November Devotional: Because

Exodus 9:16: "But for this purpose I have raised you up, to show you my power, so that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth."

For the month of November, students are studying the word “Because” while reading Exodus 9:16: “But for this purpose I have raised you up, to show you my power, so that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth.” (Look for a blog post on the November verse for the Twirl program in a few weeks!)

This verse comes in the middle of the story of Moses. Moses had been chosen by God to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. He was nervous, but God gave him strength and help through his brother, Aaron. Together, they confronted Pharaoh. However, this did not go well. When Pharaoh chose not to let the Israelites leave. His heart was hardened. God had a plan, and his plan was to get the Israelites out of Egypt so He sent plagues. Even after a few of the plagues had hit, Pharaoh would still not let the Israelites leave. God still had a plan. So He sends Moses with a specific message to Pharaoh.

“Then the Lord said to Moses, “Get up early in the morning, confront Pharaoh and say to him, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of the Hebrews, says: Let my people go, so that they may worship me, or this time I will send the full force of my plagues against you and against your officials and your people, so you may know that there is no one like me in all the earth. For by now I could have stretched out my hand and struck you and your people with a plague that would have wiped you off the earth. But I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth. You still set yourself against my people and will not let them go.”

If you have read Exodus, or see The Prince of Egypt, you know what happens next. Pharaoh does not relent and refuses to let the Israelites go until the plague of the first born. Yet even in Pharaoh’s disobedience, God’s plan succeeded and God’s glory and power were proclaimed. Whoa.

God has had a very good plan from even before the beginning. His plan was to create people, lots of people. All of whom, He loves dearly. He wants his people to love Him and love each other.

This is God’s “because”:

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. - Hebrews 12:2-3

That joy set before Him, was all of us. His people loving Him and loving each other.

This then is also our “because.”

We have been created to love God and love His people. What does that look like in your life?

“I think God could untangle your soul, your story, your gifts, your people, your place, and your passions, and begin to weave it into purposes that you haven’t been brave enough to imagine.” -Jennie Allen

This year has looked very different than any of us could ever have imagined. Yet despite all of that, God’s plan is still in place. How has God used this year in your life to create a new purpose or to continue one that was already in place?

If you open your eyes and look for God’s purposes, you may not see it right away. Sometimes our humanness, pain, sorrow, or sin can make it difficult, but keep looking! God’s purposes and plan will continue.

“Now let me tell you what I know. Our God is real. Our God is coming. Our God has plans for us. Our lives are short. We must get after it. Because heaven is coming fast. And what we are about to do here is urgent. It’s more urgent than we could ever imagine. We get to play little parts in the epic story of a God who put this whole universe in motion with a word.” - Jennie Allen

 This month, as we gather in our homes to celebrate a time of gratitude, take a moment to talk about how you have seen God at work this year.

 Maybe even start a new tradition! Grab some paper and list out the many blessings God has given your family this year. Younger family members can even draw these blessings in creative ways. Save these lists and pictures for next year. If you do this every year, you will have a whole collection of reminders of the way God has continued his plan in your lives.

 On social media, we are inviting everyone to post pictures of what they are grateful for every Sunday! Check our instagram and facebook to see what we are thankful for, and then share your own gratitudes. Make sure you tag us! Let’s all create an atmosphere of gratefulness in our studio, homes, and communities.

Five Fun Facts about Jazz!

Did you know “jazz” originally referred to any dance done to jazz music? Trademarked by rhythm, clean, strong lines and isolated torso movements, jazz dance has risen from relatively non-existent in the U.S. to one of the nation’s most visible disciplines. To pay homage to this unique style this week, here are five things you probably didn’t know about jazz...

1. Jazz dance originated from African folk dances. It began as a social dance with roots in African slave dances, and over time, developed a clearly defined technique. Unlike the early Europeans (more about them in our Five Facts about Ballet), African people believed in using the whole body as a means of dance expression, hence the rib cage isolations and hip movements you practice in class today!

