guest post: Summer Sweeney inside Ballet Bags

Summer Sweeney is a Junior at San Marcos High School and in the Advanced Class at Goleta School of Ballet. She will be performing the roles of Clara's Mother, Snowflakes, and Sugar Plum Fairy in the upcoming production of The Nutcracker.

Summer took a peek inside some dancers ballet bags to reveal what they carry with them.

KRISTEN LEW: Advanced Division

“My ballet bag is unique because it’s signed by a lot of the alumni, teachers, and friends.”

Some of the items Kristen always carries with her are her favorite leg warmers, neck warmer, and assortment of colored leotards with matching skirts.

Anna Gilmore: Intermediate Division

“I always carry my homemade stitch kit. I’ve had it for a while, and it’s very handy for last minute fixes.”

Along with her stitch is pictured her water bottle, hairbrush, pointe shoes and flat shoes, blue skirt, and warm up clothes.

Colleen Sweeney: Advanced Division

"I carry lots of different things to help me warm up such as my theraband, tennis ball, and Icy Hot."

Colleen always has no less than three water bottles with her for class, as well as various warm up clothing such as leg warmers, and soft boot slippers for her feet.

guest post: Vanessa Kurrasch on the "Balanchine Bun"

Vanessa Kurrasch is a Junior at Dos Pueblos High School. In the 2012 production of The Nutcracker, Vanessa will play a mother in the party scene, The Rat Queen, a Snowflake, Arabian and Waltz of the Flowers.

For her guest post, Vanessa has chosen to demonstrate the high Balanchine bun.

guest post: colleen sweeney on "Stage Makeup"

Colleen Sweeney is a Junior at San Marcos High School and a member of the Advanced class at Goleta School of Ballet. Colleen has kindly put together a demonstration for how to apply stage makeup. Colleen will be dancing the role of The Maid, Lead Marzipan and Waltz of the Flowers in the upcoming production of The Nutcracker. Check out her tutorial below.

alumni profile: amber wang

amber wang (2000-2011)

How old were you when you started ballet?

I actually did a year of ballet from when I was 3 to 4 years old but I like to say that I was 7 years old when I actually started since that is when I started dancing at the GSB.



In what capacity did you continue dancing after leaving High School?

I am currently dancing as a student at UC Irvine -- they are my favorite classes. I am currently a Mechanical Engineering major at UCI.



How do you think doing ballet as a kid influenced you?

Ballet influenced my life in every way I imagine! It has taught me how to be passionate about dance and more importantly about life. Also, it was through ballet that I learned responsibility and discipline which has helped me infinitesimally throughout my life. Finally, ballet has given me a group of friends that I will forever be grateful for. I can honestly say that I have no idea where I would be without Gina, Lisa, and Emily.

Quote

““Technical perfection is insufficient. It is an orphan without the true soul of a dancer.””
— Sylvie Guillem

alumni profile: stephanie fenz rohletter

stephanie fenz rohletter (1998 - 2001)

What years did you study at the Goleta School of Ballet?

1998-2001

How old were you when you started ballet?

I was 3 when I started "creative dance," 7 when I started classical ballet.

In what capacity did you continue to dance after leaving high school?

I left San Marcos High School after my junior year to study at Pacific Northwest Ballet School in Seattle. I finished my high school diploma by correspondence, and studied at PNBS for three years. While there I studied with the school as well as danced in performances with the company. In 2004 I was hired into Ballet West in Salt Lake City as an apprentice, was promoted to corps de ballet member in 2005 and danced with the company until 2009.

How do you think doing ballet as a child & teenager helped or influenced you later in life?

I became a ballet dancer because of the way I am. But doing ballet through my life enhanced these characteristics even more, and helped to shape the person that am today. Ballet requires a tremendous amount of discipline, work ethic, and most of all determination. Ballet requires the dancer to attempt to achieve perfection every day, even though perfection is always just out of reach. So every day you strive towards that ideal, you can never be idol. Today I apply these principles to everything I do. I am an idealist, I always want what I do to be better. This keeps me working hard every day, in anything I am doing!

What was your favorite role you danced professionally?

My favorite role and ballet was corps in Serenade. When I performed this with Ballet West at The Kennedy Center I almost started crying during final bows, it was just so moving to dance an amazing piece of choreography to such beautiful music in front of so many people.

