We Provide A Safe, Happy, and Fun Place to Learn; With Lots of Individual Attention for Each of Our Students in Pre-Ballet, Children's, and Adult's Ballet, Theater Arts, Modern Dance, Jazz, and Tap Classes. Skills Are Mastered Rapidly. We cultivate your "line." We Emphasize Dynamics - "Our Dancers Can Really Move Beautifully!"™ - They Stand Out in Auditions. Our mission includes teaching the arts of kindness, nurturing, helpfulness, cooperation, and mutual respect, as well as individual artistry and technique. We encourage good self image, health, nutrition, and safety. Parents are welcome to observe. We invoke the performing arts, through beautiful Theatrical Performances at a level far above what is usually expected of such a diverse age group of dancers. We create exciting choreography that flows beautifully, and shows Each Dancer's Skills to best advantage. We provide a lovely, charming, and happy place for Dance Teachers who love to teach elegant theatre arts and skills to enthusiastic students in age appropriate classes and performances. We emphasize special techniques for learning faster and joyfully! \|/ Ballet Dancers Turn Out Better™ (pun intended (;-)) Enjoy! Our vision is on Our Mission and Vision page

Cecily's blog

Tuesday, March 9th, 2010 - Modern w/ Mr Walker & Rehearsal+WOTW10/Pre-Pointe/Evening Ballet w/Cecily+Jump Start Ballet 4:30!

Tue, 03/09/2010 - 07:51 — Cecily

ABT's "SMOOTH MOVES 2010" PERFORMANCES: - SATURDAY EVENING JUNE 5th And SUNDAY MATINEE JUNE 6th At The STEVIE ELLER DANCE THEATRE On The U of A CAMPUS

Delightful On-Stage Result of Miss Cecily's Tuesday Pre-Pointe-Pointe Class ♥*•♫♪... ABT's Location Plus Map ...♪♫•♥ Polichinelles Onstage Performing Twice

Our Lovely ABT Studios are located at
2512 E 6th Street, Tucson, AZ 85716
Near the corner of Tucson Boulevard,

Just Click Here to see our front door. (:-)
Please Click here to send me an instant email. Best way for quickest response.
Our phone number is (520) 869-0570


Jump Start Ballet Today Poster


ABT's "Smooth Moves 2010" Spring Performances:
Saturday Evening June 5th & Sunday Matinee June 6th
At The Stevie Eller Dance Theatre


Pre-Ballet, Childrens Ballet, Adults Ballet, Modern Dance, Tap, Jazz and Theater Arts, Classes


Every Arizona Ballet Theatre Dancer Is A Princesss or A Prince
Ballet Dancers Have The Best Attitudes
Ballet Dancers Turn Out Better™


Little Lua Miss Megan and Miss Tori in Homage 2009 First Performance ABT's Miss Willa - Stunning In Relevé - Écarté Front - Version 3 Miss Megan and Miss Tori in Cinderella Monday Evening Performance 2006 Little Lua
©Arizona Ballet Theatre 2007-2009|All Rights Reserved

"ABT Goes Nuts! Party DVDs Are Available. Pure ABT Nutcracker Fireworks!!
Please let me know how many you want for your Wonderful Family!
Thanks for your support (;-) (;-) (;-)


Good Morning ABT Dancers, Dreamers, and Busy People Everywhere,

Good Morning Dance Lovers,

I am truly feeling much better today ... almost energetic, on the "Wacky Miss Cecily Scale". For those who have been "under the weather," too, I wish you "Good Health and Happiness" - the sooner the better. Positive energy is being sent your way. health and Happiness go hand in hand. I want you to feel your best in every way. Remember Rule Number One at ABT - "Listen to your body." "Take care of your own body." Only you can do that job perfectly.

