News - 2008

Peggy Peabody inducted into the Women's Hall of Fame

The Alameda County Board of Supervisors and The Alameda County Commission on the Status of Women have honoured Peggy Peabody with the prestigious "Women's Hall of Fame" award for Arts and Culture. The purpose of the Women's Hall of Fame is to recognize outstanding women for their achievements and contributions to the overall well being of our county and its citizens.

Inside Bay Area: Women's Hall of Fame adds 7 inductees
Inside Bay Area: 7 women to join county Hall of Fame
ACGov.org Alameda County's Official Website

Inside Bay Area

Whew! I just saw both the article in the Daily Review and the video on Inside Bay Area and am very pleased. (I am also very relieved, as we are not accustomed to getting much press, you know!) Both are very nicely done and convey what Ballet Petit is all about.

The reporter, Kris Noceda, was a pleasure to work with. We spoke daily last week, meeting over the phone, at ballet, as well as at the Daily Review office to record the voice for the video. It was a lot of fun. He did both the article and the video. The photographer also got some nice and very tasteful shots. They obviously listened to my concern about being careful about certain inappropriate angles not being included. They were both a pleasure to work with.

I am so happy that the focus of the article was wholesome and focused on what we do. Both the reporter and the photographer spent a lot of time on us over the last 9 days. I am glad that their efforts paid off so well.

If you would like to see the article and/or the video, go to www.insidebayarea.com. On that page under Multimedia, click on the story title.

News - 2007

REVIEW - Whimsy elevates Guidi's 'Nutcracker'

Well-rehearsed young gingersnaps from Ballet Petit of Hayward perform in director and choreographer Ronn Guidi's intimate retelling of the oft-told "Nutcracker".

Read the Review

What did you do for your summer vacation? Well, we were very busy here at Ballet Petit. In addition to regular classes, we had several special things happen during this summer of 2006.

Lillian went off to the Summer Intensive with the American Ballet Theatre for the second summer in a row. Three weeks of challenging classes added even more to Lillian's already lovely technique. Miss Peggy always likes what she sees when our dancers return from a summer with ABT. They come back strong and clean. Lillian was no exception, of course! Watching her last week take a slow developpe, en pointe, in a la seconde (to the side), in slow motion, then continue to lift the leg gently at the top of the developpe says it all...strong technique with artistic quality, all done in good taste. Good job!

Sarah and Miss Peggy recently returned from 3 weeks in Copenhagen, Denmark. Sarah was attending the 44th Annual Bartholin International Ballet Seminar that was held in the Danish Royal Theatre. Miss Peggy took morning class with Sarah and the other dancers each day. Sarah danced Monday through Saturday from 9:00- at least 5:00. The highlight of the week was studying the Bournonville tradition with Vivi Flindt in week 2. Sarah's teachers and program changed each week, including modern, Pilates, character dance, pas de deux, and pointe / variations. Each morning class teacher each week had been a partner with Rudolf Nureyev!

The program ended on a particularly high note. Sarah was awarded the only Bournonville solo for the showcase performance at Tivoli Garden on July 22. Several hours before that, she was also awarded a full scholoarship to return to the international seminar next year, next to a boy from the Bolshoi Ballet School! Since most of the dancers in the seminar are trained in their countries' royal ballet schools and opera companies, usually at the expense of their governments, this is a very big honor for a young dancer from a private ballet school such as ours... in Hayward, California! Congratulations, Sarah on your hard work. See the photos

In August we had the pleasure of spending an intensive week of training right here at Ballet Petit with Ronn Guidi and Danny Nguyen. Ronn is the Founding Artistic Director of the Oakland Ballet, Danny of the Danny Nguyen Dance Company.

