet will be holding Nutcracker Auditions on Friday, September 25th this year. Memphis Ballet has different requirements than the Alberta Ballet, and will be offering roles to slightly younger and smaller children this year, as well as pointe roles for upper level students in Spokane.

We are excited about this opportunity for our Inland Northwest Ballet students to work with a new company, and see what they have to offer! For more info on the auditions, either speak with School Director Janine Fraser, or e-mail her at inlandnwballet@aol.com. She will be happy to give you details on audition times, as well as height and age requirements. Happy Dancing!

Fall Orientation this week!

We are so excited to meet our new dancers, and are looking forward to New Student Orientation, scheduled for Thurs., September 3rd at 7:00 pm at our Spokane Studio. This is a great time for our younger (ages 11 and below) students to meet the instructors, become familiar with the studio, and learn how our dance year unfolds. We can't wait to see you! :)

Happy Wednesday Spokane!

Here's a quote we love to live by, we hope you do as well...



"I am always doing things I can't do, that's how I get to do them"

Pablo Picasso

Meeting for class leaders (student teachers)

For those Inland Northwest Ballet Upper Level students who will be assisting our instructors with Spokane classes for the coming year, your required meeting will take place on Wed., August 5th from 5:30 - 7:00 pm at the studio. This meeting will review the requirements and responsibilities of assisting with classes. Remember, each class leader is on a one month trial basis as a class leader. At the end of the first month, your performance will be assessed, and evaluated by Studio Director Janine Fraser, and if your review is positive, you may continue as a class leader throughout the year. Tuition credits may be received for some Creative Dance classes. Please wear dance attire as if you were actually assisting a class. Happy dancing! :)

Open house for fall classes!

Hooray!
On August 4, 5, and 6, we welcome you to come join our open house for fall class registration. Open house week is a great time come visit us at the studio, meet our instructors, ask questions, and allow your child to become familiar with the studio before his or her first day of class.
E-mail us ahead of time (inlandnwballet@aol.com), and tell us you will be visiting, that you read about the open house on our blog, web site, or facebook, and you will receive one 15.00 registration fee free of charge! Our hours of open house are 10:00 am - 2:00 pm on Tues., Wed., and Thurs, and on Wed. evening from 5:00 - 7:00

Summer Dance Camp for our Spokane Inland Northwest Ballet upper level students (those who have completed one or more years of level 5, 6, or 7)...

Summer is a great time to round out our ballet study, as we have a little more time for trying new, more complicated exercises, partnering, the study of ballet history, French terms, stretching games, and just plain fun!

July 7-9

1:30 – 3:30 for levels 5 – 7 - class, snack games, and projects

3:30 – 4:30 for levels 6 and 7 only – a more intense class/ballet study

Each day, we will have ballet barre and center class, work on a little partnering, enjoy a snack, watch a short dance video, study our ballet history and play our French terms and stretching games. In addition, we will do our own fun project, such as creatively painting pointe shoes or butterfly wings (you can paint your own pointe shoes and take them home, or paint an old pair of Miss Janine’s and hang them in the studio…plan must be drawn out ahead of time for this). For level 5, this will be a challenging class, which will help you prepare for the additional Sat. barre class that you may participate in next year. Expect fun and progress in your ballet study!

Levels 5-7 $45

Levels 6-7 $70

Price includes instruction, art supplies, fun prizes for games, and snacks.

Must be pre-registered by July 2nd to participate!

Spokane performance season 2009!

Above: Miss Janine with Beck and Allisen ...


Above: Make-up artist May Hafkamp applying make-up base, a wonderful swiss skin care product supplied by Gerda Spillmann...http://gerdaspillmann.stores.yahoo.net

Above: Emily preparing applying the finishing touch...

Above: Emily and Nora backstage..


Above: Ballet I onstage and ready to perform...



Above: Creative Dance smiles!


Above: Ballet I dancers relax and color pretty pictures while they wait to be taken onstage..


Above: Leaving the Black Box Theatre, to the "real backstage"...

Above: Smiles from the Hip Hop dancers...:)

More photos to come soon!

