Halloween! + Steppin' Out October News
We have really enjoyed reconnecting with our returning dancers and meeting our new ones this month. The transition into fall has been going smoothly and we are already approaching Halloween. This month we will begin fine tuning the details of the steps we've been working on in September while incorporating them into the choreography of our Halloween dances. Please see below for details.
HALLOWEEN CHOREOGRAPHY
During the month of October, we play Halloween music and work on special Halloween choreography. This mini-choreography session prepares our dancers to learn their performance dances in the spring. Choreography will be practiced and added to each week during the month of October.
COSTUME DAYS
Please encourage your dancers to wear costumes to any class between October 24th and October 30th--we'd love to see them! If costumes aren't ready, please feel free to wear something else special.
HALLOWEEN CLOSURE
The studio will be closed the day of Halloween (Wednesday October 31st). If your dancers attend Wednesday classes, you have notbeen charged for this class. Please enjoy Halloween!
MOVEMENT OF THE MONTH: PUMPKIN HEADSTANDS
Appropriate for students five years and older unless they have neck problems, the tripod (sometimes referred to as the pumpkin) strengthens core muscles while relieving stress and increasing blood flow. Plus it's a lot of fun! Have your dancers start by sitting on their knees and placing their hands flat on the floor shoulder distance apart. The top of their heads should make the tip of the triangle when placed on the ground (rugs or thin blankets are ok for padding of the head but please no pillows). Once their "base" is solid, ask them to slowly lift their hips over their shoulders and as they tighten their tummies and lift their knees onto their elbows. You can "spot" as they do this or they can use the wall for extra support.
More advanced students can try a full headstand. Follow the same beginning steps as for tripod, but extend the legs upward to a full headstand pose. Make sure the body is aligned straight up and down and the hips are over the shoulders.
DANCE IN THE NEWS: PERFECTLY NORMAL FOR ME
Please join us for a very special free event with Teacher Angela: Perfectly Normal for Me is a documentary that profiles a group of kids aged 5 to 15 who explore what it’s like to live with a variety of physical and developmental challenges. After the film, Angela and Steppin' Out danceABILITY students will talk about how dance has benefited their bodies and their lives. Part of the San Francisco Dance Film Festival, this event happens thisSunday, October 7th, at 2 p.m. at the SF Public Library's Koret Auditorium (100 Larkin Street) and is free and open to the public.
RAIN-FREE BIRTHDAY PARTIES
New families, did you know that Steppin' Out offers birthday parties on the weekends? Best of all they are entirely flexible so that you can plan the exact party you want, from basic to turn-key, at can't-be-beat pricing. Learn more.
QUICK TIP
Your children will be learning a fun new dance this month--ask them to show you at home! "Performing" offers your dancers a great opportunity to practice being in the spotlight while also challenging them to remember choreography, sequences and patterns.