Left photo: Hailey Rose gets ready … Right photo: Pondering her future

Guest post and photographs by: Myra Falisz

It was early Saturday morning almost one week ago. Stomachs were a flutter — whether they belonged to the little girls in their leotards, or the parents and guests anxiously awaiting the performance. For the youngest, ages two to six, they would be entering stage right, bursting with talent to unfurl their story of “Peter and the Wolf.”

I was among the guests for two reasons: My dear friend’s daughter, Hailey Rose Winters, was one of the tiny dancers. Secondly, I am always proud to spread the word that Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre resides within the Liberty Avenue border of our Polish Hill neighborhood. Just one of my favorite under-the-radar, lobby-to-be-appreciated facts.

The facility houses the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School (PBTS), hailed as one of our nation’s finest for dance education and training. PBTS features four divisions, including the Children’s Division, which offers Pre-Ballet and Beginning Ballet classes designed to inspire young children to dance. This division was hosting Saturday’s performance, which was the finale for its second semester. Summer classes begin June 19.