Hello PNB Families,
As a reminder, both school locations will be closed, and all classes will be cancelled on Saturday, May 29th and Monday, May 31st in honor of Memorial Day. Classes will resume on Tuesday, June 1st. We hope you have a wonderful weekend!
Best regards,
PNB School
Dear Students and Parents,
As the calendar moves toward June and another school year concluding without so many of our traditions, we’re reminiscing about what a special time the end of the school year is.
We love spring at PNBS! Spring brings news of job offers and college acceptance letters and celebrations for all the students that are moving on each year. Preparations for School Performance would be in full swing by now with additional rehearsals somehow finding space in the schedule. Faculty members make plans to highlight the incredible strides each class made that year. And students would excitedly come into the office to share their summer plans, as we make plans to welcome them back again for fall. I miss all of it.
This year, of course, everything is different. We thought, in March of 2020, that this would last a few weeks, then a few months, and then we entered this period of time we’re all sharing now where we’re still in a state of reinvention while so much of what we do remains in a state of suspension. It is so important to acknowledge the grief and hardship suffered by so many in our communities. This has been an exceptionally challenging period of time in all our lives, particularly for young people. Depending on the student and the day, ballet is an escape, a necessary diversion, a happy place, and an opportunity to experience music and movement away from distractions. Ballet studios are special places for those that spend time in them, and we know that being away from them this last year has been devastating for so many students.
The challenges of the past sixteen months have changed PNB and PNB School forever. The current struggle to plan for what comes next while we’re still navigating what’s happening right now is taxing. BUT, we will emerge from this crisis – bruised, but intact – and with greater urgency around our values of inclusivity, transparency, and sharing joy. Zoom ballet from home has not been easy, and yet we discovered how resilient and inventive we are. The connections students and faculty made with each other while navigating this time together are meaningful and lasting. We are exceptionally proud of our students for showing up and doing their best in an unprecedented situation. PNB School students spend the year improving, trying, learning, and moving – all while being good classmates to each other. We’re proud of our faculty for learning how to deliver exceptional ballet training to students from home. And we’re proud of our accompanists and our staff for keeping us all on the beat and moving forward.
As we look to the near future we’re overwhelmed and energized. Overwhelmed thinking through the protocol required to bring all students safely back into the Phelps Center and the Francia Russell Center, but energized by the fact that we are bringing students back for in-person classes! We will start this summer with our scaled-down Summer Course which will pave the way to resume classes in September. As you can imagine, there are so many details to iron out and the advice from our local authorities is still changing frequently, but we can manage this. The situation is trending in a direction that will allow us to get back in new ways to what we love doing – educating your students in person.
Thank you for sticking with us this year, and for your devotion to your student’s ballet experience. We are grateful for you.
Denise Bolstad
Managing Director
Seminar Schedule
Level VI, VII, VIII, Intermediate Boys, Men’s Division, and Professional Division
May, 2021
REVISED 4/28/21
All seminars previously scheduled for May with Josh Spell have been cancelled and replaced with the following Nutrition Seminar with PNB’s Consulting Nutritionist, Monica Van Winkle.
Please note: Zoom links were emailed out on Thursday, Aprli 29th.
Level VI
Saturday, May 15 3:15-4:15pm
Intermediate Boys/Men’s Division
Saturday, May 15 3:15-4:15pm
Level VII
Saturday, May 15 3:15-4:15pm
Level VIII
Saturday, May 15 3:15-4:15pm
Men’s Division/Int. Boys
Saturday, May 15 3:15-4:15pm
Professional Division
Tuesday, May 18 6:30-7:30pm
Dear PNB School Families,
It’s a joy to see students returning to in-person school and spring activities. At PNB School we are working on next steps to increase studio pods at both locations and possibly add some additional levels to in-studio classes, using safety for all as our guiding principle. Our health advisors have cautioned us not to move too quickly in case King County reverts to Phase 2 and we have to roll back changes; we truly don’t want to create any further disruption in the life of your student.
We’ll be back in touch in the days to come with updates regarding in-person instruction for the rest of this academic year, provided that King County remains in Phase 3. Please note we may not be able to offer in-person classes to all levels, but we will keep you informed. We appreciate your patience as we navigate the safest possible avenues for students and staff at the Phelps Center and the Francia Russell Center.
Thank you for being an important part of our PNB community.
Warm regards,
Denise Bolstad
Managing Director
Hello PNBS Families,
PNB School will be holding spring break the week of April 12-18th. No classes will be held during this time. Classes will resume on April 19th as normal.
Enjoy the sunshine!
