Ten years of little steps

The backstage was buzzing all weekend.

Costumes everywhere. Hair spray. Last-minute rehearsals in the hallways. Dancers stretching in corners. Parents helping backstage. Teachers doing last-minute checks before the curtain opened.

After months of rehearsing the same movements, scenes, and steps again and again, the annual Petits Pas performance finally arrived.

And this year felt especially meaningful because Petits Pas was celebrating its 10th anniversary.

My sister and I have danced at Petits Pas for years, and Solène also does theater there. Our older sister Léna has been teaching ballet for nine years, so in a way, she grew up there as a teacher too.

A lot of moms also dance in the performances, and you can tell they enjoy every minute of it. We always joke that the only thing still missing is a dance class for dads.

That’s what makes Petits Pas special. Even as it has grown over the years, it still feels personal: part dance school, part French community, part family tradition.

For the past three years, we’ve been creating cards that families can give to their favorite dancer, actor, or teacher after the performance.

The first year, I made Little Prince cards.

The second year, I created cards inspired by the show’s “Colors” theme.

The cards were so specific to that year’s performance that I still have extra copies today.

That experience made me think more carefully about creating cards that can continue to exist outside the original event itself.

This year, for the 10th anniversary, the design centered around a birthday cake with giant ‘10’ candles, which worked out perfectly since the card could also live beyond the performance itself as a birthday, anniversary, or celebration card.

birthday cake soliaventure — The original photo used to promote the event was shared with me by Virginie, the founder of Petits Pas.

I put a lot of time into drawing the cake because almost the entire design used the same shade of pink. Most of the work ended up being about texture, contrast, and tiny details that made the layers stand out.

petits pas performance — The birthday cake used to promote the event was also a recurring part of the performance itself. (Solène is on the right in this photo.)

I’m especially grateful that Petits Pas trusted me with this small creative role when I was only 12. Over the years, the cards became my way of contributing to the performances and sharing what I was creating with the community around me.

Merci, Petits Pas.

And finally, a few moments from the anniversary weekend.