Mountain Pointe senior Hannah DeMarr has been spinning and twirling gracefully as a ballerina since she was 3 years old.

Stephanie Ann Kuells went to be with our angels on Wednesday, Feb. 20. She was born on Aug. 3, 1988, to Jennifer and Keith Kuells at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas. This happened to be her father’s 30th birthday. What a beautiful gift! Stephanie had many challenges in her short life, but she tackled each one with determination, beauty and grace.

Created on December 15, 2012 using FlipShare.

“The Spirit of Christmas” show at Chandler Center for the Arts is as much fun for the performers as it is for the audience.

Saturday, Nov. 24

Through Dec. 24

Four siblings in Ahwatukee Foothills will be performing together for the first time in next month’s production of “The Nutcracker” by the Ahwatukee Foothills Ballet.

After homework and chores are done, most kids like spending their free time after school watching TV or playing video games.

The 13th annual Ahwatukee Foothills Nutcracker Ballet auditions are set for Saturday, Aug. 25 at Dance Studio 111, 4910 E. Chandler Blvd., Suite 111, and is open to all dancers in Arizona. Dancers, ages 3 to 21 from all over the Valley have the opportunity to audition. It is the only Nutcracker in our state performed entirely by young dancers and the only Nutcracker ballet presented in the Ahwatukee Foothills community.

Ahwatukee Foothills resident Ashley Ann Ross has been accepted to the Anglo American University in Prague, Czech Republic, for the spring 2012 semester. Ross is a junior at the University of Arizona in Tucson and is majoring in political science/international business. She is also a member of Pi Beta Phi Sorority. The American University is affiliated with the University of Arizona and its study abroad program.

Jasmine Bassham, Davey Trujillo, and Ty Brown perform a Nutcracker Reading for an Elementary School assemly in Tempe, AZ. Also starring Jeremy Bassham as Fritz. This was for the 2011 Ahwatukee Foothills Nutcracker Ballet.

You know, this place really is a wonderful place to spend the holidays. There are so many events and charities unique to our community this time of year. Festival of Lights is the obvious one that comes to mind, but on this Christmas morning, I'd just like to take a moment to reflect on a few of the wonderful things Ahwatukee does to spread some holiday cheer.