We’ll have to see what the groundhog has to say… but at least our Spring Schedule is in force!  If you have not filled in a  new registration form, please be sure to do so!  Welcome to all new and returning students!

Classes Begin Tuesday, January 31st & continue 18 weeks thru Monday, June 4th, 2012.  Spring tuition is due by March 15th.  Be sure to mark your calendars for the Spring Student Performance June 1st & 2nd at the College of Mount Saint Joseph Auditorium!   (Everyone gets to be in this one!) 

There are a couple of changes from the fall schedule and one that was made after the spring flyers went to print, so here is the complete schedule for easy reference!  If you have any questions, feel free to contact us at (513) 481-0092 or contact Laura Hughes at (513) 410-0277. 

Mondays

Tuesdays

Wednesdays

Thursdays

Saturdays

 Know anyone in the Dayton area looking for quality ballet instruction?

Classes now forming! 

Sara Shayeson will be teaching classes at the Beavercreek YMCA beginning Monday, February 6th and continuing 15 weeks through Friday, May 18th!

Class Schedule:

Mondays

Fridays

Pricing for the 15 week session:

Pre-Ballet or Mommie & Me (30 minute sessions)

Beginner or Young Adults (60 or 90 minute sessions)

To Register for classes contact the Beavercreek YMCA at (937) 426-9622!

For information on classes contact the School of Ballet at 513 481-0092 or Laura Hughes at 513 410-0277

 I have been watching the TV show, “Dance Moms”, and am so glad I do NOT deal with any of those mothers.   I do not think dance moms are a problem, but the manner of the education of the children.  The teacher and the idea of how she feels children learn is neither healthy nor progressive for the child.  I am amazed at the mothers that continue to be brow-beaten and allow their children to be treated in abusive ways for the sake of winning trophies and championships.  They are winning by fear.  How long will they continue to win?  I wonder.

They are subjected to a weekly pyramid, where each student is on top, or on the bottom according to the teacher’s opinion, and it seems to be usual that a “star” is always on top, since she always wins the competitions.  The teacher might bump someone from the top, if their mother was not behaving or talked out of turn.

I am the ballet teacher of a group of students that also perform about 20 times a year, not in competitions, but throughout our area, in libraries, theaters, and museums.  Our  nature is to improve on stage, make no mistakes, “DO YOUR BEST!”  The students in our group are of all ages, all abilities, all levels, so comparisons between students make no sense.  Each student should be aware of their own goals, and work hard to better themselves.  My job, as teacher, mentor, and guide, is to give them challenging work, correct their mistakes, and keep them improving.  Encouraging the students to work together, we ask them to help each other remember steps, practice and improve their technique.  As they get older, they become assistants, and even teachers in our school.
 Parents are encouraged to stay away from regular class time, and allow the child to take responsibility for their learning, their dances, and their progress.  Private instruction is used for new students that come from systems without correcting mistakes, or where a student has been away for a while and returns to join a level and need a refresher course.  Private instruction is not to push one student ahead, or to buy their approval for the next competition.

When we begin a new program, and start to plan the music, scenery, costuming, we begin with a fresh set of students in January  or September of each year.  We have an open try out, and try to accept all students.    We expect students from our classes, but will accept others.  The auditions are not just to bring students into the group, but to find out which parts they will take, with which other dancers they will dance.  We allow them to dance in a group, then ask them to act out characters from the story we have chosen.  It is very important for us to see students in many roles before we make our decisions. While we do not consider this a competition, one dancer against the next, we do consider how much progress your child has made, how to challenge her this session, and what dances would best suit her in which group.
 We will do “Snow White” this spring.  We therefore, have also thought about the height of the 7 “little people” and how little they will be.  We have thought about how tall the main characters should be- and then we talked about which roles we will give to whom.  The dances will be choreographed by the 5 teachers in the studio, but the movements of the students will determine their individual unique contributions to the parts.  That is what makes dance so wonderful, that the individual adds their soul to the character, and makes it their “own”.  It is the teacher’s job to polish the steps, and inspire the student to reach for that creative part inside of them to finish the character they portray to the music and in their costumes.

Competition is not new to dance, and years ago our founder, Anneliese von Oettingen, made a choice not to follow the path of cut throat competition and the revealing costumes required.  Instead she insisted upon  fostering co-operation among company members.    We encourage teaching performance arts and not making the child grow up too soon.  Come to one of our performances and see the difference!

We are so proud of our Dance Mothers, Fathers and Extras, who are the soul of our Dance group.  They drive the company member to all the rehearsals, make sure they have their practice clothes and make up, get them to the performances on time, help lay down the floor, transport the scenery, move scenery, act in the performances when needed, take videos, help sew costumes, hand out flyers, send out information, and support our students.  No “stars” here, because, they are “ALL STARS!”

