October Newsletter 2016
Happy Halloween!
What a great first month of dance! We have loved having you all back in class and are so enjoying are new students as well. It feels great to be back in the studio and doing what we all love to do. Thanks for bringing your children/grand-children to us….we appreciate your support and confidence in us! Herculesis going to be a marvelous dance show; our seniors auditioned for parts on Audition/Registration Day and we are pleased to announce our cast!
Hercules: Gracie Griffeth Megara: Kailanny Hernandez Hades: Emily Sjoberg
Zeus: Meg Thornton Hera: Alexis Simpson Pegasus: Dianna Poulin
Earth Mom: Destiny Saucier Earth Dad: Conner Spencer
The seniors did an amazing job during their auditions (which made it very hard for us to decide who was who…geez!) and we are eager to start working with all of them. We have already started Senior Practices so our show is off to a great start!! All seniors (and youth parts if they are part of that dance)can start going to their classes that they are a part of the week of October 17 and you should start receiving choreography for those classes this coming week so look for that choreography in your Dropbox. Parents please order the costumes that I have recommended for you to order. Many of these need to be made so please order them ASAP so that you have them for the Christmas Show. Once these costumes arrive, please bring them in so that I may ok them. Parents if you ever have any questions concerning the Senior Production, please email me or Clarann anytime.
Our next Senior and Youth Practice is this Wednesday (10/5) from 6:15 to 9:15. This is what we will be doing so please be prepared and please be on time for practice:
6:15-7:45pm: We will review everything we learned last week during this time slot so I will need the 3 fates, Pegasus, Pain and Panic, Hades, 5 muses, Hera and Zues.
We will then do “Zeus thanks people for gifts and gives Pegasus to Hercules” so I will need Zeus, 5 muses, Hera, Pegasus.
“Hades comes in to meet Hercules” so I will need Zeus, KK and Gracie, Hades, Hera
“Pain and Panic Hades will kill us” so I need pain and panic
7:45-9:15: We will review everything we learned last week during this time slot so I will need the 5 muses, Zeus and Hera. Be prepared to show us: Intro-Long Ago, Gospel Truth 1, Oh my love & Can’t take my eyes off of you.
We will first do Bringing Hercules to Earth so I will need Conner, Destiny Pain and Panic. This way I can send Pain and Panic and Conner and Destiny home.
The Gospel Truth 2: I need Gracie and KK
The Gospel Truth 3: I need Gracie, KK and Kennedy.
October 12, 2016: 6:15-7:45: Review everything above …..we will do it so the ones that only have a few parts can do those first so we can send them home. Destiny and Conner will go last so Destiny only come in at 7:40pm.
7:45-9:15pm: We will do these talking parts:
Hercules trying to play with kids: Emily Collins, Conner, Destiny and Viv
Hercules saying he is a freak: Conner and Renee
Hercules learns the truth: Conner, Destiny and Renee & Viv
Hercules asking Zeus who he is: Meg and Renee
I will email you all for our practices on the 19th and 26th.
**I WILL REMIND YOU TO COME PREPARED TO CLASS…KNOW THE CHOREOGRAPHY YOU HAVE ALREADY BEEN TAUGHT THUS FAR AND KNOW YOUR LINES THAT ARE PART OF THE NEW CHOREOGRAPHY YOU WILL LEARN! The more prepared you are in advance, the quicker our practices will go.
Parent- Watch:
There will be a Parent-Watch in all classes October 4, 5& 6, 2016. We will call all parents in the last 15 minutes of class to go over any questions in October Newsletter as well as go over any of the problems you may have been experiencing with Drop-Box. We will also dance for you….your first view of your amazing kids. You don’t want to miss it!! Our November Parent-Watch: November 1, 2 & 3, 2016.
IMPORTANT DATES:
October 4, 5 & 6: Dance and Tumbling: Late fees are now accruing on all late tuitions.
October 11, 12 & 13: Dance and Tumbling
October 18, 19 & 20: Dance and Tumbling
October 25, 26 & 27: Dance and Tumbling and Halloween Parties in all classes.
November 1-3: Dance and Tumbling
November 8-10: Dance and Tumbling
November 15-17: Dance and Tumbling
Week of November 22, 23 & 24: No classes for Thanksgiving break.
November 29, 30 and December 1: Dance and Tumbling
December 6-8: Dance and Tumbling
December 11, 2016 @ 2pm: Christmas Show @ C-Pac.
December 13-15: Dance and Tumbling and Christmas Parties in all classes and end of Fall Semester.
No classes from December 20 thru December 31, 2016. Merry Christmas & Happy New Year.
January 10, 11 &12: First week of classes for our spring semester. All tuitions are due.
January 17-19: Dance and Tumbling, late fees begin on January 19th. 2017
Week of January 24-26, 2017: No classes for play-off time.
January 31 and February 1 & 2: Dance and Tumbling
February 7-9: Dance and Tumbling
February 14-16: Dance and Tumbling
Week of February 21-23, 2017: No classes for February Break.
