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Westlake School for the Performing Arts
September 2014
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Greetings!
Welcome to the 2014-2015 school year! We hope you have enjoyed a restful and rejuvenating summer and that you are now ready for what promises to be yet another amazing year of dance and music! Classes are already underway for both the General School and Performance Program.
We thank you for entrusting us with your child's dance education. In addition to the obvious physical benefits, dance and music aide in a child's social and cognitive development in addition to improving their self-esteem. We feel very strongly in the importance of the performing arts in a child's life and we are pleased to provide your student with the best in training.
I would like to introduce myself as the new editor of the WSPA newsletter this year. It will be a wonderful way for us to keep you informed of the latest news, updates and any upcoming events. The newsletter is not only our way of connecting with you, but also a wonderful way of connecting our WSPA families together. Feel free to share any announcements and news about your own business for submission in our next newsletter.
 We have some wonderful news to share with you this month. So please do take a minute to read more: Sincerely,
Jessica C. M. Angeles, editor/teacher
Westlake School for the Performing Arts
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JASMINE CRUZ, JONALYN MONTERO & ALYSSA VIRAY TO REPRESENT WSPA AT THE BALLET PHILIPPINES 45th ANNIVERSARY HOMECOMING GALA
 Ballet Philippines is the prestigious classical/modern company of the country and is the one and only dance company housed at the Cultural Center of the Philippines. It is also the dance company of our school director Malu Rivera-Peoples and teacher/choreographer Tina Fargas-Newell. Ms. Malu danced for five years in the company before migrating to the USA and eventually opening WSPA. Ms. Tina danced for 15 years in the company becoming its rehearsal master before moving to Hong Kong and eventually to California.
For the company's Homecoming Gala on September 28, selected BP Alumni schools and companies were invited to perform and WSPA is excited to bring Jasmine Cruz, Jonalyn Montero and Alyssa Viray to represent. Aside from the Homecoming Gala, BP will be presenting the full length ballets Giselle with American Ballet Theater's Filipina Soloist Stella Abrera and Principal Dancer James Whiteside for the roles of Giselle and Albrecht; and its founder/Artistic Director in Emeritus, Alice Reyes' Cinderella.
The newly awarded Philippine National Artist, Alice Reyes, invited Ms. Malu to perform the role of the wicked Stepmother, alternating with the former beauty queen and current company president, Margie Moran, and the company's former principal dancer, Effie Nanas, for the 12 performances scheduled in December. Because of the conflict with WSPA's Nutcracker, Ms. Malu sadly had to turn the invitation down.
Part of the company's 45th celebration is a USA Tour in October. We thank the following WSPA families who will be hosting some of the dancers while they are in the Bay Area - Newell Family, Bough Family, Buemcamino Family, Baker Family, Tyler Family, Peoples Family and Bautista Family. BP will be performing at the California Theater in San Jose on Oct. 12.Top of Page |
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INTRODUCING NEW WSPA FACULTY MEMBERS
Ballet
WSPA welcomes Ms. Irene Liu to the ballet faculty for 2014-2015. A student of our own Viktor Kabaniaev, she was a critically acclaimed dancer by the SF Chronicle and LA Times for her performances. Read more about Ms. Irene and our renowned ballet faculty.
 Hip Hop
Hip Hop students will be seeing some familiar faces in new roles this year. Members of our elite hip hop performance groups "The Company" and "APT" will be sharing their expertise
and style with our general school students. WSPA welcomes
Melissa Batesting, Alfred Remulla and Jessie Munoz to the hip hop faculty. Be sure to sign up (and tell your friends to also) for these great classes today!Stretching and Conditioning  WSPA welcomes back Ms. Yao to teach stretching and conditioning classes to our students. Registration for these classes are already filling up fast after students fell in love with Ms. Yao and her teaching style this summer.
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UPCOMING 2014-2015 PRODUCTIONS
2014-2015 already promises to be a great year of music and dance. WSPA will be embarking on its 24th year with plans of our annual full length ballet production, a musical theater production, travels to Tahiti in addition to major competitions, this year will be one full of spectacular performances. WSPA never fails to make the year packed with challenges for both students and teachers. Join us for another exciting year of dance and music!!! Nutcracker  WSPA, in partnership with AIMBA, will be presenting its annual full-length production of the Christmas classic "The Nutcracker." Auditions for the lead roles will be Saturday, September 6. Involving over 200 students and adults, this production has never ceased to entertain audiences with that endearing story of a girl and her nutcracker.