What advice do you have for young dancers when setting goals for improvement?

My advice for young dancers setting goals for improvement is to pick only one to two goals at a time, then work your toosh off until you reach them! You want to pick something attainable, then practice practice practice until you get it right. Stay after class to practice, ask your teacher to help you, and sometimes asking a fellow student to help you works the best.  The boys in ballet west used to have "friendly competitions" over who could do the most pirouettes, and it really helped them improve! Most importantly don't let yourself get frustrated, don't give up on your goals. If something just won't work for you that day, hang up your pointe shoes and come back and try it again the next day. Ballet is about trying to be perfect, but no one is perfect, so don't let it get you down when you're not perfect!

What are you currently doing?

After retiring from Ballet West I enrolled at the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale's International Culinary School. I attended AI from 2010 to 2012 and received my Associates in Arts in Baking and Pastry in June of 2012. While studying at AI I worked as a server, restaurant supervisor, and finally a baker at the Marco Island Marriott Beach Resort and Spa. While there I met my now husband, Clint Rohletter. In June of 2012 we moved to Atlanta. I now work as a Restaurant Supervisor at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis.

Further thoughts?

I just want to thank Lisa and Emily for being such great friends, role models and teachers through what was a pretty difficult time in my life. I met Emily in my freshman year of high school in Theatre Arts class. Although I was a "bunhead" with an XFiles binder and Dance magazines in my backpack she befriended me without question. I had just left my former ballet school and lost a lot of my friends because of it, and Emily invited me to take classes with her mom at the GVCC. Lisa was one of the kindest, most intelligent teachers I had. She was always so sweet when teaching classes, but at the same time didn't let you quit when you were tired and always had great corrections when a certain move wasn't going as planned. They supported me in all of my endeavors, and I'm so glad I got to be a part of their wonderful school! Thank you Lisa and Emily :)

Photos: Stephanie Fenz at Ballet West

Advertise in The Nutcracker Program

Advertise in the Goleta School of Ballet Program for The Nutcracker!

1/4 page - $75
1/2 page - $150
full page - $300
double page - $600
FULL COLOR

The Goleta School of Ballet will be presenting THE NUTCRACKER at the Marjorie Luke Theater on December 1st & 2nd, 2012. We will be creating a beautiful **full color 5 1/2 x 8 1/2 program** to be given out to all audience members at the performance. We ask local business and families to help support the school as we take on this re-vamped production in our 23rd Nutcracker performance. The program will feature beautiful photography for the production and behind the scenes rehearsal photos as well as other fun Nutcracker information.

We also offer additional advertising on our poster and postcards as well as a link on the website promotional materials for an additional $75. This is a great way for businesses to advertise to the local community and maximize your exposure as we promote our production. This is available to any business that places an ad of 1/2 page or more.

Personal ads congratulating dancers or the school are welcome, as are donations. Donations will have a listing in the program as a supporter of GSB.

Please use our registration form at http://goletaschoolofballet.com/nutcracker-advertising to reserve your space and an invoice will be sent to you.

Deadline for additional advertising registration & Logo, **Monday October 1st**. Deadline for ad registration for program - **Wednesday October 17th**.

All artwork & logos should be emailed to emily@goletaschoolofballet.com

Alumni Profile: Jessica Nelson

jessica nelson (1994 - 2008)

Jessica dancing the lead in Giselle in the 2008 Spring Performance

How old were you when you started ballet?

3 years old

What years did you study at the Goleta School of Ballet?

1994-2008 (plus a summer intensive in 2010)

In what capacity did you continue to dance after leaving high school?

The college I attended did not have much of a dance department, so I did not continue training in ballet, but I was on the dance team there for two years. I also returned to GVCC to teach at dance camp in 2009 and to participate in the intensive in 2010. I am now starting up ballet classes again at Duke University where I just started graduate school.

What are you doing now?

I am a first year in the Biology PhD program at Duke University.

How do you think doing ballet as a child & teenager helped or influenced you later in life?

Ballet became an integral part of my identity and view of the world. For better or worse, it shaped my aesthetics and some of my values. I learned to work hard, to always strive to do better, and to seek grace in actions even outside of ballet. I also gained what I think will be a life-long love of dance and the tools to quickly pick up many other forms of dance.