BUILDING CONFIDENCE, CHARACTER, AND COMMUNITY SINCE 1984!
Spring Show preparations are in full swing! Costumes will be distributed this month, dancers are continuing to polish their dances, and attendance in classes is SUPER important Make sure your dancer comes to class regularly between now and SHOW TIME so they have the best opportunity for a successful performance on stage!!
APRIL13-18:COSTUMEDISTRIBUTIONINCLASSE
Your dancer will receive their show costume duri costume fit approved by teachers before they are COSTUME INSTRUCTION FORM attached to your information about the Spring Shows This will als any of the details!
As you will note if your child participates in a grad some different options for tights and shoe color f Signature Team alumna, Emily Elien, for spearhe our costuming more inclusive for all
Ballet Tights D
IMPORTANT NOTE IF YOU WISH TO DO THIS! *YOUR BALLET SHOES MUST MATCH THE COLOR OF YOUR TIGHTS*
We have expanded the ballet dress c ballet tights and shoes of their ski
Capezio, Bloch, and many d have shoes available for ord
Dancers can also pancake s with ballet shoe paints or th
You can also purchase tights & shoes at the studio!
Need tights for the Spring Show? You can prepar at the studio! Stop by the front desk when you br Customer Care Team will be happy to help you fi
APRIL15:SPRINGSHOWMEDIAFEEDUE
The Spring Show Media Fee is $80, and is charged per family if you have dancer(s) in the shows If your family purchased the Premium Membership for 2025-2026, you have already paid this fee as part of your membership
APRIL30:SPRINGSHOWTICKETSGOONSALE
Note that while general ticket sales open on April 30 at 11:00am, priority ticket sales begin on Tuesday, April 28 at 11:00am for families of graduating seniors and those with a priority code for accessible seating All online ticket sales will close on Thursday, May 28th at 8:00pm
We are using Dance Recital Ticketing (DRT) for ticket purchases again this year, and the link to purchase tickets will be shared closer to mid-April Please note, dancers do NOT need a ticket to the show(s) in which they are performing Ticket prices are tiered, based on seat location Online ticket pricing ranges from $20 to $28 (plus DRT service fee) Any tickets remaining after online sales will be sold at the theater on show days for $30 cash/check/Venmo only
MAY11-16:SPRINGSHOWPHOTOWEEKDURINGREGULARCLASSTIME WEAR COSTUMES TO CLASS! Individual and class photos, in costume, will be taken this week!
MAY23-25:STUDIOCLOSED/MEMORIALDAYHOLIDAYWEEKEND
MAY26-28:DRESSREHEARSALSATTHESTUDIO!
PLEASE NOTE: THERE ARE NO REGULAR CLASSES THIS WEEK! The dress rehearsal takes the place of your child’s regular class; please follow the schedule below: Red Show Dress Rehearsal: Tuesday, May 26, 4:15-6:00pm Orange Show Dress Rehearsal: Tuesday, May 26, 6:45-8:30pm Yellow Show Dress Rehearsal: Wednesday, May 27, 4:15-6:00pm Green Show Dress Rehearsal: Wednesday, May 27, 6:45-8:30pm Blue Show Dress Rehearsal: Thursday, May 28, 4:15-6:00pm
Do you have questions about the Spring Show? Please see the website for additional details or email us at dancewithus@backstagedance.org and we will be happy to help!
timeline
REGISTRATION IS OPEN!
We are excited to announce that our summer class schedule is open for registration!!
BACKSTAGE is offering 6 weeks of classes (June 29 - August 6) and a variety of camps, which start between July 6 and August 3.
LUCKY DRAW RAFFLE
Our LUCKY DRAW raffle for $50OFF summer registration is still going on! So, if you haven't yet registered your child for summer, now is the time! Current Backstage families who register for a class, camp or intensive workshop before April 15th will be entered into a raffle for $50 off summer tuition.
kicked off the month at Encore Dance petition, where Backstage earned the TOP INGSTUDIO award! The following weekend, at Dance Competition ers earned scholarsh ation! A special shou dCamp”forearning ture Team ended th petition, where they lenceandStudioSp ture Team, for your
Our STARS teams did a wonderful job representing Backstage at their two competitions of the season, Spotlight Dance Competition at Renton’s IKEA Performing Arts Center and AMP Dance Competition at Highline Performing Arts Center Our STARS teams competed numbers in tap, hip hop, and contemporary, and we are so proud of their stellar performances and passion for dance!
Our audition prep workshops are designed for dancers to gain experience in the styles they wish to audition for in June Exposure to key skills and movement over these two days of classes, and repeated home practice using the videos provided at the completion of the workshop, will provide students with improved baseline knowledge in the required audition styles
When: Saturday, April 25th and May 2nd
Cost: $11600
Grade (as of September 1, 2026): 2nd - 10th
STARS TEAM updates!
end of SESSION DATES
Dancers will return to regular classes after our Spring Show (on Monday, June 1st) and continue through Saturday, June 13. These last weeks of classes will include assessments/evaluations, end-of-year celebrations and recognitions, and a week of “Try-It Free” classes to explore new dance styles. Watch for an email in early May with more details about the schedule for the final weeks of our session.