Tuesdays are always busy at ABT, and this afternoon will be no exception. The March Jump Start Ballet Class WILL BE from 4:30 to 5:30 this afternoon. Be on time for this one, please. The Pointe Class that follows starts promptly at 5:30:) An hour is hardly enough time to break apart any Basic Ballet Exercise: it is the absolute beginning of a very long process. Trust me, one can spend an entire lifetime obsessing about the fine "pointes" of ballet - for example, the use of Plié in the classroom and on The Stage; the flow of a tendu; or whether or not to wrap the foot when moving out of Fifth Front into a developpé... To wrap or Not to wrap? To be {A Dancer}or NOT to be? That is the question.

As I am very fond of pointing out, OCD tendencies - while frowned upon in many other human endeavors - are actually preferred in Dance, in Ballet, specifically. Bring it on! Bring on your obsessive/compulsive Nature. Apply your artistic and detailed attention to fine tuning your ballet abilities. It is a beautiful thing. And, a very good thing:)

Waltz of the Week Ten is Great. People look good executing it in our lovely Studios from the very first go-round. Good job yesterday. You looked like "dancers."

I will see my dancers later. I cannot wait:)

Miss Cecily Feeling Groovy

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"What will we do today?" "Same Thing We Do Every Day, Pinky"
"We'll try to take over the world" (;-)
Here are the Ballet, Tap, Jazz, and modern Dance Class Levels and Ages We Use to Take Over The World This Week. . .


Ballet Levels

Pre-Ballet - Ages 3 - 5

Kinder-Ballet - Ages 5 - 6

Ballet 2/3 - Ages 6 - 8

Ballet 4 - Ages 8 - 10

Ballet 5 - Ages 9 - 12

Ballet 6 - Ages 10+

Ballet 7/8 - Ages 12+

Adult - Ages 13+

Pre-Pointe - Ages 10+

Pointe - Ages 10+

Tap Levels

Pre-Tap - Ages 3 - 5

Tap 1 - Ages 5 - 8

Tap 2/3 - Ages 6 - 9

Tap 4/5 - Ages 9 - 13

Tap 6/7 - Ages 12+

Adult Tap - Ages 13+

Jazz Levels

Jazz 1 - Ages 5 - 8

Jazz 2/3 - Ages 6 - 9

Jazz 4/5 - Ages 9 - 13

Jazz 6/7 - Ages 12+

Modern Dance Levels

Beginning Modern

More Advanced Modern


Here is ABT's Regular Schedule of Tuesday's Fun Classes

  • A great moment during Norman's rehearsal Norman Walker's Modern Dance-I Class Image-04 4:30-6:00 PM - Modern Dance-I Beginning Modern Dance Class with Norman Walker

    • This is a great chance for you to take a modern dance program with a master teacher and a dance legend.

    Photo during Norman Walker's Modern Dance Class
    Norman Walker's Modern Dance-I Class Image-04
    ©Arizona Ballet Theatre 2007-2009|All Rights Reserved


  • Miss Cecily Presents 4:30 -5:30 PM First Tuesday of Each Month Only!! - Jump Start Open Ballet Class with Miss Cecily. All ages.
    Offered on - January 5th: February 2nd: March 2nd: April 6th: May 4th
  • Come learn Miss Cecily's Ballet Basics.
  • This is enough to get total beginners started. Provides familiarity with ballet vocabulary. Jump start your muscle memory process.
  • It also provides an excellent, highly effective, refresher for all levels!
  • Kick up your technique skill set a notch.
  • More advanced dancers will feel their dance/kinetic energy being refined.

