A Last Minute Change of Scenery

For the past few days a story has been going on...

Construction at South Forsyth High School....blah blah blah....it's gonna be fine....blah blah blah.....helicopters.....blah blah blah.....FAA.....blah blah blah.....everything is NOT fine....blah bl......we have no theater!!!! 

But the end of this story is a happy one...Still Pointe Spring Concert and Storybook Recitals will now be held at 

Wesleyan School
Powell Theatre in Wesley Hall
5405 Spalding Drive
Peachtree Corners, GA 30092 

It is a beautiful campus and they have saved our performances! In fact, it is so beautiful, you may just want to dress up and take pictures at this one. 

For tickets...please follow the following link. 

https://www.eventbrite.com/myevent?eid=16863730873

Spring Concert Performances will be held Friday, June 3rd at 7pm and Saturday, June 4th at 2pm. Storybook Recitals will be held Saturday, June 4th at 10am and 11am. 
 

Senior: Josie Negvesky

 Jo---You have brought so much life and joy to the studio! We will miss your sarcasm and how you bring a lightness to class that reminds us never to take anything too seriously. You have had a significant impact, from volunteering with the little ones to helping out with our Parkinson's class; you have a wonderful, giving spirit that will bless everyone you meet as you go forward. 

How long have you danced? How many years did you spend at Still Pointe?

I have been dancing for 13 years, three of which were at Still Pointe. 

Do you have a favorite memory from your time at Still Pointe?

In the dressing room of GATSQ for the final show when I was Gerda, Miss Kayla said that if I were to make this my last year, the studio would never be the same. I cried and there was a big group hug. I will always remember that. 

What was your favorite part of class?

The little conversations I have shared with my classmates in between barre work and during center.  Oh and Miss Jessica's ab workouts. Yessssssssss.

What is your favorite kind of dance to watch? Doyou have a favorite ballet?

I love watching all types of dance and the unique creativity found in the differences. My favorite ballet is The Royal Ballet's adaptation of Alice in Wonderland. 

Where do you find inspiration?

Song lyrics read backwards and thrift stores. 

What lessons from dance will you take into your future?

You have to be the one to pick yourself up when you fall, and the faster you get up the stronger you become. Also, if you get up fast enough, nobody will realize you fell to begin with.

I just want to say thank you to all of my teachers and fellow students for making these three years at Still Pointe, the best years of my life. You guys are wonderful and I would not be the person I am today if I didnt have you all in my life. I love you.

Summer Intensives

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Listen to the MUSTN'TS, child,
      Listen to the DON'TS
      Listen to the SHOULDN'TS
The IMPOSSIBLES, the WONT'S
      Listen to the NEVER HAVES
Then listen close to me-
      Anything can happen, child,
ANYTHING can be

-Shell Silverstein

As the calendar keeps turning and we approach the end of our tenth season, we are overwhelmed by the beauty that anything can happen and anything can be. 

We are especially blessed this year to be sending several of our sweet students away for the summer. The students this year are incredibly hard workers and through their perseverance and God's grace, they are creating lives of excellence, pursuing the gifts that God has given them. 

Deanna Cudjoe and Sarah Justmann will head to New York for an intensive with American Ballet Theater, dancing in the same studios that Misty Copeland and Maria Kochetkova call home. 

Allison Bell will return for the third time to her summer ballet home in Philadelphia, The Rock School of Dance, where Alexandra Ansanelli and Beckanne Sisk made their first connections in the professional world.

Juliette Negvesky will travel south to Next Generation Ballet in Tampa where she earned a scholarship. Next Generation has served as a stepping stone to all of the major American and many European ballet companies for many young dancers, including Hannah Bettes. 

 Jeremy Leurart has been awarded a scholarship to attend Bossov Ballet in Maine! 

And finally, we have two bound for Joffrey Ballet. Isabella Sacca will attend their program in Denver, while Grace Weigel will get her inspiration and training in New York. 

We are so proud of you and all of the hours of sweat and pain and staying up late to do homework after class.

While we will miss those we are sending away, we will be doing our own hard work here at home! 

We have some of our favorite guest teachers returning this year, as well as some new faces! Classes include ballet, pointe, pas de deux, conditioning, contemporary, and choreography. We will conclude on Friday with a performance of excerpts from the week. 

We will be splitting our Summer Intensive into two levels in order to give some of our younger students the chance to work hard and get the full summer experience that our older students enjoy! The intensive is open to students from 9 to 18. Students will be split into levels after placement class on the first day. 

The intensive will be held June 27th through July 1st from 10am to 4pm every day. Our intensive is open to students from other studios as well. 

We believe in hard work and big dreams, so whether you want to follow in the footsteps of our out of town girls one day or you simply want to immerse yourself in the fun of dancing all day, every day for a week, sign up for this awesome opportunity in your own back yard! We encourage every single one of you to listen to the musn'ts, and then prove that anything can happen with a little determination. 

