March 2019 Newsletter

March Newsletter

Annual Membership

The annual membership is a new offering this year designed to help make the enrollment process as easy as possible for our dance families.  In the past, classes have filled up quickly when registration opens, some as quickly as 2 hours after registration opens! With this new process, we will be able to foresee what classes may need extra levels, enabling our dancers the opportunity to sign up their favorite classes. We’ll be sending out a separate email with more detailed information later next week.

The annual membership fee is $40 per dancer and $75 per family and will be charged April 1st to current families.  The fee includes priority registration, the Recital Digital Download, easy enrollment, and special discounts for birthday parties, workshops and summer camps/classes. Reminders will be sent via email in February and March.  Families wishing to opt out of membership must provide written notification (email) no later than March 15th.

Recital Makeup Kits

 

A little worried about applying stage makeup on your young dancer at Recital? We are happy to offer Recital makeup kits for our youngest dancers ages 3-8! Kits include eyeshadow in warm taupe and champagne shimmer, liner in burgundy plum, sweet pink cheek color, long-lasting raspberry lip color, and a double-sided application brush. An instruction packet and a video tutorial link are also included and will retail for $36. Please email Nicole at info@joyofdancenh.com by MARCH 15TH if you are interested in purchasing one.

*For our first-year parents- you are probably thinking, “Makeup?! Why does my child need to wear makeup?” We’re so glad you asked! Dancers wear make-up on stage to enhance their facial features, which can be washed out under the harsh stage lights.  Younger dancers just need a little bit of light makeup applied to counteract the stage lights. A little eye shadow, mascara, blush, and pink lipstick will help your dancer shine even more on stage! It does help to practice ahead of time if you think it might bother him or her.

Practice, Practice, Practice!

To view choreography videos to help your dancer practice at home, download the Band App in the App store.  After, you can use this Choreography Link to connect to our profile.  Dances will be placed in albums according to the day of the week they meet. Download Recital Music 2019 here.

Barre Fitness Class- New Session!

Have the winter blues?  We have you covered! We are offering a 6-week Barre Fitness class with Miss Kim Hamer!! Barre is a ballet-inspired workout that sculpts your muscles using a combination of dance, Pilates, and yoga-inspired exercises choreographed to motivating music.

Thursdays 7:00-8:00 pm March 7th-April 18th. Please note, there will be no class 3/21. Ages 13+!

$60 for the session OR $15 cash drop-in.
Space is limited, so we do recommend registering as soon as possible! To guarantee a spot every week, sign up through your parent portal! If choosing drop-in, you must email or call the office by 6:00 pm the day of in order to reserve your spot. Please note, we cannot guarantee an open spot for drop-ins without a call ahead.

No dance experience is needed! You can wear ballet shoes, yoga socks, or even go barefoot. Mini bands, felt gliders and chairs are provided for participants. Feel free to bring a yoga mat if desired.

Parent Appreciation Week

We appreciate all of our families for being a support system to our dancers! Be sure to stop in the studio during our Parent Appreciation Week: March 25th-30th for some treats on us! This is a treat for you, something you don’t have to share with your kids for once!

Monday-Friday: 4pm-6pm
Saturday: 9am-12pm

Recital Prep Is In Full Swing!!

There are A LOT of moving parts that go along with putting on a recital.  We will be sending out a separate Recital Newsletter shortly with important information regarding your dancer’s big day(s)! Remember, all Recital information sheets will be posted to the recital tab on our website as soon as it becomes available as well as information for all events.

Costume Item List & Tights

The Costume Item list for Recital is now posted under the Recital tab on the website. This is where you will find how the dancers need to wear their hair, what kind of tights and shoes they need and anything else related to costumes for Recital. One pair of each style tights per dancer is included in the costume fee. These will be handed out this month.

IMPORTANT- Please check the sizing chart on the packaging before opening your tights. We will be happy to make any sizing exchanges needed, however, tights are not exchangeable once they are opened.

Costumes are still arriving until the end of April, so if you haven’t received yours yet, don’t worry!