 

The idea was a left over from last year’s stew… All the dancing princesses we had: Aurora, Scheherazade, the 12 dancing princesses from Firebird… The idea of Snow White had been thrown in for consideration.  Anna liked the idea and thought it could be a ballet.  Conni thought it was the perfect fit for the dancers we have now.

Music… that was Laura H’s job… but the real moment of brilliance– The Queen’s variation as she looks into the mirror– that was Anna’s idea.  The music was handy and the Raymonda variation had been studied two years ago as the owl in the Beatrix Potter Ballet.  Reinterpreted as a vain, egotistical queen will be exciting to watch!

Scenery… well, Laura H gets a lot of the fun jobs– dreaming up visions of possibilities.  Michele did have to talk her down from spinning stages and seven little beds as practicality is an important consideration– as is budget, as is available room in the back of the van.  There is no $2 million available for THIS little ballet company– we have to be really creative, and resourceful.  Much of the scenery is reworked from other productions.  But as the vision develops, Michele (who is a professional artist– please remember) and Alan (who builds race cars for fun!) will construct– sew, weld, hammer, and paint them into existance.

 Costumes… Once again we will be grateful for the magic closets in the basement, but there will be new additions.  Moms who sew are welcome to volunteer.  We do lean on Moms to make sure costumes and other supples get to the performances safely and orderly.  We also have young performers who like to dream.  What do you think your costume should look like?  All the coaches and instructors involved LOVE to get drawings.  If you have an idea, make a sketch and pass it on!  (Just don’t expect Snow White to appear in a yellow skirt and blue shoulder puffs– we take pride in creating our own vision of things!)

 Vision… That is an important consideration.  When working as a collaboration it is easier if all parties involved agree on a general direction or bigger picture.  If we are making gumbo– you wouldn’t throw a car radiator into the mix.  Certain things are agreed upon and form the rules or guidelines for what is to follow.  That way the result looks as if it were MEANT to happen.  This is in at least one person’s humble opinion a good way of judging art.  Does it look like it was meant to happen that way?  Does it seem to make sense as a whole?  The vision for our new ballet began as a way to interpret the character of the original story.  Snow White was originally a Grimm’s Fairy Tale– a GERMAN fairy tale.  It was also part of our own AvO history.  It was the one ballet story that Anneliese herself used to use in her children’s classes and one she specifically passed on in her teacher training.  Anneliese was also very German!  That is why this ballet is set as an “homage” to some of these traditions.  All of the music chosen (with the one exception of the Queen’s variation which was Glazunov) was by German composers: Mahler, Schubert, Schumann, and Brahams.  The Dwarve’s cottage is decidedly influenced by the half timber villages in Germany.  Look for more influences throughout the ballet!     

This brings us to choreography… This is where the collaboration will be most evident.  Even when the choreographer gives every bit of stage direction they will rely on the dancer to interpret the movements.  Lots of wonderful people will be involved– Mrs. B will be doing the snow scene.  Conni will be working on the woodland creatures.  Anna will create movements for the seven dwarves.  Sara Shayeson, and Laura H are also likely to step in somewhere as there is a lot to do. 

Do you have an idea for a funny bit or an intersting movement that could be added to the ballet?  Once again the dancers are a primary source of inspiration.  Dancers will be cast where their personalities will make their parts interesting and their technical strengths can be shown off.  Do you have a favorite step?  Let us know!  Meanwhile check out the story and music page as more ideas are constantly being added.  Just yesterday some of the music changed and scenery sketches were uploaded.  But already some of the scenery designs may be modified– the pot is still simmering and new ingredients are being thrown in daily! 

E-mail your ideas to laura@avoballet.org so I can add them in to the stew!

Once upon a time as a queen sits sewing at her window, she pricks her finger on her needle and three drops of blood fall on the snow that had fallen on her ebony window frame. As she looks at the blood on the snow, she says to herself, “Oh, how I wish that I had a daughter that had skin white as snow, lips red as blood, and hair black as ebony”. Soon after that, the queen gives birth to a baby girl who has skin white as snow, lips red as blood, and hair black as ebony. They name her Princess Snow White. As soon as the child is born, the queen dies.

Scene: the outside of the castle walls, looking through the doors as the good queen sits and sews.  The Queen steps through the doors and walks in the snow as the snowflakes dance.

Snow Fall Mother & Child… Mother pantomimes “Beautiful child… lips, cheeks, hair, face…”

1 snow scene (click here for music)

Scene 2: Spring: Snow White Dances

Scene: the outside of the castle walls.

