Photo Credit: Ramsay de Give for The Wall Street Journal

“It was so overwhelming. It was the worst time in my life,” Ms. Fairchild, who is now 27, said recently. “It’s not just a happy thing. It’s a lot of responsibility.” Read the rest of Megan’s incredible story here.

EN POINTE! from The Apiary on Vimeo.

Leslie Rauch, Principal Pacific Northwest Ballet with Angela Sterling, Photographer

And as a little side note, Angela provided the gorgeous photos you see here on Class Act Tutu as well as Vala Dancewear. {Pretty awesome, huh? }

Thank you, Angela for sharing your talents with the dance world!

Oh and FYI…at roughly 3 minutes, 50 seconds into the clip, you’ll see the gorgeous Lesley Rausch (principal dancer with Pacific Northwest Ballet) wearing Class Act Tutu’s V-Neck Bodice and Classical Tutu Skirt!

Thank you for all your beautiful work, Angela!

Now you can encourage your little one’s love for this classic holiday tale with this sweet storybook from Growing Through Arts.

The Nutcracker Ballet by Aleksandra features delightful illustrations and charming prose that are sure to please budding ballerinas and baby danseurs of all ages. This beautiful hardcover book features a generous 11×11 size (perfect for those chubby little hands!), character building questions carefully woven throughout the story to fuel further discussion, and a handy glossary which explains new terms in a clear and simple way.

The Nutcracker Ballet Practice & Play Book is a robust 32-page activity book filled with fun mazes, printing practice, pattern recognition exercises, drawing lessons, hidden pictures and – one of the best features by far – the Nutcracker Paper Doll!

Class Act Tutu's Testing Lab featuring Miss Avianah

The book features standard dimensions of 8.5 x 11″, colorful illustrations and a larger font making it ideal for preschoolers through 2nd grade. While the book contains plenty of stand-alone learning activities, it’s designed to complement The Nutcracker Ballet storybook.

Both the story book and activity book are written by Russian Pointe’s own Aleksandra Efimova, illustrated by her sister, Elizaveta Efimova, and published under Aleksandra’s latest venture, Growing Through Arts. Founded in 2010 and “inspired by the classical, world-acclaimed Russian educational system, Growing Through Arts products are infused with the philosophy that participating in the arts can have a dynamic impact on children’s careers, educations, and social lives. Our system combines a uniquely powerful set of learning elements to boost your child’s mental and emotional growth.”

Their products build on and develop:

• Creativity and imagination
• Confidence, leadership and character strength
• Memory, abstract thinking, discipline, focus, and a wide range of pre-academic skills
• Arts vocabulary and much more!

The Nutcracker Ballet by Aleksandra & The Nutcracker Ballet Practice & Play Book offers children an insightful peek behind the curtain and brings to life Clara’s world and that of her beloved Prince like never before. I was very impressed by both the quality of these items, as well as their unique ability to encourage a young child’s love for dance in such a positive and insightful way. These books would make a great Christmas, birthday or “just because” gift for tiny dancers.

Goldweber always remained a dancer, even after he retired from the stage and began teaching, said Ballet West demi-soloist Beau Pearson. “He really gave himself to the art form more than anyone I’ve ever known.”

And he was a consummate teacher, whose corrections in class were more than just repetitive reminders. “They were something that would open up a whole new idea and change everything you were doing,” Pearson said.

Read the remainder of the story here.

Pacific Northwest Ballet corps de ballet dancer Andrew Bartee as the Nutcracker in the fight scene from PNB's Stowell/Sendak Nutcracker. Photo © Angela Sterling

What puts me in the “holiday spirit”? Well, stuffing myself with turkey doesn’t do it. Neither does fighting my way through the crowds on Black Friday. No, what really puts me in the holiday mood is a trip to Seattle Center’s McCaw Hall to watch Pacific Northwest Ballet perform its lively Stowell/Sendak production of ‘Nutcracker’.

