Celebrate “The Nutcracker!”

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, and that means Nutcracker season is in full swing!
We’ll be closed December 21-January 4, but that doesn’t mean you can’t celebrate this beloved holiday classic at home. Looking for some fun Nutcracker-themed activities to try over Christmas break? Let’s get started!

●      Host a Watch Party
Can’t make it to the theater? Bring the theater to you! Performances of The Nutcracker are available in full on plenty of streaming services, or even on YouTube. Make popcorn and hot cocoa or set out bowls from the Land of Sweets, get cozy on the couch, and enjoy the performance! (Homemade tickets, theater attire, tutus, or Christmas jammies optional.)

●      Put on a Show
This one is simple! Dance out your own Nutcracker production at home. Find an open space, pull out your old recital costumes or dress-up bins, make some props, and set the stage! Cast siblings, stuffed animals, or even the family pets as the stars. Turn on The Nutcracker soundtrack and have fun with your very own moves and costumes!

●      Arts and Crafts
Why not make it a whole Nutcracker day? From coloring sheets and DIY ornaments to fairy wands and paper snowflakes, there are lots of ways to make a piece of this story. Cook up some sugar plums, go on a Nutcracker Ballet Scavenger Hunt, or even Save The Nutcracker from the Mouse King with escape-room style clues. Just search “Nutcracker crafts” in Pinterest or your favorite browser!

Hungry for more? We’re ready to help!

 Nutcracker-Inspired Classes to Try in 2026
Free Trial Week is coming up again January 5-10, 2026. Did a workshop, performance, or video of “The Nutcracker” leave you inspired? Here are a few places to start:

●      Pre-Pointe
Did you love the snowflakes, flowers, and Sugar Plum Fairy? Start working toward some pointe shoes of your own! Turning Pointe’s pre-pointe class is a pre-requisite for pointe work designed for students ages 11 and up who have had at least 2-3 consecutive years of ballet training.

Students will need a yoga mat, beach/bath towel, foam roller, and tennis ball. Students will be assessed by our team of pointe teachers in April to determine if they are ready to move into Beginning Pointe. Taking a minimum of 2 weekly ballet technique classes along with pre-pointe is encouraged and preferred!

●      Combo Classes
The best thing about “The Nutcracker” is that it features all kinds of dancing! From the passionate flamenco-inspired movements of the Spanish Coffee to the quick, nimble footwork and precise gestures of the Chinese Tea, just like our favorite Christmas treats, no two sweets are exactly alike.

At Turning Pointe Dance, Twirl and Primary-level students can embrace different movement qualities in a combo class! Students will increase their understanding of ballet while developing coordination and rhythm through tap dance. Combo classes are a great way to try new styles and decide what you like best.

●      Ballroom
Did you love party scene dances? Try your hand at partnered steps in Turning Pointe’s ballroom class! You’ll learn the basics of American Smooth and American Rhythm style dances as you develop posture, coordination, balance, and control through a series of steps designed to carry each couple effortlessly across the dance floor.

Upon completion, each student will have the ability to recognize and match each style of dance to the appropriate style of music and perform the basics and beginning supplemental steps of waltz, foxtrot and tango, east coast swing, salsa, cha-cha, and rhumba. It’s the perfect way to prepare for weddings, social dancing, or the next Stahlbaum Christmas party. No partners necessary!

Ready to start the journey to your own magical stage experience? Don’t delay! The last day to register for 2026 recital classes is January 31!

Five Reasons to Dance at Turning Pointe in 2026

Whether you take one or two classes a week to stay in shape, you’re taking your first dance class this semester, or you’ve been training hard for a future career, there’s one thing we can all agree on: Dancing is fun! Think physical activity with human connection and a heart of worship. New year’s resolutions are right around the corner, so let’s talk about dancing your way through 2026—and why you should join us next year at Turning Pointe Dance!

1. We’re Committed to Excellence

 For more than 20 years, Turning Pointe Dance has been dedicated to providing high-quality dance and theater instruction while cultivating hearts of worship and nurturing creativity. We specialize in beginners of all ages and offer training through pre-collegiate levels. Our dancers go beyond technique to develop important life skills including learning to be respectful and confident, and share their gifts and talents with the community and beyond.

 How do we do it? Turning Pointe provides a carefully-constructed curriculum that introduces steps and concepts at an age-appropriate pace to make sure our students develop their skills in a safe and healthy way. We believe that a well-designed curriculum plays a significant role in helping our instructors achieve growth in each and every student! Our class structure allows students to take responsibility for their progress, supports our instructors, and unifies training across levels and genres. You can read more about that here! And since we’re developing a performing art, our training structure incorporates three parent Peek Weeks per dance year, along with a spring recital each May so students of all ages and levels can show off their skills and practice performing.

