October Updates + Recital Info
Happy Fall, Y’all!
Hello everyone,
Fall is in the air, and that means we’re shifting into recital mode! I’ll do a quick overview of important performance information, then some curriculum thoughts :)
Fall Concert Information
Our fall concert, The Lorax, is coming together! Each youth class (and some of the adults!) will play a part in the performance, from the truffula trees to the swommee swans to the brown barbaloots. We can’t wait to share this beloved and timely story with you.
After two years of outdoor recitals, we’re finally able to move our performances back indoors; this year we’ll be back at THE VILLAGE CENTER AT WARM HEARTH (2387 Warm Hearth Dr, Blacksburg, VA 24060).
Please hold the following dates/times for the performance:
Wednesday, November 16, 5-7 pm (technical run-through)
Friday, November 18, 5-7 pm (dress rehearsal)
Saturday & Sunday, November 19/20, 11:00 AM: SHOWS!
Admission will be $5/person, payable at the door.
We’ll be ordering costumes soon; your child’s teacher will take measurements sometime in the next couple of weeks. There will be a $30 flat costume fee payable upon receipt of costumes; as always, we strive to keep our costumes affordable and reusable!
Curriculum Updates
Our teen contemporary company had fun last week working with our incredibly knowledgeable ballet faculty member, Lisa Pélanne. Lisa taught a Progressing Ballet Technique (PBT) workshop to the teens, focusing on accessing the appropriate core stabilizing + rotator muscles needed to stay safe and strong through dynamic movement.
Word of the Week
Last week’s dance word was DIRECTIONS. Dancers explored all the spatial directions they could move in - up, down, sideways, forwards and backwards! Teacher Katy loves utilizing props in her classes for young children, and last week was no exception. Dancers used scarves to point themselves in different directions, then followed the scarf to get there.
This week’s dance word is PATHWAYS, another spatial concept. Dancers practiced moving in curved, straight, and zigzag pathways throughout their dancing space. One fun way to practice pathways at home is to make a “movement map.” Encourage your dancer to create a map using curved, straight, or zigzag pathways in different colors, then follow the map together and see where it takes you!
Class Availability
Did you know that there is still space in our caregiver/child class, Dance With Me! on Saturday mornings at 11:00 am? This is a wonderful way for parents/caregivers to connect with their young children through rhythm, physical touch, and playful movement. We’ve shifted this class to a pay as you go drop-in format, so it’s just $12/session. Join us! Email blacksburgdancetheater@gmail.com to sign up.
As always, please reach out with any questions you might have.
Take care,
Rachel + the teaching team