Quote from Miss Janine to start your Tuesday off on the right (pointed) foot...:)

"It has long since come to my attention that people of accomplishment rarley sat back and let things happens to them.  They went out and happened to things."

                                                                                                           Elinor Smith

Fall Pre-Registration taking place now through May 16th!

Now is the time for our current students to pre-register for fall, if you are remaining in the same class next year. For those moving to a new class, you will need to attend on Registration Day, June 6. With the addition of another Ballet 1 class, and most students allowed to pre-register, we don't see a need for a 5:30 a.m. line up this year, most classes in Ballet levels 1 -4 are expected to fill that day. On Monday June 8, we will open registration to new students for any remaining openings. I you would like more info, please call the studio at 467-0765, e-mail us at inlandnwballet@aol.com, or message us on Facebook. Our staff for summer and fall of 2015 include Emily Grizzell, Peggy Goodner, Sarah Glesk (Sarah Fealk)Kaiti Bri Cowell, and Studio Director Janine Fraser.

Spokane Nutcracker Auditions coming up this month with State Street Ballet!

Back to school means that Nutcracker auditions are just around the corner! They will be held Sept. 21 at Gonzaga Theatre and Dance Building at 1108 N. Pearl. Roles are open to boys and girls dancers ages 6 and up, with a height of 3' 6", solid pointe work required for some roles. See flyers at the studio for exact times for your child's age and height, and specific requirements. See studio director Janine Fraser for more info, including the day and time of our audition prep.

New class beginning in October...:)

Do you have a little one who wants to discover the wonderful world of ballet?  We are offering a Creative Dance I Ballet class on Thurs. 3:00 - 3:45 for 3-5 year olds.  Please call the studio if interested, at 467-0765, or e-mail us at inlandnwballet@aol.com.  We also have a possible Fri. 3:00 - 3:45 Creative Dance class in the works if response is sufficient...:)  Inquire if interested!

Nutcracker Auditions coming up this month...:)

If you are interested in auditioning, ask your instructor for an audition packet.  Various levels are needed for party children, mice, soldiers, and angels, ages 6 - upper intermediate pointe.  If you are a parent that would like to help out at auditions, please contact Studio Director Janine Fraser to find out what time you will be needed.
Auditions will be held on September 29th at the Fox Theatre in downtown Spokane.  The Nutcracker performances, presenting State Street Ballet, will be held Dec.  5-8.  Group discount tickets will be available through our studio during the month of November.

Meet us at the ballet barre for a great class...:)

Have you always wanted to feel like a dancer, with beautiful posture that only comes from a strong core?  Longing for strong tight glutes as well?  Join us for our "Ballet Conditioning" class, based on ballet barre exercises and core strengthening exercises to train you in the way a dancer trains.  

After the 10 minute center port de corps warm up, we complete a 30 minute barre, then we return to center for 15 minutes to train our glutes and core, and stretch it all out with 20 minutes of a yoga based balance and stretch.

This fun class will focus on glutes, abs, lower back, inner and outer thighs, as well as hamstrings, quads, calves, shins, and the upper body.  Classes are held Tuesday mornings at 5:45 a.m., and Friday mornings at 9:30, and last one hour and 15 minutes.  You may sign up for one class or both, tuition for an 8 week session is 100.00 attending twice a week, 75.00 attending once (you must indicate whether you choose Tuesday OR Friday on your registration form).  Please know that this class is not designed to change your body with a once a week class, but the knowledge you will gain with exercises and posture and muscular awareness will  give you options for exercises you can perform within your own workouts on your off days from class.

Drop ins are allowed if space is available, for a charge of 12.00 per class.

Please speak with Studio Director and instructor of the class, Janine Fraser for more details...inlandnwballet@aol.com or 467-0765

We also have a possible Tuesday evening class in the works, please speak with studio director Janine Fraser if interested.

Fall registration day this weekend!

Pre-registration concluded last Saturday, May 26, and fall registration for current students begins this Saturday, June 2 at noon.  If you are pre-registered (for those staying in the same class) you don't need to stand in line registration day...yippie!  If you really desire a particular class, especially Ballet 1, 2, or 3, you will definitely want to attend on Saturday. If you are attending on Saturday, while the line can be long before we open (some families line up as early as 5:30 am, with a chair, a good book, and some snacks), it goes very quickly once we open.  The Rocket bakery is also open next door for coffee and goodies, you can usually team up with others in line to hold your spot while you make a coffee run..:)
We are holding a drawing on Facebook for a guaranteed "don't have to stand in line registration pass", so click our Facebook link and put your name in!  If you don't have Facebook, you can send us an e-mail by Wed. at 1 pm to inlandnwballet@aol.com, and we will place your name in the drawing for you!  :)
Registration for available openings will begin for new students, or those unable to attend on registration day, on Monday, June 4, and summer registrations are being accepted at the current time!

Be that change..

"Everyone wants to change the world, but nobody wants to change"

In order to change the world, we have to be that change. We don't always want to do so, but the change begins with us, in a hundred little ways. How are you going to make the world a better place today? :)

One of Miss Janine's favorite quotes...

"Life tends to respond to our outlook, to shape itself to meet our expectations"

Rich devos

So very true! Expect excellence from children, give them the tools to achieve such excellence, and that is often what you will be rewarded with...:)

Costume sneak preview!

