The Spark! – December 2019

A Note From The Director
Dear Parents,
This past December marked my 11th and my daughter, Sabrina’s, 8th Nutcracker Suite at Discovery. It’s unbelievable how many Nutcrackers I’ve experienced and yet I never grow tired of them. Each year, it’s new again with my students’ excitement over which role they will be, creating new choreography, trying out new roles, using a different song or song cut, or getting new costumes. This year, some of the teachers switched around their usual dances and we also tried new ones. I hadn’t done the Mother Ginger dance in years and it was so fun to explore that music again. Sarah got to explore The Nutcracker as a head teacher for the first time and Katrina had fun with the Chocolate dance. I created a new role, the Toy Soldiers. At first, I was stumped about the Battle Scene music. Then, after talking out a few things with my accompanist and the other teachers, the dance came together magically. My students also had many amazing ideas, and their creativity and excitement were overflowing. That is also the magic of the Nutcracker — the joy, thrill and inspiration that is sparked within our students. I look forward to experiencing it again next year. 

Enjoy the holidays with your family and friends!

Warm Wishes,
Katie Kheel
Words from Discovery Ballet Parents! 
This month we asked some Discovery parents to share their experiences with the Nutcracker recital and dance program.
• • • 
“I love that Beatrice gets to have a structured performance without incredible pressure. She is always a little nervous before, but the atmosphere is so welcoming that she can lose herself and enjoy her performance.” – Chelsea, parent of Beatrice (8)
Discovery Ballet has given our daughters the confidence to perform on stage, learning ballet from experienced and caring teachers, alongside friends they have grown up with in our neighborhood. They are always excited to learn what role they will be dancing for each Nutcracker performance.” – Erika, parent of Reagan (9) and Reese (7)
“Discovery Ballet provides a nurturing, positive environment for our daughters to explore the world of dance. They provide a stage for children to gain experience presenting themselves in front of a diverse, supportive community. Our daughters have continually progressed in the ballet program since 2013 and we have been consistently delighted with the instructors through every stage of their development.” – Steve, parent of Reagan (9) and Reese (7)
“The Nutcracker was a wonderful gift this season! Our daughter discovered music she loves, gained confidence in new dance moves and was so proud of herself after the performance.” – Abigail, parent of Amelia Anne (4)

Photo Op:
The Nutcracker Suite!

Facebook
Instagram
Fall 2019 Calendar
Winter/Spring 2020 Calendar
Discovery Announcements!
Registration is open for Winter/Spring: 
Classes begin Saturday, February 1st. Many classes are starting to fill up. Registration that comes in online during the Winter Break will be processed in the order received.
December/January Closing Dates
-December 23-31
-January 1-3, 20
Parent Viewing Days: Parents can come and watch their children the last or second to last class of the semester. You should have received an email with the viewing dates for your child’s class; please call with any questions.
Lost and Found: We have a number of water bottles, headbands, books and other items. If you think you may have lost something, come check it out. We will be clearing the Lost and Found in January. 

Student Spotlight

This month we’re highlighting ballet students who were in the Nutcracker Suite performance! They shared why they like to perform and how they felt on stage.
Sabrina (10)
“I felt good and awesome when I was on stage. I like ballet because my mom teaches it and I want to continue learning.”
Casilda (8)
“I felt uplifted. I think the class was the right level for me. I felt very joyful and happy. I like performing because a lot of people might get inspired. I’m looking forward to learning a lot about ballet and becoming an expert.” 
Reagan (9)
and
Reese (7)
Reagan: “I felt very happy because I like to dance on stage. It felt exciting because I could do more challenging things in the oldest group and make new friends. The instructors are really nice and I get the ability to dance on stage.”
Reese: “I like to dance on stage because some places you don’t get to dance on stages. I feel happy and excited to be in ballet because I get to meet new friends. I like being in class with my sister because she makes me feel more comfortable since I knew her before.”

The Spark archive