FIFTH OPENING – The Sitka seine boats Hukilau and Rose Lee pump herring aboard this afternoon at the end of Deep Inlet during the fifth opening in the Sitka Sound sac roe herring fishery. The opening was being held in two locations beginning at 11 a.m. (Sentinel Photo by James Poulson)
By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Staff Writer
The future of management and operations at the Perform [ ... ]
By Sentinel Staff
The Sitka Sound commercial herring sac roe fishery continued today with open [ ... ]
By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Sports Editor
After storming into the state 3A boys basketball brac [ ... ]
By Sentinel Staff
The Queen Bees’ spotless season record ended Tuesday night with a 2-1 loss [ ... ]
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A major renovation at an Alaska museum to attract tourist [ ... ]
By CLAIRE STREMPLE
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By NATHANIEL HERZ
Northern Journal
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Police Blotter
Sitka police received the following calls by 8 a.m. today:
March 26
At 2:10 p.m. a man e [ ... ]
Big Rigs Sought
For April 13
The 3 to 5 Preschool’s spring fundraiser and Big Rig event is happening [ ... ]
By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
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By Sentinel Staff
The third opening in this year’s Sitka Sound sac roe herring fishery was held Mon [ ... ]
By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Sports Editor
Sitka High’s Lady Wolves bounced back from an openi [ ... ]
By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel ports Editor
Competing in the state 3A basketball tournament in Anc [ ... ]
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Playing in a competitive division City League volleyball game Monday evening [ ... ]
By JAMES BROOKS
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By NATHANIEL HERZ
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By CLAIRE STREMPLE
Alaska Beacon
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By YERETH ROSEN
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In the language of the Gwich’in people of northeastern Alaska, [ ... ]
Police Blotter
Sitka police received the following calls by 8 a.m. today:
March 25
At 7:48 a.m. a calle [ ... ]
Vietnam-Era Vets
Invited to Lunch,
Commemoration
American Legion Post 13 will host a luncheon 1-3 p.m. [ ... ]
By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Staff Writer
The 2024 Sitka Sound sac roe herring fishery got under [ ... ]
By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
The Assembly will start the annual process of determi [ ... ]
By Sentinel Staff
Competing in the 3A state championship title basketball game Saturday, the M [ ... ]
By Sentinel Staff
Playing through the afternoon Sunday, City League volleyball teams faced off [ ... ]
Daily Sitka Sentinel
Gymnasts, Aerialists to Showcase Talents
By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
If you’re wondering what a roundoff is, you can ask 10-year-old Avery Moctezuma – who was more than happy to demonstrate for a visitor to the Sitka Gymnastics Academy.
And Sitka Cirque aerialist Rosalie Starbuck, 7, could tell you exactly – through gestures and language – what a “cross back straddle slack drop” is.
Or you could see both in action – and some 80 other aerialists and gymnasts – at the Student Showcases Saturday at the joint facility for the two programs, 207 Smith Street.
The first show Saturday, for younger Cirque performers and recreational gymnasts, is 3 to 4 p.m.; the older Cirque kids and adults will perform with the gymnasts on the competition track 5 to 6:30 p.m.
“They’re all excited,” said Sitka Cirque director Frances Donohoe. “They’ve been practicing for weeks, both groups – especially for those doing their own choreography.”
Gymnastics owner and coach Trisha Bessert promises a demonstration of “acro-gymnastics,” outside the usual program of more “artistic gymnastics,” along with more traditional floor routines.
“They already know how to flip,” she said. “It’s an easy transition for them for acrogymnastics.”
Hawlet Cohen, 11, warms up at the Sitka Cirque studio as gymnasts stretch in the background Wednesday. Students from Sitka Cirque and the Sitka Gymnastics Academy will present a joint show 3 p.m. Saturday at the 207 Smith Street studio. (Sentinel Photo by James Poulson)
The shows are a fundraiser for both programs, with a goal of providing funds for scholarships.
The two coaches and directors said besides showing off the work of the programs to the public, it’ll be a good chance for the kids to see what each other have been working on.
“They sure get distracted in class,” Donohoe said, standing between the gymnastics mats and the aerial equipment, which are not separated by walls or screens in the giant warehouse space. “The gymnasts here are wanting to watch us, and the aerialists here are wanting to watch the gymnasts.”
All plan to pull out all the stops for the public show.
Donohoe expects to see original choreography from the aerialists, in solos, duets and group numbers, from all skill levels. After the showcase, the group will start gearing up for its main show, “Alice in Wonderland,” April 25 and 26 at the Cirque studio.
Rosalie, who joined silks at age 4, remembers seeing performers at that age when she was taking gymnastics. “I said, ‘I’m jealous of those kids over there, in those long silk-like things.” She now goes three times a week to Sitka Cirque, and is working on a duet and a group piece for Saturday. She said the “swim climb,” “superman drop” and “CBSSD” are among the moves the audience will see Saturday.
Ever Matthews, 8, is working on a duet with Rosie as well as group piece. “I think I joined because it looked interesting, and fun, and it looked like a reliable program,” Ever said.
said. He promises that the audience Saturday will see some “interesting pieces,” including one in a “dance hammock.”
Evelyn Ford, 9, said she chose silks after talking with her parents about possible after-school activities. She said she’s progressed through the skill levels at a good pace.
“I think it’s really fun; you can do a lot of fun stuff in it,” she said. “We play games to warm up, and I know what’s going to happen every day.”
Her routine Saturday will be to an instrumental version of “The Sound of Silence” by Simon and Garfunkel.
Across the floor, Bessert is spotting a group of boys as they handspring off the vault. She said the kids will be doing solos as well as group pieces at the student showcase, on the mat, and some routines not seen in competition.
Landon Adkins, 8, cites his favorite areas as vault and floor, and pommel as his biggest challenge. He got his start at Fun Friday, offered to the public for free for three hours, at the academy.
“I’ve loved gymnastics since I was around 6 years old,” he said. “I liked doing cartwheels ... roundoffs, back handsprings, since I was 6.”
Another veteran, Payton Bergman, 8, wanted to join his friends in the program. Payton says the public should see a lot of handstands, roundoffs, jumps, forward rolls, leaps and cartwheels in the showcase,
Avery is one of the newcomers, with about 18 months in the program under his belt. He said after getting into the car for rides for his gymnast sister, 11-year-old Arriana, he had better join.
“I figured I should start doing it, so it’s easier, and I thought it would be kind of fun to try out,” he said. But it’s different than he thought it would be.
“I thought it would be a bunch of splits and just doing bars and stuff,” he said. “I didn’t know they had vault, pommel and rings.”
He said his best routine is on rings.
“I like when you start casting, and go up to a handstand, and hold it, and then you try to touch your knees to your nose for three seconds ... then you continue going backwards,” he said.
Tickets are $10 for adults 18 and up, and $5 for kids and seniors. Those 5 and under are free. Tickets are available at the door for the afternoon show, and Old Harbor Books for the 5 p.m. show.
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20 YEARS AGO
March 2004
Matthew C. Hunter of Sitka recently returned from Cuba as part of a St. Olaf College International and Off-Campus Studies program. Hunter, a junior physics major at St. Olaf College, is the son of Robert and Kim Hunter of Sitka.
50 YEARS AGO
March 1974
Eighth graders have returned from a visit to Juneau to see the Legislature. They had worked for it since Christmas vacation ... Clarice Johnson’s idea of a “White Elephant” sales was chosen as the best money-maker; Joe Roth won the political cartoon assignment; highest government test scorers were Ken Armstrong, Joanna Hearn, Linda Montgomery, Lisa Henry, Calvin Taylor and David Licari .....