MONROE - Leotards were optional, but whatever they wore, pink was the order of the day Sunday for the youngest of Monroe's ballerinas.
Jadyn Schwartzlow, 4, Monroe, looked every bit the part of a ballerina dancer, with black leg warmers and a pink tutu included.
"She just loves to watch ballerinas in movies, like Disney," Tina Schwartzlow said about her daughter.
The Monroe Parks and Recreation Department pre-ballet classes began again Sunday for children ages 3-5. Life-long dancers Paige Hoesly, 18, and Rebecca Flannery, 16, are their teachers.
Carol Riese, mother of Florian, who will be 3 this month, signed her daughter up for the class, because "we thought she'd have a great time," she said.
Hoesly and Flannery know the classes can give children a bit more than fun and dressing up, even though those parts are important, too.
"The arts can benefit little kids," Flannery said. "The repetition, fine motor skills, balance, coordination, it all helps them a lot."
"It helps with really shy kids, too," Hoesly said. "The growth we've seen in some of the kids -- they open up and gain self-confidence."
Dance benefits the body by developing flexibility, stamina and muscle strength, they said, and both find their years in dance classes have contributed to their sports activities.
"Everyone can tell you're a dancer because of the gracefulness," said Flannery, who plays soccer.
Hoesly and Flannery have been in dance classes since pre-school.
Hoesly started at the Monona Academy of Dance at the age of 5 and transferred to Studio M. She has performed as Clara in the Nutcracker and in competitions in Chicago.
Flannery started at Vibology at the age of 3 before transferring to Studio M as a pre-teen. She performs in recitals in Monroe.
Ballet classes for the pre-schoolers begins with learning each other's names, stretching and games.
As they progress, repetition will become more important.
"Getting them to remember is the main thing," Flannery said.
Rather than the difficult French words for ballet positions, Hoesly and Flannery will use words that are familiar to their students.
"We'll tell them to put their arms up as if they were holding a beach ball, or put their feet into the form of a 'V,'" Flannery said.
This year, Hoesly and Flannery are excited about the first year of the Monroe High School dance team. With the number of girls in the city in dance classes, they thought it was important for the community to get a dance team.
"We had all kinds of sports, but no dance company," Hoesly said. "So we've been pushing to get a dance team."
The dance team performs at eight basketball games and will participate in the regional competition Jan. 23 in Watertown.
If they place in the top three spots, they go to the state competition in LaCrosse.
Teaching the pre-school ballet and dance classes at the Community Center combines two things that Hoesly loves, little children and dance.
"Teaching offers an element where I can go to college and still do dance," said Hoesly, who performs various types of dance.
"Whatever dance I'm doing at the time, I love," she said.
Flannery expects to stay in dance for the physical benefits and to stay in shape.
"I'd like to keep doing dance, but not teach," Flannery said. She plans to go into marketing and business. "Maybe head a big corporation," she said, smiling.
Jadyn Schwartzlow, 4, Monroe, looked every bit the part of a ballerina dancer, with black leg warmers and a pink tutu included.
"She just loves to watch ballerinas in movies, like Disney," Tina Schwartzlow said about her daughter.
The Monroe Parks and Recreation Department pre-ballet classes began again Sunday for children ages 3-5. Life-long dancers Paige Hoesly, 18, and Rebecca Flannery, 16, are their teachers.
Carol Riese, mother of Florian, who will be 3 this month, signed her daughter up for the class, because "we thought she'd have a great time," she said.
Hoesly and Flannery know the classes can give children a bit more than fun and dressing up, even though those parts are important, too.
"The arts can benefit little kids," Flannery said. "The repetition, fine motor skills, balance, coordination, it all helps them a lot."
"It helps with really shy kids, too," Hoesly said. "The growth we've seen in some of the kids -- they open up and gain self-confidence."
Dance benefits the body by developing flexibility, stamina and muscle strength, they said, and both find their years in dance classes have contributed to their sports activities.
"Everyone can tell you're a dancer because of the gracefulness," said Flannery, who plays soccer.
Hoesly and Flannery have been in dance classes since pre-school.
Hoesly started at the Monona Academy of Dance at the age of 5 and transferred to Studio M. She has performed as Clara in the Nutcracker and in competitions in Chicago.
Flannery started at Vibology at the age of 3 before transferring to Studio M as a pre-teen. She performs in recitals in Monroe.
Ballet classes for the pre-schoolers begins with learning each other's names, stretching and games.
As they progress, repetition will become more important.
"Getting them to remember is the main thing," Flannery said.
Rather than the difficult French words for ballet positions, Hoesly and Flannery will use words that are familiar to their students.
"We'll tell them to put their arms up as if they were holding a beach ball, or put their feet into the form of a 'V,'" Flannery said.
This year, Hoesly and Flannery are excited about the first year of the Monroe High School dance team. With the number of girls in the city in dance classes, they thought it was important for the community to get a dance team.
"We had all kinds of sports, but no dance company," Hoesly said. "So we've been pushing to get a dance team."
The dance team performs at eight basketball games and will participate in the regional competition Jan. 23 in Watertown.
If they place in the top three spots, they go to the state competition in LaCrosse.
Teaching the pre-school ballet and dance classes at the Community Center combines two things that Hoesly loves, little children and dance.
"Teaching offers an element where I can go to college and still do dance," said Hoesly, who performs various types of dance.
"Whatever dance I'm doing at the time, I love," she said.
Flannery expects to stay in dance for the physical benefits and to stay in shape.
"I'd like to keep doing dance, but not teach," Flannery said. She plans to go into marketing and business. "Maybe head a big corporation," she said, smiling.