I was in tears the first time I saw this - it’s absolutely hysterical. One thing is for sure. This bird has got rhythm!

We will be closed for the holidays and our end of year inventory on the following days:

Monday December 24 - Closed
Tuesday December 25 - Closed
Wednesday December 26 - Closed
Thursday December 27 - Closed

Friday December 28 - OPEN - 10AM - 5:30PM
Saturday December 29 - OPEN - 10AM - 5:00PM
Sunday December 30 - OPEN - 12PM - 4:00PM
Monday December 31 - OPEN - 10AM - 5:30PM

Tuesday January 1 - Closed

Happy Holidays!

The physical benefits of yoga are well known. Flexibility, increase in strength, better posture, to name a few. But did you know that yoga can help with stress, anxiety, stage fright and focus? As dancers we can experience all of these whether we are just training and preparing or are actually in a performance. The demands of being in a company or troop can also increase stress.
The physical postures of Yoga can help us to learn to communicate with our body, spirit and mind. They teach us to be present in the moment and feel what our bodies need. As we learn to listen to our bodies we find that it is easier to focus. It becomes easier to be the movement rather than thinking about the movement.
The breathing that is learned in yoga can also help relieve stress and improve focus. As we learn to control our breathing we increase the oxygen that our bodies receive. This allows our muscles to relax.
Stage fright can be a minor problem for some or a major hindrance for others. Learning to use our breath to decrease the feelings of adrenaline can help us to get through the pre-performance jitters. Try this exercise to help relieve stress, or for panic attacks and stage fright: Put one hand on your stomach and one hand on your chest, take a slow deep breath while counting to 6, as you inhale through your nose you should see your hand on your stomach rise first then the other hand as you fill your diaphragm with air and then your lungs. Exhale to the count of six, repeat and increase the count to the best of your ability up to 12 or more.
As dancers we learn to use our diaphragms to breathe while we are dancing but we often forget to do so when we are not dancing. This kind of breathing should be done all of the time. We are able to get much more air if we are filling our stomachs with air first. When we are tense or stressed we tend to breath very shallow and with only our lungs. This exercise will increase the amount of air your body is receiving and help to relax and rejuvenate you. Namaste

Brooke Murray is a registered Yoga instructor teaching private
and small group lessons.
For more information call 206-853-4997

Click Here for Part 1 of this series.

Capezio’s latest fashion FootUndeez have arrived at Centerstage!
This time they are Camouflage. Unfortunately due to an ordering
mishap, we were only able to get these in Petite and Medium
sizes, which means that these little babies are almost
completely sold out!

$19.75

Buy Now
(select size on the next page)

P = street shoe sizes 4-5
M = street shoe sizes 8-9

What are FootUndeez?
FootUndeez offer a barely there look, and they are breathable,
comfortable, and provide just the right amount of traction. A
smart choice for many disciplines of dance including, modern,
lyrical, arco, yoga, Pilates, and bellydancing. Wear footUndeez
barefoot or inside your favorite dance, gym or street shoe for
added protection. Underneath it all, it’s all about the feet!

It is Nutcracker Season, and there are many opportunities to see different versions of the Nutcracker in the PNW. Here are a few options organized by city. Please note that this is not a comprehensive list.

Bainbridge Island:
Olympic Performing Group
Dec 14-16 Bainbridge
(206) 842-1205

Bellevue:
International Ballet Theatre
Dec 13-23
www.interballettheatre.org
www.ticketwindowonline.com

Byrnes:
Olympic Ballet Theatre
Dec 22
www.olympicballet.com

Edmonds:
Olympic Ballet Theatre
Dec 15-16
www.olympicballet.com

Mt. Vernon:
Northwest Ballet
Dec 14-16
www.northwestballet.org

North Kitsap:
Olympic Performing Group
Dec 21-22
(206) 842-1205

Seattle:
Pacific Northwest Ballet
Nov 23 - Dec 29
http://pnb.org/season/nutcracker/

Johnson & Peters’ Tap Dance Christmas Carol
Dec 20-23
Seattle
www.ticketwindowonline.com

Burlesque Nutcracker
Dec 18-20
www.thetripledoor.net

Shoreline:
Cornish Junior Dance Company
Dec 16
www.cornish.edu
www.ticketwindowonline.com

Vashon:
Vashon Junior Civic Ballet
Dec 14-15
Shows at VHS. Tickets at the door, or at Ober Park office.

Feel free to email me with more Nutcracker information if your event is not posted here (the event must be in the Western WA region).

Our Anniversary Sale is going on right now through Sunday, December 9, 2007.

Bodywear is 20% off
Tights and Accessories are 10% off
AND
Atten Ballroom Shoes are on sale 2 for $97 and 3 for $127 (per person)

Atten shoes are really the best kept secret in the world of ballroom shoes. What makes them so special is that you can practically design your own shoe.
—Many different styles (open toe, closed toe, strappy, more conservative, etc)
—Choose from over 100 different colors/fabrics
—Choose your heel height (1.5″, 1.8″, 2″, 2.5″ and 3″ heels)
—Choose your sole (suede or street)

But maybe you don’t do ballroom dancing or salsa or tango…
These shoes also work well for special occasions like weddings, and if you are doing any dancing at all, the suede sole will give you a little more traction than a regular hard sole shoe, not to mention that it is more flexible through the metarsal, which keeps feet from fatiguing as quickly as they would in a stiff shoe.

But maybe you really don’t need a suede-soled shoe…
You can actually have Atten shoes made with street soles, so if you are having a hard time finding the perfect shoe to match a certain outfit, chances are that with all of Atten’s options, you will be able to design it!

But maybe you are thinking that custom shoes must be really expensive…
That is the other great thing about Atten shoes. They are much more affordable than regular ballroom shoes, and it doesn’t cost extra for a custom order. In fact, all of Atten’s shoes are made to order, so it’s no skin off their back to make a shoe with sparkly gold fabric rather than black leather. The women’s ballroom shoes range from $56-60 and the men’s are $62. And that’s when they are NOT on sale!

If you come into Centerstage by December 9, you can pick yourself up an even better deal, and the sale *includes* special orders.