2. We’re the Premier Faith-Based Dance Studio in Colorado Springs

 Turning Pointe dancers go beyond technique to develop important life skills including learning to be respectful and confident, and share their gifts and talents with the community and beyond. Our mission is to fully develop a dancer’s skills and talents in an atmosphere that is glorifying to God. Our vision is to be a faith based center for the arts in our community that empowers students with grit, grace, and gratitude for the arts and for His Kingdom. Our long-term goal is to see Turning Pointe students flourish in their gifts, and equipping students to reach their unique calling by strengthening the body, mind, and spirit. We offer excellence in training in a safe and secure facility, with instructors who are background checked and CPR certified.

 Our mission and vision statements begin to play out in the ways we differentiate ourselves from the surrounding dance studio culture. We choose music that fits the wholeness of our endeavor and the culture we are trying to create which reaches beyond just dancing. We carefully choose costumes that are age appropriate, beautiful but appropriately modest, yet fun that both parents and children love! Our choreography is appropriate for audiences and dancers of any age and our professional staff members are great role models for students. Each of our dance classes incorporate prayer and verse of the month, keeping the focus of class time on the Lord, and put our faith in action through monthly outreach and community service initiatives.

3. We Offer Unique Opportunities for Training and Advancement

 In addition to our regular session classes, Turning Pointe is proud to offer pre-professional training through special programs and performance companies. Students interested in classical ballet development can audition for the Training Division, or enroll in Cecchetti Syllabus and Exam courses. Students seeking growth in musical theater can audition for STARZ Theater Company, and students interested in dance performance and arts-based mission work can audition for Fidèle Youth Dance Company. Turning Pointe Dance even offers an extensive Teaching Assistant and Intern Program for students interested in becoming a student teacher or pursuing a career in dance or theater education.

●      Learn more about the Training Division/Cecchetti Syllabus

●      Learn more about STARZ Theater Company

●      Learn more about Fidèle Youth Dance Company

●      Learn more about Turning Pointe’s TAI program

4. We’re “The Best of the Springs”

 Don’t take our word for it! “Best of the Springs” is a survey of Colorado Springs Gazette readers’ favorites in six categories. If appropriately nominated, businesses appear on a ballot of the city’s top 10 most-loved establishments. Members of the Colorado Springs community can vote for their favorites beginning in December before winners are announced each April.

 Through your support, Turning Pointe Dance has been awarded “Best of the Springs” for the last 10 consecutive years, earning a “Gold” distinction in the categories of Dance Studio for Kids and Dance Studio for Adults.

 We’re honored to be nominated again for “Best of the Springs 2026,” and we’d love your support! Vote for Turning Pointe Dance in these Arts & Entertainment categories: Dance Studio for Kids; Dance Studio for Adults, and vote for STARZ as best Theater Company, or best musical (Peter Pan, Fiddler on the Roof).

 Click here to cast your votes!

5. You Have Plenty of Options

 The bottom line? We want you to love dancing! Come and experience the Turning Pointe Difference in a way that aligns with your schedule, budget, and goals.

 Not sure which classes are a good fit? We have Free Trial Weeks coming up December 15-20, 2025, and January 5-10, 2026. Just check-in with a staff member at the front desk before giving class a try!

 Ready to join the school-year session for the second semester? Don’t miss your chance to join us on stage this spring! Registration for 2025-26 recital classes ends January 31.

 Looking for a smaller commitment? Try new Spark Sessions at Turning Pointe! Coming up Saturdays in February and April, these special 4-week mini sessions are designed for flexibility, fun, and discovery. Whether you're popping in just for the month or adding it to your regular schedule (at a discounted rate!), Spark Sessions are a low-commitment, high-energy way to explore new styles, challenge yourself, or simply keep moving. Perfect for all levels!

Check out what’s coming up or enroll for Spark Sessions here.

 If you’re on board but you’re not sure your dancer is ready, try a one-day event like The Nutcracker Sweet Workshop (December 13), Daddy-Daughter Dance (Feb. 7), or Mother-Daughter Tea (May 2). These special dance days can give younger students a taste of what to expect and leave them excited to come back for more!

