'TIS THE SEASON

CHRISTMAS ELVES AND BALLERINAS: Christmas elves are, front row from left, Seryna Frye, Audrianna Neustel, Jade Schiller-Bristol; middle row from left, Baylee McNeil, Sierra Ashley, Abby Crews; back row from left: Elizabeth Babcock, Tayia Penn, Jenny Stanger. Standing are ballerinas, from left, Emily Butler and Amy Yoder. (Staff photo/CHRIS BAXTER).

LA GRANDE

"'Tis the Season for Peace, Love, Friendship and Dance" will be presented by Beckie's Studio of Dance Saturday.

The show will begin at 7 p.m. at the La Grande High School auditorium. Admission is $6 for adults and teens, $4 for children under 12.

Dancers from age 3 to adult will perform a ballet to traditional Christmas music.

Tap and jazz, meantime, will be performed to upbeat and contemporary styles of music.

Featured will be the newly formed troupe Company B, which will perform two group numbers. After the first of the year, the studio-based company will be available to perform at community shows and events.

This is Beckie Thompson-Hendrickson's 27th annual Christmas show. Thompson-Hendrickson began teaching in La Grande in September 1979 and opened Beckie's Studio of Dance in January 1980 in its current location at 211 Fir St.

The studio has won numerous awards over the years. Just recently Thompson-Hendrickson and her two assistants, Betsy Strandberg and Emily Butler, attended a two-day workshop in the Tri-Cities, taking master classes in tap, jazz, hip-hop and ballet.

Thompson-Hendrickson has also served as adjudicator for Topaz, a major dance competition in Portland, and helped select the 2006-'07 Blazer Dancers.