No matter how many times I’ve seen it, this perennial favorite never ceases to thrill, delight and amaze me. With sets designed by Maurice Sendak and elaborate props featuring a “growing” Christmas tree, a gigantic Mouse King with sinister tail encircling the stage, to a golden boat sailing along the ocean blue, it’s easy to see why Pacific Northwest Ballet’s Nutcracker is ranked as one of the most beloved productions among its “nutty” peers.

Maria Chapman and Seth Orza shined in the starring roles of Clara and her handsome Nutcracker Prince. Their final pas de deux was the fuel of dreams – effortless lifts, dazzling smiles and spot-on technique. Together they brought this storybook fantasy adventure to life and carried it all the way through. I even detected a few weeping patrons at the end of Act 2, following Chapman’s tearful exit. (That’s when you know you’ve struck that golden chord of connection with your audience! Bravo!)

Lesley Rauch’s interpretation of the Peacock was everything one could hope for – sensuous and beguiling, with a whisper of sadness in her colorful wings. Is she a prisoner? Does she want to escape? Or is she secretly content with her golden confines? If you can make me feel all that, then as far as I’m concerned, you’ve embodied the role of Peacock!

Snow on stage! Pacific Northwest Ballet dancers in the Kent Stowell/Maurice Sendak Nutcracker. Photo © Angela Sterling

Gorgeous port de bras and swirling tutus made many a young girl gasp during the Waltz of the Flowers with Carrie Imler as “Flora”. What I love most about Imler is her innate sense of timing and control. She can go from lightening “quick-quick” turns into a deliberately slow “melt” on.a.dime! She’s amazing, folks. Truly amazing.

Whirling dervishes Jerome Tisserand, Kyle Davis and Ezra Thomson made the little boys in the audience sit up and pay attention. Their electrifying leaps, turns and jumps were perfectly executed and received a boisterous round of applause.

And speaking of children, it just wouldn’t be right NOT to mention the talent and dedication of the Pacific Northwest Ballet school students. Their roles ranged from adorable to breathtaking – from the sweet young Clara and her friendly party guests (with bouncy ringlets and big smiles for the girls and plenty of spirited hijinks from the boys), to the battling soldiers engaged in a fierce war with the creepy giant Mouse King, from the Chinese Tiger’s exotic attendants to the charming Toy Theatre dancers. I think it’s great to see the school students perform; they not only bring a fresh layer of excitement to the production, but they also inspire the youngest audience members in a way that polished adults cannot.

Awesome sets, gorgeous costumes, spirited dancing, whirling snowflakes and that famous musical score – I can’t think of a better way to ring in the holiday season!

Pacific Northwest Ballet’s Nutcracker runs through December 27th. Great seats are still available! Visit PNB.org for more information.

“In the fall of 1976 “A Very Young Dancer” leaped into the imaginations of a generation of little girls. This children’s book by the photographer Jill Krementz chronicled the day-to-day life of a 10-year-old student from the School of American Ballet, following her to class and through her starring role as Marie in New York City Ballet’s “Nutcracker,” for which she was was handpicked by George Balanchine himself.

Fans of the book might have assumed that Stephanie went on to an adult ballet career as well. But like countless other young dancers in professional children’s schools, Stephanie saw her career end in adolescence, a time of rebellion and discovery. Most move on to other interests. But for Stephanie leaving the school was filled with shame and secrecy. Finding her new place in the world — after the attention that came with the book — was a long and painful journey littered with troubled relationships and financial struggles, with moments of deep darkness and depression…”

I don’t know about you, but I distinctly remember borrowing this book every week from my school’s library for years!) Read Stephanie’s brilliant interview and learn more about her life after ballet, here.

About the movie:

The first documentary to tell the full story behind the world renowned Joffrey Ballet. The intensity, the love, the joy, and the enthusiasm are coming to a screen near you. Joffrey: Mavericks of American Dance premieres in New York City January 27, 2012. Visit http://www.joffreymovie.com to find out about a screening in your area.