Happy Holidays from 6th Position!
Season’s Greetings to all our dancers!
What a whirlwind year it’s been for 6th Position. I can’t thank you all enough for making my transition to the director role a smooth and fun one. A HUGE thank you to the 6P staff too… I think you’ll agree that they are the best adult dance teachers in Canberra!
Some information for you all as we say goodbye to 2024:
Christmas Week
Just because regular classes finish this week, doesn’t mean the fun stops! Our final week before Christmas, as most of you know, means the 6P teachers have concocted some entertaining classes! Book in quick as these classes normally fill up.
Monday
Learn a Beginner or Advanced version of the Sugarplum Fairy Variation with Jess (who was Sugarplum herself, in our Nutcracker!) from 6-7:30pm
Be cool in the “Big Bag” Hip Hop with Maddi from 6-7:15pm
Get your broadway on with Elf: The Musical with Maddi from 7:15-8:30pm
Tuesday
Learn the beloved Gingerbreads piece from our very own Nutcracker with Carys (the genius behind the fun) from 6-7pm
Come try Balanchine’s Coffee (Arabian) Variation with me from 7-8:15pm
Experienced Pointe students can learn the Princess Florine’s Variation from The Sleeping Beauty with me 8:15-9:15pm
Wednesday
Be a fabulous showgirl with the fabulous Nicole from 6-7pm
Beginner Ballet and Beginner Pointe students can try the Doll variation from Coppelia with me from 6-7:15pm
Dance like Sabrina Carpenter in a Christmas heels class with Maddi 7:15-8:30pm
Do a Christmas barre and then learn the Puddings piece from our Nutcracker himself! Gino will show you the ropes from 7:15-8:30pm
Thursday
The fun never stops with Nicole because she’s got a Bublé Christmas planned for Inter/Adv Tappers from 6-7:15pm
Don’t worry if you’re a Beginner Tapper, because Nicole has got you covered with “The Man With The Bag” from 7:15-8:30pm!
6P Teachers Update
Farewell! *sobbing*
It is with great sadness that we say goodbye to Grace, Belinda, Molly and Lauren who are leaving to discover life’s new adventures.
Grace will still pop in occasionally to cover and we thank her for making 6P what it is now: A thriving two-studios space with multiple styles offered six days a week! She also kept the studio going through COVID (no easy feat!) and so to her we say thank you, goodbye - but do NOT be a stranger!
Belinda is off for three years to on a posting to Washington! Our beloved dance teacher of the Beginners and Int/Adv ballet crew, we will miss her invaluable dance experience and feedback. We look forward to welcoming her back in three years time and will start the countdown now. Join Belinda for her very last class on Saturday 21st December and then head downstairs to Verity Lane for a goodbye drink.
The lovely Molly has moved back to her hometown and we already miss her. Of course she immediately secured a permanent teaching role and will continue to be an invaluable jack-of-all-trades, I’m sure!
The fabulous Lauren has taken on an important and busy role in her workplace that sees her burning the midnight oil. We aren’t saying goodbye, just a “see you in 12 months”! Thank goodness because we couldn’t handle any more farewells!
Welcome Newbies *cheering*
It is with great pleasure that I welcome the following new teachers to our staff:
Astrid Rodger (Elementary and Int/Adv Ballet and Pointe)
Abby Maskell (Advanced Lyrical with the lovely Jess and the 1st Position Program)
Caitlin Willington (Beginner Ballet and Pre-Pointe with the incredible Gino)
Eva Kolak (Contemporary)
Georgie Clarke (Contemporary)
Imogen Waters (Ballet Foundations with the lovely Angie)
Leah Flynn (Advanced Jazz, Discovering Repertoire and expanding the Teens program)
Noah Laing (Advanced Beginner Ballet and Beginner Pointe plus on rotation for lunchtime ballet and conditioning!)
Veronica Milroy (Pilates for Dance with the hilarious Wenna)
All these wonderful people will be a familiar face to you, so please congratulate them!
2025 Schedule
I know many of you have desperately awaited this and it’s finally here! With the fit-out of the Mitchell studio underway, we are hopeful to open a 3-studio schedule after Open Day. If there are any delays on this, we will keep you updated.
Thank you to those few south-side students who expressed their concerns with the Mitchell location. I have done my absolute best to accommodate everyone but of course, it can’t always be done, especially when competing issues were raised. I have tried to keep a mixture of styles available in the city and we hope that you can come try Mitchell for yourself one day! It’s only 11 minutes from the Northbourne Studio on the tram line and 10 minutes to the Glenloch Interchange via a car.
If you have any further concerns, please feel free to reach out or discuss the class options with your teacher/s.
If you’re a planner like me, here are some key dates for 2025:
Open Day: Saturday 18th January (Free 30 minute taster classes if you’re trying a new style or a higher level - otherwise encourage new friends to come along!)
Regular classes start back: 20th January onwards
RAD Classes Term 1: 20th January to 13th April (12 week term)
No classes running: Easter long weekend (Friday to Monday)
Nutcracker & RAD Break: Two week break for Easter/ANZAC
RAD Term 2: 28th April to 6th July (10 week term)
Nutcracker Performances: Fri 11th, Sat 12th, Sun 13th, Fri 18th, Sat 19th Sun 20th July
RAD Break: 7th to 20th July (two weeks over Nutcracker)
RAD Term 3: 21st July until exams are done then nothing for remainder of the concert enrolment term
Dates for concert enrolments are TBC as we are awaiting confirmation dates from the theatre, but rest assured, we will be doing two shows again!
Regularly scheduled classes finish on Sunday 21st December
Summer Series!
Why should dance stop if you’re staying around Canberra for the holidays? If you’re usually longing for dance over the four weeks between our shut-down and Open Day, well don’t be! This year, we have some regular and new staff members keen to keep the party going!
Offering as many styles as we could, the studio will be open for you to escape your relatives or too many helpings of turkey and champagne…. For any students interested in joining the RAD classes before they get locked down for exam preparation, this is your final chance! Check out the Summer Series here.
Please remember we require a minimum of three students for classes to run, so be sure to book your spot in advance.
Admin Close Down
The fabulous Emily is insisting I take a break from 22nd December to 3rd of January so any emails will be responded to after that. Urgent enquiries can come through the business number: 0403 282 125. Thank you to Emily for all her help throughout the year and being the voice of reason on this, sometimes I get a bit obsessed with ya’ll!
From all of us at 6th Position, we wish you and your loved ones a safe and happy Christmas! Thanks for being here with us on the love-for-dance-train and cheers to an exciting 2025!
Anouska