vo lume 9 , i s sue 5

I N S I D E T H I S

I S S U E :

What’s New– At a

Glance

1

Dates to

Remember

2

CCA Summer

Camp

2

Ballet Exams 3

Recital Info 4

Happy Birthday 5

Studio

Information

5

Cinderella 6

February Focus-

Arms

7-10

What’s New-At a Glance

40730 Garfield Clinton Twp, MI

48038 586.286.8300

F eb ru ar y 2017

i n f o @ a n n p a r s l e y s c h o o l o f d a n c e . c o m

-Recital Information Recital dates and information are on page two. -Home School Dance Program Session II of the Home School Dance Program will run from March 22-May 3. Please see the website for more information. -Studio Closures Closures due to weather will be posted on our website and will also be recorded on our voice mail system. -Summer and Fall Schedule The Summer and Fall schedules are in the works. If there is a class you would like to see on the schedule, please email us at info@annparsleyschoolofdance.com -Cecchetti Ballet Testing Cecchetti testing will be Sunday, March 19th, 2017. -CCA International Summer School CCA International Summer School is July 9-22. For more information on the camp, please see page 2. -Sick Policy Please do not send your child to dance if they have been or are ill. They may return to dance once they have been fever and symptom free for 24-48 hours. -Studio Pictures Pictures are May 15-19, 2017.

P A G E 2

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Dates to Remember Apr 3rd - Apr 8th Spring Break Apr 14th Closed for Good Friday May 15th - 19th Studio Pictures May 29th Memorial Day, no Classes June 12th Last day of Regular Classes June 13th -14th Recital Studio Rehearsals June 15th Recital Dress Rehearsal for Intermediate Classes & up at Macomb Center June 16th Recital Dress Rehearsal for Beginning & Adv Beg Classes at the Studio June 17th Recital at Macomb Center 12pm & 6pm Dance classes DO NOT have a “mid-winter” break. Closures due

to inclement weather will be announced on our website and telephone voice mail.

CCA International Summer School The Cecchetti Council of America holds a two week, intensive summer camp every year at Hope College in Holland, Michigan. The camp is July 9-July 22, 2017. This camp is an excellent opportunity for serious students, ages 11 and up, to continue their dance training over the summer. Faculty includes guest teachers from around the world and CCA faculty from across the country. Students receive various classes such as classical ballet, pointe, pas de deux, character, jazz, improvisation, mime and lectures including dance history, nutrition and injury prevention. For more information on the camp, visit cecchetti.org.

Recital Times Please note that the recital performance times for this year are 12pm and 6pm on Saturday, June 17th.

“To dance is to

be out of

yourself.

Larger, more

beautiful, more

powerful”

-Agnes De Mille

P A G E 3

i n f o @ a n n p a r s l e y s c h o o l o f d a n c e . c o m

40730 Garfield Clinton Twp, MI

48038 586.286.8300

Cecchetti Ballet Exams-Sunday, March 19th Ann Parsley School of Dance uses the Cecchetti method of ballet as a teaching tool for serious students. This method consists of Primaries I, II, III and Grades I-Diploma. Students are recommended for an exam class after several years of study. In graded classes, most students become eligible to take a ballet exam when they have been in the class twice a week for two or more years. In an exam class, students master and perfect the syllabus of the grade. Often students think that they are ready to take an exam when they “know the combinations.” In reality, that is only the beginning. No one has to take ballet exams. Some dancers prefer not to and study for years without taking exams. Ballet exams are for dedicated students. Those who take exams must take a minimum of two ballet lessons per week. They should have excellent attendance and practice and study regularly at home. A student should not attempt to take an exam unless he or she is willing to make this commitment. The student must get the approval of their teacher before they are eligible to take an exam. Please respect the judgment of your teacher and accept her decision. Talented, hardworking dancers usually spend two years in preparation for each exam. On rare occasions an individual will go through one level a year. Please remember that this method is used to ensure the systematic development of a dancer on an individual basis. Individuals mature and grasp concepts at different times. The current fees for exams, book prices and exams lengths are listed below. These fees go to the Cecchetti Council of America. They pay for: the examiners to examine, the registrar to organize, the printing of certificates, the compiling of fees, and the keeping of records. The Cecchetti Council of America is a nonprofit (501c) educational organization.

Grade Exam Fee Book Price Exam Length

Primary I and II Based on # of students $6.50 combined I-III 30 min

Primary III Based on # of students $6.50 combined I-III 45 min

Grade I $55 $3.50 45-60 min

Grade II $55 $3.50 45-60 min

Grade III $65 $4.50 75 min

Grade IV $75 $5.50 90 min

Grade V-Elementary $95 $10.50 90 min

Grade VI-Intermediate $105 $15.50 90 min

Grade VII-Advanced $125 120 min

Diploma $185 120 min

Blue Book for Ele-mentary, Intermediate and Advanced $10.50

P A G E 4

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Recital Information

“To dance is to

be out of

yourself.