Paquita
Professional division ballet teacher, Viktor Kabaniaev, will be choreographing a competition routine in addition to directing and staging a production of "Paquita" for the June Gala. Exhibiting their amazing technique and wonderful stage presence, these exquisite dancers will surely take the stage with grandeur and poise.
Urban Paradise: Hip Hop Showcase
In March 2015, The Camp (WSPA's hip-hop "The Company) will host its annual hip hop extravaganza. Top Hip Hop groups from the Bay Area and around the state, including WSPA's The Company and APT, come to perform year after year. This event attracts audiences from all over California.
Polynesian Luau
Our Polynesian Performance Program has plans of traveling to Tahiti this next summer. As a fundraiser and a great way to build our WSPA Ohana, we are planning a Luau to help spread the spirit of Aloha. Stay tuned for more details.
Musical Theatre Production
Keep you calendars open for January 24th and 25th as our Musical Theatre Company will present our very first Jr. Production of a Disney classic! You won't want to miss it!!! Check back soon for more details!
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WSPA HAD A VERY EXCITING SUMMER
We traveled across the country and around the world this summer with the love of dance in our hearts! See the articles below to read more about our amazing summer of successes in dance! - MTC: Worldstrides Heritage Performance's Anaheim Music Festival
- NYCDA
- Summer Intensives
- Macau
Worldstrides Heritage Performance's Anaheim Music Festival
Recap by: Regina De Guzman (MTC Parent)
Congratulations to the talented students of Musical Theater Company for their incredible work during the Worldstrides Heritage Music Festival in Los Angeles last April 10-13.
Our young students sang a medley of songs from Beauty and the Beast. The judges gave the students two "thumbs up" after their amazing performance and the students absorbed the recommendations during the mini clinic on stage. This experience was wonderful for the students as they received positive and constructive adjudication with written and recorded comments from a panel of three nationally acclaimed adjudicators.
The award ceremony was at Disneyland where MTC received a gold award (94 points out of a possible 100). Way to go MTC!!!
New York City Dance Alliance Nationals 2014
 WSPA students, parents and faculty experienced an amazing week of competitive dance in New York this past July. WSPA took several top awards in New York including 2nd Place Overall for "Royals," including several individual scholarships granted to our many students. Congratulations to all the dancers, teachers, parents, and supporters for all your love, hard work and dedication! Read more about it in our blog : NYCDA 2014 HOT Summer Intensives in Daly City 
MUSICAL THEATER by: Ms. Katie
Ms. Katie's Musical Theatre Summer Camp was an absolute blast! With over 50 students acting, singing, and dancing the awesome music from Disney's FROZEN and NEWSIES! Students studied dance/movement and vocal technique classes, along with acting games and exercises that culminated in a final performance at the end of the three week session. Several students from the Senior Musical Theatre Company assisted and performed with the students. Many thanks to Tanya Rose Santos, Kees Hoekendijk , Rhaeven Pillazar , Christopher Edralin, Audrey Lai, Alyzza Marquez, Bianca Mercado and Angelica Scott. We also had a great teacher team from our Pre-Professional Program that worked alone the first week and supported the other two since Ms. Katie had just gotten married and was on her honeymoon! They did an amazing job with the kids! Thank you Camille Edralin, Amanda Nguyen & Miko Ison!!! GO MTC!
BALLET SUMMER CAMPS
by: Ms. Jessica
Ballet students enjoyed a variety of dance experiences this summer! Our youngest dancers traveled in and out of ballet fairytales with Ms. Leilani as they explored the stories of beloved ballet classics like "Swan Lake" and "Coppelia." Along with our Junior Ballet Campers, all our dancers enjoyed tumbling, global dance and art in addition to working diligently to improve on their ballet technique. Ending in a culminating performance at the end of the three weeks, parents enjoyed an intimate performance in Studio A in which our dancers got to proudly show what they have been working on, including pieces choreographed by WSPA alumni Johanna Gartner to "Happy" and impressive self-choreographed works by our Junior Performance Program students. Great job to all our dancers this summer! We hope to see you in the Fall!!!
Macau - "United Through the Art of Dance" By: Madee Lwin
As a result of my trip to Macau, China, I could truthfully and honestly say I had walked away having achieved more knowledge and formed more friendships than I had expected. Over the course of the ten days we were there, I made an extra effort to talk to people from all over the world, namely those from Australia, Belgium, and New Zealand. Every single person I had encountered were incredibly friendly and open, and it was very humbling to see their awed expressions when I told them I was representing the U.S.A. While dancing under the beautiful ruins of St. Paul's church, it was an amazing sight to behold as people all over the globe united through the art of dance. My trip to Macau made me realize how blessed I am to be given this opportunity and I thoroughly enjoyed my time there.
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