Cost: $270.
 

 

Still Pointe's Winter Concert Comes To The Stage This Week!

Our story ballet, Gerda and The Snow Queen, is a retelling of Hans Christian Andersen’s classic tale of sweet friendship between a neighboring girl and boy, rooted in faith but challenged by evil.
Gerda & Kai delight in all good things, from the flowers in the window boxes to snowflakes, to Gerda’s grandmother’s stories. But when Kai’s heart and eye are pierced by slivers from the wicked hobgoblin’s evil mirror, everything looks different and he begins to treat Gerda badly and uncharacteristically follows the beautiful and alluring Snow Queen.
Gerda sets out to find Kai, encountering many challenges and apparent mis-directions, but she persists, and as it turns out each turn leads closer to Kai and redemption.
Come enjoy this story of virtue, resilience and determination in the face of adversity featuring 48 dancers from Still Pointe.

Forsyth Central High School.         
Friday, January 15 at 7pm
and          
Saturday, January 16th at 11am and 2:30pm       
This dance performance is appropriate for all ages.

Tickets may be purchased online for $9.00 or at the door for $12.00   
Click HERE to buy tickets online!!!

Thankful for a Great Beginning

Written by Larry Kahn, Executive Director of PD Gladiators and instrumental in Dance for Parkinson's being offered at Still Pointe.

Still Pointe's newest offering, Dance for Parkinson's, enjoyed a wonderful inaugural class. This is how community-based exercise programs are supposed to work! Kitty Chin, a physical therapist with a large Parkinson's practice, had a vision for her patients to keep exercising in a safe, fun and sustainable program after rehab. She enlisted the aid of patient advocates PD Gladiators (PDG) and community partners Eleanor and Rob Rogers of Still Pointe. PDG obtained funding from the National Parkinson Foundation for the Rogers' training with the Mark Morris Dance Group in NY. The Rogers welcomed the PD community with a very modestly-priced and enthusiastically-produced program, and Kitty, PDG, the NPF and the American Parkinson Disease Association - Georgia Chapter helped get the word out to the Parkinson's community. We all have to work together.

From Eleanor: And, work together we did! We were encouraged by the positive feedback from all the participants after our first 2 classes. We will be meeting every Tuesday from noon until 1pm. Come join us!

Training Through The Summer

Still Pointe has a number of students who have taken advantage of these summer months to step-up their training. Summer is the perfect time to solidify and improve technique. Below you will find an interview with one of our ASPIRE dancers, Allison B. Currently, Allison is at the Rock School in Philadelphia for a second year in a row. Congratulations to all our dancers who have dug deep this summer both in our studio and at pre-professional schools where dancers soak up the excellent training offered by sought after professionals.

Still Pointe Studios Blog:

SP: How long have you danced/how do you envision dance fitting into your future?

God has blessed me with a gift and passion for dance. I have been dancing for 12 years, (my mom would say I’ve always had happy feet), and do not plan on stopping anytime soon. I strive to be a professional ballerina one day who dances for the Lord. The ballet world is my mission field and I strive to make Him known through dance.

SP: Last summer you went out of town to a ballet summer intensive. Where did you go and how long was the program?

Last summer, by God’s grace and provision, I was able to go to the Rock School’s five week summer intensive in Philadelphia, PA.

SP: What were some of the goals you set for yourself as you prepared mentally for the intensive?

·         Stronger relationship with God

·         Be a light to those around me

·         Don’t compare myself to others, but be confident in the gifts the Lord has given me and do my best

·         Become a better dancer

SP: I know out of town summer intensives are quite pricey and that you did several things to help with the costs of the program. Can you tell us about that?

I sent out fundraising letters to my family and friends. I took babysitting jobs any time I possibly could. I also partnered with CiCi’s Pizza when my youth group was going there after one of our events and they gave me a percentage of the profit made that night. I am so blessed to have so many supporters.

SP: Tell us how you felt during the weeks and days leading up to the first day of the intensive.

The weeks leading up to the intensive flew by. I took in every moment I had with my family and friends because I knew that I would not be seeing them like I normally would. I was very excited to be going to a ballet school out of state and to experience new teachers. Dancing makes me super excited and happy and I was looking forward to dancing all day, every day. It was also nerve-racking knowing that it would be different from anything I had ever experienced.

SP: Tell us about the very first day.

The first day I walked in and sat down in the lobby on the first floor waiting with the many dancers to be called back to the studios. I did not know anyone, I did not know what to expect, and I was nervous. However, I soon realized that many people didn’t know anyone else either. I met a girl and she was very friendly. We all went into the biggest studio on the fifth floor. The directors then introduced themselves and the Rock School Staff. Then they gave a small orientation about the school and what to expect. After that, we began our first class. In this class we received name tags that we wore the whole intensive. These tags said our first name and last initial, how many weeks we were dancing and what level we were in. After my first class, I went down to the cafeteria and ate my packed lunch with the girl who I met at the beginning of the day. Then I had my afternoon classes. It was a very exciting, full day, and by the end of it I was worn out.