A Brief History of Jazz Dance

Adding a jazz class gives an advantage to any dancer’s training schedule. Not only do the athletic and energetic movements improve strength and endurance, but the expressive nature and upbeat music of this genre have been proven to boost mental well being. There are plenty of other fast-paced classes and styles of dance to choose from though, right? So why is jazz so important to dance? Simply put, jazz has the unique ability to cross-train between genres. That is, students who take jazz have the advantage of cross-training their skills by increasing their musicality and dynamic performance qualities. To understand what we mean, you’ll need a brief history of jazz dance. That’s why, at Turning Pointe Dance, we incorporate History & Connection Targets in every level of our jazz curriculum.

 Jazz dance is deeply tied to American social history and cultural fusion, with roots in African rhythms and movements that have continuously evolved over time. Its roots lie in African-American communities in the early 20th century, blending African traditions with European influences in response to jazz music. It evolved through social dance, and later developed into more commercial use by choreographers like Jack Cole, Matt Mattox, Luigi, and Gus Giordano. The style has continually adapted, incorporating elements from other forms and styles, while remaining a dynamic part of modern day dance programs.

 Turning Pointe’s jazz curriculum incorporates seven different styles as students progress through the genre: Authentic Jazz and Classic Jazz (all levels), Broadway Jazz (Levels 2 and above), Lyrical Jazz (levels 3 and above), and Commercial Jazz, Contemporary Jazz, and Jazz Funk (Levels 4 and 5). As Christians, we study the Bible to deepen our faith through better understanding of God’s character and will. As dancers, we study the history of our movements to deepen our training through better understanding of each style. While Authentic Jazz Dance developed alongside the Jazz music of the 1920s-1940s — with a visible connection to African movement qualities — it developed into recent dances like the Twist, the Moonwalk, and the Cha Cha Slide. Classic Jazz began to fuse Authentic Jazz with elements of ballet, which lent itself to musical theater to create the Broadway Jazz still performed around the world today.

 By studying the Bible, we can adapt, adjust, and change our character to be more like His, studying His word and planting ourselves in His promises. In blending its authentic roots with different elements like contemporary, lyrical, and hip-hop/funk, jazz dance has uniquely continued to evolve and reflect the culture of music and dance. In studying its history, students of jazz at Turning Pointe are able to embrace the changes by dancing firmly on the genre’s roots.

 “Behold, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs forth; do you not perceive and know it and will you not give heed to it? I will even make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.” 

 — Isaiah 43:19

Jazz Classes at Turning Pointe Dance (2025-26)

Primary Jazz/Hip Hop: Wednesdays, 5:30-6:15 p.m.

Jazz 1: Tuesdays, 4-5 p.m.

Jazz 2: Tuesdays, 6-7 p.m.

Jazz Teen: Mondays, 6:45-7:45 p.m.

Jazz 3*: Tuesdays, 5-6 p.m.

Jazz 4/5*: Mondays, 5:15-6:30 p.m.

*In order to enroll in Jazz 3-5, students must have been promoted from another Jazz level or have been placed by an instructor after evaluation at a Placement Day.

 What to Expect

At Turning Pointe Dance, students are introduced to a jazz dance vocabulary including stretches, isolations, turns, jumps, and combinations. Students will gain a better understanding of rhythms, all choreographed to wholesome music. In jazz class you will learn the fundamentals of jazz, muscle isolation, and movement to different beats. This class is a fun way for boys and girls to learn a different style of dance that is very popular with a different energy.  Be ready to let loose and have fun!

 What You’ll Need

Primary Jazz/Hip Hop Dress Code: A solid color tank top or fitted tee, black joggers, leggings, or shorts, tan slip on jazz shoes and black sneakers with very little white or grey. No colors, reflective material, or blinking lights. Option to choose a jazz sneaker.

Jazz 1-5 Dress Code: A solid-color tank top or fitted tee, black joggers, leggings, or shorts, and skin tone or tan slip on jazz shoes. No dangly jewelry of any kind, and hair must be pulled back in a braid, ponytail, or bun for all classes. Other useful items: A water bottle, pen, notebook or prayer journal.

Give it a Try:

●      Free Trial Week: December 15-20, 2025; January 5-10, 2026

●      Last day to register/order recital costume: January 31, 2026

TP Top 3: Reasons to Wear a Costume

October 27-November 1 is wear-a-costume week at Turning Pointe Dance! Sure, it’s a colorful way to add some fun to your classes between fall and Christmas Peek Weeks, but did you know there’s even more purpose behind it? Yes, it certainly is fun. But it’s also so much more! Curious? Keep reading for a TP Top 3: Reasons to wear a costume to dance class this week.

