The Wilmington School of Ballet

3834 Oleander Drive Wilmington, NC 28403 (910) 794-9590 www.wilmingtonschoolofballet.com

Life Lessons Through The Art Of Dance

August 2012 Newsletter
2012-2013 Calendar
August 18 WSB Open House 10 am-2pm August 25 Nutcracker Auditions-Pointe Dancers September 4 1st Day of Classes September 8 Nutcracker Auditions-All non pointe dancers ! ! October 8-13 Bring a Friend Week-1 Free Friend per class/family October 29-November 3! Costume Week in class November 20-24 Thanksgiving Break-School Closed November 26 Classes resume November 24-December 2 Festival of Trees November 30 Claras Party

Letter From The Director

Dear Dance Families: I am always thrilled and humbled by the start of a new year. As a mother of two, I understand deeply the privilege and responsibility of inuencing young people. I started the school some dozen years ago with the clear vision of creating a place where young people could be prepared for life through the study of ballet. I have never been more excited about our plans than this year. This newsletter is the rst in a line of subsequent monthly installments that formalize years of work and preparation. The newsletter will serve as a forum to educate parents and students and will coincide with our newly updated syllabus. Each month will also feature a central life lesson. My core belief about ballet training is that it is an investment in the whole child. Very few dancers become professionals but ballet students have a much higher success rate academically, professionally and personally. I am thrilled to have the opportunity to share these life lessons with our students and encourage families to discuss them at home. Next month I will share more about our exciting performance opportunities this season. As always, I want to hear your feedback. Parent insights are always my best source of information. Please share your thoughts with me at [email protected].

Sincerely, December 1 & 2 Ms. Elizabeth Hester The Nutcracker Performances December 10-15 Parent Observation Week-Holiday Class Parties AUDITIONS for THE NUTCRACKER December 17-January 1 August 25th 3:00-4:00 pm Pointe Dancers only Christmas Beak-School Closed 4:00-5:00 pm Professionals & Adults

The Wilmington Ballet Company announces

January 2

September 8 2:00-5:00 pm All Dancers K-Adult

For more information please email us at [email protected]

Classes Resume

Faculty Spotlight
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TEACHER FORUM
Concerns For The Adolescent Dancer:Part 1 By: Lesa Broadhead
I hope everyone is enjoying their summer and that you are excited about a new year at the Wilmington School of Ballet. As a faculty member I wanted to share with you Concerns For The Adolescent Dancer which was a session I attended in Tempe, Arizona at the National Dance Education Organizations annual conference in 2010. Specialists from the Harkness Center for Dance Injuries and NYU Hospital for Joint Injuries presented a two hour informative session which I felt you, the parents, would appreciate.

Elizabeth Fuller began her dance training at Linda Kinlaw School of Dance in North Carolina, continuing on with Brandon Ballet, The Rock School, and Sarasota Ballet of Florida. After high school, she attended Cincinnati Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati as a ballet major for one year. She then left and danced professionally with Omaha Theater Ballet , The adolescent dancer has high expectations; they Albano Ballet, and Atlanta Festival Ballet. In are affected by their physical, social and between dancing for various companies, she lived in New York City, working in the marketing psychological environment. In this country 10 million children are exposed to dance, but most quit during department of Alvin Ailey American Dance puberty and the top reason is INJURY. Theater, and training with various teachers throughout the city at Ailey, Broadway Dance Nine of ten students aspire to dance professionally Center, Steps, etc. Most recently, she has with only 15% achieving their goal. Dance can be performed with Wilmington Ballet Company and very isolating and two words they need to focus on to Carolina Ballet and has been on faculty at the promote a healthy outlook are REST and FOOD. Wilmington School of Ballet. She has also trained in IM=X Pilates. The average age for puberty for girls is 9-13 and for boys 11-15. Dancers tend to be delayed with girls Elizabeth recently received the exciting news reaching puberty at ages 11-15 and boys 13-17. At that she has been offered a contract to perform this time the bones grow rst and then the muscles so with Birmingham Ballet for their 2012-2013 season. We wish her the best as she embarks for there is a decrease in strength, coordination, balance, and exibility. Birmingham later this month. Elizabeth will continue to guest teach for us on her many return visits to Wilmington and will also continue During this time of imbalance, the focus should shift from PRODUCT to PROCESS to accommodate all to perform as a guest artist with the Wilmington the many body changes. Most importantly there Ballet Company. should be a focus on core control. Next month I will continue to elaborate on how this focus on core control can decrease the likelihood of injury in the adolescent dancer..

