Arizona Ballet Theatre's Mission, via its school and studios in Tucson, is to provide the highest quality educational experiences in performance-oriented ballet, modern dance, jazz, tap and theater arts, and to provide a safe, happy and fun place to learn, a place where these educational experiences can quickly come to fruition. The performing arts are to be invoked and made possible through an emphasis on strong technique and artistic-based instruction. The educational experiences are to include participation in unusually beautiful and elegant Theatrical Performances at a level far above what is usually expected of such a diverse group of dancers. Our mission includes teaching the arts of kindness, nurturing, helpfulness, cooperation, and mutual respect, as well as those of individual artistry and excellence. This overarching mission embraces, expounds, and encompasses various mission elements, including: providing age appropriate classes and performances; making learning faster and much more fun for all; encouraging and promoting good health, nutrition, and safety; providing a lovely, charming, and happy place for Dance Teachers who love to teach elegant theatre arts and skills to enthusiastic students; ensuring that the school and evolving mini-company be extremely strong in technique and artistry; providing lots of individual attention, including foot flexibility enhancing, and foot molding exercises; creating exciting, fluid choreography that flows beautifully, and that shows each dancer's skills off to best advantage.

Cecily's blog

Welcome to Arizona Ballet Theatre in Tucson

Sun, 05/11/2008 - 14:58 — Cecily
Our phone number is (520)322-8019 - Click here to send me your instant email.

Ballet Dancers Turn Out Better™

We Provide A Safe Place for our Students in Pre-Ballet, Children's Ballet, Adult's Ballet, Theater Arts, Modern Dance, Jazz, and Tap Classes in Our Dance School With Studios In Tucson.

Miss Cecily Starts Her Day With Adult Ballet! (How alliterative.)

✡ ✡ Our Own Miss Megan is Engaged to Be Married! ✡ ✡

To Read Miss Cecily's Daily Blog, providing current information and thoughts to our Arizona Ballet Theatre Dancers and their Families in the Tucson metropolitan area, please scroll down this page.

Our Fall Semester 2008 Has Begun, as of Sunday, August 17th. I am continuing to teach my Morning Adult Ballet Classes on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings, as usual. I will announce important news items in my Blog each day. Please read it faithfully.

Please move your mouse curser over the following text and click to view our Fall 2008 Class Schedule Rev. 1, Additional Comments, Dress Code, Policies Manual and our Fall 2008 Tuition Table which is subject to change in this chaotic environment.

It's a good idea to read our Policy Manual. It's one of the mutually supportive ways we try to live up to our Mission and Vision.


Our fabulous ABT Video DVDs of the "Classic 2008" Performances at the Stevie Eller Theatre, are available. DVDs for both "Classics 2008" Shows are currently on sale at the Studio for $30 each. So far, balletomanes - ballet fans - have purchased over thirty of these wonderful DVDs. The Sunday performance is the top seller.

Here is a sample of the video of "Homage" from our DVD. Needless to say, the quality of You Tube is quite poor and in no way indicates the crisp sharp video of our performers on our professionally recorded DVD.

Last year's "Choreographic Homage 2007" DVDs are also available on a first come, first served basis for $10 each while supplies last. If you never bought one for your family, I recommend it. You will be amazed to compare and see your personal growth documented and in excellent color and sound quality...

Your dancer(s) and your family and guests will love them. We already know that four and five year old dancers happily and excitedly watch them all the way through in one sitting. So will GrandParents, GrandAunts, and GrandUncles and You. Many times, I suspect!

Have you ever seen performances of such high quality with such young performers? As a number of you pointed out to me - it's quite extraordinary, to say the least.

We do need, and we greatly appreciate, your enthusiastic support!!! Thank you.

Our Lovely ABT Studios are located at 2512 E 6th Street, near the corner of Tucson Boulevard, in Tucson.

Our phone number is (520)322-8019 - Click here to send me your instant email.

Here are some photos of activities related to our Arizona Ballet Theatre, School of Schools, including performances of this spring's "Classics 2008, "Choreographic Homage 2007, and our ongoing 2008 Dance Classes. Please note that dancers of all ages in our pre-ballet, ballet, adult ballet, modern dance, jazz, tap, and theater arts classes participated, as well as professional level and adult dancers who joyously continue to take classes in our Tucson studios.