 

Student Choreography Showcase

Any dancer ages 8 and older are invited on Saturday, March 16th at 2:00 pm to audition for the Student Choreography Showcase.  Choreography for the Showcase is a great responsibility!  We audition dancers to make sure they are taking it seriously and are prepared with all the steps completed on or before the audition date. There is a $10 audition fee per dancer and a sign-up sheet is on Miss Lindsey’s desk at the studio. Choreography pieces MUST be fully completed at the time of the audition in order to be considered for the Showcase.  More information on this can be found on the Recital tab on our website.  As long as the dancer has completed all steps on or before March 16th and he or she will make it into the Showcase,  There is a performance fee of $20 per dancer per dance to cover the cost of running the Showcase.  Both audition fee and performance fee are due at the time of auditions.   Audience members do not need to buy tickets for the Showcase. We look forward to a wonderful show!

 

March Performances

We have been working so hard on our upcoming performance pieces and we would LOVE to see some familiar faces in the audience. Showcases like these help younger dancers understand the values of dancing on stage, the promotion of community and the importance of supporting one another!

Dance Northeast:

Saturday, March 23rd 

Rochester Opera House 2:00 pm & 7:00 pm 

Address: 31 Wakefield St, Rochester, NH 03867

Performers at 2:00 pm: Junior Team, Junior Hip Hop Troupe, Teen Hip Hop Troupe (no on-stage rehearsal)

Performers at 7:00 pm: Senior Team, Senior Elite and Senior Troupe (on stage rehearsal time TBD).

 

Dancing To Make A Difference 

Saturday, March 30th 

Noble High School 

7:00 pm 

Address: 388 Somersworth Rd, North Berwick, ME 03906 

Call time will be earlier in the day and we will know a week ahead of time. 

Performers at 7:00 pm: Petite Team, Junior Team, Junior Hip Hop Troupe, Teen Hip Hop Troupe, Senior Team, Senior Elite, and Senior Troupe

 

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December Newsletter 2018

Closings

If you are ever unsure when we are open/closed for holidays and breaks, please make sure to check in the Parents and Students handbook and also on the events page of our website. It’s always a good idea to add those dates to your phone calendar as well! Weather-related closings will be sent out through an e-mail, posted to our Facebook page, as well as on the “Cancellations” page under the About tab.

Winter Wonderland Workshop

Come one come all to a special Winter Wonderland Workshop at Joy of Dance. Participants ages 5-10 will spend the afternoon crafting ornaments and dancing in a magical wonderland themed class. This is the perfect way for kids to get in the holiday spirit and a wonderful way for parents to have some free time to holiday shop or relax! Register Here

Date: Sunday, December 16th
Time: 1:00-2:30
Ages: 5-10
Cost: $22 or $20 cash or check

Boots & Slippers

Cold and bitter weather is on the horizon whether we like it or not. Please remember to take off your mucky boots when entering the studio and place them on a shoe rack, not just the matt (we don’t want anyone to trip!). We understand feet get cold in the winter and bringing slippers with you to the studio might be a good solution to keep your toes toasty while you wait in the reception area during your dancer’s class.

Important Costume Information

Most families have paid their costume deposits and we thank you for being on top of that! The remaining balance will be posted at the end of the month and due January 1st. Please note, costumes will only be purchased for those dancers with up-to-date accounts on January 10th. If your account is not up-to-date at that time, there will be an extra $10 per costume fee to cover the extra cost of placing the dancer’s order separately. Ordering late will also run the risk of not receiving the costume in time for Picture Day. Please e-mail Nicole at info@joyofdancenh.com with any questions or concerns.

This week we will be measuring all dancers for costumes. We will add 2 inches to all girth measurements(the leotard measurement), as we know these kids can grow fast! If you are concerned about the size we will be ordering for your dancer (for example, if you think he or she will be going through a growth spurt), please let us know and we can look at it together to avoid needing to make alterations.

