Solstice Studio

✨ THRIVE – Solstice Year-End Showcase Recordings ✨

Friends & families of Solstice,

I’m so happy to finally be able to share with you the recordings of our year-end showcase THRIVE 🌱—our very last Solstice performance, and one that will forever hold a special place in my heart. 💛

Thank you so much for your patience in waiting for these to be released. Now you can relive the magic of that day from the comfort of your homes.

👉 Skip through the intermission, grab some popcorn, cast the video to your TV, and enjoy watching with your families!

🎥 Evening Performance: https://youtu.be/4Jww-BPsdVo?si=HflzmCVRxmVH5kNg

🎥 Daytime Performance: https://youtu.be/d1e5DvsYZgw?si=aaow1vHTZsOPdg9R

This show was a celebration of resilience, growth, and community—and every dancer, parent, and supporter made it possible. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for being part of our Solstice journey. 🌙✨

📸 Photography from both shows and rehearsals will be published by the end of October!

With gratitude and love,
Mrs. Jenny

Thrive Evening Showing June 22 2025 Thrive our year-end evening show.

Where a spinning prop becomes an extension of your body

 We’re so excited to share that Jenny Hoopnosis is passing her beloved hoop dance program on to the incredible Atlas at Studio North! Jenny couldn’t be happier to see her program continue with such a fun, creative, and caring teacher. Atlas brings amazing energy, fresh ideas, and a kind spirit that the kids will absolutely love.

 Hoop dance is a unique blend of circus-style tricks and expressive dance — from creating playful characters, to telling meaningful stories, to performing dramatic pieces that light up the stage. It’s an art form that can be performed solo, with partners, or in groups, making it endlessly versatile and engaging.

Classes are offered for:

Ages 5–7

Ages 8–10

Ages 11–18

No experience is required — everyone is welcome to come spin, dance, and explore something new. Custom dance hoops are provided in class.

 Hoop dance also has a fascinating history. From its early roots in ancient Egypt, to becoming a playful craze in the 1950s, to evolving into rhythmic hooping, circus artistry, festival performances and more — hoop dance has traveled through time and cultures, always captivating people with its beauty and skill.

 This class helps develop fantastic hand-eye coordination, builds confidence, and sparks creativity in every dancer.

 
Dress Code

 Wear comfortable clothing you can easily move in — pants or shorts, and fitted T-shirts or tank tops that won’t flip up or get caught in the hoop. Hair should be up in a ponytail, bun, or braids. Dancers can go barefoot or wear socks.

 Come join Atlas at Studio North and discover how a simple hoop can become an extension of your body — and your imagination!

 Registration opens this week through the Studio North website 

🌟 Something truly magical happened…

✨ When one door closes, another door opens.

Today, I handed in my keys. Solstice is officially closed forever… and my heart is both heavy and so incredibly full.

But something truly wonderful has come out of this, something I couldn’t have even dreamed up myself. 💛

Not long ago, Jen Soo, the owner of Studio North and Stage West Dance Academies, reached out when she heard Solstice was closing. She wanted to meet right away, so the very next day, we stood together in the middle of Solstice and talked about everything. It was one of those caring, open conversations between two women who know the dance world , the dreams, the challenges, the ups and downs, and the deep love we pour in.

Near the end of that talk, Jen had this beautiful, wondering thought:

“What if I took over this space?”

My heart nearly burst. It was brilliant. The only catch? My lease was up in a week. The moving truck was already scheduled. I had to have everything cleared out.

But Jen, she saw the space, felt its spirit, and her eyes lit up. In that moment, we both got this spark of excitement. You could almost feel the future shift.

Jen jumped in with everything she had to try to make it happen. Meanwhile, I packed my personal things and cleaned and organized, just hoping, trusting this wild gut feeling that somehow, she was going to pull it off.

And day by day, we talked constantly. Through this whirlwind, Jen and I formed a bond that I know will never break. It all felt so special, so meant to be.

Then, two nights ago… I got the message.

Jen got the space!!!

I cried — truly cried — tears of joy. Because Solstice doesn’t have to vanish. It gets to live on in a beautiful new way, through Jen, her incredible crew at Studio North, and now, in this space that still holds all our memories.

Everything inside stays. The art, the furniture, the very heart of the studio. Even some of our instructors are joining Jen and her team.

I couldn’t have imagined a more perfect ending for Solstice… which really is just a new beginning. 💫

This wasn’t planned. It was a last-minute, heart-led leap of faith. And somehow, the universe aligned to keep dance, love, and community thriving right here.

So here’s our big, special news. A chapter closes… and another, just as full of hope, opens.

💖 Thank you to everyone who’s ever been part of Solstice. And thank you, Jen Soo, for carrying this light forward. I truly couldn’t be happier.

Studio North Dance Academy
Stage West School of Performing Arts

✨ A little PSA for dance parents…

I want to share an important warning about acro classes.

Across many dance studios right now, it’s become common practice to hire people who are not certified to teach acro. Often, these are dancers or former gymnasts with no formal training in teaching acro or gymnastics safely.

This is incredibly risky. Kids can (and sadly do) suffer serious injuries — including spine, neck, shoulder, and hip injuries — when acro isn’t taught properly. These are injuries that can stay with them for life.

Acro is difficult, intense, and demands precise technique. Proper skill progressions, strength building, and spotting are absolutely critical to prevent injuries. It’s not enough that a teacher once did these skills themselves — they must know how to build them safely in children’s growing bodies.

At Solstice, our acro coach wasn’t just a former gymnast — she was both a certified gymnastics coach and Acro certified. Because safety matters BIG TIME.

Parents, please don’t be afraid to ask:
👉 Is your child’s acro teacher certified in acro dance or gymnastics instruction?
👉 What safety certifications or progressions do they follow? ( PLEASE ASK)

Your kids deserve coaches who take their safety seriously. 💛