 2. Jazz has influenced the elements of several other dance styles. While jazz is a dance all its own, dances from the Charleston and jitterbug to the twist and disco all evolved from jazz movements. Even the elegant ballroom foxtrot borrowed European style dance steps and set them to traditional jazz rhythms. Nowadays, jazz elements can be seen on Broadway, in modern dance and even as an influence in modern ballet.

 3. Jazz is one of the youngest styles of dancing. Widely known as a foundational staple in dance studios today, jazz dance was popularized less than 100 years ago in the 1930s. It paralleled the birth and spread of jazz music, made famous by the big bands of the swing era in New Orleans, Chicago and New York City.

 4. Americans lost interest in jazz less than 10 years after its rise in popularity. Because it began as a social dance, when the U.S. entered World War II in the 1940s, the social dancing and jazz club scene diminished. It wasn’t until the next decade that the style came roaring back by making its way to the forefront of theatrical stages. To this day, jazz continues to be heavily influenced by culture, music, and society as it changes.

 5. Today, jazz is one of the most popular and visually widespread styles of dance. No longer contained to the social scene, jazz choreography now highlights the stage in popular shows like Hamilton and West Side Story, while jazz routines are performed on popular television shows like So You Think You Can Dance? and even in the ballroom on Dancing with the Stars.

 Want to learn more about jazz? Take some time to research these jazz dancers—they helped shape the steps you learn in the studio each week!

 ●      Jack Cole — Known as the “father of theatrical jazz dance,” Cole’s choreography developed a mode of jazz-folk-ballet that prevails as the dominant dancing style in today's musicals, films, television commercials and music videos.

●      Katherine Dunham — Best known for incorporating African American, Caribbean, African, and South American movement styles and themes into her ballets, Dunham influenced dancers like Alvin Ailey and made way for jazz-infused styles to be taught and performed around the world.

●      Bob Fosse — A professional dancer by age 13, Fosse is best known for his choreography, which mixes the elegance of Fred Astaire with the comedy of vaudeville. Fosse turned a spotlight on jazz by incorporating his unique style into popular shows such as The Pajama Gang, Cabaret, Sweet Charity and Chicago.

●      Gus Giordano — Creator of The Jazz Dance World Congress, Giordano earned jazz fame in the 1960s with his infusion of freestyle movement and head/torso isolations. While his techniques are still being taught today, Giordano is also credited with pushing jazz dancing to be recognized internationally as an acknowledged form of art.

●      Jerome Robbins — Originally a ballet dancer, Robbins merged his talents in ballet and jazz to cement his place among Broadway’s all-time greats. His choreographic collaborations with Leonard Bernstein led to the creation of iconic performances in On the Town, West Side Story, The King and I, Gypsy, Peter Pan, Call Me Madam, and Fiddler on the Roof, among many other Broadway, film and ballet productions.

Twirl Bible Study- October

Every month, all of our classes will study a specific verse to encourage them to grow in their faith. All of the Twirl classes study a verse that accompanies a different Fruit of the Spirit.

For October, they will be talking about kindness and Ephesians 4:32:

“Be kind to one another.”

 We want to encourage your family to make learning about this verse and kindness a family activity! Here are a few ways you can do this all week long.

Memorize
Just like last month, your dancer’s teacher will be talking about this verse each week and trying to encourage them to memorize it. This is something easy you can do at home too! Try saying the verse together at the same time each day. Maybe you can say it before bedtime, or at breakfast. For students who are learning to read, you could also make a simple puzzle by writing each word of the verse on a sticky note, then helping them to put the words in the correct order.

Read
If you want to further your family’s discussion about kindness, try using a Bible app or concordance to see what other verses you can find. You could try looking for verses that use the word kindness or kind. Or even look for stories of characters who are kind to others. Then ask questions that encourage them to think about how to be kind in their own life.

Who are we supposed to be kind to? What does it mean to be kind? Who in your life, is kind to you? Why do you think God wants us to be kind?