As a princess Snow White picks flowers and cleans the castle floors. 

2 Snow white dances (click here for music)

2 Snow White dances in spring (This one is better!) (music!)

Scene 3: Entrance of evil queen

Soon after, the king takes a new wife, who is beautiful but also very vain. The Queen possesses a magical mirror, an animate object that answers any question, to whom she often asks: “Mirror, mirror on the wall / Who is the most beautiful of all?” (”Spieglein, Spieglein, an der Wand / Wer ist die Schönste im ganzen Land?”) to which the mirror always replies “You, my queen, are fairest of all.” But when Snow White reaches the age of seven, she becomes as beautiful as the day, and when the queen asks her mirror, it responds: “Queen, you are full fair, ’tis true, but Snow White is fairer than you.” Though in another version, the mirror simply replies: “Snow White is the fairest of them all.”

Queen walks past Snow and is very angry.  Snow White leaves.  Queen admires herself in mirror.

Scene: as the evil queen walks past Snow White, the castle doors open and the outer castle walls turn to reveal the queen’s chamber.  A large mirror hangs between two curtains. 

3 Evil Queen makes an entrance and looks into her mirror (music!)

4 Evil Raymonda variation (music!)

The queen becomes jealous, and orders a huntsman to take Snow White into the woods to be killed. She demands that the huntsman, as proof of killing Snow White, return with her lungs and her liver.

Scene: as the huntsman leaves the walls turn to become trees in the forest.  As snow white and the huntsman travel the trees move slightly as if they would run into them.

Scene 4: In the Forrest

5 THe queen commands the Huntsman to kill Snow White and she is led by him into the forest (music!)

The Huntsman leads Snow White into the forest.  Snow White picks flowers.  Huntsman prepares to stab her in the back but drops the knife.  Huntsman begs Snow to run away and never return.     

6 The Huntsman is unable to kill Snow White and bids her run and hide in the forest Snow is frightened as she runs and collapses (music!)

Snow White is very frightened and runs until she lays down and sleeps.

Scene 5: Little Cottage in the Woods

Little woodland creatures dance and watch over Snow White.   She wakes up and follows them to the Little Cottage. 

7 the woodland creatures find and comfort snow white (music!)

Snow White goes inside and comes out with a broom as the Woodland creatures help her clean dishes, do laundry, cook, and set the table for seven little places.   Snow White goes inside and falls asleep.  (Two little bats dancing with the other woodland creatures would probably be very sleepy and not be of much help since bats are nocturnal!) 

8 little birdie leads Snow white to the little cottage and everyone helps tidy up (music!)

Scene 6: Little Dwarves

We still see the outside of the dwarves’ house.  The seven little dwarves are coming home. 

9 The dwarves make their entrance dance (music!)

They soon realize things have changed and become very frightened.  Mustering their courage and volunteering each other they investigate as the outside of the house becomes the inside of the house and they discover Snow White asleep across the seven little beds.  

10 the dwarves look for the ghost and discover snow white they are afraid to wake her (music!)

Snow White wakes up and they are introduced.

11 snow white wakes up and tells the dwarves how she ot there

She makes them wash for dinner.  She makes them use proper table manners and teaches them to use a spoon to eat their stew.   After she makes them wash their little dishes.

12 the dwarves wash for dinner learn table manners and clean up the table as snow white takes care of them

The dwarves decide to entertain Snow White.  Then they invite her to dance with them, even making themselves taller so she can dance.  Music fades as the inside of the house becomes the outside of the house.

13 the dwarves entertain snow white who joins in the dance as night falls and we see the outside of the cottage once more

Scene 7: Next Morning

The dwarves are leaving for work.

Snow White stands outside door and helps them with their hats and pick axes and lanterns with good bye kisses for each.  The little dwarf keeps running through house and gets three kisses before Snow White catches on.  The dwarves all turn and warn Snow White not to let anyone in and keep the door locked.  Snow White waves good bye from the window.   

14 next morning snow white bids the dwarves good bye as they warn her to stay away from strangers

Scene 8: Wicked Queen poisons apple

As the dwarves are marching across front the outside becomes the inside and we see the inside of the castle and the wicked Queen.  Queen is looking into the mirror. Meanwhile, the Queen asks her mirror once again “Who’s the fairest of them all?”,

15 scene changes to the queens chamber who is looking in her mirror once more

We see image of Snow White dancing with a silver veil having been called for the from the mirror as the queen joins in in mirror image.  Snow White vanishes back into the mirror. 