Larger, more

beautiful, more

powerful”

-Agnes De Mille

PICTURES: May 15-19, 2017 at the Studio (regular classes are not held during picture week with the exception of Saturday classes) TICKETS: Tickets go on sale April 3, 2017 at the Macomb Center for the Performing Arts box office. Tickets will also be available online at www.macombcenter.com. There is no ticket limit. Students cannot perform in the spring recital until all balances have been paid. STUDIO REHEARSALS: Tuesday, June 13 (12pm show) & Wednesday, June 14 (6pm show)-Students are required to attend all scheduled rehearsals (no costumes) DRESS REHEARSAL FOR BEG & ADV BEG CLASSES: Friday, June 16, 2017 (Times to be announced) at Ann Parsley School of Dance DRESS REHEARSAL FOR INTERMDIATE CLASSES & UP: Thursday, June 15, 2017 (Times to be announced) at the Macomb Center for the Performing Arts PERFORMANCES: Saturday June 17, 2017 12pm and 6pm LOCATION: Macomb Center for the Performing Arts (Hall Road at Garfield)

i n f o @ a n n p a r s l e y s c h o o l o f d a n c e . c o m

P A G E 5

“Dancing

with the feet

is one thing

but dancing

with the heart

is another”

-Anonymous

Happy Birthday-February

40730 Garfield Clinton Twp, MI

48038 586.286.8300

Kelsey Kies Hayley Luckhurst

McKenna Marquette Amira Martin

Emily Matthews Unique McCormick

Clare Meteer Rylee Montgomery

Peyton Morgan Isabella Nayback

Naomi Rix Briah Smith

Samantha Strader

Payment Policy Boys Scholarships: Our studio offers half off all tuition with the exception of creative movement for boys up to age 18. The school year will consist of (36) thirty-six weekly class sessions from Sept. 12, 2016 – June 17, 2017. Monthly tuition is based on the average of 3.6 classes per month. Some months have as few as (2) two weeks others have as many as (5) five. There is no pro-rated tuition. There are no refunds, credits or transfers of tuition for missed classes, snow days or holiday breaks. We strongly encourage students to make up any missed classes. Students may make-up classes during the year with any other class of the same level or lower, even if it is not the same type of dance. Tuition is due by the first lesson of the month. Payments may be made at the office, by mail or via telephone. It is the parent/guardian’s responsibility to make payments at the desk. We accept the following methods of payment: Cash, Check, Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express. Full year payments receive a 10% discount if paid for by check or cash. Full year discount paid for by credit card receive a 5% discount. Full year payments must be made by the end of September. There will not be a discount for full year payments after September. Payments will be considered late on the 15th day of the month. A $10.00 Late Fee will be added to all accounts that carry a balance each month on any tuition/costume balance. THESE FEES WILL NOT BE WAIVED UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE. Classes will be suspended for all accounts that are over 30 days past due. A $30 fee is charged on all returned checks. The studio reserves the right to deny students from participating in the recital, without a refund of costume or tuition monies, if absences are extreme and excessive. Class days and times are subject to change based upon enrollment.

Cambrie Augustyniak Ella Beaudin

Ariana Boddington Melina Bricknell Isabella Cilluffo

Ryan Cole Isabella D'Agostin Mariah Edwards Victoria Hardy

Sydney Hoffman Zoe Hunt

Abigail Iwasko Isabell Johnson

Abby Jones

i n f o @ a n n p a r s l e y s c h o o l o f d a n c e . c o m

P A G E 6

“Dancing

with the feet

is one thing

but dancing

with the heart

is another”

-Anonymous

40730 Garfield Clinton Twp, MI

48038 586.286.8300

P A G E 7

i n f o @ a n n p a r s l e y s c h o o l o f d a n c e . c o m

40730 Garfield Clinton Twp, MI

48038 586.286.8300

February Focus-Arms

Arms Tell a Story

When you watch someone dance you mostly watch their face and their arms. A dancers arms tell a story, they are able to convey emotion in a way no other body part can. Take Port De Bras for instance, it’s lush, it’s full of quality, it’s strong yet soft. It never stops yet you pass through a number of different positions. You can tell a lot about a dancer by watching them practice Port De Bras. Remember, those same movements you practice in the classroom will be what your arms do in a performance so make sure you’re practicing as if you’re getting stage ready every time. Keeping your shoulders down and back is also something that should be practiced daily. You cannot have proper arms with shoulders that are lifted and tense or relaxed and pushed forward.

Make Your Arms Work For You All ballet dancers must learn to use their arms properly if they want to reach their maximum potential. In adage movements, arms contribute to the line and the graceful, strengthening, elegant quality of the movement. Controlling your arms during turns helps your body stay centered and can help you execute more turns. In big jumps, timing and coordination of the arms helps give the jumps a buoyant quality and can also help you get off the ground. Improving your arms requires attention and regular practice, both inside class and at home.