Above: Miss Kaiti's girls smiling for the camera, everyone is excited to finally perform for an audience...

Performance season is upon us! We had our first two Inland Northwest Ballet Performances last weekend, with our Spokane students dancing to very full audiences in both the matinee and the evening shows. What wonderful support we enjoyed! We presented "A Celebration of Mozart", and other dances, and were fortunate to have make up artist May Hafkamp and her assistant Randi Hafkamp on hand to do make up for all our upper level girls. More photos and info on our make up session after next weekend!


Above: Miss Janine's little ones sit and color while they wait to be taken backstage...

Above: Abby helps keep the tiny dancers occupied while they wait...

Above: Sweet smiles from excited dancers!

We have another full weekend ahead of us, and we promise photos of the upper level girls!

All ballet classes full for fall, ages 6 and up...

An update on our Inland Northwest Ballet class schedule for fall...at this point, all of our ballet classes for ages 6 and up are completely full, most with students on the waiting list. Some jazz/hip hop classes are full as well. Due to our more flexible schedule, we do have openings in most classes for Creative Dance (ages 3-5).
Our registration has been phenomenal this year, thanks to all our Spokane families who made great efforts to enroll in the class you desired! We are looking at restructuring a few classes, combining a few tap or jazz classes with lower enrollment so that we may add another ballet class or two. Before you register, please ask for an updated schedule, to see if the class you desire is still available. If you have any questions, please e-mail Studio Director Janine Fraser at inlandnwballet@aol.com, we would love to help! :)

All we can say is WOW...

We arrived at the studio Saturday, our Inland Northwest Ballet Fall Registration Day for current students, only to find a long line of families who had arrived very early, some as early as 5 am! By the time registration opened at noon, the line had wrapped around the building, with families camped out in picnic chairs, visiting, reading books, snacking, and taking turns making java runs to the Rocket Bakery next door. To help pass the time, Miss Janine invited families to take turns coming inside to watch our rehearsal taking place in the studio.
We feel so blessed that we have so many Spokane families willing to do what it takes to secure a spot in the class they desire...If you were one of those families...THANK YOU, WE TRULY LOVE YOU!

For new students, registration begins today, Monday June 8th. However, many classes are full, so please check the list below before you fill out your registration form. If you need a form, send us an e-mail (inlandnwballet@aol.com, or use the link to the right) and we will be happy to send you one ASAP. If you have questions, we will be happy to help you try to find a suitable class that your child will find fun and rewarding! :)

Classes listed below are full, or expected to fill within a day or two

(note: this will change daily, so please check back for updates!)

· Ballet IB on Friday (though may have one opening after some shifting has been done)

· Ballet IA on Monday has just two openings left

· Ballet II on Monday - full

· Ballet 3 on Tuesday - full

· Ballet 3 on Thurs. has one opening left

· All Ballet 4 classes - full (accidently overfull, some changes may be made)

· All Ballet 5 classes - full

· All Ballet 6 classes - full

· Ballet 7 - full, but some flexibility for advanced level 7 dancers

· Fri. 5:30 Hip Hop I

· Tues. 4:45 Hip Hop II has one opening left

· Wed. 7:15 full (though may have one opening after some shifting has been done)

Questions? Just ask! 467-0765

Amazing! You must see this...:)

Check out this video that Malinda found of a girl "Playing" with a bouncy ball.. .Phenomenal!


http://www.tangle.com/view_video.php?viewkey=010e47ee95ef84ce0316&sp=1

Summer Dance Camp for little ones!

Summer Dance…for ages 3-9!

The “big kids” get to go to camp…why can’t I?

Join us for "Swan Lake Dance camp...

This year, our summer camp will include craft activities, story time, watching a short video excerpt of the Swan Lake Ballet, juice and snacks!

