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

Terrific article written by Bethany Leger regarding Barre Classes for adults!

Bethany Leger is the founder of Ballet for Adults,a site dedicated to educating adults about ballet. She has written this article specifically about the current barre craze, and offers reasons why it may not just be a passing phase. Check out her five reasons why it is beneficial and what to look for in an instructor...:)

The Ballet Barre: A Unique Type of Exercise For Adults

Graceful, lean, and strong—ballet dancers are exceptionally fit, and it all starts at the ballet barre. The ballet barre, or the long wooden rail that lines the walls of dance studios everywhere, supports the dancer while they practice a series of exercises that increase flexibility, strength, and stamina. Consider 5 ways barre-centered workouts are becoming an increasingly popular option for adults.

1. It’s easy on the joints. Some forms of exercise, such as jogging, put too much strain on the joints. Thankfully, barre exercises are like the equivalent of swimming on dry land. The most basic ballet step, plié, is always performed first at the barre. Pliés are graceful squats that allow the body to warm up gradually and safely. This traditional step is followed by other mild movements that increase flexibility and range of motion. So, if you suffer from bad knees, fear not. A barre class geared to adults is a great alternative to intensive weight-bearing exercise.

2. It’s vertically friendly. The ballet barre may run horizontally, but you won’t. Unlike other forms of aerobic exercise that compromise your alignment and practically induce vertigo, almost all exercises are performed in the upright position, encouraging circulation and proper posture. Save for a few exercises that may have you bending forward or backward, the barre offers continual support as you navigate any given exercise. Whether you have one hand on the barre, or perform all movements facing the barre, spending an hour or more on the cold, hard floor of the studio is not in the cards.

3. It’s stabilizing. Barre exercises are designed to strengthen your core, which in turn helps you balance. A major component of barre work includes relevé, or rising to the balls of the feet; this exercise requires a student to engage the abdominal muscles, gluteals, and inner thighs to maintain balance. Since ballet technique requires a dancer to lift, balance, and shift their weight properly, in a traditional ballet class, the ballet barre only serves to prepare dancers to perform combinations across the floor without any support. Barre-only classes, however, allow adult students to remain at the barre.

4. It’s varied. Barre work is anything but mundane; it contains a wonderful variety of exercises and the possibility of combinations is endless. Although ballet technique is practiced in a standard order at the barre, no two classes have to be the same. Every set of barre exercises includes squats, brushes, kicks, and balances. Weight-lifting and some other athletic activities have the tendency to focus only on certain parts of the body, creating dense, overworked muscle groups. Ballet barre classes, on the other hand, offer a well-rounded, full-body workout that promotes lean muscle development.

5. It’s classical training. Unlike sports that are comprised of strictly mechanical exercises, ballet is an artistic discipline. While barre classes provide obvious physical benefits, the classical origins of the exercises performed also offer a measure of culture and insight. After all, ballet was originally performed in the royal court! Adult students venturing into a barre class for the first time have the opportunity to get in shape while also learning grace and poise.

These are 5 ways barre classes are becoming a hit with adult students nationwide. Tip: When possible, check out any prospective teachers’ credentials. If a teacher has little to no ballet experience, consider another class.

About the Author: Bethany Leger taught ballet for 7 years in Dallas, TX. She is the founder of Ballet For Adults, a site dedicated to educating adults about ballet Click here to check out Bethany's site!

It's true! Let's lift one another during this new year! :)

We love to support one another, both in and out of class.   Come join us, at 5:45 am on Tuesday, Thursday or Friday!

New session begins this week! :)

Our new session begins Tuesday, December 1st! Woo-hoo! Here's to early morning stress relief to get you through the craziness of the holidays...:) Call the studio at 467-0765 for more info, or check out our Facebook page at: Inland-Northwest-Ballet-Barre-Core-Conditioning-Class. PM us for a free pass to try the class before you sing up! :)

Nutcracker tickets on sale soon!

