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Sarah Kennedy Ballet and Athletic Arts,
and Ballet for Young People
Welcome!
Special events are TBD.
I use Facebook as well as e-mail to communicate. Please Check FB for snow days and other special communications!
You can see our FB page directly from this site - even if you do not have FB.
In Class
The outside doors are locked for your safety. If you have been accidentally locked out of the building, please knock on our window (right next to the door) so I can let you in. :-))
As a general guide - Ballet should be practiced at a minimum of 2 days per week once dancers progress beyond basic, young child, levels. A "dedicated student" dancer may progress onto pointe only by meeting that requirement for usually two years prior to beginning pointe and accomplishing milestones of mental and physical development and technique. A "serious student" would be dancing three days a week, or 4 - 5 hours - starting at about age 10 - 12.
Your progress is directly affected by your effort, attention, congenial and eager attitude, and the amount of regular practice you put in. By the age of seven and eight, two ballet classes per week is the appropriate amount of practice for a young student.
We follow a school year calendar, though tuition is divided into quarterly packages, with regular registration, tuition, and attendance.
You get out what you put in, so arrive ready to participate!
There is a bathroom/changing room down the hall. Use it before class. Parents/guardians are responsible for you when you arrive and before class begins. Parents/guardians are always welcome in our studio. Please arrive for class with your ballet clothes/shoes on and your hair pinned up and back. (Do not arrive at your class time and then go to the changing room to prepare, You will miss half of your class that way.) Boys and girls are requested to wear ballet slippers in pink, flesh, black or white, and non-cumbersome fitness attire: ballet slippers, socks, shorts and T-shirt are great. Pink slippers is standard for girls, as well as a solid color leotard, and pink, or flesh colored ballet-tights. Please no hair loose and in your face.
Dancers who are seen to observe a standard of diligent attendance, class preparedness/attire, and eager effort without fuss or complaint, will be given preference when special opportunities arise. More importantly, from their own efforts, young dancers will have the benefit of marked improvement in their dancing and self-esteem.
1) Effort, respect, gratitude, politeness, kindness and support for each other, are our most important standards. Girls and boys, men and women, who dance develop a strong sense of self respect, courageousness, "grit," and "personal sovereignty."
2) Practice at home, including stretching and strengthening, is expected of all dancers: so
Practice for your own success. Technique gives you freedom!
3) Observance of proper class attendance, attire, and hair/dress code shows respect, and commitment to learning and personal excellence: You will also gain the added benefit of seeing the marked improvement that this small but significant effort will have on your dancing!
Notes on Classes
Participation Expectations: Intermediate and advanced dancers are expected to attend two classes per week. You are welcome and encouraged to attend more than two classes, and when you do, there is significant benefit to your dancing.
The philosophy is to provide a respectful but interactive ballet class experience that supports our young people in learning to see and move in the world beautifully, and to be a groundwork that will stay with them for life.
Every class has an age-appropriate balance of creativity (and make-believe) and technical discipline, fitness and physical "facility." Through ballet you are studying the arts and the humanities, and the applied sciences, and I hope you will become inspired to gain thoughtful new insights about yourself and the world.
Performances: Children are regularly asked to contribute to our creative projects/performances, as we are all making art together. We perform to make art together, and to engender experiences of surprise, delight, and discovery through performance.
Special excursions are often a part of what we do to supplement our understandings and development, and to inspire questions and imagination! These have been trips to the ballet, to the wildlife center, walks in the woods, and to the museum, as well as creating our own artwork and choreography (dance-making at home.)
Please be prepared to participate in as many supplemental events (mentioned above,) as you can!
Performances
There will be one or two staged - All school - performances per school year (and some special performances, and In-studio performances – see below.) Audience is by invitation only, for family and friends. Average audience sizes range from 16 - 60, depending on the type of performance.
All dancers will be expected to prepare for and participate in these performances, for which there will be a non-optional performance fee that helps to cover the expense of the venue and performance. If your young dancer has a fear of performing, I will accommodate that and find another way to participate on the "big day."
Volunteering and Collaborating!
Young Musicians - and older young musicians: We love to collaborate! Please volunteer to play music for us - even just one little piece, in class or in performance. We love it! Tell us what you would like to play...
Any families who can help with scenery-making, costumes, costume making, stage management, box office, chaperoning – etc. are invited to let me know you are interested, and what your availability is: time, place, type of skill.
Much thanks for all the volunteer support that you have brought to us!