1. Celebrate History

 Dancers have been performing in costumes since the 5th century BCE. The dramas of Ancient Greece were passed on to the Romans, with several similarly-timed records showing costumed dance performance documented in Europe and India. Soon after, elaborately dressed productions of Shakesphere plays took over the Renaissance period, and the rest, as they say, is history! (Want to learn more? Check out our “Brief History of Dance Costumes” here.)

 Did you know? In addition to progressive skill development, the Turning Pointe Dance curriculum includes a “History & Connection” learning target designed to help dancers understand the history of what they’re learning as they connect it to the training we receive in the studio today. Not only does studying this history provide context for modern-day dance, it shows students how dance intertwines with cultural events, and how it intertwines with our faith, creating a deeper understanding of dance as a form of worship throughout history.

 This week, we invite students to celebrate that history with costumed classes! Embrace the history of dance as you steward each step for His glory.

2. Practice Your Art

 Dance is a performing art. And just like any artform, it requires practice! We practice our steps and technique in class each week, but it’s not that often we get to practice the art of performance, and that includes practicing in costume. Our regular classwear can often feel safe and comfortable, acting as a security blanket of sorts. Challenging yourself to dance in costume can build confidence, test a costume’s effect on your movement, and help you get into character as you perform your steps for your teacher.

 Costumes play an important part on the stage, helping to enhance the visual appeal and narrative of a performance. Costumes can be used to convey the mood, style, and theme of a dance, as well as distinguish between different characters or groups within a performance. They are meant to complement the song, scene or piece, and create uniformity among the dancers. Simply put, costumes bring the entire dance to life! (Read more about all of that here.) Handling our steps with all that flare takes practice. Why save it all for recital day?

3. Embrace the Dress Code(s)

 Students at Turning Pointe Dance adhere to a strict and modest dress code, enforced in all levels and classes. Why? Dressing in proper dancewear allows your teachers to better see your movements, eliminates distractions, and allows you to move safely and properly through each combination. But as important as it is to embrace the disciplined nuances of practice, it’s also important to embrace the exciting aspects of performance. After all, it’s a big part of what we do!

 No, it’s not practical for every week. But this week, as the sun is beginning to set earlier and earlier during classes, with Peek Week behind and recitals still far away, it’s good to start building excitement toward the big picture.

 Believe it or not, that big picture is not so far away! Students have been measured for recital costumes over the last few weeks, and your costume fee is due in just a few weeks on December 1. Students opting out of recitals must do so by November 30. (More about all of that here.) So this week, grab your favorite tutu, a costume from recitals past, or anything that makes you feel confident in character. Let’s embrace one of the many things that makes this artform so special!

Why Bring a Friend to Dance?

Bring a friend week is here, and we’re so excited to share our love of dance! Year after year, when we ask our students to share their favorite parts of class, it’s never the steps or the choreography that make the list. Instead it’s the friendships—the bonds that transcend the studio walls and the relationships that encourage them in their journey to Jesus—that come front and center. And while sometimes it’s difficult to invite others to church, from October 13-18, you can invite a friend to come and experience the Turning Pointe difference as you dance together for His glory. At Turning Pointe, we know we’ve been made new in Christ, washed by the blood of the Lamb. Our community looks different. This week, let’s invite others to take part as we dance for Jesus—together!

Bring a Friend to Boost Your Friendship

Having a friend in class will help foster deeper connections. Dancing together requires synchronization and participation that take your relationships beyond typical social activities like small talk that allow you to stay safely inside your comfort zone. Whether you’re laughing at a mistake or perfectly executing a dance move, you’ll create lasting memories together in class.

Good friends know you really well, and still like you. And so it is with God, our best friend. He knows us inside out, and still loves us. Proverbs 17:17 reminds us that “A friend loves at all times.” How wonderful it is to love and pray for one another through challenges and fun, difficult exercises, our favorite choreography, and progress reports. The Lord calls us to walk together as we walk with Him. This week, we invite you to turn that walk into a dance!

Bring a Friend to Boost Your Mood

This time of year can be stressful. Midterms, auditions, looming holidays, and extra curricular activities? It can feel like a lot! Leave it all at the door this week. Let go, and encourage your friends to dance with God. Did you know dance has been proven to boost your mood, reduce stress, and build confidence? Did you also know that good friendships and social connections can improve cognitive function, create healthy habits, and provide emotional support? So just imagine what dancing with a friend can do!

Just like joining a small group at church, building your unique community at Turning Pointe can be SO beneficial—even if you’re starting small with one friend this week. Having a friend in class means you can offer each other support and encouragement in the studio and beyond. Just like in our church congregations, friends encourage deeper community and accountability within the studio, and develop leaders that can help grow our mission to make Christ easier to see in everything we do. To put it simply, dancing has been known to inspire joy. So have the best friendships. When we put those two things together in His name, there’s no stress or shadow that can stand in our way!