AUGUST SPECIAL
Bring this coupon in when you register during the month of August and receive $10 off registration!

2012-2013 Dress Code Pre-K! Pink, short sleeve leotard Level 1/2 Lt. Blue, short sleeve leo Level 3/4 Pink, tank leotard Level 5/6 Purple, tank leotard Level 7/8 Lt. Blue, camisole leotard Level 9/10 ! Mon.-Dark leotard of choice ! Tues.-Revolution leo # TBA ! Thurs.-Black, camisole leotard ! Sat.-Dark leotard of choice Boys/Men Black shorts/tights, white ! T-shirt, Black ballet shoes

?FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS?

Dress Code: Why Do We Have One?

Most professional ballet schools have a fairly strict dress code in place for multiple reasons. It gives a uniformity to the class that presents a polished and cohesive group. Dance is a visual art so having a neat appearance in the class aids the teacher in being able to make corrections and to see how the students are working together as a group. It helps the students concentrate on their classwork instead of being distracted by their dance apparel. The leotards chosen help the teachers to see the correct muscle groups to insure proper development of each student. It also serves as a reward system and sense of achievement as Pink tights & pink ballet shoes required at all levels. Hair should be students advance. Leotards, tights and ballet slippers are all available at the front ofce for purchase for your secured in a bun. convenience.

BODY & NUTRITION

BOUNCING BACK FROM BREAK
So hopefully you had a great summer vacation and are ready to get back to dancing. This is a time when a lot of dancers get injured. To avoid injury be sure to do the following: Start back easy. Dont expect to be where you left off. Stretch, stretch,stretch! Stretch everyday to keep things moving and remember day 2 & 3 are usually the worst. Stay hydrated! Water ushes the toxins out of your body that are a by-product of class. Eat your bananas. Potassium helps break down lactic acid which makes muscles sore.

Life Lessons In Dance

Etiquette

Etiquette-The customary code of polite behavior in society or among members of a particular profession or group. Oxford Dictionary Classical ballet training is built and sustained by its rituals, traditions and etiquette all based out of the 17th century. It is through this etiquette that the young dancer develops the discipline necessary to become successful in dance. Below are some of the standard expectations of proper etiquette in a classical ballet class: Attire-Adhering to required dress code is a sign of respect to the teacher. Attire should be clean and neat, hair should be tightly and neatly secured in a classical bun and no jewelry etc. should be worn as it is distracting to the dancer and potentially dangerous. Punctuality-Students should be dressed and prepared for class by the start of class. It is discourteous to the teacher and other dancers for We have worked hard this summer as a faculty to them to have to wait for you to get ready for class. develop a more comprehensive and complete Students should not leave class early without syllabus for our upper school. This syllabus will bring properly thanking the teacher. a greater consistency to our upper levels while still Chewing gum, eating, drinking, talking, cell capitalizing on the fabulous diversity we have within phones, sitting down, wandering in and out of our faculty. Our syllabus will continue to be rooted in the classroom and leaning against the barres the Vaganova(Russian) Method but will also include are never acceptable in the classroom at anytime the best work from other accepted methods as well. during class. Each month will have its own unique focus, so be on To learn more about class etiquette, please see the the lookout in September for great things to come! article posted at the ofce.

SYLLABUS FOCUS

PRE-K CORNER
Our Pre-K syllabus is perfectly designed for your 3 or 4 year old. We use a creative movement based syllabus that will not only introduce your preschooler to beginning ballet terms and positions but will also help develop their ne and gross motor skills, musicality, coordination and creativity. With exciting music and colorful props, your dancing princess(or prince) will be delighted, challenged and engaged with each class. !!!!!SPECIAL OPPORTUNITY!!!!! Color our beautiful Giselle picture and bring it to the ofce with your registration before September 4th and receive a free hair accessory hand crafted for you by Ms. Jana! All pictures will be displayed in our lobby!

ELEMENTARY ACTIVITY Words To Know Whats This Word?

plie (plee-ay)- bent, bending tendu (tahn-DEW)- stretched frappe (fra-PAY)- struck rond de jambe (ron duh zham)circle of the leg developpe (dev-la-PAY)- unfold grand battement (grahn batMAW)- big beating l p e d e p e o v! 1.______________________________ n o d r e d a b j e m 1.____________________________ d e u t n! 1.___________________________________

a r d g n e a t b n t e t m! 1._________________________ e i l p ! 1._________________________________________ p e a p r f! 1.____________________________________