Tiny dancers

Simon Brooks won't soon forget the first time he performed on stage at the Musical Arts Center.\nThe second-grader played a mouse in the IU Ballet Theater's production of the "Nutcracker," and he's not too shy to admit his steps didn't go quite as planned.\n"The last time I performed, I didn't do so well," he said. "One time, I stood up at the wrong time and just stared up at the lights until the others stood up. When it first happened, I was like, "No, no," but then it was fine."\nThe opportunity to perform in the "Nutcracker" with the "big dancers," as he called the ballet majors, arose from being part of the pre-college ballet program offered through the ballet department.\nThe program, which began 20 years ago, was founded so children in the Bloomington community could be taught appreciation for the art of ballet, said Dorisha Sales, assistant director of the program and a faculty member in the ballet department. \nClasses are offered to students as young as 3 and up to 18 years old. Three-, 4- and 5-year-olds first take creative-movement class where they are introduced to specific movements and games that will prepare them for later classical ballet classes.\nChildren 6 years old take an introduction to ballet, which bridges the creative-movement games with the structure of ballet. At 7 years old, the students are ready to take a weekly formal ballet class that provides them with the basics of ballet, Sales said.\nSales teaches the 7-year-olds' class. On this particular Saturday morning, the students are learning how to do plies at the barre. "Plie", which literally means "to fold," is the bending of the knees and is one of the first movements students learn in ballet. \nSales first demonstrates the movement, which the students closely examine, and then gives the combination. Before beginning the music, she tells the students that next year they will learn how to do a grand-plie. This is met with open-mouthed gasps from many of the kids.\nDressed in traditional ballet attire -- pink leotard and tights for the girls, black tights and white shirts for the boys -- they look to be mini-versions of the ballet majors themselves. They begin the combination with a preparation of the arms. When it is over, Sales has them hold their ending position for a few seconds. \nIt is through these combinations that the students learn the discipline and focus so essential to the art form. Although many of the children won't pursue a life of ballet, they still gain an appreciation and understanding of \nballet that will stick with them, Sales said.\n"I have so many former students who come up to me saying that, even though they aren't dancing anymore, they still go to ballet shows as often as they can," Sales said. "They say that they will always support this art form."\nSales admitted that while she isn't there to build professional dancers, she hopes to infuse a sense of pride in the students.\n"I'm there to tell them it isn't about comparing themselves to others, to help them to be proud of their own accomplishments," Sales said. "These classes are really an outlet for those who have to dance in any capacity." \nSophie Wang, 7, is one such child. Sophie's mother, Helen Liu, said ballet is the only activity Sophie consistently practices on her own.\n"She loves to just put on her costume and dance around the house," Lui said. "With piano, I have to tell her to practice. With ballet, I don't have to say anything."\nLiu said the pre-college class, which Sophie began taking when she was 3, is a great experience and gives her better posture.\n"And, she thinks it's fun," Liu said.\nFor Simon, who is in his first year of ballet, Sale's class is an opportunity to learn new things and get exercise, he said.\nAnd as for the "Nutcracker" experience?\n"When I was watching the big dancers, I still say that's a lot harder," he said. "And I just still don't know how they got the explosions on the stage"