Its a new year at Studio Forte! Lots of new classes are happening and new ones are forming! Check out the schedule for the options…it is never too late to start!

I don’t have a refrigerator in the studio, but I have my own personal refrigerator door filled with beautiful artwork from my students. They have filled up this door and I am starting on another door! LOVE IT!

Here is Will, my brother. He is known in my family for being able to fix/repair/figure-out anything. Its pretty amazing. So here he is, tuning up the serger getting it all ready to go for costume production!

Here is a picture of Claire. She and Felicity decided to come to dance class completely matched. Felicity can even do a proper second position

Here is a picture of Amelia. She is in the 3 and 4 year old class on Thursday mornings. She has completely accessorized her dance outfit and is ready for dance class. Too CUTE!

During the 3 and 4 year old class Isabela’s little sister decided to join the “big girls”. She loved trying to be like her big sis!

Lila came to dance class in her black leotard and pink tights. So did her doll, Kit. I had to snap a picture of this:

Just a friendly reminder to make sure everybody is wearing pink tights and black leotard with an optional skirt to class. This is the “official” uniform, though I haven’t really made a big deal about it recently. You might as well go ahead and invest in these things because you will need them for the recital! The kiddos are welcome to wear any style of black leotard as long as it is black! Thanks!

So Saturday I thought it would be fun to make cookies for all of my dance and music students. I didn’t quite realize what a big project I was signing myself up for. I am proud to say I completed it all over the weekend and they are all ready to pass out to the kiddos. And, I must say, they are pretty tasty. (yes. I have sampled a few

Meet Mom. Well. Her name is Jo-Ellen.  Jo-Ellen McDonald. She is my Mom and words can’t describe how amazing she is. I love this woman.

Around this time of the year you will see her pop in and out of the studio at random times. She is in charge of costumes and I thought it would be a good time for you to know the process at the studio.

At most dance studios you pay a recital fee of $100 or more, the teachers order the costume from a dance costume catalog, the costumes come in the mail and your done. Easy.

Here at Studio Forte – Dance and Fine Arts we do things a little differently. All the students have hand designed and handmade costumes for the end of the year recital. I know the quality and creativity that can go into each and every costume is so much higher than a costume ordered from a bulk catalog. (You have seen the pictures in the studio!) They are tailored for the individual dance, they aren’t cheaply put together and these costumes won’t fall apart a few days after wearing them.

So back to the process. After I have picked the songs for kids dances, started the choreography and taken the kids measurements, My Mom and I drive to Dallas (the 3rd largest fashion capitol of the world!) to pick out material particularly for your child. We go through aisles and aisles of bolts of fabric and spend an entire day making sure we have made the right choice.

We then pile it all in the car and head home. Now the real fun begins. I let Jo-Ellen know what I am thinking for particular designs that would work well with the song/choreography and she gets to work. She makes what is in my mind come to life! She cuts and sews and sergers and tweaks and by recital time the students are lookin’ good!

So if you see this random woman at the studio, know that she isn’t random and that she plays a big part in the dance recital production.! Oh, and she is a total people person so you better watch out, she will get your whole life story out of ya and love every minute

Watch this space for a definite recital date! I should know in a few days!