We are sending notices home about how to buy your Nutcracker tickets for State Street Ballet's performance in December (but don't forget Moscow Ballet's performance on Nov. 23rd!). We will also soon be sending home costume order forms and performance info, so watch for that, hopefully the week of November 23rd!~ :)

Nutcracker Auditions Coming Up Soon! :)

Nutcracker fun! Auditions are now scheduled for Sunday Sept. 13th, and will be held at Gonzaga Theatre and Dance Studio Building at 1108 North Pearl. Please arrive half hour prior to audition to register and warm up. Times and height requirements are as follows: 1:00 - 1:45 Girls 13 and up, pointe shoes required, height 4'1-" - 5'7" 1:45 - 3:45 Boys and Girls, ages 10 and up, height 4'10" - 5'7" 3:45 - 5:15 Girls ages 8-11, ages 7-11, height 3'6" - 4'10" 5:15 - 6:30 Girls ages 7-11, height 3'6" - 4'10" Please know that times are approximate, and often, children that are not chosen at one audition are asked to stay for another. Also, roles for the above auditions can be speculated upon, but are not announced by State Street Ballet in advance. If you audition and are chosen, you are expected to follow through with all rehearsals and performances. Attendance at every rehearsal is required, so if you know that you will be out of town and will not be able to attend all rehearsals, please do not audition. If you have questions, please see Studio Director Janine Fraser.

Brand new to our studio? E-mail us for info our summer gift certificate drawing for $50!

It's true! We have held a couple of drawings on Facebook for $50 gift certificates for summer fun, and have decided to offer one on our blog as well. Want to enter? Just e-mail us at inlandnwballet@aol.com to enter, the drawing will be held at the end of May...:)

Summer and Fall Registration!

Have you completed your registration for summer yet? We have many summer sessions for different levels of ballet and contemporary, check out our post below for the schedule. We have also added a Ballet 2-3 class not on the schedule below, e-mail us for that info! For our upper levels, our intensives will be taught by Emily Grizzell, former dancer with Royal Winnipeg Ballet, as well as Peggy Goodness and Sarah Glesk. Also, fall pre-registration has been completed for those remaining in the same class, and on Registration Day, June 6 beginning at noon, we will register those dancers wishing to move into a new class! Registration opens at noon, and though we don't anticipate the need for a 5:30 a.m. line up, as we have in the past, we still expect many classes to fill on that day. Please e-mail (inlandnwballet@aol.com), call (467-0765), or send us a Facebook message to get more info about summer or fall classes! We welcome dancers ages 3 and up, both current and brand new students, to our studio...:)

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.

New Creative Dance class for brand new 3-6 year olds, 4 weeks only!

You've asked for it, so we are offering...A new 4 week session for those with little ones who tried to register too late and did not get in to our fall classes, or those just wanting to try ballet now.

We will be holding this short session April 25 - May 16, every Saturday for four weeks, from 11:30 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. The tuition for this short session is just $40 (or $35 if you have a sibling already enrolled at INB!). This session is a great way to see if ballet is something your child will enjoy, and where he or she fits in to our levels. If you are enrolled in the session, you also become a "current student", allowed to register for fall on our first day of registration in June, rather than waiting until the following week, when many classes are already full. You must be pre-registered to attend, and enrollment will close once the class is full. If you are interested, please call the studio at 467-0765, e-mail us at inlandnwballet@aol.com, or message on Facebook (make certain you have our current "like" page "Inland Northwest Ballet OF SPOKANE" rather than our old friend page). If you would like a copy of our handout "How to tell if your child is ready for Creative Dance", just send us an e-mail…:) Happy dancing!

Our (tentative) Summer Dance Schedule is ready!

We know that many of you are already organizing your summer activities, and need to know the dates and details of our summer dance camps. We are happy to say that our schedule is (tentatively) ready for you, pending final confirmation from instructors. Details are as follows -

Summerdance, Ballet levels 1 - 5+ Summer ballet camps are a boost to those attending,   either to help a dancer catch up to a difficult level, or to help accelerate a dancer beyond his/her current level. Summer class structure will focus on introducing them to the new skills they will be learning in their new fall class.

