Munro: Valley partnership introduces school kids to ballet

We all draw when we're little. We all sing. We all dance.

Thiesen smiles when she thinks of the number of times she's been called by young mothers convinced their children are ballet stars in the making because -- hold your hat -- they dance by themselves. Gently, she reminds them that's a normal thing to do. The ballet star part comes with amazing hard work (and good genetics).

Too often and too soon, a child's outlet for creative expression gets shut down simply because the opportunities aren't there.

"I used to love to draw," Thiesen says. "I enjoyed it so much. I would draw and draw in school. But after a certain age, I stopped doing it, because I didn't have the opportunity. And now, if I try to draw today, nothing comes out."

The key is to offer children a smorgasbord of opportunities, whether they be visual arts, theater, dance or music. Again: You never know when a bond will form. Not everyone can -- or needs to -- be a professional artist or performer. But to experience and appreciate the arts, simply put, can broaden a life.

In her pre-"Beauty and the Beast" lessons, one of Thiesen's favorite parts has been pushing back the desks and teaching the students a few basic ballet steps.

After going through a few basic ballet positions, she taught them the "insect glide." As you can imagine, this went over quite well. The students put themselves wholeheartedly into the endeavor -- as only children can.

"It was quite noisy," Thiesen says with classic understatement.

The students learned to twitch, shake and glide -- and in the process created a sort of kinesthetic memory they'll take to the performance. When they look up on stage and see dancers performing that step, they will have a connection.

And thanks to Thiesen and other dedicated advocates of the arts, you never know what that connection will bring.

IF YOU GO

"Beauty and the Beast,"

2 p.m. Saturday,

Saroyan Theatre, 700 M St.,

balletfresno.com,

(559) 426-9634.

$29.50-$59.50.