Each year, Texas Metropolitan Ballet extends an invitation to our Primary Division students to appear on stage with other members of the Academy in our annual Spring Gala production.  Participation is not required and is a decision left to the parents.

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The parts are not extensive and in no way reflect fully the techniques they may be learning in class.  This is an education for the youngest ones in learning choreography, learning to listen to music, learning to work in a dance as a group, and learning to dance and navigate in a theater on stage.  Even if they learn it like a master in the class, the environment of the theater changes everything!  This will give the Primaries a beginning education in the elements of theater production - from class room, to stage. 

TMB's Spring Gala usually consists of a full length story ballet tailored to one hour with a second hour of various repertoire dances following an intermission.  Most of the academy and our Company members are in the first half of the production and it is in this ballet where we create roles for our Primary dancers. The second half of the production features dances for some of our Junior Division dancers as well as highlighting our Company dancers.  Primary dancers are not in the second hour and are free to leave after the first hour. This production is presented in Killeen at the Central Texas Theatre (formerly Vive Les Arts - VLA) which is, literally, just down the street from our studio.

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Unlike Nutcracker with its many performances our Spring Gala is usually only 2 or 3 performances. Should you decide to have your young dancer participate, we encourage  these young students to perform in each performance, though it is not required.  We try to be flexible with our youngest dancers.

There is a Performance & Costume Rental Fee. Performing in 1 or all performances does not change the fee rate.  We have contracts for each dancer that we ask to be signed by the parents.  These contracts contain a lot of pertinent information including the dates of potential group rehearsals in which the Primaries will be included as well as the performance dates and times.  These contracts are made available to be picked up at the studio.

Unlike the Junior and Upper division students, who rehearse on the weekends, Primaries learn their choreography in their classroom.  We often incorporate dancers from either the company or from the B1 or B2 levels into the Primary dance in order to have a guide on stage who can help them remember their steps if needed and to direct them on and off the stage. If your student can not be in the performance, they will still learn the dances given to these youngest of dancers.

As we near the performance dates, emails are sent giving details of what accessories are needed for their costume and other information.  We generally do not put these little ones in make-up or they receive very little make-up for stage.  We like them looking like the little ones that they are.  Also, closer to the performance, we generally call one or 2 rehearsals that will include the Primaries, in order to give them the opportunity to be fitted into the bigger picture before going to the theater.

We always have volunteers to stay with and help the littles - If any primary parent is interested in volunteering to help in this capacity this requires keeping them quiet, getting them in and out of their costume at the appropriate time, leading them to their place backstage for their entrances, leading them back to their changing area after their dance, keeping them quietly entertained, helping them with any restroom needs.  It is always great when one or more of the Parents of the Primaries volunteer to help in these positions.  If you volunteer, you need not volunteer for every performance.

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We look forward to many of our Primary students performing with us and that this experience will be a memorable one for all.