Students who do not participate in our Spring Shows (including those in Creative Movement or Acro classes) will continue with classes under the same schedule as those who participate in our Spring Shows (with a session end date of June 13th). Students in Creative Movement and Acro classes (and those students in other classes who have opted out of Spring Show participation) will NOT have classes the week of May 26th, which is the week of our Dress Rehearsals and Spring Shows. Families with students in Creative Movement and Acro classes and those not participating in the Spring Show will receive a credit for one class on their May tuition billing.
DID YOU
know?
Backstage Dance Studio is a More Than Just Great Dancing (MTJGD) affiliated studio!
What does that mean?
MTJGD is a licensed affiliation of dance studios that subscribe to a higher standard of dance instruction and management principles
As part of a dynamic network of nearly 300 dance studios and 100,000 students worldwide, MTJGD transforms staff development and provides leadership training, quality programs and curricula to its affiliate studios.
MTJGD is a commitment to providing MORE than excellent dance instruction. MTJGD dancers go beyond technique to develop important ung lief in
Your Teaching Journey Starts Here!
Our Teacher Assistant Program provides young adults with both the education and hands-on experience needed to support their growth as aspiring teachers. Our program provides dancers with the training and skills they need to be employable and to ensure the students in our classrooms are supported along their dance journey. To obtain this goal, our Teacher Assistant Program has four tiers – Pre-Teacher Assistant, Teacher Assistant, Student Teacher, and Faculty in Training.
In September, we welcomed 21 Pre-Teacher Assistants into the program who have all graduated to become Teacher Assistants. Congratulations to Aarna D., Arloe C., Audrey K., Bailey D., Brynn P., David M., Dorian F., Evan M., Genoveva H., Grace M., Irene T., Julia S., Juliet H., Leahnora M., Leena H., Leena M., Natalie K., Olivia F., Satyana Z., Sophie G., and Zoe L.! We also have 9 returning Teacher Assistants and 5 Student Teachers who have continued to expand their knowledge and inspire the next generation of dancers. Our assistants bonded together this Fall by painting ceramics with Creatively Yours and they celebrated our recent Pre-TA Graduates with a party at Mirra in Bellevue Square! When they aren’t celebrating, you'll see our assistants in the classroom refining their technique and ensuring our students are primed for success. We are so proud of their accomplishments, and we are incredibly grateful for their positive impact on our community!
For the 2026-2027 School Year Session we are looking for passionate young adult dancers enrolled at BDS (ages 10+) who are mature, eager to learn more, and have experience in at least two genres of dance. Dancers should also be dedicated to upholding our core values of building confidence, character, and community.
It’s April, and while Spring may arrived in the Pacific Northwest Dancers can celebrate Spring du Spirit Week April 13th 18th by w
DANCER birthdays!
HAPPIEST OF BIRTHDAYS TO EVERYONE CELEBRATING THIS MONTH!
Emma J. 1-Apr
Brea B. 2-Apr
Lenora H. 2-Apr
Sicily L.-Z. 2-Apr
Gia M. 2-Apr
Jane R. 2-Apr
Stella Y. 2-Apr
Daisy C. 4-Apr
Andrew P. 4-Apr
April W. 4-Apr
Josie H. 6-Apr
Millie P. 7-Apr
Nathaniel L. 10-Apr
Adrianna Z. 10-Apr
Alison S. 12-Apr
Charlotte L. 14-Apr
Marceline O. 14-Apr
Sophie K. 15-Apr
Jacey L. 15-Apr
Lily M. 15-Apr
Iris N. 15-Apr
Clara W. 16-Apr
Hermione Z. 16-Apr
James G. 17-Apr
Brooklyn B. 18-Apr
Penelope C. 19-Apr
Addison F. 22-Apr
Stella M. 22-Apr
Violet P. 22-Apr
Nirav K. 23-Apr
Virinchi K. 23-Apr
Brooke B. 24-Apr
Amy Z. 25-Apr
Devin W. 26-Apr
Ashley F. 27-Apr
Stella S. 27-Apr
Rei Y. 27-Apr
Quincy C. 28-Apr
Sofia H. 28-Apr
Jean-Emile E. 30-Apr
Mila Y. 30-Apr
STAFF
We are encouraging our dancers to focus on GRATITUDE this month! Let's all earn a card for having an ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE during the month of April!
Gratitude means thanks and appreciation. It's the warm feeling you get when someone helps you figure out a great solution to a difficult problem that you've been trying to solve. You can show gratitude through kindness, respect, grace, appreciation, empathy and by being grateful.
Gratitude turns what little you have into abundance. Gratitude is so much more than saying thank you. Gratitude changes your perspective of your world!
gratitude
A P R I L
character FOCUS
TEACHER SPOTLIGHT
Miss Chisako, also known as Miss Taco, grew up dancing here at Backstage Dance Studio! She start her dance journey at Backstage when she was just years old and joined the Signature Competition Te at the age of eight. She started out as a Hip Hop da but then branched out to the many other styles th Backstage has to offer, like jazz, contemporary, tap and more! Being part of the Backstage family made her fall in love with dance, which is what led her to study dance in college. Chisako is currently in her second year of the dance major program at Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle.