Ronn shared his many gifts and years of experience with us through daily ballet classes and choreographic sessions. Dancers learned many variations from Ronn's original version of his Nutcracker, which is returning to the Paramount Theatre this year with many of his favorite dancers from years ago! See the photos

Danny gave us our first week long exposure to modern dance. We rose to the challenge and proved that classically trained dancers can transition relatively easily to other forms of dance. See the photos

Lastly, as summer draws to a close, we begin to say good-bye to our graduates as they go off to college. Lisa and Sarah will be continuing their dance training in college, both entering college with a double major - one in dance!

We hope you also had a productive summer. Welcome back.

Ballet Russes - a film by Dayna Goldfine and Dan Geller

To see a remarkable film, that teachers the history of dance and is a must see for those who love ballet and want t to learn more.

Unearthing a treasure trove of archival footage, filmmakers Dan Geller and Dayna Goldfine have fashioned a dazzlingly entrancing ode to the revolutionary twentieth-century dance troupe known as the Ballets Russes. Click on the link above.

- Summer 2005

Congratulations to the girls who are attending summer intensive workshops throughout the United States.

Nikita and Krista are attending the Central Wisconsin School of Ballet under the Direction of Mrs. Karkar. www.cwschoolofballet.com/summer_instructors.htm

Lillian will be attending the ABT (American Ballet Theater) summer session held at Alabama University and have the opportunity to work with several accomplished dancers and teachers. Lillian will be Ballet Petit's fifth dancer who has attended ABT's prestigious summer program in the same amount of years. http://www.abt.org/education/summerintensive.asp

Lisa and Sarah will be attending The Lines Ballet School in San Francisco under the Direction of Alonzo King in the Pre-Professional Summer Intensive which is not only strong in classical ballet and pointe work, but also modern, jazz, and a variety of performance techniques. Alonzo King's Lines Ballet is a contemporary dance company that performs extensively throughout the United States. http://www.linesballet.org/

News - Fall 2004

Ballet Petit Celebrates its 26th Anniversary of The Nutcracker

Hayward, CA - Ballet Petit will perform its 26th Anniversary production of Tchaikovsky's holiday dream ballet
The Nutcracker on December 4 and 5, 2004, at Chabot College Centre for the Performing Arts in Hayward, CA.

Ballet Petit Artistic Director Peggy Peabody explains that this is one of the longest running productions of The Nutcracker in Northern California. "It would be difficult to find another ballet school who has performed The Nutcracker as long as we have, and at this magnitude, without public funding," Peabody said.

Founded in 1979, Ballet Petit presented its first Nutcracker at a preschool in Fremont, CA. The show lasted a mere 10 minutes. Today, audiences are delighted to come and enjoy a high-caliber performance to rival those of larger companies - complete with magical special effects, festive hand-painted sets, and beautiful elaborate costumes, all of which are owned by Ballet Petit. "We don't rent costumes or sets," Peabody explained. "We've spent the past 26 years developing our Nutcracker to the remarkable production it is today," she said.

Ballet Petit will present the holiday classic with more than 250 local dancers. A unique feature of the production is that it includes dancers as young as three years old and spotlights older students who have danced their way up to more challenging roles over the years.

"Each year our cast includes many new dancers who were audience members last year," said Peabody. "After seeing the show, they want to become a part of it. I love that. That's one reason why we do this in the first place."

In addition, many ballet schools need to hire professionals to dance the lead roles, such as Clara and the Sugar Plum Fairy. However, Ballet Petit, being a classical ballet school based in the classical repertoire, is able to train its own advanced dancers to cover even the most challenging roles.

Ballet Petit is delighted to celebrate The Nutcracker on December 4, 2004, at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.; and December 5, 2004, at 7 p.m. at the Chabot College Centre for the Performing Arts, 25555 Hesperian Blvd., Hayward, CA. Tickets can be purchased in advance at Ballet Petit, or 30 minutes prior to each performance at the theatre. Adults are $15, children/seniors are $12.50. Generous discounts are offered for groups of 20 or more. Contact Ballet Petit at (510) 324-4988 for more information.