PNB School
PNB School Mentorship Schedule
April-May, 2021
As of 4/2/21
Prof. Division
• Tuesday, April 27 from 6:30-7:30p PST
• Tuesday, May 11 from 6:30-7:30p PST
• Tuesday, May 25 from 6:30-7:30p PST
Level VI & VII
• Friday, April 30 from 8-9p PST
• Friday, May 14 from 8-9p PST
Level VIII & Int/Adv Men
• Monday, April 26 from 8-9p PST
• Monday, May 24 from 8-9p PST
Josh Spell, PNBS Consulting Therapist
Seminar Schedule
February-May, 2021
REVISED 4/2/21
Please note: Zoom links will be emailed one week prior to scheduled seminars.
Level VI
Saturday, February 27 1:45-2:45pm
Saturday, March 27 1:45-2:45pm
Saturday, April 24 1:45-2:45pm
Saturday, May 22 1:45-2:45pm
Intermediate Boys/Men’s Division
Saturday, February 13 10:15-11:15am
Saturday, March 13 10:15-11:15am
Saturday, April 10 10:15-11:15am
Saturday, May 15 10:15-11:15am
Level VII
Saturday, February 20 9:00-10:00am
Saturday, March 20 9:00-10:00am
Saturday, April 24 9:00-10:00am
Saturday, May 22 9:00-10:00am
Level VIII
Saturday, February 6 9:00-10:00am
Saturday, March 6 9:00-10:00am
Saturday, April 3 1:00-2:00pm
Saturday, May 8 TBD
Men’s Division/Int. Boys
Saturday, February 13 10:15-11:15am
Saturday, March 13 10:15-11:15am
Saturday, April 10 10:15-11:15am
Saturday, May 15 10:15-11:15am
Professional Division
Friday, February 5 4:00-5:00pm
Friday, March 5 4:00-5:00pm
Friday, April 2 4:00-5:00pm
Friday, May 7 4:00-5:00pm
Hello PNB Families,
Please find the schedules for mentorship zoom meetings with Cecelia Iliesiu and Amanda Morgan for April and May below. Emails are being sent out today, March 25th, with the zoom information. Please contact the school if you have any questions.
PDs
• Tuesday, April 13 from 6:30-7:30p PST
• Tuesday, April 27 from 6:30-7:30p PST
• Tuesday, May 11 from 6:30-7:30p PST
• Tuesday, May 25 from 6:30-7:30p PST
Level VI & VII
• Friday, April 16 from 8-9p PST
• Friday, May 14 from 8-9p PST
Level VIII & Intermediate Boys and Men’s Division >> new date
• Monday, April 26 from 8-9p PST
• Monday, May 24 from 8-9p PST
Dear Level VI-VIII, Intermediate Boys, Men’s Division, and PD students and families,
We are so happy to have students back in the studios! As always, we want to thank you for your support and commitment to your student’s dancing and to PNB. Please find an important update on safety and security surrounding the Phelps Center and greater Seattle Center campus.
As mentioned in a previous communication, the City of Seattle’s Downtown Emergency Service Center (DESC) is hosting a shelter below PNB at the Exhibition Hall for people experiencing homelessness. Seattle Center and DESC have increased security and awareness around the shelter, and the situation inside the shelter is well managed, but outside the shelter we are aware of an increase in unsafe interactions with the shelter-adjacent population utilizing DESC services around the Phelps Center.
Seattle Center has increased security on campus, and PNB also has a security guard present at the front door during all School hours. When traveling to and from the Phelps Center for classes, we strongly encourage the following:
• If you see something suspicious while on the Seattle Center grounds, please report it immediately to the Seattle Center Emergency Services Unit at 206.684.7272 (or call 9-1-1). We recommend students add this emergency number to their cell phone contacts.
• “See Something, Say Something”: Please also let PNB staff know immediately if you see or experience something unsafe on the way in and out of the Phelps Center. Email documentation is also helpful in our communication with Seattle Center. PNB Front Desk: 206.441.9411; PNB School Office: 206.441.2435
• Students driving to and from PNB should always exercise caution upon arrival and departure. If possible, walk in pairs (while remaining socially distant).
• Families who drop their students off are encouraged to use the drop-off parking in front of the Phelps Center and watch their student until they are safely in the building.
• Students being picked up must remain in the building until they see their parent arrive (while remaining socially distant from other students).
• For more information, visit Seattle Center’s Public Safety page: www.seattlecenter.com/visitor-info/safety.
Seattle Center shares our high priority in keeping our students and families safe while working with City of Seattle to make shelter and services available to our most vulnerable community members.
Pacific Northwest Ballet
Pacific Northwest Ballet School
An act of vandalism occurred last Saturday afternoon at the Phelps Center and the front doors were deliberately damaged. It happened during School off-hours when classes were not in session. The Seattle Police Department and Seattle Center Security were immediately contacted and PNB has worked to increase security guard hours.
