Special Message from Lisa

January 12, 2010
Happy New Year to our Studio Family!

We hope you had the best of holidays. On behalf of all of us, thank you from the bottom of my heart for all of your beautiful cards, cookies and gifts. you are the most wonderful studio family ever, and we love you so much! We're excited to be back doing what we love most, and 2010 has already gotten off to a very exciting start.

Miss Laurie-Ann Gibson graced the studio with her presence this past Thursday! AAGGHH!!!!!!!!!!! I know a lot is being said, so I wanted to be sure to tell you exactly what was happening. One of our fathers, who always wants to remain anonymous, is currently working with Laurie-Ann on Lady Gaga's tour. If you are not familiar with her, she is an amazing dancer and choreographer famous for her work on MTV's, "Making the Band", as well as for her incredible choreography, which has been featured on SYTYCD (on which she has also been a judge). She is the choreographer for Lady Gaga's tour. I was introduced to her and was just blown away by her compassion and passion! She has offered herself to help to choreograph a piece for us this year! This is absolutely INCREDIBLE! and I am eternally grateful!!!! Please know that I had nothing to do with this - this is purely a gift, plain and simple, and I am so grateful. She will be coming back to the studio on a couple of occasions - don't be surprised if you see her! A very special happening: When she was here, one of our younger dance classes was practicing their combination to a Lady Gaga song. Laurie-Ann watched them with the hugest smile on her face, and then videotaped them with her phone to email to Lady Gaga!!! Ha! Ha! The kids were all so excited, and we got some great pictures of them with her. There have already been very funny stories about Lady Gaga being at the studio, about Laurie-Ann choreographing some of my ballet dances, etc.! Ha! Ha! Nope! I just wanted you to hear the correct version!

I am also very excited for this weekend, when my former ballet teacher, Sherry Adams, Artistic Director of the VT. Chamber Ballet Company, will be coming to our studio to teach master classes, along with another former student of hers, Joel Hodgens, a NYC choreographer. I will be in tears watching this hero of mine teaching my "babies"!

In addition, I just heard from the fabulous Tyger-B, and he is very anxious to return for more master hip hop classes! This time, he may be bringing friends with him, and we will try to accommodate most ages! Yea! Those of you who attended "A Season for Wishes" got to see the amazing Tyger in action. Speaking of "A Season for Wishes", a huge thank you to ALL of you who contributed to this great cause. Thanks to you, over $12,000 was raised this year for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. You are just the best.

As we now prepare for our recital, please remember the very important rules: Dancers may not miss more than 6 classes of a given class; nor may they miss 3 in a row of a given class, in order to be eligible to perform. This show simply can not be done with poor attendance, not unlike any other show. Thank you for your cooperation and understanding.

Wishing you a fabulous 2010! Love and leaps,

Miss Lisa