Gallery Ballet and Tap, McMinnville Oregon - Ballet Classes

A letter from our Director, Edwina Castle:

As a parent we realize you have a choice between several different studios. All studios are not the same. We constantly renovate and improve our facilities and provide ongoing training to our staff to ensure we are always providing our students and parents with the best experience possible. We invite you to compare all of our features and staff to see why our studio is your studio!

1. INSTRUCTOR-STUDENT RELATIONSHIP - An important thing to look at when choosing a studio is having a good instructor-student relationship. The ballet classes for younger dancers all have a teaching assistant for each teacher. This gives the instructor a better chance to recognize the students' abilities, and gives the student more opportunity to improve to his or her capabilities. The teacher is able to focus on each individual student and the student learns correct technique by following the assistant's example. Since parents leave the studio during classes, the potential distraction caused by extra people in the classroom is alleviated. All this maximizes the positive experiences in the classroom.

2. QUALIFIED TEACHERS - Not all good dancers are good teachers. Our teaching staff consists of highly qualified dance teachers who have excelled in dance, been educated in the realm of dance, and have experience in teaching as well as in dancing. We invest in our own "continued education" by seeking ongoing, professional training from current U.S. and International coaches. This ensures that our instruction is correct and up-to-date. We have over 20 years of professional teaching experience and offer you the best dance and technical material currently being taught. All of our staff is familiar with the Edwina Castle's syllabus thus providing a seamless and continuous stage of learning through all the ballet and tap levels.

3. GREAT LEARNING ENVIRONMENT - Our spacious studio has state-of-the-art dance floors researched and developed by Frank Nelson. We have two entire walls of full-length mirrors in the front and side of the studio. The other two walls are lined with barres for ballet technique. We also have adjustable portable barres for our younger dancers to work facing the mirror with both hands on the barre. Our Marley floor is a professional vinyl composite floor similar to the surfaces used by the Oregon Ballet Theater, Pacific Northwest Ballet, and Riverdance. This Marley floor surface has a certain amount of controlled slip to allow for sliding in dance movement, but is not slippery like common tile and wood floors found in most other dance studios. Our studio mats are perfect for Pilates and gentle stretching as well as being a comfortable learning tool for our younger dancers.

4. PERFORMANCE OPPORTUNITIES - Our ballet and tap program has two performances on Gallery Theater's Main Stage annually. Our 2009 Academic Performance, December 20, will highlight mastery of technique and include seasonal dances. Gallery Ballet & Tap will present "Giselle" in public performances on June 4, 5, and 6, 2010. Adult students have an option to perform or take classes for pleasure.

5. ZUMBA - Our instructors are certified in Zumba instruction and are absolutely fabulous and fun! Zumba classes are during lunch hour (M/W/F) and are non-performance classes geared towards personal physical enrichment and joy in movement. What a great way to get in shape - by moving to South American rhythms with African roots!

Our studio provides an optimal learning environment. We want you and your dancer to have fun while achieving the best possible foundation on which to build and develop dance. (Look for our music classes coming soon!) See why our studio works to be your studio.

Sincerely,

Edwina Castle

Director, Gallery Ballet & Tap