The students are learning well and becoming better dancers as they stretch and grow in the art of ballet. It's a joy to teach my students each week. Praise God for His gifts!
Friday, February 25, 2011
Reaching for their toes...
The students are learning well and becoming better dancers as they stretch and grow in the art of ballet. It's a joy to teach my students each week. Praise God for His gifts!
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Fun Ballet Attire - Spring 2011
This week we had "fun ballet attire" days. Instead of wearing their regular pink tights with black leotard and skirt, students had the option to dress up a little.
Their regular, matching class attire is good to help maintain a focused atmosphere, as well as help me clearly see lines of the body to give corrections in teaching. But, it's fun to dress up sometimes too!
Note: the ages listed next to class names aren't necessarily the limitations for the class, but merely the ages of the girls I currently have in each class.
Their regular, matching class attire is good to help maintain a focused atmosphere, as well as help me clearly see lines of the body to give corrections in teaching. But, it's fun to dress up sometimes too!
Note: the ages listed next to class names aren't necessarily the limitations for the class, but merely the ages of the girls I currently have in each class.
Wee Ballet 2 - Ages 4-5
I've found that using carpet mats helps them stay in their own spot when I need them to wait or do things on their own, and it also helps them not feel the cold floor in the winter months!
Wee Ballet 2 - Ages 6-7
Basic Ballet 1 - Ages 7-10
Basic Ballet 2 - Ages 6-9
Beginning Ballet - Ages 10-15
Ballet I - Ages 9-14
Ballet II - ages 10-13
Ballet III - Ages 12-16It was a colorful week at ballet! :)
Saturday, February 5, 2011
A new semester
Blogging hasn't happened as 2011 got off to a busy start! After spending nearly 2 weeks visiting family up north, I launched into the spring semester of ballet classes, with all the work that goes into planning classes, scheduling and monthly newsletters, choreographing, ordering costumes and the 8 1/2 hours of actual class time teaching.
54 students are enrolled this semester, and they've been a joy to teach. From 4 year olds just starting out to 15-year-olds that I've been teaching for 4 years now, it's fun to see them learn and grow.
The theme for the May 13th recital is "Let the Nations Be Glad!" and it's been challenging and enjoyable to find costumes and songs to match with various countries in the world. We'll have about 18 countries represented through dance, and although the songs still primarily use ballet, it's been fun to try to give each dance some kind of flair from the country it's supposed to be "for." The dances for Africa, India, and Israel were particularly fun to choreograph, and YouTube has been a nice resource, to look up videos of dances from different countries, and try to carry over some movements into my choreography. 13 1/2 songs have been choreographed, which leaves me 6 1/2 to go, so during January and early February I've made good progress!
Tonight is the cast party for "The Manger Way." It's about time! :) We had originally set it for 2 weeks ago, but I had to postpone it when I came down with the flu. It will be good to see most of the cast (though not everyone can make it), share supper, and watch the footage of the presentation together.
Summer musical/plays are already in the works as well. Lord willing, I'll be directing two productions: one musical, called "Esther-Ordinary Faith" by Kathy Hill, and one play that I'm writing, called "Found at the Well." I just wrote the first 3 scenes of it this morning, and am excited about this look at the women changed by ordinary trips to the well: Rebekah, Rachel, Zipporah, and the Samaritan woman who met Jesus there.
Time flies by quickly, but it is exciting to see what God continues to do in and through The King's Courts!
54 students are enrolled this semester, and they've been a joy to teach. From 4 year olds just starting out to 15-year-olds that I've been teaching for 4 years now, it's fun to see them learn and grow.The theme for the May 13th recital is "Let the Nations Be Glad!" and it's been challenging and enjoyable to find costumes and songs to match with various countries in the world. We'll have about 18 countries represented through dance, and although the songs still primarily use ballet, it's been fun to try to give each dance some kind of flair from the country it's supposed to be "for." The dances for Africa, India, and Israel were particularly fun to choreograph, and YouTube has been a nice resource, to look up videos of dances from different countries, and try to carry over some movements into my choreography. 13 1/2 songs have been choreographed, which leaves me 6 1/2 to go, so during January and early February I've made good progress!
Tonight is the cast party for "The Manger Way." It's about time! :) We had originally set it for 2 weeks ago, but I had to postpone it when I came down with the flu. It will be good to see most of the cast (though not everyone can make it), share supper, and watch the footage of the presentation together.
Summer musical/plays are already in the works as well. Lord willing, I'll be directing two productions: one musical, called "Esther-Ordinary Faith" by Kathy Hill, and one play that I'm writing, called "Found at the Well." I just wrote the first 3 scenes of it this morning, and am excited about this look at the women changed by ordinary trips to the well: Rebekah, Rachel, Zipporah, and the Samaritan woman who met Jesus there.Time flies by quickly, but it is exciting to see what God continues to do in and through The King's Courts!
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