Group After Sunday Matinee Megan Jumping in Dance Partita
©Arizona Ballet Theatre 2008|All Rights Reserved

Signature of homage Megan, Tori, and Kaley
©Arizona Ballet Theatre 2008|All Rights Reserved

A great moment during Norman's rehearsal Dance Partita by Norman Walker - All Jumping
©Arizona Ballet Theatre 2008|All Rights Reserved

Jumping for Joy
©Arizona Ballet Theatre 2008|All Rights Reserved

Little Ones WithTheir Buddy, Doctor Joy Lavender & Blue Teens
©Arizona Ballet Theatre 2008|All Rights Reserved

Please remember to subscribe to Arizona Ballet Theatre's RSS (Really Simple Syndication) alerts in your web browsers. That way you will know when some thing new is added to the blogs and other pages here. It's a half hourly update. That's quite handy.

Thursday, August 28th, 2008

Thu, 08/28/2008 - 07:21 — Cecily
Our phone number is (520)322-8019 - Click here to send me an instant email.

Ballet Dancers Turn Out Better™

Every Arizona Ballet Theatre Dancer Is A Princesss!!! or A Prince!!! -- Se ñora Cecilia

Start Your Tucson Summer Day With ABT Adult Ballet

Jump Start YOUR Ballet Dream In Captivating Color!! -- ¡HOLA BAILARINES!

Good Morning Dancers & Dreamers,

As Labor Day Weekend approaches, I want to thank you all for keeping me apprised of your plans. I appreciate the messages, notes, and emails tremendously. Also, your fellow dancers miss you when you are absent and always ask if I have heard from you. Happily for all, I usually know what is up which makes everyone more relaxed and dance-ready in the moment. A Family Centered feeling is alive and well at Arizona Ballet Theatre making for a wonderfully supportive dance community, an atmosphere that I personally adore.

  • Yes Yes Yes!!! Megan, Tori, Chaz and I will be teaching our normal schedules this Labor Day Weekend and Monday. So come take all your classes that you want to. All the Saturday classes are off to a great start...very nicely attended. Chaz had an excellent turn out for his first Saturday Stretch class last weekend; I expect even more this weekend since several interested dancers were totally unaware that he had even started. Hint Hint. That said, please continue to scan the website and Blog daily for updates. They might surprise you and in a very good way!

    • Dance School schedules are subject to change since so much is dependent on the changing schedules of every single dancer; every new school year means a period of adjustment. I usually have a good feel for what is working and what isn't the week following the Labor Day Weekend. This year, wonderfully, attendance has been better than ever before for ABT. Thank you thank you thank you.

  • I want to emphasize that a new Thursday class offering, of which I think many may be unaware, is on the ABT schedule for our ever eager dancing adults - Tap with Tori. This class runs from 5:30 to 6:30 Thursday evenings; my Adult/Teen Ballet runs from 6:30 to 8 PM. You can take them back-to-back for an excellent Thursday evening dance extravaganza.

  • By the way, Megan's Kinder-Ballet Class is almost maxed out; if you haven't yet registered your new Kindergarten aged dancer, make sure you attend today to claim your child's spot before we must close the class.

  • Remember that at ABT we are not able to take credit or debit cards; therefore, you need to bring personal checks or cash.


    • Here is the Schedule of Today's Classes

  • Kinder-Ballet Class with Miss Megan 4:45 to 5:30 PM - Kinder-Ballet Class with Miss Megan in the Marley Studio

  • From Pre-pointe to Pointe 4:30 to 5:30 PM - Children's Ballet Level 4 Class with Miss Cecily in the Wood Floor Studio

  • Rockin Robin 5:30 to 6:30 PM - Jazz/Tap Level 1,2 Class with Miss Megan in the Marley Studio

  • Torey and Kaley 5:30 to 6:30 PM - Adult Tap Class with Miss Tori in the Wood Floor Studio

  • Miss Cecily Presents 6:30 to 8:00 PM - Adult Ballet Class with Miss Cecily in the Marley Studio



    • Ooops, how

    Wednesday, August 27th 1. Wednesday's Schedule Change - 2. Spring Show Dates - 3. Yes, Classes on Labor Day Weekend

    Wed, 08/27/2008 - 14:47 — Cecily
    Our phone number is (520)322-8019 - Click here to send me an instant email.

    Ballet Dancers Turn Out Better™

    Every Arizona Ballet Theatre Dancer Is A Princesss!!! or A Prince!!! -- Se ñora Cecilia

    Start Your Tucson Summer Day With ABT Adult Ballet

    Jump Start YOUR Ballet Dream In Captivating Color!! -- ¡HOLA BAILARINES!