February 28 and March 1 and 2: Dance and Tumbling
March 7-9: Dance and Tumbling
March 14-15: Dance and Tumbling
March 21-23: Dance and Tumbling:
Week of March 28-30, 2017: No classes….just time off….
April 4-6: Dance and Tumbling: Studio Photographs
April 8, 2017: Ticket Day
April 11-13: Dance and Tumbling
Week of April 18-20, 2017: No classes for Easter/Spring Break.
April 25-27: Dance and Tumbling
May 2-4: Last week of classes, Awards Week.
May 8 from 4-6pm: Finale rehearsal and tumbling rehearsal at C-Pac
May 10 from 4-8pm: Full dress rehearsal at C-Pac
May 12, 2017: Recital #1 @ 7pm, C-Pac
May 13, 2017: Recital #2 @7pm, C-Pac
May 14, 2017: Recital #3 @ 2pm, C-Pac: Happy Mother’s Day!
**People ask me why I continue to post this schedule in every newsletter ….it is because so many people emailed us thinking that we were off during Harvest Break. Please keep this weekly schedule close so that you know exactly what our dance schedule is for the year.
NOTE: There may be a conflict again….with our May recital dates. The Presque Isle High School has scheduled their Senior Prom on Saturday, May 13, 2017. Obviously this effects our graduating seniors from PI but also so many families involved in our academy. We have asked PIHS to please look into this. As soon as we hear what they have decided to do with this conflict, we will let you know ASAP. I am letting you know early in advance so as to please keep you all from scheduling anything the first weekend in May for that is when our show will have to be moved to……May 5, 6 and 7, 2017. I will keep you posted.
FESTIVAL OF TREES:
We have agreed to do a Dance Tree for the “Festival of Trees” organization. This is a charity that provides free and redced price Dental Health Care to children and families in need. This is wonderful organization and I feel privileged that they asked us to be a part of it. Bonnie Beaulieu and Chris Smith have agreed to chair this event for us. If you want to help you can do so by emailing Bonnie and Chris at:
Bonnie: .
Chris:
We will need ornaments to help decorate the tree. I will be putting this tree up in our hallway on November 1st so that you may add your donated ornament to our tree. We also need items to put under the tree as well. We have items being donated to go under the tree such as 1 semester of free tuition to TMDA, a 3 month gym membership to CPT, a Scentsy Warmer, A TMDA jacket are all just a few gifts that we have gathered thus far. If you can help in any way, we would so very much appreciate it.
The Nutcracker:
The Robinson Ballet presents The Nutcracker at the Caribou Performing Arts Center: Pre-sale for TMDA families!
After a six year absence, the Robinson Ballet is bringing longtime holiday favorite The Nutcracker back to the Caribou Performing Arts Center on Saturday, November 26, 2016 at 3:00 pm.
We have arranged for a special Pre-sale for our TMDA families onlyat parent-watch on Tuesday, October 4. There are 140 Premium Reserved seats in the front center section for $20. General Admission tickets are $15 for Adults and $10 for Students.Representatives will be at TMDA selling these premium seats and they will accept: Cash, checks, or credit cards ($1 convenience fee per ticket for credit cards). Tickets go on sale to the general public on October 8, so this is a great chance to get your tickets – especially for the reserved seating for optimum viewing.
Drop-Box:
We will discuss the problems some of you have been having with Drop-box at Parent-Watch. One thing we want to point out is that all choreography goes out by Thursday of each week. If you do not have it on your computer by Friday then you need to email whoever is in charge of sending you the choreography so that they may resend it to you. I am getting a lot of requests for choreography and I am not in charge of any classes for Drop-box. Please…email your junior instructor or the instructor that has been appointed to do so. Thanks.
Halloween Parties:
It’s that time of year again….it is time for our annual Halloween Extravaganzas! The children look forward to this every year and so does Miss Clarann because we all know just how much she loves to dress up in costume!! We are having our fabulous Halloween parties October 25, 26 & 27, 2016 during the last 15 minutes of each class. Costumes are a must….well kinda… (You too Miss Clarann!) but please keep them “un-scary” or “un-dead” as we do not want to frighten any of the younger children. Be creative, be imaginative and be crazy fun! These parties will take place in our cellar where we have it decorated all year long for our Halloween festivities! We ask for parent volunteers to go down into the cellar and get the parties ready while we are teaching the first part of each class. TMDA will provide the drinks for everyone and we ask very kindly that each parent bring goodies in to share with your child’s classmates: we welcome cookies, brownies, popcorn, chips and any type of Halloween candy but we ask that you stay away from “frosted” things as it creates an incredible mess, not only on the floor but on their beautiful costumes too. Please do not forget to bring your child’s Halloween pumpkin or bag so that we may put all of his/her treats in so that you may take them all home with you. These parties are ONLYfor our dancers so we ask that all other children please remain upstairs while the class parties are going on. Two classes will be down there at a time with their parents and that is all we have room for. Thank you kindly for adhering to this request. It is a great time for all so bring your cameras!! Tumbling classes will have Halloween Parties as well but because we tumble, we ask that you wear costumes that you can easily tumble in…we need to avoid hazardous costumes! Be safe and have fun!
