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The Corinne Phelps Robertson School of Dance
Christina Addabbo Prete, Executive Director
Corinne Phelps Robertson, Artistic Director


     


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Painting by Katherine Brill, 2001

Established in 1951
Specializing in Ballet, Jazz, and Tap for Children and Teenagers
Member of the Cecchetti Council of America and Dance Masters of America

5600 Wyngate Drive
Bethesda, Maryland 20817
(301) 515-1841 or (301) 530-1446

Click HERE for map of studio location.


Schedule of Classes

Click HERE for current class schedule. Classes begin Wednesday, September 3, 2008.

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Curriculum

Kinderdance and Tap: This combination of ballet-inspired creative movement and tap dance is offered to preschoolers 4 years of age. Our aim is to instill a sense of rhythm in our youngest dancers and provide a happy experience with their first years in a dance studio, and most of all, to inspire a love for dance!  Our Mommy & Me class offers a similar curriculum, but without tap, for 3-year-olds, and invites a parent or guardian to participate or observe class as appropriate.

Pre-Ballet and Tap: These combination classes for students aged 5-7 years provide an introduction to ballet which teaches the basic ballet class structure and basic concepts of music as well as continuing age-appropriate tap instruction. Pre-Ballet classes for 5-year-olds are designed for Kindergarten-aged children, and classes for 6 & 7 year-olds are geared toward 1st and 2nd graders. Our Intro to Ballet I class is a more rigorous pre-ballet class which introduces students to the theory and exercises of Cecchetti Ballet I and is appropriate for 2nd or 3rd graders.

Ballet: A child is usually accepted into graded ballet lessons at eight years of age and when in the third grade. Students are primarily instructed in the Cecchetti Method of ballet, which provides a well-balanced system of theory and movement from Level 1 through Level 8.  Students may qualify for graded examinations in the Cecchetti Method of ballet, although exams are not mandatory.

Pointe: Students are placed in classes offering ballet instruction in both soft slippers and pointe shoes pending the directors’ approval. Pointe students should attend class at least twice a week to continue building the additional foot and body strength that pointe work requires.

NEW STUDENTS BEGINNING POINTE SHOULD NOT PURCHASE POINTE SHOES UNTIL AFTER CLASSES BEGIN AND YOUR TEACHER INSTRUCTS YOU TO DO SO!  

Tap: Tap classes are offered in conjunction with ballet or jazz classes and help students to develop a keen sense of rhythm and coordination.

Jazz: Students are generally accepted in jazz classes at the age of ten, and after one or two years of ballet. Conceived in America, jazz is a kind of stylized theatrical dancing and is greatly influenced by the musical styles of each decade.

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CALENDAR

2008-2009 School Calendar*

September 3, 2008

First Day of Classes

October 25 - 31

Halloween Costume Week!

November 1 - 2

Cecchetti Dance Conference at the University of Maryland

November 17 - 22

Fall Visitor’s Week

November 26 - 29

Thanksgiving Break (no classes)

December 3

Tuition Installment #2 DUE,
along with costume payments

Dec. 22 - Jan. 3, 2009

Winter Break (no classes)

January 19

MLK, Jr. Birthday (no classes)

February 16

President’s Day (no classes)

March 4

Tuition Installment #3 DUE

March 21 - 22

Cecchetti Dance Conference at the University of Maryland

March 30 - April 4

Spring Visitor’s Week

April 6 - 13

Spring Break (no classes)

April 26 (Sunday)

Studio Portrait Day

May 22 (Friday)

Last Day of Classes

May 28 - 29*

Stage Rehearsals

May 30*

Dress Rehearsal

May 31*

Annual Recital

*All dates are tentative and subject to change. Dances classes will be held on any MCPS school closings not listed here unless otherwise announced.

INCLEMENT WEATHER PROCEDURES

Please note that the studio generally (but not always) follows Montgomery County closures in the event of inclement weather. Announcements regarding closures will be posted on our website and on both answering machines.

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Newsletters and Updates for Parents

Click HERE for school newsletters and updates.

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Faculty Biographies

Executive Director Christina Addabbo Prete:  Christina received her initial dance training at the CPR School of Dance and began as a teacher here in 1990. She graduated Magna Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa with a degree in Finance from the University of Maryland. Christina has danced professionally with Metropolitan Ballet Theatre in Rockville, MD, and the Virginia Civic Ballet in Marshall, VA. She also serves as Treasurer of the East Coast Committee of the Cecchetti Council of America (CCA), and holds an Advanced Professional VII Teacher’s Certificate from the CCA.