A few of our costumes are shown below...They are beautiful and we just can't wait to see our dancers shine when they wear them...:)

Above: The aqua dress with the flounce edged tutu will be worn by Miss Janine's Ballet levels 3 and 4, after being adorned with chocolate bows and fairy wings...:)

Above: Creative Dance Tap, for Tues. at 11:00 am, Tues. at 5:30, and Thurs. at 1:30

(all performing in different shows).

Above: Contemporary Pointe, level 7...Costume is lime and turquoise rather than orange or pink, and includesa lycra turquoise leg warmers rather than capris...the girls are so excited! :)

Above: For Miss Kaiti's Friday 5:30 Hip Hop Jazz class...Fun for the little ones!

Above: For Miss Kaiti's Wed. 8:15 teen jazz class...in hot orange!


Above: For Miss Kaiti's Friday 4:30 Hip Hop Jazz class, boys costume has
baggy cargo pants and a muscle shirt.

Above: Miss Janine's and Miss Karen's Ballet 6...will be adorned with aqua roses,

ribbons and chocolate wings...so pretty!

Above: Creative Dance Tap class...for Thurs. 5:45 and Wed. 3:00

(performing in different shows).

Above: For Miss Janine's Creative Dance Ballet, will be adorned with chocolate

ribbons and fairy wings...absolutely adorable!

Above: Ballet I...The aqua dress and tutu, adorned with chocolate bows

and fairy wings...just precious for Miss Janine's little ones!

Above: The oh so pretty periwinkle costume, for Miss Kaiti's Creative Dance Tap at 3:00 on Fridays...:) We didn't think these girls could get any cuter, but can't wait to see them in this pretty dress!

We hope you love all of our costumes as much as we do...:)

Below: Studio Director Janine Fraser and instructor Kaitlin Cowell join a few dancers for a photo, just before the Spokane Nutcracker Ballet begins...:)

Promise yourself to be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind. Look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true. Think only of the best. Forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future. Give so much time to improvement of yourself that you have no time to criticize others. Live in the fiath that the whole world is on your side so long as you are true to the best that is in you!

Very wise words by Christian D. Larson, we hope that we may all strive to live by these words during the coming year...:) Happy New Year!

Thoughts on advancement...

Fall registration is upon us, and we are beginning to field many questions regarding advancement to higher levels, for students up to level 5 (children stay in level 5 until the instructor promotes them to level 6 or higher). Current students will receive letters regarding advancement, but essentially, the decision about whether a child should advance or not can come down to answering one question...

Are they among the top 2 or 3 students in the class? (Are they leading the others, and doing so with beautiful posture, turnout and foot articulation? Do they count and follow the music?) If so, then yes, they may advance.

If they are closer to the bottom level of the class (follows instead of leading, lack of turnout or foot articulation, does not count or follow music) then no, they should stay until the exercises that they are performing in class are polished. If they are in the middle, that's where you may need to ask the instructor. Most of the time the answer is "stay and polish", but for certain students in certain levels the instructor may wish for them to move up.

Remember, it is better to stay at a lower level and dance well, than to be in a higher level and flounder. Children can actually be pushed more in a lower level...They already (should) know the exercises and can focus on technique, rather than just trying to keep up with new and more difficult steps. When a child cannot keep up with the basic steps, the instructor offers little technique correction , because the child has too many other things to think about.

Happy dancing! :)

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.

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! :)

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! :)

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!

A dynamic performance...

Above: Miss Janine and Cynthia share a laugh with the girls at the Fox Theatre
Below: Ailey II, the company, in "Revelations", the girl's favorite piece




Today, we took our upper level dancers downtown to the beautiful Martin Woldson Theatre to see "Ailey II", the touring company for Alvin Ailey's Dance Theatre. We try to expose our dancers to as many different styles of dance as possible, and Ailey's performance in Spokane allowed them to see some wonderful choreography, performed by a group of very powerful and explosive dancers. What a treat!

Update from Mead...

From Mead School District's web site...
"Snow Update - No School on Monday, January 5th's District5
The Spokane County Sheriff's Department has closed all Spokane County public schools for Monday, January 5th, due to expected hazardous road conditions.County crews will be out trying to remove snow from the winter storm expected tonight and Monday. The District will determine if school will resume on Tuesday based on an update from the Sheriff's department expected late Monday afternoon."

Wow, we can't believe that it has lasted this long, but once again both Mead and Spokane School Districts, (and just about everyone else around!) are closed tomorrow Monday, Jan. 5, due to weather conditions....When will this end?
We are having our roof cleared of snow as we write, and we are ready to dance! However, if it is not safe for you to be out, it is best that you stay home where you are safe and warm! We hope you have had a restful and safe holiday so far...:)

Following are alternate class times for those who will miss class tomorrow...If these times do not work out for you, e-mail School Director Janine Fraser at inlandnwballet@aol.com for other classes you may attend...We hope to see you on Tuesday! The district will update tomorrow afternoon.

3:00 class - May attend on Wed. 5:30

3:45 class - May attend on Fri. at 3:45

4:30 class - May attend Wed. 6:15

5:30 class - May attend Tues., Wed., or Thurs. at 3:45

6:15 class - May attend on Thurs. at 4:30

7:15 class - May attend on Wed. at 8:15 (if not already enrolled in that class), though we will have several extra hours of Sat. class in the spring that will more than make up for any classes missed due to weather! Also, keep an eye out for news regarding our stage make-up class taught by May Hafkamp, which will also serve a partial make-up for hours missed!

If you have questions, just send us an e-mail, we will be checking in frequently!