Ready to Bring a Friend to Dance?

 From October 13-18, all it takes is an invitation! Then have your friends sign in at the front desk before class. That’s it!

Can’t make it this week? There are plenty of other opportunities coming your way:

●      December 13, 2025: Nutcracker Workshop/Parents Afternoon Out

●      December 15-20, 2025: Free Trial Week

●      January 5-10, 2025: Free Trial Week

●      February 7, 2026: Daddy-Daughter Dance

●      May 2, 2026: Mother-Daughter Tea

A Brief History of Modern Dance

Modern dance can borrow style from genres like hip hop, break dancing, and jazz—all of which

have fascinating histories of their own. It even made way for the emergence of other popular

styles like contemporary. But what makes modern dance unique? And why is it important to

learn today? It’s more than the physical benefits of better balance, muscle strength, flexibility,

and coordination. Enrolling in modern dance class allows students to find and experience a

grounded freedom of movement—and taking modern class at Turning Pointe Dance allows those

movements to be rooted in Christ.

Modern dance is based on the broad ideas of “the opposite of ballet.” That is, it began as

rebellion from the rigidity of classical ballet. Driven by socioeconomic changes across the

United States and Europe—and a strong desire among dancers for expressive, more creative

movement—the pioneers of modern dance stepped away from structured movements, rigid

corsets, tutus and pointe shoes, in favor of breath-driven movements, natural gestures and bare

feet. As a result, the early 1900s saw dancing shift from a focus on uniformity to an emphasis on

individuality and personal expression.

The “Golden Age” followed from the 1920s-1950s, which saw the development of modern dance

techniques and the emergence of masters like Martha Graham, and Doris Humphrey and Charles

Weidman, who developed theories on modern dance composition and choreography. In the

1960s, ‘70s, and ‘80s, the genre’s original pioneers were replaced with successors like José

Limón and Merce Cunningham, who developed new styles and non-narrative variations. The

postmodern era brought a further re-examination of the style, emphasizing simple movements,

repetition, and moving in non-traditional spaces. Alvin Ailey and Twyla Tharp became icons of

the genre, personifying the innovative spirit of modern dance, and expanding the vocabulary of

classes, choreography and curriculums around the world.

Modern classes at Turning Pointe Dance are designed to honor the genre and honor the Lord.

Each genre’s curriculum includes a “History & Connection” target that encourages students to

understand the history of what they’re doing as they connect it to what they’re learning in class

today. And by taking modern class at Turning Pointe Dance, they’re also encouraged to connect

that history to their walk in His Kingdom.

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.

Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—His good, pleasing and perfect

will.” —Romans 12:2 (NIV)

Modern Dance Classes at Turning Pointe Dance (2025-26)

Modern 2: Tuesdays, 4-5 p.m.

Modern Teen/3: Fridays, 6:30-7:30 p.m.

Modern 4/5*: Thursdays, 6:45-7:45 p.m.

*In order to enroll in Modern 3-5, students must have been promoted from another Modern level

or have been placed by an instructor after evaluation at a Placement Day.

What to Expect

Modern dance classes at Turning Pointe are based off of Limón technique with infusions from

other masters like Isadora Duncan, Doris Humphrey, Lester Horton, Martha Graham, and

Katherine Dunham. Our teachers know modern is its own unique technique, not to be confused

with contemporary or jazz. While ballet is traditionally ethereal and other worldly, modern is

grounded and current. While jazz is presentational, modern is about your own internal voice. If

you are one to learn something new, this is the class! Come explore all ways we can dance using

the air, the floor, and each other.

Classes are taught through a structured curriculum designed to safely progress students from

beginning to advanced levels. Students will focus on overall development through targets that

focus on techniques, concepts specific to the genre, and etiquette, skills, gospel connections,

historical connections, and community connections.

What You’ll Need

Dress Code: A solid colored leotard or fitted shirt, black joggers, leggings, or shorts, and bare

feet. No dangly jewelry of any kind, and hair must be pulled back in a braid, ponytail, or bun for

all classes. Other useful items: A water bottle, pen, notebook or prayer journal.