    • __________________________\|/__________________________


    Jump Start Class 2010 Poster' - Lucinda Font

    ©Arizona Ballet Theatre 2009 All Rights Reserved

    __________________________\|/__________________________


  • Miss Cecily Explains To The Audience Cecily Presents Dancers During Pre-Pointe 2008 Perf Lecture Classics 2008 - Our Newest Pointe Dancers Making a Huge Hit with the Crowd From Pre-pointe to Pointe With Miss Cecily Senior Dancers in Red Skirts En Pointe 5:30-6:00 PM Combined Pointe/Pre-Pointe Class with Miss Cecily


  • Another great moment during Norman's rehearsal Chaz Knight in Norman Walker's "Prelude to a Journey" 2009 World Premiere 6:00-7:30 PM - Modern Dance-II More Advanced Modern Dance Class with Norman Walker


  • ABT's Miss Willa - Stunning In Relevé - Écarté Front - Version 2 Miss Megan and Miss Tori in Homage 2009 First Performance Chics Pentagon of Homage Dancers 6:00-7:00 Ballet Class for Tweens and Teens with Miss Cecily

    • Behind the Scenes Just Before the First Performance

    ©Arizona Ballet Theatre 2007-2009|All Rights Reserved

    Norman and I will see you all this afternoon, in our very special and cheery ABT Dance Studios.


    Chinese Dance - Delightful On-Stage Result of Miss Cecily's Tuesday Pre-Pointe/Pointe Class!!!
    Delightful On-Stage Result of Pre-Pointe/Pointe Classes!!!
    ©Arizona Ballet Theatre 2007-2009|All Rights Reserved

    Chinese Dancers - In Blue Green Circle
    Chinese Dancers - In Blue Green Circle
    ©Arizona Ballet Theatre 2007-2009|All Rights Reserved

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    A Slideshow of Miss Cecily's Chinese Dance - "ABT Goes Nuts!" 2009 Nutcracker Party
    It shows ABT's Nutcracker Chinese Dancers Performing Live Onstage
    at The Stevie Eller Dance Theatre, on the Campus of the University of Arizona in Tucson.
    This is the Delightful On-Stage Result of Miss Cecily's Tuesday Pre-Pointe/Pointe Class

    ©Arizona Ballet Theatre 2009|All Rights Reserved


    Here is a Slideshow of Miss Cecily's Party Scene from The Nutcracker. It is onstage at The Stevie Eller Dance Theater on the campus of the University of Arizona
    The photos were taken during Arizona Ballet Theatre's "ABT Goes Nuts!" Party Sunday afternoon, December 20th, 2009

    ©Arizona Ballet Theatre 2009|All Rights Reserved


    Slideshow of in-progress Performances of Norman Walkers New Ballet Creation During the ABT Goes Nuts! Party.
    That was in The Stevie Eller Dance Theatre last December, 2009.
    Norman's completed ballet will premier In ABT's Spring 2010 Performances on the same stage...

    ©Arizona Ballet Theatre 2009|All Rights Reserved


    The following slideshow contains photos taken during a dress rehearsal for the Spring 2009 performances at the Stevie Eller Dance Theatre.
    "ABT's Modern Dancers in Dress Rehearsal, preparing for the World Premier of
    Norman Walker's Modern Dance piece - "Prelude To A Journey." "

    ©Arizona Ballet Theatre 2007-2009|All Rights Reserved


    Here is Webmaster Chic's creation based onMiss Cecily's photo from
    Miss Cecily's Tuesday 5:30-6:00 Pre-Pointe/Pointe Ballet Class (Summer 2008)
    It's a fanciful museum display of ABT's 2008 New Stars In Class En Pointe(;-)
    Museum Presentation - ABT's New Stars of 2008 in Class En Pointe (;-)
    ©Arizona Ballet Theatre 2008|All Rights Reserved




    I will hold a Jump Start Ballet Class, on the first Tuesday of each month, at 4:30 PM.

    This class is the absolute best way to introduce any newer dancer to Ballet and to the Ballet Basics that are the foundation of every ballet class I teach. You will learn my standard barre combinations - Plies, Tendus, the Foot Exercise, The Stretch Sequence and some Center Drills. I break things apart for you; this is the "slowest" class I teach (that is a good thing in this case:). By coming to this class, you will be able to jump into other ballet classes on the ABT schedule with a feeling of preparedness and confidence. Of course, I highly recommend that those of you who have always wished you knew more about Ballet jump right in by taking a Jump Start Class. A good thing. This is an Excellent orientation, makeup, and refresher class for Dancers of ALL Ages.