Practice Kindness
The best way to learn is to practice! So for this month, try and find a way to practice kindness together as a family. Here are a couple of ideas to get you started: 

●      Together, make a list of ways to be kind to your family (take turns, pick up, help with chores, etc.), and then when you see them doing one of those things, let them know that they are being kind and you are grateful.

●      “Fill someone’s bucket” or bowl or cup or whatever you have around the house. Do this activity by sitting together as a family and taking turns saying nice things about one person. You can say things about how they are helpful, creative, brave, etc. and try to give examples for them. Have someone write these things down so that you can go over them again later.

●      Find someone who maybe needs some kindness. Maybe it’s a neighbor, friend, or someone at your church who is going through a tough time. Together you can make them a sunshine kit. Just take a box and fill with things meant to brighten their day. This could be kind notes, something yummy to eat, pictures drawn by the family, or even something more specific to that person. You never know how much this might encourage someone!

Learning kindness is an important aspect of being a Christ-follower. We can show His love to others by extending kindness and thoughtfulness at each opportunity. Even our youngest dancers can be impacted by learning how to be kind to their family and friends. We pray that our studio will be known for it’s kind and loving dancers and that it will be a studio culture. This is something that even the littlest dancer can take with them wherever they go!

October Devotional: Belong

“In the same way, even though we are many individuals, Christ makes us one body and individuals who are connected to each other.”   — Romans 12:5

For the month of October, students in our upper-level classes are studying the word “Belong” as they read Romans 12:5... “In the same way, even though we are many individuals, Christ makes us one body and individuals who are connected to each other.” (Look for a guide to the October verse/Fruit of the Spirit for the Twirl Program next week!)

“Belong” can be such a tricky word. Its very definition suggests that we need to be included—that our place is to be part of a larger group. It gives the sense that we are to blend in if we want to belong. Here’s the tricky part: As Christians, we’re called to stand out! In fact, just two verses prior to this month’s verse, God tells us NOT to conform. We are instead called to be transformed by the renewing of our minds, that we might be able to test and approve what God’s will is—His good, pleasing and perfect will (Romans 12:2).

So how do we find a sense of belonging?

All too often we look for our place in this world just there, in the world, rather than seeing the “larger group” as the body of Christ. As the old hymn says, turn your eyes upon Jesus! Our verse this month tells us that God connects us, as individuals, into one body. To belong is not to conform. It’s to be a part of something bigger.

Have you ever compared yourself to your friends? How about other dancers in your class? Dancers on stage? It’s easy to do when we’re trying to fit in or belong in a certain space. But here’s the thing… we’re not all called to be ears or legs! We’re assembled into one body, by God, just as we are. Trying to belong to anything else is like comparing apples to oranges—or hands to feet! How wonderful to know that we are exactly where God wants us, each individually created to fit perfectly into His plan and place for us! We are assembled as one body, in His name.

This month, let’s stop trying to belong to this world or blend in with others. Let’s instead focus on His calling for us, not as a part of a group, but as a member of His Kingdom. We belong to Jesus. We are His forever, free from sin and redeemed. What a beautiful thing!

Worship with Us!

Need a timeout to recenter your heart on this month’s scripture? Throw on some of these songs and dance it out! Listen to the lyrics, close your eyes and let the Lord move you. Not in class, not in front of a mirror. Just you and the Father.

●      “I Belong to Jesus (Oh Hallelujah)”  — Selah

●      “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus” — Lauren Diagle

●      “Where We Belong” — Hillsong Worship

●      “I Belong to You” — Eleven22 Worship

●      “We Belong to You” — Vineyard Worship

It's Time for Virtual Peek Week!

 Have you heard? Fall Peek Week has gone VIRTUAL! October 5-10 is Fall Peek Week for Turning Pointe classes, but as is the case with most events/activities this fall, this year’s viewing will look just a bit different. While we remain committed to providing a safe and healthy dance experience for everyone, we also recognize the importance of seeing your student’s progress and sharing in the joy of dance with them! So here’s how it works:

 Step 1: Bring your dancer to class at their normal times this week. Your student’s instructor will take it from there! Videos will be taken all week long showcasing what each class has been learning and working on. Our students and dedicated instructors have been hard at work, and we can’t wait for you to see what they’ve been up to!