Give it a Try:

● Bring a Friend to Modern Dance Class: October 13-18, 2025

● Free Trial Week: December 15-20, 2025; January 5-10, 2026

● Last day to register/order recital costume: January 31, 2026

Turning Pointe Tips for Navigating the Dance Year

Can you believe we already have two weeks of dance under our belts? Fall Peek Week will be here before we know it! As we all work to settle into our 2025-26 routines, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed sometimes. But Turning Pointe Dance is here to help. Along with some prayer, time in the Word, and your favorite worship playlist, there are some simple things you can do to navigate a successful dance year. In fact, it’s as easy as 1, 2, 3!

Step 1: Organize

Organize your gear: Now that you’re getting the hang of the dress code, schedule, and location for your classes, you can start to plan ahead. That way everything is smooth and consistent week to week! If you haven’t already, make sure your dance bag is packed with all your class essentials—like tights, proper dance shoes, hair supplies, band-aids, any other personal items you’ll need, and a water bottle. Be sure to label your dance shoes and water bottles, especially if you take combo or back-to-back classes. This can help with any lobby or classroom mix-ups! Check your dance bag before each new week (or after each load of laundry) to make sure everything is fully stocked, still fits properly, that all items removed at home have been returned to your bag, and that any old items have been discarded. That way, when class day comes, you’re already ready to go!

Organize your goals: Another great dance bag item? A prayer journal! Write down your goals for the year for each class, whether it’s mastering a new skill, gaining flexibility, or simply trying something new. Make sure your goals are clear, achievable, and within your control. Write down corrections, choreography and formations, and any other helpful tips and exercises you learn in class so you can remember and refer to them later. Write down how the Lord spoke to you in class or through dance and friendships. Write down each month’s devotions, verses, and promises. Write love letters to God. Write prayer requests, praises, and all the little challenges and victories. At the end of the dance year, you’ll be so glad you did!

Step 2: Practice

 Practice makes progress, and we don’t just mean in the classroom! Summer break usually means a more relaxed schedule, so when activities like dance start back up, it’s important to re-establish a consistent routine. That means adjusting your daily schedule to include regular practice times, prioritizing energizing/balanced meals and snacks, and getting plenty of rest. Consistency is key to improving muscle memory, rhythm, and technique. Even 15 to 20 minutes of focused practice at home can be beneficial. Once you’ve carved out consistent time, here are some things you can do:

Work: Did your teacher talk about keeping your knees straight during your tendus? Practice 16 in each direction, on both legs, while your dinner is cooking each night. Do you need to practice your class choreography? Take a video on your phone during class, then watch it so you can review the steps at home. Are you working toward pointe, better balance or ankle stability? Try 32 releves in first position while the microwave runs. You get the idea! Don’t leave all the work in the classroom, especially if you’re only in class once a week.

Worship: End each day with a worship song. Pick one that’s on your heart, step onto the Father’s feet, and let Him lead you through some improv dance time. Muscles feeling tired? Use that time to close your eyes, listen to the lyrics, and stretch. Yes, it’s important to practice your steps and technique, but it’s just as important to make a habit of consistent worship, and remind ourselves of our place as dancers in His Kingdom.

Step 3: Communicate

 After a summer away, it’s important to reconnect with your dance community. Find your friends in class, or make some new ones. Trade tips, pray together, and check in with each other when you miss something or need help. Ask questions and embrace feedback. View corrections from instructors as opportunities to grow, rather than criticism. Struggling to understand? Ask for clarification! Communication is key at Turning Pointe Dance. We are persistent in our efforts to make sure you feel fully informed. Read studio newsletters and weekly updates in full to stay on top of upcoming deadlines and events, class updates, opportunities, and ways to stay connected.

 Most of your questions are answered on our website, but if you can’t find what you’re looking for, you can always reach out to your teachers or our administrative staff whenever you need support. They’re here to help! Our 22nd year is off to a great start, and we can’t wait to dance through the months ahead with each and every student and family.

Coming Soon:

 September 20-21: Worship Dance Weekend

Learn more about how to watch or participate here!

 October 6-11: Fall Peek Week

Come into class for 10 minutes to see what our students have been working on!

 October 13-18: Bring a Friend Week

Bring a friend to try your dance class with you… just sign them in at the front desk first!

Welcome Back to Dance!

Welcome to Turning Pointe’s 22nd season of praising His name with dance! Whether your family has been with us since the beginning or this week marks your very first time through our doors, we’re so glad you’re here. As Colorado Springs’ premiere faith-based dance studio, we’re committed to providing excellence in dance and theater instruction while cultivating hearts of worship and nurturing creativity. From your child’s first class to their graduation performance, we promise to go beyond great technique to develop important life skills like learning to be respectful and confident, and sharing our gifts and talents with the community and beyond.