    July 7, 8, and 9, from 10:00 am - 11:30 am with Miss Kaiti  Ballet 1 and 2 (for those enrolled in B1/B2 in the fall) Tuition ~ 45.00 by June 15th, 55.00 thereafter (-10% sibling discount)  We will enjoy a snack at the end of class…:)  These will be Miss Kaiti's last summer camps before she moves on to marriage and her next journey!

July 7 - August 21, every Mon. and Fri. from 8:00 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. with Miss Janine Ballet 2 and 3 - ongoing classes (for those enrolled in B2/B3 in the fall) This class will help prepare our 2s and 3 for the increased skill level that we will be working at in the fall.

   July 13, 14, 15, 16 - Ballet & Contemporary, from 3:00 - 5:00 with Miss Sarah  Ballet 3 and 4 (for those enrolled in B3/B4 in the fall).  Please note that B4 students are required to enroll in 8 hours of  summer training, this camp will fulfill that requirement if all classes are attended.  Tuition ~ 80.00 if paid by June 15th, 90.00 thereafter (-10% sibling discount)  This camp will include one hour and 15 minutes of ballet and 45 minutes of contemporary... :)  

  July 7 - August 2, every Tues. and Thurs., (except upper level intensive week July 27-30), 8:00 - 9:30 am, with Miss Janine  Ballet 5 and 5+ (for those enrolled B5/B5+ in the fall)  This class will help to prepare our dancers for the two week intensive to be held with the upper level in late July and August, and will include pre-pointe for b5s and pointe work for 5+s.  This workshop satisfies 18 hours of required summer training for B5.  Tuition ~ 120.00 if paid by June 15th, 140.00 thereafter (-10% sibling discount)  (Discount if taken along with Upper Level Intensive)    To register, fill out registration form (may cut and paste the info below),    turning in with your non-refundable   tuition fee by June 15th.

Tentative Summer Ballet Intensive for B5, B5+ & B6 taught by  guest instructor Peggy Goodner,  as well as Emily Grizzell, Sarah Fealk, and Studio Director Janine Fraser!
***B5s are required to study a minimum of 16 summer ballet hours, and B6s are required to study a minimum of 20 summer ballet hours.  Those hours may take place at INB or at another summer classical ballet intensive.  Registration for fall will not be processed until summer hours are noted on your registration form.

For our intensive, plan to bring a light sack lunch and water bottle daily     

July 27-31 (The Fri. July 31st ballet classes are for the B6 only, others may attend the Contemporary class only) Tentative daily format: 9:30 warm up  10:00 - 11:30 Technique for all
11:30 Pointe and Variations or adv allegro for 6s and lunch break for 5s  12:00 Lunch break for 6s, port de bras class for 5s and 5+s
12:30  15 minute break for all   12:45 Varies with day - 
Mon. - Character w/Peggy  Tues., Wed., Thurs. - Variations w/ Emily (for those attending both weeks)
Fri. - Modern w/Sarah  1:30 -Cool down stretch w/Janine while quizzing on French terms, ballet history, world renowned dancers, techniques, composers, methods, etc. 2:00 - finished for the day! >p>

August 3-7 (7th ballet is for B6 only, others may attend Contemporary)
9:30 warm up  10:00 - 11:30 Technique for all
11:30 Pointe and Variations or adv allegro for 6s and lunch break for 5s  12:00 Lunch break for 6s, port de bras class for 5s and 5+s
12:30  15 minute break for all   12:45 Varies with day - 
Mon. - Character w/Peggy  Tues., Wed., Thurs. - Variations w/ Emily (only for those attending both weeks)
Fri. - Modern w/Sarah  1:30 -Cool down stretch w/Janine while quizzing on French terms, ballet history, world renowned dancers, techniques, composers, methods, etc.
2:00 - finished for the day!  