 Step 2: Keep an eye on your email! Peek Week videos will be added to the “Class Materials” section of your DanceWorks account. When they’re ready and available for viewing, you’ll get an email letting you know they’re there. Each class will have 5-10 minutes of virtual peek footage, so sit back, relax and enjoy your student’s demonstration! Videos will be added to your account in the next week and available to view through the end of the 2020-21 dance year.

 Step 3: Share your student’s success! Download your student’s Peek Week videos and share them with grandparents, friends and other family members. If you share them on social media, don’t forget to tag Turning Pointe School of Dance (Facebook) or @turningpointedancecolorado (Instagram) and use our 2020-21 hashtag: #TPBLVD.

 That’s all there is to it! We appreciate your willingness to try something new this season, and encourage you to celebrate your dancer and their progress this fall. We love seeing your kids every week and getting to minister the love of Christ to them. We’re honored to be included in this journey with you!

Five Fun Facts about Ballet!

Ballet is a beautiful art form that utilizes music, technique, and grace to create stories for an audience to enjoy. This is true for our youngest dancers in Twirl Babies, all the way to those who dance for a professional company. It is a type of dance that takes a great deal of effort, dedication, and precision. Ballet has also influenced many other types of dance, and you can see it’s impact in everything from jazz to modern to ballroom. At Turning Pointe, we definitely love ballet and our ballerinas!

Today on the blog, we wanted to highlight ballet and share five fun facts to inspire and encourage!

1. Ballet is over 500 years old!
Ballet started in the 1500s in Italy. We get the word “ballet” from the Italian word “ballare.” When Italian Catherine De Medici married the French King Henry II, she brought ballet into court life and made it popular in France.

 2. King Louis XIV of France was a ballet enthusiast.
King Louis himself would perform many of the popular dances. He even hired professional dancers to continue dancing in the court after the king and other members of the court had stopped dancing each evening. He also founded the Academie Royal de Danse in 1661, which is now known as the Paris Opera Ballet.

 3. Originally, women were not allowed to dance in the ballet.
Women weren’t allowed into the ballet until 1681. The first female ballerina was a young woman named Madameosielle De Lafontaine. She danced in Lully's Le Triomphe de L'amour and then went on to be the lead in at least 18 more ballets.

4. Professional Tutus can take 60-90 hours to make!
They also can cost up to $2,000 to make. They may even take up to 100 yards of tulle. They are also so precious and delicate that they aren’t washed. Instead, they are hung up in between shows and spayed with fresheners.

5. There are six technical methods of ballet instruction.
They are the French School, the Vaganova Method, the Cecchetti Method, the Bournonville method, the Royal Academy of Dance method (or English style), and the Balanchine Method. There are many other schools of thought in regards to how to teach and dance ballet, but these ones are the most widely accepted and recognized. Each has its own strengths and specialties.

 Here a few fun books to read, if you want some more ballet in your life!

-        Firebird by Misty Copeland
-        Swan: The Life and Dance of Anna Pavlova by Laurel Snyder
-        Boys Dance! By John Robert Allman
-        Tallulah’s Tutu by Marilyn Singer
-        I Want to be a Ballerina by Anna Membrino
-        Ballet Shoes by Noel Streatfeld
-        Bunheads by Misty Copeland
-        Angelina Ballerina by Katharine Holabird

Twirl Bible Study- September

Each month, all of our classes study a specific passage of scripture, giving Turning Pointe a united focus rooted in His word. Older classes will additionally study a word, while our Twirl classes will focus on a Fruit of the Spirit.

Throughout September, our Twirl classes are talking about joy as they read Philippians 4:4:

 “Rejoice in the Lord always, I will say it again: Rejoice!”