$5 Fill A Class Special

Throughout the month of December (1st-18th), current and new students may try out any open class for just $5! This is the perfect time to check out that class you’ve always been interested in trying or to get some extra technique training in. Register on our website here: https://joyofdancenh.com/register/ or through your parent portal for any class that has available room. When registering, just add code: SPECIAL5 in the comment section! New and existing students may take advantage of this offer. Per our trial class policy, dancers will automatically be enrolled in the class 48 hours after the last class (December 20th) unless the office is notified of your student dropping. It’s that easy to get into a new class for the new year!

December Wingman Activities

In our December dance classes, we are discussing what it means to go above and beyond for others and to be grateful. Their Wingman activity this month involves an “act of service” which enhances the understanding of gratitude and humility, and provides you with a surprise gift! We hope the dancers are willing to share the discussions they have taken part in this month around this activity. How you can help: Discussions at home that include the idea that going above and beyond for others can happen at any time of the year, not just during holidays, will help enforce positive behavior and gratitude all year round. Questions like, “what are you grateful for?” and “how did you show you were grateful today?” will help your dancer learn the importance of expressing appreciation and developing humility and gratitude. Next April our studio will be investing in our community with give-back events, and over the coming months, we would like to start collecting ideas for ways the dancers can be of service. These two websites are just an example that contains activities children can get involved within the community to spark discussion with your dancer:

List of volunteering opportunities for teens by city

List of volunteering opportunities for kids

List of ways kids from toddlers to teens can volunteer

Holiday Break and PJ Week!

As a reminder, the studio will be closed for the holiday break from December 19th to January 1st. We are open Wednesday, January 2nd. The last week of classes, December 12th-18th, before the break is PJ week! Dancers are welcome to wear their favorite pair of PJs to class all this week. Please make sure you are able to dance in your PJs or wear your dance clothes underneath.

French Lollipop Test

Also from December 12th- 18th, Ballet dancers age 5 and up will have their French Lollipop test.  The French Lollipop test is designed to test the ballet knowledge they have been working towards all year so far.  Even though Ballet originated in Italy in the 15th century, it was developed further in France, where it adopted French terminology. Dancers are tested on both the technique and terminology of what they have learned in ballet so far.  This is a really fun test and nothing to stress over! If a dancer forgets a step, they can always ask a friend(or a teacher!) to help.

2019 Annual Sleepover

The Joy of Dance Sleepover will be January 26th! Dancers will learn a combo, share recital pieces, play dance games and have lots of fun! We provide pizza, snacks, and drinks. Drop off will be 5:15-5: 30 pm and pick up 7:45-8: 00 am. Any dancer ages 8 and older can sign up. The cost is $30 per dancer and $15 for each additional dancer in the family. Space is limited and the fee must be paid when you sign up. Register Here!

Need a gift for the Holidays?

Have family & friends give the gift of dance this holiday season! Giving the gift of dance is a wonderful present from grandparents, aunts or uncles, or even family friends! Dance gift certificates are perfect for new OR already enrolled Joy of Dance students and we would be happy to make one for you. Email us at info@joyofdancenh.com

Student Choreography Showcase

For dancers 8 years old and up, the signup sheet for our Student Choreography Showcase is at the studio. There are only 3 months left until the audition, so it’s best to get started soon! The information sheet on the Showcase will be listed on the Recital page of our website soon.

Recital at Dover High School June 8th & 9th

Please mark your calendars for Recital that will be held at the NEW Dover High School Auditorium on June 8th and 9th! The Student Choreography Showcase will take place on Sunday as well. Tech rehearsals will be held the Tuesday and Wednesday before the show on the 4th and 5th. Classes will get about 8-10 minutes on stage to block spacing and run each dance 1-2 times. Dancers should be in full hair, makeup, and costume for all tech rehearsals. We encourage dancers to stay and watch other dancers practice as they won’t get a chance to do so at Recital.

More information and the order for the Recital and Tech Rehearsals will be available in the Spring.

Have a fabulous holiday season!!!

JoD Staff

 

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