Fall classes begin Sept. 7th...

Fall classes are set to begin on Tues. September 7th. If you need a fall schedule, please contact us at 467-0765 and we will be happy to e-mail you one. Many classes are full, so please call before mailing in your registration. We can't wait to see all our dancers again, we hope you hav e had a relaxing and rejuvinating summer! :)

Ballet Channel

We love Ballet Channel...click to see why, and you'll fall for them too! Check out "Becoming Balanchine"...a must see for New York City Ballet lovers!

Ballet Channel

Spokane performance photos...:)

Madi Maude with little ones backstage, just before the curtain rose...



Amanda preparing her make-up before our matinee performance...



Emily and Betsy warming up backstage...

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! :)

Check out our new button...and click to help save John, a local firefighter who is battling a fatal disease...

Check out our new button to the right, and help a local hero! :)

Spring Break!

Remember that we are closed March 29 - April 3rd for spring break...Enjoy this fun time of year! :)

"I don't want people who want to dance, I want people to have to dance"

George Balanchine
(1904 - 1983)

The Wizard of Oz...

Make plans now to see Wizard of Oz, a fun-filled musical starring Spokane children, including some of our very own Inland Northwest Ballet students. This musical is presented by CYT - Spokane, performed on stage at The Bing Crosby Theater, Feb. 26th through March 7th. Call the CYT office at 487-6540 or go to www.cytspokane.com to reserve tickets.

Twelve-15 Costume will be closing for the season on Feb. 15. All loose ends regarding costumes should be tied up by that time, and no costumes will be ordered after that date (remember, the deadline was Dec. 15). Happy Dancing! :)

Presidents' Day...

As always, we DO have class on President's Day. If unsure in the future, check your annual calendar that was sent home in September...:)

La Danse playing here in Spokane next week!

LA DANSE
Documentary master Frederick Wiseman’s 38th film in a career that has spanned more than that number of years, turns his attention to one of the world’s greatest ballet companies, the Paris Opera Ballet. John Davey’s camera roams the vast Palais Garnier, an opulent 19th century pile of a building: from its crystal chandelier-laden corridors to its labyrinthine underground chambers, from its light-filled rehearsal studios to its luxurious theater replete with 2,200 scarlet velvet seats and Marc Chagall ceiling. LA DANSE devotes most of its time to watching impossibly beautiful young men and women — among them Nicolas Le Riche, Marie-Agnès Gillot, and Agnès Letestu — rehearsing the choreography of Mats Ek, Wayne McGregor, Rudolf Nureyev and Pina Bausch. For balletomanes and the curious alike, LA DANSE serves up a scrumptious meal of delectable moments, one more glorious than the next, made even more precious by their ephemeral nature.

This film will play in downtown Spokane on Thurs. Feb. 4th, as part of the Spokane International Film Festival, at River Park Cinemas at 7 pm. See Studio Director Janine Fraser for more details...This is not to be missed for any ballet lover! :)

Student teachers or class leaders...How we choose!

We have been recently asked by a parent how we choose our Inland Northwest Ballet student teachers/class leader, and thought our answer would make a great blog post...:)

First, let us explain that at our Spokane studio, a student teacher simply means an assistant to the adult teacher, we never hire children to teach our classes, all our teachers are full grown adults...:)

We choose student teachers in a couple of ways. Usually a student makes a request, and if she is someone that could be a help (a good role model, a good leader, and someone that will say the words for the instructor), then Miss Janine or Miss Kaiti tries to find a suitable Creative Dance class for her to help with. She must attend a training session in the summer, where we go through a normal class, and discuss all of the important issues regarding student teaching.

At first the position is volunteer, but once the student proves to be a leader (knowing what exercises are performed in what manner and saying all the words while dancing with the students) then they are credited a small amount of tuition. A student teacher that does not say the words is actually a liability rather than an asset, as the instructor is then constantly trying to recruit help from the student teacher/class leader. In this case the class leader may be removed until she grows a little more responsible and is actually able to help.

Class leaders usually lead two classes in a row, and to get tuition credit, they must be Creative Dance classes, since this is where we need the assistance. Often you may see girls helping with older class, but the girls are doing this simply to enhance their own dance education, and for fun!

Important: If the student teacher is going to miss a class, she MUST find a replacement. This teaches them about the real world of teaching, that an instructor cannot just call in sick/busy etc. If we have problems with a student teacher missing without finding replacements, she will be removed. With little ones, consistency is vital.

On occasion, the class leader performs with them onstage, however this is only on occasion, and is in no way guaranteed, despite what may have bee done the prior year. Their is usually a soloist dancing with the ballet Creative Dance classes (to give them cues for their own choreography), but it is often an older soloist.

Also, please note that we also have a different kind of "class leader" Sometimes have "little class leaders" which are usually about age 5, and are chosen because they perform excellently in their own class, and are a good example for younger students who may be having trouble following. Sometimes little ones need to see how a peer follows the instructor in order to learn themselves. These students are given tuition credit for 100% of that class, and must take that class in addition to their own class. They learn leadership skills, and often increase their own confidence at the same time...:) They dance as a student, not up front with the instructor, and sometimes but not always perform with the class.

We hope this helps all student teacher hopefuls to understand what is required of this leadership position...:)

Pretty costumes...

Below are a few photos of some of our beautiful costumes for our upcoming ballet performances to be held in Spokane in June...


This classical tutu will be worn by our level 7 soloist, but in a shade of pink...



This tutu will be worn by our level 5Bs, 6s and 7s, but in a romantic style, and in both pink and periwinkle...




This periwinkle dress will be worn by our little dancers in Ballet I...


This beautiful costume will be worn in pink by our Ballet 3s and 4s...


This pretty pink dress will be worn by some of our Ballet 2 and 3s...



The eggplant and pink costume will be worn by some of our little ones in our Creative Dance Tap class...


...and this darling coral costume will be also worn by our little tap dancers...:)