 This month, we encourage each of our Twirl families to reiterate this message with our tiniest dancers and keep a focus on the Father all week long. We know this can be a challenge with this age group, and we’re here to help! Read on as we share our favorite ways to study this month’s focus with your little ones.

Sing & Dance

 What better way to celebrate this month’s Fruit than to make a joyful noise unto the Lord? Take a few minutes each day and express His joy through song and dance. Did your student learn a dance or simple gestures to go along with their memory verse? Ask them to show you, or better yet, teach you! You can also make up your own together, or have your dancer create their own song and dance during this special worship time. Get your joyful celebration going with one of our favorite playlists — that first song is a perfect place to start!

 Quiz & Memorize

 Your Twirl student’s teacher will go over the Fruit/verse of the month each week… why not go over it at home, too? Even if they’re too young to tackle memorization, the repetition and habit of memorization can be a helpful skill to develop way beyond the dance classroom. Say this month’s verse together (or ask your student to repeat after you) before bed or nap time, each time they wash their hands, or whenever it fits best in your family’s day. Ask them to tell you this month’s Fruit throughout the week. Ask them what brought them joy at the end of each day, then thank God and give Him the glory for those moments in your bedtime prayers.

 Read & Talk

 For Twirl students looking to go a bit deeper (or if you want to get older siblings involved), take a few minutes each day to read and discuss His word. Find this month’s memory verse in the Bible and read it together. Then go even further! Read the whole chapter or book and talk about it. What is God saying to us in this verse? What is the difference between joy and happiness?

Why does He tell us to rejoice in the Lord always, even when it’s so hard sometimes?

 We are so excited to pour His words into our youngest dancers this year, and look forward to sharing our focus here on the blog each month. Our prayer is that we will ignite a passion for dance and the arts and a heart for worship that will last a lifetime in each of these precious little ones!

 Looking for supplemental devotional notes on this month’s word/scripture for older classes? Check out last week’s post here.

"Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God." - 1 John 4:7

 Each month, all of our students study a verse in their classes. For the month of September, Twirl classes will be reading Philippians 4:4 — Look for a specific Bible study on that next week! All other classes will be reading 1 John 4:7: “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.”

 As God’s children, we are all Beloved, dearly, and truly loved and chosen by God. And out of the love of God, we are called to love others. This month, we want to encourage all our students to grow in understanding how much God loves them and to learn ways they can love others.

 The word Beloved in Greek is agapetos, which is from the root agape or to love. C.S. Lewis talks about Agape in his book The Four Loves.

 “So there are 4 kinds of ‘love,’ all good in their proper place, but Agape is the best because it is the kind God has for us and is good in all circumstances. There are people I mustn’t feel Eros towards, and people I can’t feel Storgë or Philia for; but I can practice Agape to God, Angels, Man, and Beast, to the good and the bad, the old and the young, the far and the near. You see Agape is all giving, not getting. Read what St. Paul says about it in First Corinthians Chap. 13. Then look at a picture of Charity (or Agape) in action in St. Luke, chap 10 v. 30-35. And then, better still, look at Matthew chap 25 v. 31-46: from which you see that Christ counts all that you do for this baby exactly as if you had done it for Him when He was a baby in the manger at Bethlehem: you are in a sense sharing in the things His mother did for Him. Giving money is only one way of showing charity: to give time and toil is far better and (for most of us) harder. And notice, though it is all giving—you needn’t expect any reward—how you do gets rewarded almost at once.”

 Agape is a picture of the love that is all-encompassing and generous. Out of agape, Christ created all things. And we are agapetos, or Beloved. We are totally and completely loved, just as we are. Isn’t that wonderful?

 Sometimes we might feel lonely or overlooked, and yet God loves us.

 Sometimes we might feel broken or unloveable, and yet God loves us.

 As we follow Christ, he calls us to respond to His love by loving others. We are loved, and so we love. As the old hymn says, they will know we are Christians by our love. Even when we don’t like someone or don’t know someone, we can feel a generous love for them. We can do this because we know that God created them special and loves them, too.