Artistic Director Corinne Phelps Robertson:  Mrs. Robertson received her early training in the Washington, New York City, and San Francisco areas and enjoyed a professional career with the San Francisco Opera Ballet.  She is a member of the Cecchetti Council of America and holds an Intermediate Professional VI Teacher’s Certificate.  Mrs. Robertson taught fifteen years for the Montgomery County Department of Recreation and for over 50 years has found much reward in directing the Corinne Phelps Robertson School of Dance.

Sharon Addabbo:  Sharon is a guest choreographer and instructor for advanced tap and ballet. She has had an affiliation with the CPR school of dance since she began as a student here in 1964.  Sharon holds a Level III Teacher's Certificate from the Cecchetti Council of America and still enjoys performing; she was seen most recently as Grandmother in The Nutcracker. Sharon's favorite role, however, is being Mom to Miss Christina, Miss Stephanie, and her sons Michael and Patrick.

Stephanie Addabbo:  Stephanie was trained at the CPR School of Dance in ballet, jazz, and tap, and is a member of the Cecchetti Council of America in which she holds a Level IV Teacher’s Certificate. Stephanie will be taking hiatus from teaching in 2008-2009 while beginning her career as a post-partum nurse at Sibley Hospital in Washington, D.C.

Frannie Gold:  Frannie began her dance training at the CPR School of dance when she was 5 years old. She has assisted Miss Christina, Miss Diana, and Miss Chrissy for many years and will begin her second year of teaching this fall, working with our 4- and 5-year-old students. Frannie is also a senior at Walter Johnson High School.

Christiane  Machado:  Christiane has studied ballet, tap, and jazz at our school since she was 3-years-old, and passed her Cecchetti Elementary Professional V Student exam in May 2006. Miss Chrissy also assisted Miss Christina and Miss Michelle for 4 years. While continuing as a senior at Winston Churchill High School, Miss Chrissy will enter her third year of teaching, teaching three days a week and handling a variety of levels.

Michelle Machado:  Michelle began as a student in our school at the age of 4.  She began teaching ballet, jazz, and tap in 1999 and handled all of our Saturday classes for six years. She graduated from the University of Maryland in 2003, with a degree in Mechanical Engineering and a minor in French. In addition to teaching her dance classes, Michelle works full time as a Project Engineer for Clark Construction.

Diana Samata:   Diana studied ballet and tap at the CPR School of Dance for 10 years before graduating a year early from Walter Johnson High school and beginning her college career at the University of Maryland, College Park. After assisting Miss Christina for many years, Miss Diana enters her fourth year of teaching this fall, continuing her work with Pre-Ballet  and Cecchetti Ballet students.

Marie Wei:  Marie began studying ballet when she was five years old at Maryland Youth Ballet. She finished her training at the CPR School of Dance and continued to dance at Penn State University. Marie graduated from Penn State in 2005 with a degree in Early Childhood and Elementary Education, and is now a teacher at Stone Mill Elementary School in North Potomac. Marie has worked with Miss Christina over the years in our Summer Dance Classes and Camps, and will be teaching on Saturday mornings this fall.

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The Cecchetti Method of Classical Ballet Training

The Cecchetti Council of America (CCA) is an organization dedicated to maintaining the standards and method of ballet training established by Cav. Enrico Cecchetti, revered teacher of Anna Pavlova, Nijinsky, and dancers of the Imperial Theater of St. Petersburg.  The CCA uses Cecchetti's  teachings and writings in a sequence of grades which are carefully measured as to degree of difficulty and physical development.  The CCA also provides a system of accredited examinations to test the student's proficiency within these grades.  Ballet students at the CPR School of Dance may qualify for these examinations.

The Cecchetti Method offers teachers a completely balanced and analyzed system of theory and execution for the development of the student from the first lesson to solo status.  In addition to "set" exercises based on the syllabi of the Cecchetti Society Branch of the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing in London, England, the Cecchetti teacher includes "unseen" steps in each lesson so that a student will learn to adapt quickly and easily to any pattern of steps or rhythm.  There are eight grades, consisting of four children's grades and four professional grades (Elementary, Intermediate, Advanced, and Diploma).

For more information, visit the CCA's website.

 Visit The Cecchetti Council of America today

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Last modified 08/07/2007 04:02:40 PM