16 the mirror conjurs an image of snow white dancing mirrored by the queen

Queen becomes very angry and with help of small page consults her book of spells.  The Queen dances with an apple checking her book and adding things to her cauldron…  Two little bats who had been with the woodland creatures assist the queen.  These “spies” later lead the transformed queen to the Dwarves’ cottage to where Snow White is staying.  She puts on a cloak and takes the basket of apples and exits somewhat transformed.

17 furious the queen poisons an apple and transforms herself into an old ugly hag

Scene 9: Snow White is poisoned

Trees cover the scene and the stage is once more transformed to the outside of the dwarves’ house. 

The wicked queen’s double is approaching the dwarves’ house with the poisoned apple.  The witch is trying to tempt Snow White with pretty laces stays and a poisoned comb but Snow White heeds the dwarves’ warnings.  The woodland creatures know it is the wicked witch and try to pull the witch away.  The clever Queen feigns illness and clutches her heart.  Snow White immediately comes out of the cottage to assist her.  The cunning old hag gives the poisoned apple to Snow White as thanks. 

18 the scene changes to the old hag approaching the cottage and tempting snow white with the apple

Snow White steps out of the door, takes a bite and immediately falls into a deep stupor.  The wicked Queen gloats. 

19 snow white comes out of the cottage takes a bite contorts from the poison and falls the hag gloats with glee

The woodland creatures return pulling the dwarves with them.  The dwarves chase the wicked witch away.  Trees hide the princess and move in on the Witch as the witch tries to escape but falls down to a bolt of lightening & thunder sound effects.

20 led by the woodland creatures the dwarves run to snow whites aid and chase the queen who dies from a bolt of lightening

Scene 10: The Prince arrives

Hidden by the trees the witch exits as the trees open to reveal Snow White on the little coffin with the dwarves around her.  Sad music plays as the dwarves place flowers on Snow White. 

21 the trees part and we see snow white in a coffin mourned by the dwarves

We hear hunting horns as a prince enters, guided by the woodland creatures.  He asks the dwarves who the beautiful princess is.  The dwarves tell the prince that the princess has fallen prey to a wicked witch’s curse.  Saddened the prince removes his hat and bows to Snow White.  The movement causes the piece of poisoned apple to dislodge from Snow White’s throat, awakening her. The prince then declares his love for her and soon a wedding is planned.

22 led by woodland creatures a prince finds his way to the coffin and asks who she is he kneels at the side and accidently jostles the coffin

We watch the hand move and fall.  Then rubbing her eyes Snow White awakens.

23 awakened Snow White gets up and dances an adagio with the prince

Scene 11 Finale

We have a traditional grand pas de deux:  Prince dances/ allegro/ jumps

24 the princes variation

Princess dances

25 snow whites variation

Prince and princess together with leaps,  Dwarves join in and form tableau

Conni: why don’t we use the coffin as a small “stage ” for some of the tiny woodland creatures to dance for joy after she awakens, and the prince and SW are dancing?

26 finale

The ballet is based on the German fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm.  It will include music by German composers and all new choreography by the AvO Ballet Team!

First Semester continues through Monday, January 30th 2012.  New semester begins Tuesday, January 31st, 2012.  We do accept registration at any time.  January is a great time to bring a friend to try a lesson!

We wish everyone peace and joy through all the holidays and a blessed and safe New Year!

Tuesday, December 20th

6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

No cost for this class.  We hope you can come!

Monday, January 2^nd: 3:00 – 5:00 pm

Wednesday, January 4^th: 3:00 – 5:00 pm

Friday, January 6^th:  1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

If you are in the area join us for some free class demonstrations, treats, raffles and more!

The instructor will be Sara Shayeson.  Sara has been a longtime friend to AVO: student, dancer, Kinderballet member, soloist, instructor, choreographer, coach…  She has been living in the Dayton area a little over a year now with husband Dave and baby ballerinas Megan and Sofia.  So it only makes sense she should be teaching and sharing her wonderful talents! 

Sara will be forming classes Mondays between the hours of 3:00 and 5:00 and Friday afternoons starting around 1:00 p.m. with a Mommie and Me class for toddlers and Moms (or Aunties, Grandmoms, Dads, or any other caregiver!)  Sara hopes to form additional classes for interested members of the home schooled community who typically like to exercise Friday afternoons.  Of course Preballet and Children’s ballet will be offered as well!

Here is Sara performing with the Kinderballet at the Taft Museum.  She is at the top of the stairs on the left!

For more information on the ballet classes forming contact us at 513 481-0092, or write to Laura at laura@avoballet.org.  For information about the Beavercreek YMCA or other YMCA programs, please contact the Y at 937 426 9622 or visit them at ymcaonline.org