SP: During the intensive, what did a typical day look like for you?

A typical day would start with a ballet technique class in the morning and then I would go down to the cafeteria for lunch. We had a pretty long lunch break, so I had time to read, write in my journal, skype my family, stretch, and pretty much have time for myself. After lunch break, I had another ballet technique class followed by a pointe class. After my pointe class, I had rehearsal for the final show scheduled for the end of the intensive.  I didn’t have rehearsal every night but at least three days a week. After rehearsal, I would eat dinner in the cafeteria and then hop back on the bus and go back to the dorms.

SP: What were some highlights of your 5 weeks of training at the Rock School?

I loved every minute I was at the Rock School. The best moment I had was the beginning of the third week. I was actually really sad that first Monday because I had a hard time saying goodbye to my mom and sister. They stayed with me the first two weeks and then went back home while I stayed in the dorms for the last three. In my first class of the day, I was getting a little teary-eyed thinking about them. God is so gracious and He took care of me. In His perfect timing, the director so happened to be watching that class. She told me at the end of class that I was moving up to a higher level! I was thrilled and felt more confident not only in my dancing, but also knowing that God was taking care of me. He knew that I needed that extra push to keep going even when I had no family to be with me. This was definitely the biggest highlight of my time at the Rock school. After I moved up, I had more hours of training and I also got to take a partnering class once a week. I conquered my triple pirouette and was very happy because I could tell I was improving.  Of course, I loved performing on stage at the end of the intensive.  I was so glad to see my family and the Rogers family after the show. Another cool thing was my roommate’s name was Allison too. 

SP: Did you encounter any particular challenges and how did you face those challenges?

During my time at the Rock, I was recovering from peroneal tendonitis. My feet didn’t bother me every class I took, but the first few days were the worse than the rest. In order to get to the studios, you have to take at least four or five flights of stairs and stairs were one of the main things that aggravated my feet. I was constantly going up and down and my feet were hurting bad enough that I had to sit out of some of my classes. I never sat out of a full class, but I did have to sit out when it came time for jumping. I discovered there was an elevator available and did not take the stairs after that. Not taking the stairs helped my feet tremendously. I also took an ice bath every lunch break.
Another big challenge was I did not have any Christian friends. I did not meet one Christian while I was there. This was difficult because I did not have anyone to encourage me in my faith. However, I did have Someone who was taking care of me. God was with me and He was my true friend, comforter, and sustainer. I found encouragement from the Bible that He is on my side and I have nothing to fear.
I became friends with one girl in particular who told me that she was not very religious. I was able to share my faith with her and be a light. Every morning we took a bus to the Rock from the college dorms where we were staying. I used this time to listen to podcasts by John Piper, Paul David Tripp, Matt Chandler, and many more. It was a refreshing way to start my day. One time I was sitting with my friend on the bus and we both listened to a podcast together. It was really cool to see God reaching out to those who do not know Him. I continued to build a relationship with her and had many opportunities to shine Jesus’s light.

SP: Did you find the other dancers encouraging to one another or competitive with one another? Did you make any friends?

For the most part, I would say that the other dancers were friendly. There were some that were a little more competitive than others. Outside of the studio, I would say that most everyone was friendly. In the studio, to be honest, I was not really paying attention to those around me because I was focused on getting as much out of every class as I could. Looking at others would only distract me from the reason why I came. I did make friends with my roommates and a few other girls from my class.

SP: So, what are your plans for this summer?

This summer I am going back to the Rock School for another five weeks. This time I will be staying in a dorm the entire time.

SP: Are you preparing in a different way? What are your goals the second time around?

This time around, I am more confident. One, because I know what to expect. Two, since last summer, I have grown closer in my relationship with the Lord. I am going to use the gifts that He has given me to the fullest. I am also excited because this time I am going with a dear friend, Juliette.  It will be easier for me this time because I know someone, and not just any someone, a good Christian friend. Having a friend who I can encourage and be encouraged from is a blessing from the Lord.
My goals the second time around include drawing closer to God, and being a light to those who are around me. As far as technique goals, I plan on continuing to improve my level of control, increase the height of my arabesque, work on having better quality in my jumps, and being able to do multiple pirouettes.

SP: Is there anything else you’d like to share about your experience?

I want to encourage anyone who is thinking about or is about to go away to a summer intensive that God is with you always. Yes, learn as much as you can from your classes and teachers; however, the most important thing is to have a strong foundation in the Lord. He gave you your gifts and talents and He deserves the glory. When things get hard and don’t go the way you expect or want, God will give you the strength you need.

Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you. Deuteronomy 31:6

Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. 1 Corinthians 16:13

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