    Good Afternoon Dancers & Dreamers,

    First Three Quick Reminders...

  • The first reminder is that this afternoons Pointe 3,4 and Adults Class has been lengthened by one half hour. It now goes from 5:30 70 7:00 PM.

  • The second reminder is that the dates for our Stevie Eller Spring 2009 Show are: Saturday Evening, May 30th, and Sunday, Matinee, May 31st, 2009. It will be hard to top our Classics 2008 shows! We say that every year AND we still manage to collectively outdo ourselves amazingly well. I continue to be so proud and happy about the wonderful dance work that we accomplished last year and the potential for the months ahead.

  • The third reminder is that we will be holding classes this coming weekend which is the Labor Day weekend!

    • Now, here is today's schedule of classes:

  • Adult Ballet with Miss Cecily 9:00 - 10:30 Adult Ballet with Miss Cecily

  • Miss Cecily Presents 4:30 -5:30 PM Learn-to-Turn with Miss Cecily

  • From Pre-pointe to Pointe With Miss Cecily 5:30-6:30 PM Pointe 3,4 Class with Miss Cecily

    • Yes...

    Tuesday, August 26th, 2008 - Fall Semester Classes Day This Afternoon and Labor Day Weekend

    Tue, 08/26/2008 - 07:36 — Cecily
    Our phone number is (520)322-8019 - Click here to send me an instant email.

    Ballet Dancers Turn Out Better™

    Every Arizona Ballet Theatre Dancer Is A Princesss!!! or A Prince!!! -- Se ñora Cecilia

    Start Your Tucson Summer Day With ABT Adult Ballet

    Jump Start YOUR Ballet Dream In Captivating Color!! -- ¡HOLA BAILARINES!

    Good Morning Dancers & Dreamers,

  • As the ABT Family continues to adjust to new "Fall" schedules, please remember to check the Home Page of the website and the Blog once or twice a day for the "Changes" being implemented to our new Fall 2008 Schedule.

    • For example, as is already shown in the Revision 1 of the Schedule that is now on the website, tomorrow and until further notice, I have added a half hour to the afternoon 5:30 Pointe Class. The class can be taken on Pointe by the Committed Pointe Crowd, and on Flat slippers by the Committed Evening Adult Crowd or teens who simply want to dance more... That change goes into effect tomorrow.

    There were changes made to the Monday afternoon schedule which came as a surprise to a few attendees, one of whom admonished himself for not having checked the website. You will find that your life as family organizer and/or chauffeur will be less stressful and more efficient by taking a few seconds to scan the website for recent changes. I intend to communicate with the ABT family though cyberspace whenever possible.

    For your convenience, here is ABT's Fall 2008 Class Schedule, Revision-1

  • Since next weekend is Labor Day Weekend, many have asked if we will be holding all our classes including this Saturday and Labor Day Monday. Yes. Yes. Yes. A resounding yes.

    • Megan, Tori, Chaz, and I are adjusting to our new fall schedules just as you are. If you will be away, simply make up your class by the end of September by taking ANY OTHER CLASS that intrigues you AND fits your schedule.

    I have a very flexible attitude about mixed level dance classes. Having learned ballet that way myself, I find it to be a wonderful way to improve faster for those who have the drive, ambition, and confidence. Life is too short to be intimidated by an art form as lovely, embracing, and graceful as ballet (and all good dance.) To me, ballet (and all good dance) is a metaphor for all the beautiful possibilities human life has to offer. Why not take the risk and enjoy the feeling of flying across the floor to gorgeous melodies that make you want to move! We want to teach you so come join the fun!


    Here is a candid shot of our Monday afternoon Pre-Ballet Class for your enjoyment. To Miss Megan, I apologize for interrupting. I simply couldn't resist capturing the moment!

    Monday's Pre-Ballet Class with Miss Megan in the Marley Studio

    ©Arizona Ballet Theatre 2007-2008|All Rights Reserved

    Here is Today's , (our current normal Tuesday) Schedule

  • A great moment during Norman's rehearsal 4:30-5:30 PM - Modern Dance - 1 - Beginning Modern Dance Class with Norman Walker

    • This is a great chance for you to start taking a modern dance program, from the beginning, with a master teacher and a dance legend.