      What Will You Learn?

    • You will learn ABT Basic Barre Combinations including a Break Down of the Famous Foot Exercise (which is called that for a reason - to develop your feet for Ballet!).

    • Also, my post Ronds de Jambe

    • Stretch Sequence (including the All-Powerful, "I am the Imperial Ruler of the Universe" Moment) which has resulted in such luxuriant, gorgeous backbends among my students.

    • Plus much more, I can assure you....

      • Who Should Attend?

    • 1. Newcomers - this is the class you have been waiting for, to prepare you for committing to a weekly dance schedule.

    • 2. All Miss Cecily's (My) Current Ballet Students - are invited to attend as well. Please make a real effort to attend. You will benefit enormously!

      • What Are Some Features Unique To My Jump Start Class?

    • I actually take Basic Combinations apart in excruciating detail that our regular class time slot cannot possibly accommodate.

    • Reviewing and Re-examining are always great ideas, especially when your dance/kinetic energy is being refined.

      • My "Jump Start" Class, is for all dancers, from absolute beginners age 6 years-and-up, for dancers who have had only a few lessons, and for more experienced dancers who wish to experience an intensive review. Everyone will find this class valuable and helpful. I guarantee it.

    • ABT's last Jump Start Ballet Class Was Fun & Empowering Indeed!!

      • Since "the ballet vocabulary is the same if you're eight or eighty™," you will really learn a lot! As the poster says, you will learn all you need to allow you to - "join in any ballet class with confidence.™ "

      So, everyone is welcome to join in the fun. We will review Basic Rules and Principles AND learn beginning vocabulary you will be studying at ABT. Over the last quarter century of teaching, I have developed my own, very "American" method of teaching, incorporating ideas and steps which quickly elucidate and inculcate a free thinking dance spirit within a solid foundation. Dancers who study consistently with me develop a characteristic, heart-melting, lovely, and elegant "look" which is one of my fundamental teaching goals.

      Please send me an instant email if you are interested in attending. Yes, it's fine and dandy to come without sending any email!!!

      I will continue to "take apart" our Basic ABT Ballet Vocabulary as I teach you the "Miss Cecily Combinations" that will facilitate your smooth move into the fabulous World of Ballet.

    Monday, March 8th, 2010 - Morning Ballet at 9AM - Afternoon with Miss Megan and Miss Cecily:)

    Mon, 03/08/2010 - 06:24 — Cecily
    ABT's "SMOOTH MOVES 2010" PERFORMANCES: - SATURDAY EVENING JUNE 5th AND SUNDAY MATINEE JUNE 6th At The STEVIE ELLER DANCE THEATRE On The U of A CAMPUS

    Delightful On-Stage Result of Miss Cecily's Tuesday Pre-Pointe-Pointe Class ♥*•♫♪... ABT's Location Plus Map ...♪♫•♥ Polichinelles Onstage Performing Twice

    Our Lovely ABT Studios are located at
    2512 E 6th Street, Tucson, AZ 85716
    Near the corner of Tucson Boulevard,

    Just Click Here to see our front door. (:-)
    Please Click here to send me an instant email. Best way for quickest response.
    Our phone number is (520) 869-0570


    ABT's "Smooth Moves 2010" Spring Performances:
    Saturday Evening June 5th & Sunday Matinee June 6th
    At The Stevie Eller Dance Theatre


    Start Your Energized, Empowered Tucson Day With Cecily's Adult Morning Ballet


    Every Arizona Ballet Theatre Dancer Is A Princesss or A Prince
    Ballet Dancers Have The Best Attitudes
    Ballet Dancers Turn Out Better™


