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Arts & Entertainment

Whiz Kid: Juliette Hvistendahl, Dancer

Applauding a Whiz Kid among the almost 300 dancers who help make Novato a little groovier, fun and easy to read, 'err watch, this weekend in "Dancing Through the Pages" at the Marin Civic Center.

Every Wednesday, Novato Patch honors a Whiz Kid in the community for doing something special in academics, sports, for charity or for winning an academic achievement and inspiration award like last week's recipient, .

This week we honor a devoted dancer who's been light on her feet since the age of 5 in well over a dozen productions. This Saturday's show will tell stories, new and old, from the The Little Mermaid, to Harry Potter and Pirates of the Caribbean with  and her team of wonders at the helm. Look for this week's Whiz Kid in 5 of the 41 dances.

Name: Juliette Hvistendahl

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School: Sinaloa Middle School

Grade: Seventh

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Good deed: Juliette has performed with the Love2Dance All-stars in dozens of large-scale competitions including National Star Bound in South Lake Tahoe and Celebrity National at Sea which led to performances on a 4-day cruise last year. Next month, she'll perform in two 30-minute shows for park-goers at Disneyland and California Adventure while also spending time dancing and learning in Disney backstage master classes.

Juliette enjoys the community service she and her team provide to the city of Novato as it is their way of giving back," says her mom, Alicia. "She loves the structure and discipline involved in dance and is able to personally achieve levels of excellence while working together with her teammates to form a successful team. She has developed strong friendships around the common love of dance."

Key to Awesomeness: Juliette not only hones her skills and passion for dance, she also volunteers three hours a week as a teacher-assistant to owner and choreographer Tara Caprice-Broadwater. Tara appreciates Juliette for her can-do attitude and willingness to go the extra mile with helping others and her dedication to practicing. "She's young but she already has those leadership qualities," Tara says. She adds that Juliette gets great grades, too!

"Dancing Through the Pages" is Saturday, May 28, at the Marin Veteran's Civic Center Auditorium. The program will include four self-choreographed solos by graduating seniors.

Tickets, $18 and $24, can be purchased through the box office or at the door.

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