AND OUR BIG NEWS IS...........................

WE have two exciting announcements!
1. Dubbo theme is "THANKYOU FOR THE MUSIC- A Tribute to Musical Legends! ( WE ARE SO EXCITED!! Costume Measurements Week 8, Dubbo studio Setember 18th & 19th 3.30- 6.30pm. $30 deposit required per costume.)
2. WE ARE DOING ANOTHER DANCE TOUR! YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE HARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR hello London & Paris! We are off in 2011! Cut off for expressions of interest September 14th! We already have a heap of interest so excitement levels are at an all time high! The itinerary and opportunities on this trip are just phenomenal! If you would like an itinerary, please email me at rikki@steppingoutdance.com.au

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

SPIRIT

"Each person has an ideal, a hope, a dream which represents the soul. We must give to it the warmth of love, the light of understanding and the essence of encouragement."- COLBY DORR DAM

"Anytime we catch a glimpse of the soul, beauty is there;
anytime we catch our breath and feel, "How beautiful!",
the soul is present."
-JEAN SHINODA BOLEN M.D

"Love really is the answer. We're here only to teach love. When we're doing that, our souls are singing and dancing."
- GERALD JAMPOLSKY M.D

OUTSTANDING ORANGE RESULTS- 12yrs & UP

Congratulations to all soloists who travelled to Orange to participate in the Eisteddfod! Big thanks to Miss Leesa, Darienne, Tracey, Narelle, Brandi & Suellen who kept me updated with text messages! So nice that the text messages celebrated everyone's achievements as well as their own. Stepping Out kids, staff and parents are truly very special. Well Done to Everyone! So many great results so If I make any mistakes let me know!! Courtney Hart- 2ND IN MODERN CHAMPIONSHIP!! WHOO HOO! AN INCREDIBLE ACHIEVEMENT. 3rd 12 yrs Classical, 2nd 12 yrs Contemporary, H.C 12 yrs Modern, H.C 12 yrs Demi ( I am sure there is more!) Amber Bunt danced beautifully in everything obtaining H.C in 12 yrs Demi, 2nd in 12 yrs Tap, 2nd in 12 yrs Jazz. Amazing performances by Brandi McGuire in every section she was in. Great results from Paris Burns with 1st in 13 yrs Demi (92 points), 2nd in 13 yrs Classical, 3rd in 13 yrs Contemp, 2nd in 13 yrs Modern and Highly Commended in Championship!A awesome performance by V Man saw him gain an impressive Highly Commended in Open Modern. So proud of you all!! Bec Richardson performed with aplomb in her Contemporary. All sections were very big ( 20 competitors) so it truly is remarkable to be acknowledged when dancing in such fine company! CONGRATULATIONS!

Eisteddfod Pics

ORANGE GROUP RESULTS

To finish off my "We Come in Peace" escapades comes the latest instalments of Orange Group Results. Sunday saw our 14 years and Opens perform with acclaim. Another early start and we were at the venue by 8am. The girls performed "A New Day" and it was just beautiful! I cried- this is the best you have ever danced it! Your wonder didn't translate into a place but it was a strong and beautiful section. Still, you were winners in my eyes with your breath taking and emotional performance. Our next section was 14 yrs Contemporary and also our farewell to Clowns- a much loved routine!! You gave it once again your all and it was a fitting farewell. This was also the moment we discovered we had inadvertedly found ourself in the line of fire for a breach of rules. Orange is our last Eisteddfod for the season and after having competed elsewhere we weren't aware that we were unable to enter 3 groups in the one section. Sadly, it seems, a fellow dance school decided to protest this. Each to their own, I say, it's not the way we choose to conduct ourselves but still, appreciate that they obviously felt strongly enough about it to vocalise it! Let me take this opportunity to apologise and say that we meant no harm and that it was totally unintentional. Yet, Stepping Out rose to the occasion and once again we witnessed the amazing spirit of our students and their families. It is in moments of this that we are so proud of our students and are very grateful that they handled it all with such style and grace. The only validation they needed was Leesa, Emma and myself's words that they had blown us away and their own feelings that they had done themselves, their studio and their families proud. Still, two Highly Commendeds later and a Peace Train critique that reads like a dream, we walked away triumphant. This was confirmed in a jaw dropping performance in 14 years Jazz. WOW!! A huge 94 and 2nd place in a tough field of competition. Opens danced amazingly and I received text updates from many informing me of their excellence. Well Done to Orange Stepping Outers who proved they are a force to be reckoned with and more importantly a really great bunch of girls. Congrats to Open Modern ( I hear there were tears in the audience) with a 3rd place in an outstanding and large section and the mighty Open Jazz who again in an amazing field received a highly Commended. Thanks to all the families and fans who supported our big group weekend of competition. It really is a big team effort! Stay tuned for Solo results for the 12 yrs and above sections! I will require sleep in the meantime.

FAB QUOTE

Hey,
I got an early birthday present tonight! Thanks Aunty Glenys & Uncle David for my wonderful book of quotes. Here is one of my faves;
"Above all watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you, because the geratest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don't believe in magic will never find it."
- Roald Dahl

PART 2- We Come in Peace!

