Dancing the ABCs. (Presstime News).

Rudi did it. So did Misha and Savion. And now five baby ballerinas and six after-school buddies are doing it: They're dancing on Sesame Street, in a series of alphabet segments airing throughout the United States and in 140 countries beginning in February.

The letters C, N, O, Q, V, and Y will be brought to you by San Rafael, California-based Xanadu Films (the name was chosen for its magical connotation), a six-month-old company fueled by a duo of dynamos, Cynthia Pepper and Melinda Darlington-Bach. The women have been friends for years and both teach at Marin Dance Theatre in San Rafael. But what brought them together in this venture is their shared passion for children, dance, and films.

Xanadu Films was born when choreographer/teacher/actor Bach and filmmaker/ teacher/choreographer Pepper realized that, between them, they had what it takes to make dance films for children. Their mission is twofold: to create dance films for television and international distribution, and to donate films to hospitals, foster homes, shelters, and support organizations for at-risk children. The company is seeking funding from local banks and grant-making organizations.

Pepper is optimistic: "Everyone loves children, everyone loves dance, everyone loves films. Corporations are willing to jump on board."

Bach and Pepper are adamant about using children in their films--as young as possible for the Sesame Street project, although the ballet dancers (from Marin Dance Theatre and San Francisco Ballet School), had to be old enough to go on pointe. The idea is to make their work as accessible to children as possible--and kids love watching kids.

The folks at Sesame Street agree. "Our curriculum ... features the arts, including dance," said Suzanne Cornelius, Sesame Street's associate producer of film and animation. "[This is] a creative way to teach the alphabet ... by showing kids imaginatively expressing their feelings through dance and music."

So how do you dance the alphabet? Bach choreographed the ballet sequences, danced to whimsical, music-box-like music, for the letters O and Q using the circular shape of a classical tutu as a foundation. Shot from overhead, the letter O is created not only by the tutus but by the circular grouping of the dancers. One large Q shape is made when the girls form a circle, one in arabesque, and five smaller Qs appear when they sink to the floor, one leg extended, the other tucked under the tutu. Pepper directed the non-ballet segments, instructing the children to jump, crawl, cartwheel, and twirl to original funk-pop music as they created large letters by linking their bodies to one another.

Bach and Pepper say they hope the exposure Sesame Street gives them will open doors. They have plenty of ideas for projects in which they hope to "combine all forms of dance in the joy of movement," said Pepper.

"We are looking for a way to enrich children's lives," declared Bach. "I'm so grateful to have [children] in my life. They're great teachers--levelers in life."