Swan Lake Day Camp

Session I - July 7-9

Session II - July 14-16

Session III - July 21 – 23 (best for returning students)

9:00 – 11:00 3-5 year olds, 55.00 for one session

11: 00 – 1:30 6-9 year olds, 65.00 for one session

(5 year olds completing Creative Dance II may attend the 11:00 -1:30 session)

Activities include welcome and story time, a short viewing of excerpts of the video of the Swan Lake Ballet, fairytale make-up (simply sparkles and blush), warm-up and basic ballet exercises, a Swan Lake themed craft project (create your own Odette crown, wand or princess bouquet!), more extensive dance with props or tutus, snack and juice, coloring time, and even more dance with the props we have made… Many fun activities packed into each day!

To reserve your place in camp, simply e-mail us for a registration form, or cut and paste the info below, and mail it to the studio at PO Box 28434, Spokane, WA 99228, along with your tuition payment. Tuition is non-refundable, as this payment reserves a spot in the class. Once each camps fills (they do fill quickly!), registration for each camp will close. We hope to see you this summer!

Name ______________________________ Birthdate/Age _______________________________

Parent name _____________________ Special medical condition/allergies________________

Address (if a new student) ______________________________________Phone # ____________

Session registering for (dates and time of day)_________________________________________

More Summerdance, ages 6 and up

July 14-16

· 2:00 – 3:00 Hip Hop / Jazz I – II (ages 6-10)

Tuition is 40.00, non-refundable, and must be paid in advance to hold your spot

(tuition only 35.00 for 2^nd child)

July 21-23

· 2:00 – 3:00 Hip Hop / Jazz II – III (ages 10 – 14)

Tuition is 40.00, non-refundable, and must be paid in advance to hold your spot

(tuition only 35.00 for 2^nd child)

· 3:00 – 4:00 Ballet II – III (ages 6 and up)

Tuition is 40.00, non-refundable, and must be paid in advance to hold your spot

(tuition only 35.00 for 2^nd child)

E-mail Studio Director Janine Fraser regarding classes for levels V and above...

Thoughts for a happy Tuesday...:)

Happiness, I have discovered, is nearly always a rebound from hard work.

David Grayson

So simple but so true...If you are searching for happiness/achievement/success... it may not come to you, but you can almost always find it by putting forth an effort...Hard work, sometimes long hours, always a sacrifice of some kind, but it is almost always there for the taking...:)

Upper level photo session...

For those enrolled in Ballet level 7, remember our photographer will be coming to Spokane on Mon., May 4th at 7:15 pm, for our Inland Northwest Ballet photo session. You will be receiving a letter on Thurs. May 30th with the details, make certain you are prepared with costume, shoes, tights, and make up. If you have any questions, please see Miss Janine ASAP!

Theatrical Make-Up Class this Saturday...taught by May Hafkamp!

This Sat. from 10:00 - 11:30 , our level 6 and 7 will enjoy a stage make up class, taught by theatrical make up artist May Hafkamp. Plan to arrive at your normal class time of 9:30, during which Miss Janine will give you a short barre to wake you up...:).

While May will be bringing her theatrical make up, (it is very different from normal street wear make up) please bring a few products from home, if you have them. Essential products are some form of base/foundation, blush for contouring, eye liner, shadow, and mascara. There will be some make up at the studio you may borrow, but for sanitary reasons, it is best to bring and use what you have from home (especially when using mascara and other eye products).

While for our little ones, stage make up is optional, for our upper level ballet classes, stage make up is an essential part of dance performance…normal street make up is simply not professional, as you will look completely washed out, and your mouth and eyes disappear. We want to present bright vibrant faces to our audience!

Also, please note…If you are not going straight home after class, you may wish to bring make up remover (baby oil works well) and a washcloth, as stage make up may looks a little intense on the soccer field…:)

We are so excited to have May Hafkamp share her expertise and experience with us at Inland Northwest Ballet!

Costumes are arriving!

Costumes are beginning to arrive at Inland Northwest Ballet, and they will be tried on and sent home soon!

Please note that they can only be tried on and sent them home if the balance is paid in full (the deadline was Feb. 15th) so please double check to make certain you have completed payment.

What a fun time of year, we can't wait to see the girls looking ready to perform!

Please note: If you did not order a costume, you may wish to find out what day your class will be trying on costumes, and possibly skip that day, so your child will not feel left out. You can arrange a make up class for the missed class if you wish…:)