 This season, we’re reflecting on the power of God’s PROMISES—truths that stand firm no matter how the world shifts around us. Each month, in addition to quality, curriculum-based instruction, Turning Pointe students will study a different promise found in His Word, along with a corresponding scripture to learn and study as a class. As you drive home from dance each day, we encourage you to ask your students about what they’re learning! Ask them about each month’s promise, their verse of the month, or how they studied it in class that week. What was their favorite part of class? What’s something that challenged them? Who’s someone they met, or something new they learned about a teacher or friend?

 No matter where you are in your dance journey, or where you hope to be at the end of this class session, it’s our prayer that every student will leave class instilled with a love of dancing and the arts, an understanding of God’s promises, and how we’re called to live and dance differently because of them.

Ready to make it a great year? Here are some resources we put together just for you!

 Review:
●      Studio Policies

●      Dress Code

●      Tuition and Fees

●      Dates to Remember

Read:

●      Back to Dance Checklist

●      Why do we teach from a curriculum?

●      Tips for a successful dance year

●      Tips for new families

Turning Pointe Dance FAQs:

Can I watch my child’s class?

We do have viewing windows and the curtains to the viewing windows are open or closed at the teacher’s discretion. In our years of experience (with younger students in particular), we can maximize our time and keep their focus when distractions are limited. If there is a situation where a grandparent is visiting from out of town or a family member specifically came to see your dancer, simply communicate that with the teacher and we will make sure they get to see a portion of the class. We also have dedicated Peek Weeks in the fall and spring when parents can come in the last 10 minutes of class. In-studio Christmas programs for parents/families in December during the dancer’s class time are another opportunity for viewing.

How do I know if classes are cancelled when it snows?

There are times when we do cancel classes when D-20 does, and there are other times that the roads are clear by the afternoon and we have classes even if school is cancelled. If weather is questionable, you can check the home page of our website for info, and an email and text message will be sent if there are class cancellations. (Make sure you are opted in to our text reminders by texting START to 719-722-3902!) You can also follow us on Facebook and Instagram @turningpointedancecolorado to watch for inclement weather posts and updates.

Can I order dance clothes at the studio?

Yes! Adorn Dancewear is a convenient option for dancers in Colorado Springs, owned by Turning Pointe alumnus Abbie Van Horn. Adorn offers high-quality dancewear and shoes, hand picked by Ms. Abbie to meet your class needs. Ask about placing an order with Adorn Dancewear at the front desk, or reach out directly to adorndancewear@gmail.com 

If something comes up, how can I let my teacher know I can’t make it to class?

If you need to miss class for any reason, please let us know so we don't worry! Just fill out our quick, online absence reporting form is accessible HERE. You can take a make-up class at any age appropriate class at any time! No appointment is necessary, just check in at the front desk when you come in.

Plan Ahead:

●      Sept. 15-20: Free Trial Week
●      Sept. 20: Ballet Magnificat Dance Workshops & Magnificent Obsession Worship Dance Concert
●      Sept. 21: Ballet Magnificat performance of “The Call”
●      Sept. 26-27: STARZ Theater Company auditions for “The Prince of Egypt”
●      Oct. 6-11: Fall Peek Week

A Year in Review: Magnifying Him in Season 21

There are three ways to define the word “reflect.” The first is to throw back light or sound without absorbing it, like the Earth reflects most of the heat from the sun’s rays back into space. The second is to embody or represent something, the way a person’s behavior should reflect their values. Lastly, we can define it as thinking deeply or carefully about something—as in to reflect with joy on the year we’re leaving behind.

This year, 846 students comprised 1,482 spaces in 119 classes at Turning Pointe Dance. Those students and families voted Turning Pointe Best of the Springs Gold in the categories of Best Dance Studio for Kids and Best Dance Studio for Adults—a title we’ve been honored to hold 11 of the last 12 years. We culminated the season celebrating 28 preschool dance performances, two acting and vocal showcases, and 22 graduating seniors, and by staging 82 dances across 9 full-scale recitals.

We continued our commitment to the community by forming and fostering partnerships with Care and Share Food Bank for Southern Colorado, Springs Rescue Mission, World Challenge Kids, Children’s Hospital Colorado, Every Village, and many more. Our students performed for the Daughters of the King at First Presbyterian Church Downtown, at the International Easter Celebration at The Ascent Church, and for Sunrise United Methodist Church’s Eggstravaganza. They performed and visited with the residents of Brookdale Vista Grande and The Gardens at View Pointe senior centers, ran 2.2 miles for Baylee Hope, and both taught and demonstrated dance at Inspiration Elementary’s Family Arts Night.