NOTE: If your child has food allergies…please make sure you are in the cellar when food is being passed out to your children. These Moms that are helping do not know all of the children so it is your responsibility to be there to monitor this. We just do not want anyone getting sick. Thanks!
Tuition Fees and Costume Deposits:
Tuition fees were due on September 28 therefore a late fee of $10 per week per child has been charged to your account if your tuition fee has not been paid. If you are on a payment plan, you will now have a $10 (per week) late fee added to your bill if you did not make payments by the due date on the payment plan form. Please take care of this ASAP as we do not want you to incur unnecessary charges. All costume deposits were due with your tuition fee as well. Costumes deposits ARE NOT part of the payment plan agreement.
All costumes will begin to arrive in the next two weeks. The pictures of each costume and all the requirements for each costume will be posted to our website under the “2016-17 Costumes” tab. Costumes can begin to be purchased the week of October 24, 2016. You will have two weeks to purchase these costumes without receiving late fees. All costumes must be purchased by November 9, 2016. (Costumes are non-returnable and non-refundable.) We need your cooperation with our choices of costumes….we do our best to meet the needs of our students as we want them all looking their best. This is a very time consuming job to order costumes for 275+ students. I take this very seriously as I want all of our children to look like professionals on that stage. All classes 1.5 hours or longer have 3 costumes to purchase (Company and Troupe have 4 costumes); 1.25 hour classes have 3 costumes. 45 minutes to 1 hour classes have 2 costumes. Tumbling classes will purchase one leotard/short combo for their portion of recital. (Tumbling costumes do not arrive until February 2017.) I always have cost in my mind first as I want to keep this affordable for everyone. However remember this….part of being a dancer and a performer is having the right footwear and costume…this is what makes it real for our dancers. Finally, our secretaries will be having you purchase the “tights requirement” at the time of your costume purchases. This is for everyone. We cannot keep bringing tights to our shows …this continues to be a problem so just be prepared to purchase whatever tights it says on our website with your costumes and no one will be excused from this rule. (This is for everyone and we will not make any exceptions.) Our dancers always look spectacular….thanks for believing in our program.
Signatures:
All parents must sign their registration forms by this parent-watch. If you have not been to class yet…please make sure you are there the first week of October to sign these forms. Your child will have to sit out if these are not signed. PLEASE do so this week!
Dance Store:
The dance store will close at 8:30pm on Tuesday and 6:45pm on Wednesdays. This will allow the secretaries’ time to finish up in the front office, do their deposits and tidy up the store (our secretaries have day jobs as well and so we are trying to allow them to go home at a more reasonable hour.) If you have business to do in the front office, it must be done within the hours of 4-8:30pm on Tuesdays and 4-6:45pm on Wednesdays. The dance store is not open on Tumbling nights. If you need supplies, you will need to purchase them on Tuesday or Wednesdays. If tumbling students need to make payments on tuition, simply place your payment in an envelope and give them to Miss Danielle and she will make sure the secretaries receive themRemember that all payment plans must have their payments in by the due date on the Payment Plan Agreement and this applies to our tumblers as well.
NOTE: Those of you tumblers on payment plans, you have to have your payments in by the date of each month on your payment plan, not the following week. You will be charged a late fee if you bring them late to Miss Danielle.
Private Lessons:
If your child is in need or wants a private lesson (pageants, private tutoring, extra help) you can sign up for this with your secretaries. We offer private lessons in tumbling, Pointe, tap, Celtic and contemporary. Miss Danielle is available for Pointe, tumbling, contemporary and tap. Miss Krista is available tumbling. Miss Clarann is available for Celtic. These private lessons must be scheduled with either one of these instructors through their email or with the office secretaries. Cost for private lessons is $50.00 per hour or $30 for a half hour and it must be paid to TMDA at the time of the lesson.
Running in the Hallway:
Please keep your little ones with you at all times as the floors in the waiting room were freshly waxed before dance started and they are very slippery. We do not want anyone slipping as these floors are very hard and we much prefer healthy and happy students. Also, no students are allowed in any empty studios unsupervised. Please make sure you know where your children are at all times. (This is especially goes for children on our Thursday Tumbling nights.)
Locker Room:
Please hang up your jackets and keep your dance bags under the bench so that other students are able to sit to change their shoes.
Bathroom:
Please do not use the bathroom as a changing room. We only have one bathroom so please use the locker room as your changing area. If boys are present, just kindly ask them to step out of the room while the girls are changing.
Mark your shoes!
Please label all of your children’s shoes. If you all do this then when shoes are left behind, we can place these lost shoes in your class box in the dance store for you. Take the time and mark your children’s shoes. I have marked as many as I can in my classes….if you see that your child does not have their shoes marked with their names, ask them to ask me to do it for them ….I have a silver marker in my studios. Just trying to save you all a headache and money too!