GROUP WEEKEND! So this trip is initially marred by a flat tyre but would it dampen my spirits!! Ummmmmm No, but did it eat into bank balance, yes?!I won't bore you with the details because let's face it, all of our Performance mothers stupid enough to stand next to me momentarily on Friday night heard my car woes, I don't know how many times! Thanks Ladies, but yes, I managed to board all 5 children ( for those of you doing the maths- no David did not accompany us but Evan Jerome did), costume boxes and god knows how many stuffed animals and unfinished assignments! We made it to Orange and lunched with Gail, Leesa & my little man Phoenix. We had a chamapagne (medicinal purposes and got cracking on our next BIG PROJECT!!). I then whisked Onny away to get her ready to meet her team mates for Friday night fun! Thanks to Reggie & Sonya and their troops who entertained my boys back at the motel. I have to say, I genuinely am so blessed to work alongside the people I do and Friday night was just amazing! Congratulations to Under 8s Jazz- H.C, ( we love our little divas) and to the routine that had me on my knees- our Under 10 ballet! ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH- I watched on monitor like crazy woman having randomn outbursts of "PERFECT!" "PERFECT!"- wow girls, wow, you were so great and received 2nd place in a tough field!! I was so happy! Our little Under 8s were constantly swarmed by admirerers in their tutus- not surprising when you consider just how beautiful they are! Favourite moment was when one of our fellow competitors ( a very theatrical one at that) came up to our girls and did this big jaw drop and finger point! Our girls looked horrified- I was like no, don't worry, it's love- she is awestruck by you! They look beautiful i said- little girl- with mouth more open than Mccauley Kulkin in Home Alone just nodded in agreement! yes, our little dolls got a H.c followed by yet another H.C for Under 10 Modern! Divine!
An early start the next morning ( after I had decided at 10pm to text team with new hair idea) as i watched So You Think You Can dance meant we were at theatre by 8am and looking gorgeous! All of our hard work on our 12 yrs Contemp had paid off- yes girls, I saw light, I saw shade, i felt your story and we whooped with joy with a tremendous 2nd place! Our Under 10s- WOW!!- Miss Emma- Miss EJDJ has created like a mini band of her- tiny little sassy divas who just shone and again took out a prestigious 2nd place in a tough field!Leesa, Em and myself as well as alot of Stepping Out fans were in the audience for Brandi's & Anthony's duo......yay....a first!Great recovery Anthony!Our Under 12s though a team member down were incredible and got a H.C and followed this up with another 2 H.Cs in Under 12 Modern. Incredible! Here Comes the Sun and Tiny dancer were just beautiful! It was a long but awe inspiring day!

ORANGE EISTEDDFOD- Lifting the Curtain

OK, I have somewhat rested and am now ready to divulge the explosive truths behind the Stepping Out Orange Eisteddfod experience! The first week of the Eisteddfod saw our lovely junior soloists take to the stage and many a text update beep my way courtesy of Darienne & Miss Leesa! Facts I learnt Week 1, adjudicator was great! ( we had just had a doozy at Wellington Eisteddfod but thankfully this wonderful lady believed in encouraging our little ones and giving detailed and constructive critiques! Thankyou!!) A fact that was reinforced to me was that Stepping Out soloists rock!! A big aim at Stepping Out is that we better every performance we make- we aren't about places as such but just soaring higher every time we grace the stage! We love to improve with each step!! This is in itself our biggest reward! We know when we have done our best and so I am very proud to report that every Stepping Out soloist did just that!!Our congratulations to Jade Bunt ( not Blunt as reported in program ahahahaha) with a 1st in 8 years & U Jazz, 3rd in 8 yrs & U Classical and 3rd in 8 yrs Demi Character! Holly Keizer, 2nd in 8 yrs & U Jazz ( holly is after all 6!! Whoo go Holly) and a beautiful performance in her Classical! Darienne tells me Holly even attempted own choreography in this one- LOVE IT! Brinley Catto ( we just got home from your birthday party!!Yay!) got 3rd for her 6 yrs & U jazz and 3rd for her Ballet solo! Well Done! A big WOW to Meg Keizer for amazing performances and a H.C in her Jazz Solo. Meg also did a brilliant job of her Tap, Classical & Modern solos. Likewise, little Georgia Erskine wowed everyone with best ever performances in her Jazz & Classical! There were tears! Never tame it down Georgie! GO FOR IT! Well done to yet another talented little Stepping Outer, Emma Blake who also wowed everyone with her delightful Jazz!Yet another sensational performance by Millie Rice in her Jazz Solo! WOW! GO MIL!Amber Bunt got 2nd in her Tap solo!! yes people, this was all in the first week!

ARE YOU READY?

ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH- stay tuned people! In but a matter of days Stepping Out will be making two huge announcements! Ok so one is really only our Concert Theme but rest assured, it's Ben Hur Big and the other one, well the other one, I can't even believe! I keep on pinching myself, throwing water across my weary face, texting Miss Leesa.......is it a dream? If so, I don't want to wake up! Sure, I am delirious, but it seems, something is brewing on the Factory Floor......and you will love it! I see many gravity defying leaps into the air in sheer joy and excitement happening in our studios in Dubbo, Orange & Forbes!