This is Chisako’s second year as a teacher at Backstage and she cannot wait to see where this journey takes her. This year, she is teaching Acro Basics 2, Hip Hop 1, Hip Hop 2, Hip Hop 3, Contemporary 4-5, and she also works with our Signature Teams! Chisako is honored to not only be a Backstage Dance Studio alumna, but now also a teacher at the studio. She loves connecting with her students and sharin both the fun of dance as well as the knowledge and skills she has learned throughout her dance education. She loves seeing dancers come out of their shells and find their own way of expressing themselves through dance.
miss chisako
FUN FACTS: Miss Taco has a cat named Missy Elliott! Outside of dance, she loves to camp and spend time at the beach!
PA ED ta
AGAIN THIS YEAR, BACKSTAGE WOULD LIKE TO PARTNER WITH YOU ON YOUR PARENTING JOURNEY! WE WILL INFORM YOU OF PARENTING WORKSHOPS AND SPEAKER SERIES THAT MAY BE OF INTEREST TO YOU, AND HOPE TO BRING YOU SOME OF OUR OWN EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
The Boyhood Crisis: Raising Thriving Young Men in a Changing World
These dancers were nominated by one of their teachers for goi above and beyond in class! Each dancer of the month will receive a certificate of recognition and a gift card to Stage Left Dancewear!
WAY TO GO, DANCERS!
Amy Zhang
Amy is enrolled in Miss Rebecca’s Ballet Basics 2 class. Miss Rebecca says that Amy is always focused in class and does a great job of remembering the class choreography from week to week! Awesome job, Amy!
Lesa Ford
Lesa is enrolled in Marty and Bailey’s Adult Int/Adv Tap class Marty and Bailey enjoy having Lesa in class because she is always focused, knows the choreography and helps her fellow classmates She also contributes to the class with thoughtful conversation and witty jokes! Thanks for being a member of our community, Lesa!
Chloe Zhu
Chloe is a member of our Signature Team and was nominated by her ballet teacher, Miss Leta. Leta says that Chloe is a focused student who applies herself in class and always tries to do her best! Congratulations, Chloe!
Each month of our school-year session, dancers in Acro, Ballet, Hip Hop, Jazz and Tap classes will be working on particular skills. We will list these skills, along with a description (and sometimes links to additional information about the skills) in the newsletter. Practicing these skills outside of class is beneficial, so we encourage you to ask your dancers for demonstrations at home!
skills of th
mon
acro HEADSTAND
Definition: Is a pose that is an inversion posture of standing head down. The technique is used in different settings such as yoga, breakdancing, acrobatics and beginner gymnastics.
Balance for set time, lengthened back, neck long, head and hands in triangle, shoulders pressed away from ears, abs engaged, knees bent, feet stretched, toes point up. Can practice different variations with legs.
VIDEO: How to headstand!
ballet CHAÎNÉ
Translation: Chains, links.
Definition: A series of rapid half turns on demi-pointe, or if wearing toe shoes, en pointe in a straight line or in a circle.
Technique: The dancer lifts onto relèvé (either demi-pointe, or if wearing toe shoes, en pointe), and then pivots from side to side, crossing the stage. Arms are typically held in a nice, round first position.
Chaînés are almost always performed on the diagonal, and as quickly as the dancer can move! The most common place for a chaînés turn is at the end of a phrase in choreography: typically, to help move the dancer from the center of the stage off into the wings.
VIDEO: How to chaîné!
hip ho COFFEE
GR
Definition: Also k helicopter, is one basic breakdanc down on one ben on your toes with either side of you Other leg is lying floor beside you. that’s on the gro being hit by you pick up your han them back on th them to pick the body up lifting it swing leg. Drop y repeat.
VIDEO: How to d grinder!
april nth!
RINDER
known as the e of the most ing moves. Go nt leg standing h your hands on ur bent knee. g flat out on the Swing the leg ound. To avoid r swing leg; you nds and put e floor, then use e rest of your t over your your body and do a coffee
jazz PIVOT TURN
Definition: A general classification for dance turns in which the performer's body rotates about its vertical axis without traveling. The performer may be supported by one or both feet, which swivel in place.
Stepping forward on one foot, quickly change direction of your body to face the opposite. Both feet remain on floor. To make a full pivot turn, step forward again, but in a line opposite from the original direction. Continue the pivot to end up facing in the original direction. Remember to spot.
VIDEO: How to pivot turn!
tap RIFFLE
Definition: A fast, rhythmic step that typically involves a quick succession of toe taps and heel scuffs, creating a rapid, percussive sound, often considered a combination of shuffle and riff elements within a tap sequence. It usually involves quickly touching the toe to the floor, then scuffing the heel, sometimes with a slight weight shift to the standing leg, and spank back.
Also known as a 3 count riff or a 3 count shuffle.
VIDEO: How to do a riffle!
Information about registering for classes for our 20262027 School-Year Session is coming soon! We are working on our membership levels and priority registration for current families and will have this information available in our May newsletter. Our goal is to have the class schedule ready for viewing in early June!
