Finding a Home

Still Pointe’s first blog post was written by Ellie Swiger in 2015. She had just graduated from high school and was beginning her academic pursuits at Georgia Tech. Ellie will be receiving her B.S. in Industrial Engineering from Tech this May and will be moving to Salt Lake to take a position as a product specialist at Qualtrics. Newly engaged to another Tech grad, they are the smitten owners of Luke, an adorable mutt!

Post by Ellie Swiger.

Dancing is something that gets in your blood. Once you identify as a dancer, especially as a ballerina, you can never go back.  I started dancing at the wee age of 3 and was hooked from the start.  Ballet was bound to be a part of my life. This has plenty of perks: dancing is great exercise, teaches good discipline, and is a fantastic creative outlet.  However, it is surprisingly difficult to find a studio with people with whom you actually want to spend the amount of time a commitment to ballet requires.  Oftentimes dancers are catty, clique-y, and overly competitive.

Throughout my entire dancing career, I refused to accept these tendencies.  I was never ready to let my love for ballet lead me into relationships with people who did not have my best interests in mind, who didn't value the same things I did, who made me want to skip class because I felt unwelcome and under constant scrutiny.  I became a studio-hopper.  Over 11 years of dancing, I went to 10 different studios.  I hadn't spent a summer NOT studio shopping in what seemed like forever.  I took it to be a normal part of the ballet experience.

All of that changed when I came to Sill Pointe.  My first class, everyone immediately introduced themselves, welcomed me, helped me learn the steps to any of the set barre combinations, and congratulated me when I conquered the dreaded "8 8 4 4 2 2 1 1" combo.  After the class was over, I felt like I had made a bunch of new friends and learned a lot.  This feeling never went away, and I kept coming back- I couldn't get enough of the positive attitudes, love, and encouragement I was constantly surrounded with.  And I was learning more and more each class, and actually improving. I think that part of the reason for this was the incredible teachers, and the other part was the fact that Still Pointe has an atmosphere that encourages pushing oneself- because if you fall, they'll be there to pick you up, and cheer you on for working that hard.  I'd never found that before, and I don't know if I'll ever find it again, but I don't mind, because I know I can always call Still Pointe my dance home, and I will be coming back as often as possible.

Post Script: And, she did keep coming back! Still Pointe loves to welcome former students back into the studio.
If you want to consider becoming part of the Still Pointe family, now is the perfect time to stop in for a visit or take a trial class. Let’s get to know each other and see if Still Pointe is the dance home you’ve been looking for.

Summer Intensive Guest Teacher: Juliana Missano

Still Pointe is thrilled to welcome Juliana Missano as a guest teacher at our 2018 Summer Intensive! 

Juliana Missano was born in Lloyd Harbor, New York and started studying ballet at the age of five. She trained at the Lynch School of Ballet until she was 15 years old. She continued her training at The Rock School under the direction of Bo and Stephanie Spassoff. In 2017, Juliana was named a United States Presidential Scholar in the Arts and had the opportunity to perform at the Kennedy Center. Juliana competed in the Youth America Grand Prix, and she received the Grand Prix Award, placed first in the Pas de Deux Category, and advanced to the final round where she performed at the Lincoln Center. Some of her favorite performances include Nutcracker and Don Quixote. Juliana is very excited to start her career with Atlanta Ballet.

REGISTER FOR SUMMER INTENSIVE HERE! 

June 11th through 15th. 

Come be inspired....

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New Storybook Class Forming

Did your little one see the Nutcracker? Was she enchanted by the Sugar Plum Fairy? Has she been twirling around the house pretending to be a ballerina? Now she can be one! 

We're opening a new Storybook Ballet class for 3 and 4 year olds on Wednesdays at 3:30-4:15. 

And as a special treat to the parents, we're waiving the registration fee!

We must reach class minimums to run the class, so if you're interested, let us know by Friday, January 19th in order to start classes on Wednesday, January 24th! 

Students must have turned 3 by September 1st, 2017. 