    Little Lua Miss Megan and Miss Tori in Homage 2009 First Performance ABT's Miss Willa - Stunning In Relevé - Écarté Front - Version 3 Miss Megan and Miss Tori in Cinderella Monday Evening Performance 2006 Little Lua
    ©Arizona Ballet Theatre 2007-2009|All Rights Reserved

    Definitely Read ABT's Important Current Heads-Up Announcements
    Just Click Here To Be In-The Loop... Cool


    Good Morning Dancers, Dreamers & RainDrop Dodgers,

    On this unusual Monday morning in Tucson, be prepared to dance between the drops as you go about your regular tasks. It is Week Ten of ABT's Spring Semester. Quarterly tuition will be due in two weeks for those who are keeping track. Monthly tuition was due last week. Thanks everybody for keeping up. I must say, the semester is progressing very smoothly with much dance progress evident in every ballet class.

    Waltz-of-the-Week Ten 2010 will be revealed today. We have quite a repertory of waltzes thus far; I am very very pleased. All these waltzes will be performed in our June 5th & 6th Shows - "Smooth Moves 2010." It is a very good thing.

    Several dancers were missing from the Saturday jazz class; please inform us in advance of your absences. As I have tried to explain, it is very difficult to finely tune choreography when dancers are missing. I think we can do quite a bit better in this department:)

    I will be teaching the March Jump Start Class tomorrow from 4:30 to 5:30; this is your monthly opportunity to review the Basic Barre exercises at a slower pace than in a normal ballet class. I hope to see you for this very helpful hour.

    - My Jump Start Ballet Class (Tomorrow!) is designed to be an Introductory Class into the Wonderful World of Ballet; it is geared to detail-oriented beginning ballet dancers who enjoy the idea of taking the steps apart. I take the time needed to explain several of the barre exercises which provide the foundation of every ballet class I teach at Arizona Ballet Theatre. For me, in terms of my teaching style, this is a very slow class; though, I confess, we do do some fast drills at the very end just for fun:)


    __________________________\|/__________________________


    Miss Cecily's Jump Start Class 2010 poster.
    This is a knock-off of Miss Mel's lovely poster that features my Jump Start Class.
    Today, the Font is Lucinda
    Jump Start Class 2010 Poster' - Lucinda Font

    ©Arizona Ballet Theatre 2009 All Rights Reserved

    __________________________\|/__________________________

    Making the personal commitment to learn the language of ballet opens the door into a style of dance which has evolved over the last few centuries. Ballet is logical, refined, expressive and challenging. I highly recommend it. If you have always longed to move like a ballerina, the time is now. Jump Start Ballet, Tuesday, March 2nd, 2010, will get you started.

    Miss Megan teaches a full schedule on Monday Afternoon starting with Pre-Ballet/Pre-Tap at 4PM. If you have a little dancer ages three to five, feel free to bring her or him this afternoon to observe the class OR to jump in and try. I have been getting many calls for this age group; this class is one possibility; there is also a Saturday morning Pre-Ballet/Pre-Tap from 9:15 to 10 am. I will see my Monday morning ballet technique and pointe dancers this morning starting at 9AM, and this afternoon at 4:30.

    I know how busy everyone is, so please pace yourselves accordingly. Knowing when to push and when to hold back is a very important skill for any dancer.

    I look forward to another productive week,

    Miss Cecily Thinking of You & Sending Positive Energy Your Way


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    Arizona Ballet Theatre's Spring 2010 Schedule of Fun Monday Classes

  • Adult Ballet with Miss Cecily Adult Ballet with Miss Cecily - Flying Baseball Ballet Adult Ballet-w Cecily Image-1 2009 Spring Morning Ballet Class-1 9:00 - 10:30 AM Adult Ballet Technique Class with Miss Cecily

    • I'll see everyone at 9 AM with dance shoes in tow at our Morning Adults Ballet Class.