  • A great moment during Norman's rehearsal 6:00-7:30 PM - Modern Dance - 2 - More Advanced Modern Dance Class with Norman Walker

  • Miss Cecily Presents 4:30 -5:30 PM Children's Ballet Class with Miss Cecily

  • From Pre-pointe to Pointe With Miss Cecily 5:30-6:00 PM Half -hour Pre-Pointe Class with Miss Cecily

  • Ballet Class for Tweens and Teens with Miss Cecily 6:00-7:00 Ballet Class for Tweens and Teens with Miss Cecily

  • Pointe Class with Miss Cecily 7:00-7:30 Pointe Class with Miss Cecily

    • Please remember,

    Monday Aug. 25th What to Do Should You Slip Or Fall On Stage During a Performance, As Sylvie Guillem Did In This You Tube Video

    Mon, 08/25/2008 - 12:05 — Cecily
    Our phone number is (520)322-8019 - Click here to send me an instant email.

    Ballet Dancers Turn Out Better™

    Every Arizona Ballet Theatre Dancer Is A Princesss!!! or A Prince!!! -- Se ñora Cecilia

    Start Your Tucson Summer Day With ABT Adult Ballet

    Jump Start YOUR Ballet Dream In Captivating Color!! -- ¡HOLA BAILARINES!

    Good Morning Dancers and Dreamers,

    Please take a look at our Classics 2008 Homage Video Clip on You Tube. It's also up above on our home page. It's just an excerpt, but you can see it was a wonderful experience for all the dancers. If you would like your little Pre-Ballet Princess or Prince to be in our Winter 2008 and Spring 2009 Performances in a wonderful Theatre Arts venue, you must enroll them quickly, since the Pre-Ballet classes are almost full. There are just a few open slots. Come in or click right here to send me an instant email.

    Now some quick daily Schedule information, since it's still the beginning of the Fall 2008 Semester.

    Here is the Schedule of Today's Classes

  • Adult Ballet with Miss Cecily 9:00 - 10:30 Adult Ballet with Miss Cecily

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

  • From Pre-pointe to Pointe 10:45 - 11:15 Adult Pointe with Miss Cecily

    • Our morning classes are fun, with challenging and delightful choreography. I give lots of individual attention to my dancers. I am quite motivational. My dancers make rapid progress. In order to promote safety, promote proper focus and centering, we do suitable warming up and strengthening exercises at the barre. This is followed by lots of fun choreography in Center work, with lots of movement. My hallmark is that my classes focus on movement. Arizona Ballet Theater dancers can really MOVE!

  • Rockin Robin 4:00 to 5:00 PM - Tap 2,3 Class with Miss Tori in the Wood Studio
    •

  • Kinder-Ballet Class with Miss Megan 4:15 to 5:00 PM - Pre-Ballet Class with Miss Megan in the Marley Studio

  • Rockin Robin 5:00 to 6:00 PM - Jazz Level 2,3 Class with Miss Megan in the Marley Studio
    •

    Here is a Pre-Ballet Class with Miss Megan.

    Typical Pre-Ballet Class with Miss Megan in the Marley Studio

    ©Arizona Ballet Theatre 2007-2008|All Rights Reserved

    Here is an Adult Tap Level 4,5 Class with Miss Tori

    Here is an Adult Tap Level 4,5 Class with Miss Tori

    ©Arizona Ballet Theatre 2007-2008|All Rights Reserved

    For your convenience, here is our full Revised Class Schedule.

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    Do you ever worry about slipping or falling during a performance?

    Most good dancers, even the top dancers of all time, have done both. Even Bobby Blankshine did. He told me all about it. He was trying to lengthen his airborne time during a leap, to really make it spectacular for his fans. He held his pose just a little bit too long. He had thrown caution to the winds for the sake of his art. The audience loved him all the more for trying. He said it was quite spectacular and laughed.

    Here is a video on You Tube of Sylvie Guillem slipping during Aurora's entrance in Sleeping Beauty, Act 1, (Royal Ballet).

    For all of us who think that she is perfect, here's definite proof that she has her off days too!

    Sylvie Guillem just continued dancing as if nothing had happened. Clearly, the important thing if you slip or fall is to get up as quickly as you can, pick up with the music, and smile. The audience will love you for it. The smile will turn everyone's heart over.

    You know I am such a fanatic about keeping the floors swept and clean. Ask me to tell you about the time I fell on stage a few times during a Boston Ballet Company Per

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