Contact:
Peggy Peabody, Artistic Director, Ballet Petit
(510) 324-4988, email: balletpetit@comcast.net

Rachel Gonsalves, Public Relations, Ballet Petit
(510) 481-1253 or rachel.gonsalves@comcast.net

Ballet Petit in Hayward, CA, has offered classes in ballet and ballet parallels in the East Bay for more than 25 years. The school focuses on ballet as a classical art form for both children and adults. Students with professional aspirations have been accepted from Ballet Petit to major professional ballet programs, including International Bartholin Ballet Seminar in Copenhagen, Denmark, The Royal Ballet of London, Boston Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, Joffrey Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, The Pacific Northwest Ballet, Cleveland San Jose Ballet, and many more. The staff includes a number of former professional dancers with many years of experience in performance, teaching and choreography. Each year, Ballet Petit performs the heartwarming holiday story of The Nutcracker, as well as a Spring Concert.

News - Summer 2004

Ballet Petit Dancers accepted to summer programs

Congratulations to the dancers who have been accepted to summer programs - Lisa- to American Ballet Theatre, the Joffrey Ballet and Lines, Margaret - to SanFrancisco Ballet and American Ballet Theatre, Claire, Sarah, Allison, and Lillian to Contra Costa, Katherine- to Nevada State Ballet, Mayah to American Academy of Ballet. Your hard work has been rewarded with some wonderful choices. Great Job.

and... On April 3, Ballet Petit dancers were given a wonderful opportunity. Cuban ballerina, Laura Alonso, taught a 3 hour master class to Intermediate 3 and Advanced dancers. She taught a demanding class which will give all the a lot to think about and work on in coming weeks. Photos

Miss Alonso's class reminded dancers of how important their classical training is in their lives, stressing the significance of knowing their ballet classics, both the stories and the traditional choreography. Every movement in every ballet class is designed for a specific piece of choreography within classical ballet's rich repertoire. It is the responsibility of the dancer to not only know the steps, but to also know why the steps are there, and in which ballet those steps are utilized, and why. Her example is living proof of the significance and importance of truly classical ballet training.

Back in Cuba, Miss Alonso runs her own 700 student school and 30 dancer company. Her company performs three times a month. The repertoire includes La Bayadere, Coppelia, two familiar classics and favorites of Ballet Petit. Her mother, famed ballerina, Alicia Alonso, still directs the National Ballet of Cuba, blind and approaching 90 years young. Her father still rehearses and supervises students at both Laura Alonso's school in Havana and the National Ballet of Cuba's school. He is 90 years old.

Currently, most of the world's best ballet dancers are coming out of Cuba. Ballet Petit is fortunate to have had such a visit by an important piece of ballet history. We look forward to Miss Alonso's return. In the meantime...back to the barre!

News - Summer 2003

A special welcome back to our dancers who have trained away from home this summer- Lisa at ABT Margaret at the Contra Costa Ballet, and many of our other dancers who went to Summer programs and of course our own summer workshop with Ronn Guidi at the Oakland Ballet Academy Ballet . They look wonderful and obviously made the most of these wonderful experiences. Special blessings to the parents of these dancers who let them off to see the world on these adventures.

News - 2002 Summer

A special welcome back to our dancers who have trained away from home this summer- Luisa at the Kirov Academy in Washington, D.C., Jana at the Academy of Ballet in New York City, Sarah and Lisa at Contra Costa Ballet, and Alina and Jessica at the Royal Danish Ballet in Copenhagen, Denmark. They look wonderful and obviously made the most of these wonderful experiences. Special blessings to the parents of these dancers who let them off to see the world on these adventures.

You will notice a new name on the fall schedule. Please welcome Miss Heidi to our staff. You have seen her around, as she has subbed for us several times during the last 2 years. I am happy to add her to our already wonderful staff. Miss Heidi comes to us with a strong background, having danced professionally and taught in the Midwest.