    Morning Adult Ballet Class - Candid Shot
    Adult Ballet Spring 2009 Image-1
    ©Arizona Ballet Theatre 2007-2009|All Rights Reserved

  • Adult Pointe Class Image-1 Senior Dancers in Red Skirts En Pointe Kim's Fav Arabesque IMG_3322_2 Chics Pentagon of Homage Dancers 10:45 - 11:15 Adult Pointe with Miss Cecily

    • Left: Teresa en Pointe!
    Part of a Miss Cecily photo shoot of and for Teresa after ABT's Monday Morning Adult Pointe Class
    Right: A photo of me in a similar pose.
    Chic scanned it from The Boston Ballet Company Book of 1970.
    Arizona Ballet Theatre Adult Dancer Teresa en Pointe! Young Artiste Cecily - Shot for The Boston Ballet Company Book 1970
    ©Arizona Ballet Theatre 2010|All Rights Reserved


    Our morning classes are really lots of fun, with challenging and delightful choreography by moi. Arizona Ballet Theater dancers really move beautifully. We carefully cultivate their line.

  • Pre-Ballet/Tap Class with Miss Megan Pre-Ballet/Tap Class with Miss Megan 4:00 to 4:45 PM - Pre-Ballet/Tap Class with Miss Megan in the Marley Studio

  • Miss Cecily Presents Adult Pointe Class Image-1 Senior Dancers in Red Skirts En Pointe Chics Pentagon of Homage Dancers 4:30 to 6:00 PM - Ballet 6/7 (with Pointe) Class with Miss Cecily

  • Kinder-Ballet Class in Mid Curtsey with Miss Megan Kinder-Ballet Class 2008 - One Foot Atop The Other with Miss Megan 4:45 to 5:30 PM - Kinder-Ballet Class with Miss Megan in the Marley Studio

  • Rockin Robin Stretch Exercises 5:30 to 6:15 PM - Jazz/Tap Level 1 Class with Miss Megan in the Marley Studio


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    Wonderful:) ;) ;)

    Every day is safety day at ABT, so keep that in mind...

  • Think like a dancer. Be prepared. Work consistently. Pay attention to your surroundings. Try. This is your life.;) ;) ;)



    • We want to let our new blog readers know that we are on Flickr! Here are some lovely and exciting photos of The Arizona Ballet Theatre Company Dancers performing and preparing in University of Arizona's Stevie Eller Dance Theatre.

    Click here to see the photos on Flick River!

    When it opens, just scroll down the page to see them all. It's a lovely format.


    You may also enjoy viewing some visuals on all the work that went into Creating, Rehearsing and Performing "The Magic of Dance 2009™ " at The Stevie Eller Dance Theatre at the end of May 2009.

    We hope that you and all your family's Dancers will also have a wonderful time, while learning exceptional skills, in a happy, enthusiastic, very caring, and mutually supportive group. We do focus attention on each Dancer's needs in addition to your abilities. We strongly believe that each Dancer deserves individual attention!!

    We know from experience, that you do not have to be physically perfect or have a specific body type to be happy at our lovely dance studios. Nowhere is it written that you have to be perfect before you can learn to improve!! Our focus is to help each Dancer to shine; to look her and his best in their roles at our performances.

    We believe in helping each other. Then we all look good!

    Whenever you have a question, definitely feel free to ask Miss Cecily, Mister Walker, Miss Megan or Miss Tori. You can also ask an older dancer. We all want to help you learn, and to enjoy being here. Please remember, this is your safe and happy place!!

    You should look through our guide web pages called ♥ A Happy Dancer's Resources and Links - With Useful and Helpful Stuff For A Dancer's Well Being! It may answer many of your questions. If not ASK away! Also, if you think we have missed something that interests you, please tell Miss Cecily, before or after class, or send her an email message. Remember, the guide is to help YOU. If it doesn't, then we need to improve it!!!

    MISS CECILY's FAVORITE BALANCHINE BALLETS!!

    You may enjoy reading more of Miss Cecily's musings on her favorite Balanchine Ballets."

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