P A G E 8

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“Beautiful arms can show excitement, anger, sadness and

fear”

Strengthen your

Shoulder Blades Particularly the lower trapezius, serratus anterior and rhomboids. All of these muscles, which tend to weaken in dancers, are necessary for controlled arm movements and proper upper-body placement. Stand at arm’s length from a wall. Place both of your hands on the wall at shoulder height. Keeping your elbows straight and your spine long, press against the wall, leaning forward slightly. Your shoulder blades move toward the front of your body and your upper back rounds. Return your shoulder blades to the starting position and repeat the movement 10 times. Each week, gradually increase your number of repetitions, working up to three sets of 12 wall presses.

Improvise at Home Turn on some music and dance with only your arms. Aim for fluid motion of the arms. This motion should begin in the torso and extend all the way to the tips of your fingers. Familiarizing your body with this feeling of energy extending from your center to your extremities can transfer to your port de bras in class.

Never “mark” your Arms When learning an exercise, many students “mark” their legs as they are memorizing the combination. Don’t mark your arms as this can lead to bad habits. Additionally, if your class has two or more groups for center work, make the best use of your class time by doing the arms full out even when your group isn’t dancing.

P A G E 9

Second Position

i n f o @ a n n p a r s l e y s c h o o l o f d a n c e . c o m

40730 Garfield Clinton Twp, MI

48038 586.286.8300

If you want to create a good second position; if you want to carry your arms to and from the proper shapes in dance; if you want it to look and feel easy and free, your body alignment is the first step in this journey. I won’t go too much into proper alignment here but do all of those things your teacher always reminds you about: Stand tall and imagine space between each vertebrae in your spine (including the ones in your neck) Activate your abdominal muscles as if you have laces up the front which you gently tighten bringing the belly button closer to your spine. Let your shoulders fall back and down with arms hanging easily at your sides. Stack the body with your ear lobes over your shoulders, your shoulders over your hips, your hips over your knees and ankles. Remember these things all the time as you dance or while you stand around. This all by itself will help to strengthen your core muscles for dancing and for creating the “pictures” we make in dance with our body. This is where it all begins. Without good alignment and strong core muscles, it will be difficult to make a picture like second position.

What to Do While standing with good placement as above: Lift the arms straight out to the side at shoulder height. Turn the palms forward, with the thumb flattened down between the first and second finger. Your fingers are all slightly spread apart. Move the whole arm (from the shoulder) slightly forward of the body, until you see the fingers in your peripheral vision (out of the corner of your eyes, without moving your head). Along the back of your upper arm is the tricep muscle. Slowly rotate the arm, lifting the tricep and the elbow to face the wall behind you. As you do this, the hands will lower slightly in space and the palms will turn toward the floor but you haven’t changed the shape they made before.

Some Things to Think Imagine a large circle that extends between the fingers and through the arms and body. Imagine that circle is a tube and you can breathe air into and around the tube. Imagine you are hugging a giant redwood tree. Imagine your arms floating on top of the water like seaweed. Imagine your arms are resting on clouds. Imagine your hands are feathers. Imagine your elbows always lifting. When you open to second position, imagine that you are pressing the walls outward and away from you.

“Ballet

technique is

arbitrary and

very difficult. It

never

becomes

easy... it

becomes

possible. “ -

Agnes de Mille

P A G E 1 0

i n f o @ a n n p a r s l e y s c h o o l o f d a n c e . c o m

The basic feeling of your shoulders should not be tight and tense, even if you are being corrected to press them down. Try not to interpret that as pushing or squeezing the shoulders, because this will just create more tension. It is more a feeling of length, where you pull up and press down within the whole body to work together to create the right posture for your shoulders to be well placed. We know that some dancer's structures it may feel harder to place your shoulders down, this could be a structural issue and it could always be a little something which you will have to work on. Don’t worry though, because with time you will learn how to correct it and how to deal with your own bone structure to improve. We would also recommend Pilates or yoga, which focuses a lot on elongating certain muscles and creating more of a sense of flexibility throughout the body. If you look at specific exercises in Pilates that focus on the upper body, it may help build that extra strength to keep the shoulders placed down. It will also help you become aware of different muscles in your back and shoulders you may not have known you had. This will help you to use all of the muscles you have available to keep those shoulders in the right spot and to keep the arms strong and beautiful without looking or feeling tense.

An Exercise for you Shoulders This might not feel like much at first but the more reps you do the more you will feel it. It is also a great way to familiarize yourself with the different muscles you need to use to have the correct alignment of the back and shoulders. Do this exercise and try to relax, breathe deeply and try not to tense up your arms or neck, you want to focus on using your back and shoulders here. Lie on your front with your arms either just down by your sides, or at a 90

degree angle so your hands are by your head and elbows level with shoulders. Engage your posture altogether including your glutes and abdominals. Slowly pull the shoulders down entering into your scapula. Lead with your head and gradually lift it up, like something is pulling it out and

up. Just bring your upper body up slightly, so your shoulders and chest raise off

the floor. Keep breathing and lower back down into the lying position. Remember to stretch out any muscle group that you exercise to make sure you are forming long lengthened muscles and you don’t want to develop pesky knots!

Get Your Shoulders Down!

“Respect your

body. Eat well.

Dance forever.”

― Eliza Gaynor

Minden