             >p> Cinderella Dance Camp at INB! 
...including story time, fairy tale make-up, crafts, dress-up, coloring time, snacks
(fruit, cookies, and juice or water), and lots of dancing!  A chance for little ones   to have a “camp” all their own!  Class size is limited, and fills up quickly!
You may send an old T-shirt to avoid getting glitter paint on your child's dance clothes.      Session I - July 7, 8, 9 - For new and returning students
12:00 - 2:00 for 3-5 year olds, cost: 60.00 by June 20th (70.00 thereafter)   

      

Session II - July 14, 15, 16 - For new and returning students
10:00 - 12:00 for 3-5 year olds, $60.00 by June 20th (70.00 thereafter)   12:00 - 2:30 for 6 - 9 year olds, $75.00 by June 20th (85.00 thereafter) 
ession III – July 20, 21, 22, and 23-  4 day session for returning students, building upon the skills we have worked on during the past year, and preparing the students for the upcoming year, with progressive barre for 6-9 year olds.
10:00 – 12:00 for 4-6 year olds, $80.00 by June 20th (90.00 thereafter)  12:00 – 2:30 for 8-9 year olds, $90.00 by June 20th (100.00 thereafter)  
Tuition is non-refundable regardless of reason, and is due June 15th
.

Questions?  Call 467-0765  To register, fill out form below and mail in with your tuition payment to: 
 Inland NW Ballet, PO Box 28434, Spokane, WA 99228     Registration Form (may cut and paste to mail in)
 

Student name _____________________ Parent name _______________________ Morning phone #_________________
Special medical condition/allergies___________________________________
Address (include zip) ________________________________________________
Birthdate_______________Age __________ Previous Training (if any) ___________________________________________
Session (date/time) registering for __________________________________
Person responsible for payment of tuition_____________________________
Address (if different than student) ___________________________________________________________________
Amount Enclosed __________________________________________ Check # ____________________________________


Witnesseth - I understand fully that all physical activity, including both dance and gymnastics, pose a potentially hazardous risk, and I assume complete responsibility for this risk. Knowing this fact, and in consideration of these risks, I hereby for myself, my child, or kin thereof, voluntary relinquish, waive, release, discharge, and covenant not to sue instructor or proprietors and/or owners of property in which the classes are held, with respect to any and all actions or causes of action involving personal injury, property, and even death, even in the event of negligence. I also hereby consent to permit, and accept responsibility for emergency treatment in the event of injury or illness. This release and waiver extends to all kinds to claims whatsoever, foreseen and unforeseen, known or unknown.
 Parent Signature ______________________ Emergency Contact/Phone # ______________________

The quickest way to improve as a dancer....apply corrections!

 

 

 

"If you cannot interpret criticism as beneficial

to you as a dancer,  then you are probably as

good of a dancer as you are ever going to be"

 

 

Though it may be hard to take constant correction, the best instructors are those who make these important corrections, as that is the only way you can improve your dancing.

Remember dancers, to sit down with your notebook after every class and record every correction that you can remember, reviewing them at home, visualizing yourself performing the exercise correctly. 

Then review them again before your next class, so that you can apply the correction in your brain before the exercise even happens. 

Eventually, perhaps you will receive a compliment instead of a critique...:)

New barres = more space for our barre babes!

Due to our barre classes filling up this fall, and with several more women wanting in, we have added some new barre space! With the addition of three more barres, and the lengthening of 3 of our original barres, we now have 80' of barre space, allowing room for 15 women, at 5' of barre length per person! Some of the classes have filled, but some have an opening or two (at this point Tues. morning and the late Fri. class have one or two openings). If you are interested, please call 467-0765, e-mail us at inlandnwballet@aol.com, or message us at our facebook page. We may be able to offer you a free pass for your first class is there are openings available...:) For our MOnday barre babes, remember that we will have no class on MOnday Oct. 13, as Janine will be running an ultramarathon the day before. We will hold a make up class on Wednesday, Oct. 15. Ask for details! :)