Young performers to present 'Wizard of Oz'

The Studio of Dance and Arts will be presenting "The Wizard of Oz" this weekend at Havre High School Auditorium.

The recital, which will have two shows, one Saturday and one Sunday, will feature the dance and tumbling students who have chosen to participate in the performance, board member for the studio Angi Gabrielsen said.

They modify the tale to be able to showcase the dancers and tumblers but "they try to stay pretty true to the story," she said.

The studio, which is a nonprofit organization, pays for the recital through fundraisers throughout the year as well as some sponsors, who will be listed in the program, Gabrielsen added.

Final preparations, performances and memories

Thursday, the teachers hosted an all-day practice for the performance from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., where the students came throughout the day to go through the recital.

At noon, some of the youngest students were up on stage practicing their parts as the munchkins of Oz.

The Studio of Dance and Arts is open to dancers from 3-years-old and tumblers from 2-years-old, Gabrielsen said.

Stephanie Larson, who sat by the side of the stage during Thursday's rehearsal making paper flower stage decorations, said the performance includes a lot of parent involvement.

"Everybody contributes what they can," she added.

Larson's daughter Libby, 5, who has ballet and tap performances in the recital, said large amounts of preparation go into getting ready for the annual recital.

"I think they start practicing for it right from the beginning," Larson said.

Advanced dancer Hannah Bricker, 15, who does Hip Hop and contemporary/lyrical dance, said that every year they have a recital and the last few years they have had themes.

"Last year we did Cinderella and one year we did 'Avatar' ... it was cool," she said.

She decided she wanted smaller roles this year, she added, so she is performing as a hanging tree and a winkie guard.

Her favorite part of the recital, Bricker said, is being able to see how all the younger kids have grown over the past year.

"You see them do all the cutest things ... it is amazing to watch the improvement," she added.

This recital will also be special for recent high school graduate Baylee Miller, 18, who will be dancing her last performance with The Studio of Dance and Arts before she moves down to Bozeman to study biochemistry at Montana State University.

"Miss Dani Alex has been my teacher since I was three years old," said Miller, who will be portraying the Wicked Witch of the West.

Miller said she has studied all kinds of dance at the studio, but enjoys Lyrical the most.

"This year has been a really good one," she added. "Everyone has worked really hard (for the recital)."

"This has been a fun year," Miller said.

Saturday's performance will be at 6:30 p.m. and Sunday's will be at 2 p.m.

Tickets can be purchased at the door and admission is $10 a person with children five and under free.