 Sometimes we might feel frustrated or angry with others, and yet God calls us to love them.

 Sometimes we might not know how to respond to someone we don’t understand, and yet God calls us to love them.

 This month, as a family, why don’t you find a way to share agape?

 Try taking some art supplies and sit down and think of those who may need some extra love. Maybe grandparents, or friends, or even those who are stuck at home who might be sick or unable to see loved ones right now. Create some little cards with words of kindness and caring. And then mail them! Your little cards will bring joy to others.

 You could also bake some cookies or your families’ favorite baked goods, wrap it up, and share it with your neighbors. If you have any leftover art supplies, you could include little cards of encouragement for them, too.

 Contribute to our Care and Share food drive, either in the studio lobby or online to love those who are hurting in our community.

 Or come up with something unique and special just for your family!

 If you want to share what your family does, take some photos, and share it on Instagram. Make sure you tag up @turningpointedancecolorado. We can’t wait to see what you do!

5 Ways to Make the Most of your Online Dance Class

Here we are again! Time to begin another year of activities — only this year, things could look a bit different. In light of our current circumstances, did you know that Turning Pointe now offers five ways to learn to dance? With three online options including virtual solo and small group lessons,  as you navigate what’s best for you and your family, let us offer these helpful tips to make the most of your digital dancing experience:

1.     Be prepared
(Cue cackling hyenas and overly dramatic lion.) For real though, being prepared ahead of time will allow you to start focusing from the very moment class begins. With younger students, this means that mom and dad may need to help! Start by getting your space ready. Clear away furniture, set up a chair to use as a barre, or if you need to, put out a yoga mat. Make sure you are dressed appropriately. Just because we aren’t in the classroom together, doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t be dressed for dance! Do your hair, wear your favorite dance outfit and make sure that you look your best. Then prep anything else you might need. For example, your water bottle or a notebook. Which brings us to number 2...

2.     Take notes
In this new environment, it may be extra hard to remember feedback from your instructors or retain choreography. Write down things that your teacher says for you to review later. You can even take notes in a special notebook just for dance!

If you’re looking for an extra challenge, write down what you do throughout the class and practice during the week. This could include strengthening, stretching, warm-ups, routines at the barre, in the center, or across the floor. The more you practice, the more you will improve!

3.     Communicate with your teachers (or classmates)
Your teachers are in this boat with you, and if you’ve opted for online small group lessons, so are your classmates! We’re all navigating these waters together, so reach out! Make sure to tell someone if you are struggling with a specific step, or are uncertain about choreography. Ask questions. Your teachers want to see you succeed, and are willing to help every step of the way.

4.     Record what you learned
Once a lesson is over, ask someone to record you doing any choreography or practice assignments. If you record what you’re learning, you will create not only a reference for yourself later, but a way to track your progress!

5.     Practice your patience
Lastly, and most importantly, be patient with yourself, your teachers, and your family. This is a tricky time for all of us, but it’s also a time when we can all practice having grace for each other. Pray for one another, encourage each other, and take it one day at a time. Sooner than you know, we can all be on stage dancing for an audience again. When that day comes, it will be sweeter because of the work and time you put in now!

 Bonus tips for parents:

We know that this is a challenging time for you and your kids. We are here with you! While this season is tough, dance can be an outlet and something comforting for all kids. To help encourage students who may be having a tough time adjusting to learning dance online, consider these ideas to make dance a family activity — we’ve seen them work wonders!

●      Ask your students about their lesson and what they are working on.

●      Ask them to teach you or their siblings something fun.

●      Try playing freeze dance together. This can be a way to bond and grow as a family!

●      Give them an audience. For younger or shy students, sharing steps with siblings or parents may be a bit much. Instead, have them set up a stuffed animal audience! They can dance with their fuzzy friends, or play dance teacher afterward to share what they’ve learned.

 However your back-to-dance looks this season, we’re excited you’re part of the Turning Pointe family. We can’t wait to watch our students blossom and grow in His name!