More than that, each class dove deeper into the word of God. As a studio, we studied scriptures and devotional prompts, learning to magnify Him together through community, leadership, thanksgiving, praise, surrender, love, service, sacrifice, and witness. We set out not to be a microscope, but to act as a telescope—collecting the light and making Him easier for others to see. In this spirit, as we close the 2024-25 dance season, we encourage you to join us in keeping all three definitions of the word “reflect” in mind.

Rather than absorbing the spotlights and the applause for ourselves, we give the glory right back to the Father—the one who gave each and every one of us the ability to dance, sing, and perform. We thank Him for the students, staff, and families He assembled in His name this season, and give Him the glory for every challenge and success this year saw. Rather than comparing our year or our dancing and progress to others, we refine our words, hearts, movements and actions as a reflection of our Creator, mirroring His character above any way we think (or are told) we should look, or where we think (or are told) we should be. Finally, as we look back deeply and carefully on 21 years of Turning Pointe Dance, we reflect with gratitude on the years behind, and look forward to all the years of joyful dancing ahead.

To each and every student and family who experienced the Turning Pointe difference with us this season—THANK YOU! Thank you for trusting us with your training, and for believing in what we do. Thank you for your support, your grace, and for lending your time and your talents to our vision, mission and values. But above all, thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!

What Comes Next?

Read: Turning Pointe’s Top 3 Reasons to Sign Up for Summer Classes

Learn: Turning Pointe’s Summer Camps/Classes, Schedule & Policies

Register: Enroll in Summer Camps/Classes here

Upcoming Auditions:

Fidèle Youth Dance Company

●      Christmas at Sugar Plum Manor

●      2026 FYDC Missions Team

Audition sign ups open June 1.

Audition Saturday, June 28, or submit a video audition by the same day.

More information: https://www.fideleyouthdancecompany.com/auditions

Turning Pointe’s Training Division

Audition Monday, July 28

More information: https://turningpointeschoolofdance.com/training-division-cecchetti-syllabus

STARZ Theater Company

●      The Prince of Egypt

Audition sign ups open September 13.

Audition September 26-27

More information: https://www.starztheater.org/princeofegyptaudition

Magnify Him Through: Witness

We’re almost there, Turning Pointe Dance families! With nine months down and only two weeks of classes left, the 2024-25 school year dance session has almost come to a close. We’ve studied the syllabus, practiced the curriculum, and even rehearsed and performed in our costumes and classrooms. All that’s left now is to Magnify Him through witness.

Since we kicked things off back in September, as a studio, we’ve been discussing what it means to magnify the Lord through different outlets, scriptures and roles. That is, not to be a microscope that makes something small appear bigger—He is big enough already. But rather to act as a telescope, collecting the light, magnifying it, and using it to make something easier to see. Being a witness means showing (not just telling) others what God is like. It’s doing what’s right even when others don’t. It’s collecting His light and using our lives to make Him easier for others to see.

When we dance, we bear witness. Our joy, our attitude, and even the way we lift up others can point people to God. And with hundreds of people gathering at each of Turning Pointe’s nine recitals, plus vocal showcases and Twirl Red Carpet performances over the next two weeks, what incredible witnesses we can be!

Yes, we have recitals because we’re learning performing art. Yes, we have recitals to share our progress and celebrate our hard work with our friends, families and loved ones. Yes, we even have recitals because they provide a sense of accomplishment and motivation for our students.  But to truly experience the Turning Pointe difference, we encourage you to approach these coming weeks not just as a season of business or any other spring concert. We encourage you instead to magnify Him through witness.

We magnify God through our witness when we point to Him instead of ourselves. In dance, it’s easy to want to be noticed. But what would it look like to dance in a way that draws attention to God, and not just our own talent?

Students, we encourage you to use your steps to share your faith. We encourage you to live a life that demonstrates the power and love of Jesus, and share that truth with others through dance. We pray that your movements and actions will be a collection of light, reflecting the character of God in each and every moment on stage. We pray that through your performances, God will be easy for others to see.

Friends and family, we invite you to come and experience the Turning Pointe difference. Encourage and celebrate the amazing work and success of your dancers, but more than that, join us in worship and fellowship as we give this season of learning right back to the one who brought us to season 21.

“How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings the good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, ‘Your God reigns.’”  Isaiah 52:7

Need some reminders heading into the next few weeks? Be sure to check out our All About Recital page here for specific class/performance dates, dress rehearsal times, performance tickets, special keepsakes, studio and performance policies, and more!