World Ballet Day

World Ballet Day is starting in just a few hours! This is a collaboration that live-streams morning and afternoon classes and rehearsals from 5 incredible ballet companies across the globe! We will get to see glimpses from The Australian Ballet, Bolshoi Ballet, The Royal Ballet, The National Ballet of Canada, and San Francisco Ballet. 

Streaming starts in Australia, so it will begin airing for us on the East Coast at 9pm tonight (October 4th)! The night owls among us will get to see some of the early footage from Australia before we go to bed. Almost all of us will be asleep for the Bolshoi, but the early birds can catch the Royal Ballet starting at 7am on Thursday, followed by National Ballet of Canada and finally San Francisco Ballet. 

Still Pointe has a special affection for Ballet West, the new home of our beloved student Deanna Cudjoe. Therefore, we are excited that Ballet West will also be represented around 6pm EST on October 5th during San Francisco's time slot!

You can watch the footage on the World Ballet Day website or through any of the 5 companies' official Youtube pages. 

Happy watching! 

http://worldballetday.com

Curriculum Spotlight: Dance for Parkinson's

Curriculum Spotlight: Dance for Parkinson’s

The essence of dance is joy! And our experience shows that dance benefits everyone!

Dance for Parkinson’s classes allow people with Parkinson’s to experience the joys and benefits of dance while creatively addressing symptom-specific concerns related to balance, cognition, motor skill, depression and physical confidence.

No dance experience is required. All levels of mobility are accommodated. Classes are $5 for people with Parkinson’s. Caregivers, spouses or partners are encouraged to join the class for free.

This class is resuming on Tuesday, August 22nd after a brief summer break. We meet on Tuesdays from noon until 1pm. Come dance with us!

Still Pointe would like to thank Larry Kahn of PD Gladiators, Kitty Chin of Sovereign Rehabilitation, and Dance for PD® for their encouragement and support.

Day of Dance-August 19th!

We are almost 1 week away from the start of our 12th Season at Still Pointe! 

To kick things off, we are having our annual Day of Dance on August 19th from 10am until 4pm*!!!

What: A whole day of classes!!! Technique, Jumps, Turns, Pointe/Pre-Pointe, Contemporary, and Jazz
Who: All students who have taken 2 days a week or more (Ballet IIA and up) 
Cost: $35 per dancer
Why: Because we simply can't dance enough! 

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP

*Bring your own lunch :) 

For younger students or those new to Still Pointe: 

If you have any leotards, skirts, or shoes that your child has grown out of and you would like to donate, this would be the perfect time to drop it off! 

If you and your child are new to the studio, you are welcome to drop by and get the lay of the land! 

Mrs. Rogers will still be in Maryland cuddling the sweetest 3 week old grandbaby, but all of the rest of your favorite Still Pointe teachers will be there! 

We simply can't wait to see you all again soon! 

Curriculum Spotlight: Storybook Ballet

Curriculum Spotlight: Storybook Ballet

Without a doubt, this class remains our pride and joy. Born out of the desire to offer a class of substance to the youngest of dancers, we carefully developed this curriculum to introduce the littles to the classic ballet stories and the joy of becoming a dancer. This offering engages the imagination and teaches the elements of telling stories through dance; costumes, sets, music, and movement. These 45 minute classes for 3 and 4 year olds are always the first on our schedule to fill. This year Storybook Ballet is offered on Tuesdays at 3:30 and Thursdays at 3:30. The cost per term (11 weeks) is $148.

Curriculum Spotlight: ASPIRE

Curriculum Spotlight: ASPIRE

We’ve loved being the coaches and cheerleaders for a number of dancers who dream to pursue dance beyond high school. Characterized by individualized class schedules, we strive to give dancers the instruction and guidance they need to reach their goals. We’ve had students accepted to prestigious summer and year round residential ballet programs as well as being accepted as dance majors at the college level. We delight in their successes knowing that their futures are bright. Our ASPIRE program is meeting the needs of dancers from ages 10-17. We will have an informational meeting for parents of potential ASPIRANTS on Saturday, August 5th. Let us know if your dancer is dreaming big dreams!

Photo credit: Matthew Bird Studio

Photo credit: Matthew Bird Studio