Turning Pointe’s Top Five Reasons to Head Back to Dance

To say the least, 2020 has been full of surprises. At a time when back-to-school activities usually take center stage, families across the country are instead coping with cancelations, contemplating comfort levels for in-person schooling, learning to balance a hybrid schedule or trying on the hat of homeschool teacher or virtual learning assistant for the very first time. No matter what your fall looks like this year, read on to see why heading back to dance is a safe and healthy way to restore a sense of normalcy.

1. We’re a Safer Studio™

Unlike schools, which have students in their buildings for 40+ hours per week, well over half of our students are in the studio for just 45 minutes per week (that's less than 2 percent of the time they would spend in school). With all the uncertainty surrounding activities this season, Turning Pointe families can rest assured knowing that our studio is doing everything possible to ensure students have a happy, healthy and safe return to classes. With several policies in place, including full compliance with the city’s mask and physical distancing orders, limited class sizes, continuous parent communication, facility and circulation adjustments, hospital grade air filters and enhanced cleaning/hygiene procedures, students and families can expect a safe and sanitary space to learn and grow. Want to know more? Click here for complete information on our current COVID policies.

 On the fence about returning to in-person classes? This season, Turning Pointe is excited to offer five ways to learn dance:

●      In-person group classes
●      In-person solo or small group classes (as space is available)
●      Virtual solo lessons
●      Virtual small group lessons
●      Twirl Online

 Sign up for any of these options here, or check out our pricing guide to find the right fit. (Virtual lessons can also be 30 or 45 minutes for younger students and the price will be adjusted!)

2. Worship Together - Even When We’re Apart

Whether you’re joining us online or in person, each month, Turning Pointe’s teachers and staff will continue to share a word and a passage of scripture with each class, creating a studio-wide focus rooted in His word. When presented with situations that affect the whole world, we encourage our students to remember He’s got the whole world in His hands. Each class not only provides quality dance instruction, but fellowship, prayer and encouragement built in to our monthly Biblical focus, allowing us to praise His name together, even when we’re apart or physically distanced.

 Check back with To the Pointe Blog & News all season long for helpful Bible study and devotional notes related to each month’s focus to continue your spiritual growth outside of class, or to reinforce your student’s memory verse (or Fruit of the Spirit for Twirl classes).

 3. Restore Structure

 We’re not sure about you, but for us, 2020 has seemed like a bit of a blur. In a time when days and weeks seemingly run together, dance can restore structure by providing students and families with schedule and routine in a safe, compliant way (see point one above). With quarantine and summer days in rearview, moving forward with the sense of control and organization that scheduled activities provide can decrease stress, increase productivity and lead to better daily habits surrounding physical and mental health, especially in times of uncertainty.

 Want to know what else dance can do for you? Check out Turning Pointe’s look at the Top 10 Health Benefits of Dance here.

 4. Restore Focus

 Along with a return to daily routine, dance can restore focus and provide an outlet for safe physical activity. With many of our city’s schools taking on virtual or hybrid learning platforms this year, Turning Pointe students can enjoy designated time to move their bodies, exercise their minds and reap the benefits of dance in-studio or through one of our virtual class options. Studies have shown that dance not only boosts brain power, but also improves mood, increases memory and supports motor, emotional and intellectual brain function, refreshing students and increasing the focus they need to succeed in this unique time of adjustment.

 Feeling like there’s too much to focus on this season? Check out Turning Pointe’s Top 10 Ways to Avoid “Fall Overwhelm” here.

 5. Have Fun

 Let’s face it — dancing is fun! Whether this season marks your first class or your 10th year, our goal is to have each student leave the studio or log off from class with a renewed sense of joy and a passion for dance by cultivating hearts of worship and nurturing creativity. Take a break from the stress of the times and enjoy some time simply praising His name with dance.

 We are so excited to host you for fall programs this year! Click here for more information, including the full school year schedule, class descriptions, dress code requirements and more. Enrollment is now open for new and returning students. Sign up today — classes begin September 8!