SAFER STUDIO GUIDELINES
Thank you for continuing to follow the guidelines and helping us to remain a Safer Studio. Parents, thank you for keeping kids home if they are not well, and for your enhanced efforts to practice good hygiene. As we are going into regular cold and flu season, it is important that we continue our combined efforts to follow these guidelines. Please continue to monitor your children and do not send them to class if they have a fever, cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, runny nose, etc. Sending a child with symptoms to class in a mask is not an acceptable solution. Please keep children home when they are sick. We appreciate your enhanced awareness and efforts in keeping our students and faculty healthy.
What should I do if my child gets an exposure notice at school or another activity? If your child is notified of a close contact exposure, please send them in a mask to class until:
You get a negative covid test result 7 days after last date of exposure. OR
10 days has passed from last date of exposure.
CLASS REMINDERS
Potty before class, especially preschoolers!
No underwear under your leotard. Tights are dancer's underwear!
BE ON TIME! We have had a lot of latecomers and late pick-ups. It is very disruptive to our classes when you walk in late, not to mention unsafe for dancers to miss warming up. Late pick-ups are preventing our next classes from starting on time. Thanks for your attention to this manner!
IT’S NEW STYLE NOVEMBER
This month we are opening trials to currently enrolled students to try another style of class! Have you been thinking about trying Hip Hop or Tumbling? We would love to see you try a new stye this month!
CLICK HERE to join us for a complimentary class.
RECITAL CONSENTS- DUE NOW
Dance is the ultimate performing art, and dancing onstage at the recital serves as a powerful tool for building a child’s confidence in themselves—a confidence that easily carries over into a dancer’s home life, schoolwork, and friendships. So how can one special event create such a big difference? Read all about it HERE.
Recital consent forms are due by December 15th for the June 11th performance.
The consent was included in the first-of-year waiver. If you haven’t filled out the waiver, head HERE.
If you’ve already filled that out and need to add-on recital, fill out the form HERE.
RECITAL DATE CHANGE- June 11th
The Recital has been moved one week earlier due to venue availability. Our last week of dance and tumbling classes will still be June 13-17th. We’ll be holding in-class parties to celebrate a successful year! Please update your calendars with the dates below:
NOV 1-5 FUN BUN WEEK
The first week of November is FUN BUN WEEK! Come to class with a fun bun (boys can do crazy hair). Turn that bun into a masterpiece... Maybe it's a spider or a one-eyed monster!! We can't wait to see your creations!
BUN DRAWING
Starting in November, students will earn a ticket for having their hair in a proper bun for class. Tickets will be entered into a raffle where we will announce 3 winners per studio each month for a special prize! We’ll draw new winners each month through June! To earn a ticket your dancer must:
Have her hair in a secure ballet bun (not a doorknob bun)
Use a hairnet
Use bobby pins to secure bun
WHY DOES MY SCHOOL AGE DANCER NEED TO WEAR A BUN?
MUSCLE MEMORY: Does your child have bangs or pieces of hair falling down in the face? How about little frizzies tickling their shoulders? In the middle of a dance, they may reach up and brush their hair out of their way. When a dancer does this all the time, after a specific step, or in a rehearsal, it becomes muscle memory, and they will continue to "brush their hair away" onstage, even if it is slicked back and pinned up!
TURNING TROUBLE: It's a problem for turns. For ponytails, dancers tend to close their eyes when they spot, or whip their head around. You cannot turn without spotting your head, and you definitely can't turn with your eyes closed. This is a safety hazard.
BALANCE AND ALIGNMENT: A ballet bun helps to center your balance. Having your neck visible allows the teacher to correct your alignment by making sure your neck, shoulder and back are placed correctly.
HELPS THE TEACHER: If everyone in the room matches perfectly, it is easier to pick out exactly where corrections are needed and who needs them. A shoulder or elbow in the wrong place, the head placement not being correct, or even trying to figure out who is turning the wrong direction can be disorienting if everyone's hair, clothing, and accessories are different. This is important because it helps implement proper technique.
BECAUSE THE TEACHER SAID SO: Even if there was no other good reason, your teacher has a rule in her class that needs to be followed. If you respect your child's teacher, your child will see that respect, and it will transfer to them. The overall atmosphere in our program will remain learning friendly, professional, and respectful.
NOVEMBER FUNDRAISER DETAILS
Expressions Dance has partnered with Swig, Little Caesar, and Krispy Kreme to raise funds for dancers!
NOV 24-26: *NO CLASSES FOR THANKSGIVING BREAK!*
DEC 6-10: PARENT IN-CLASS CHRISTMAS PERFORMANCES
Dance classes have begun learning their Holiday dance to show off at our in-class parent program! We’re looking forward to showing off what we’ve been working on in classes so far this year. Dance classes will demonstrate certain milestone skills and a dance. Tumbling classes will demonstrate skills, strength and flexibility! Each dancer can have 1 OR 2 spectators join them for the last 15 minutes of class time. Please mark your calendars and join your child for this extra special end-of-class presentation!
CHRISTMAS PAJAMAS AND BOOKS CHARITY PROJECT
This year’s Christmas Charity Project is going to be even bigger than last year! We are gathering new pajamas and books to donate to those in need locally. We will be sending out an email that can be forwarded to family and friends about our project. Start bringing in your donations this month! Look for the donation box in our front lobbies. Help us beat last year’s total of 1701 pajamas, 1479 books!
FOR PARENTS OF SCHOOL AGED TUMBLING/ACRO STUDENTS
November Stretch of the Month- Back/Bridge | Strength Challenge- Wall Sit
We are so excited this year to have a “stretch of the month” and a “strength challenge” in our acro/tumbling classes! Encourage your child to work on these skills at home to help them improve even faster! Be more involved by printing off the at home practice tracker HERE.
FOR PARENTS OF PRESCHOOL DANCERS- NOVEMBER THEME
This month our theme in dance is “E-I-E-I-O” We are going to have so much fun moving like horses and dancing with our duck feet. We hope you are having fun dancing with us at home! This month we are focusing on: kicks, marching, ballet arms (port de bras)
HIP HOP CLASSES- SHOE POLICY
With winter weather approaching, we need to remind you that we CANNOT have wet, salty, muddy shoes stepping onto our dance floor. Please carry your hip hop shoes into the studio and change into them before you enter the classroom. You will be asked to dance with no shoes if you don't have a dry pair! Thank you!
ONLINE CALENDAR!
We have a calendar on the website! Please refer to it for Holiday closures and studio events. If you use Google Calendar you can copy studio events directly into your calendar by clicking on the "add google calendar" in the bottom right corner of the calendar. https://www.dancetoexpress.com/calendar-newsletter
TEXT REMINDERS
Stay up to date on current events! Reminder texts are sent out for closures and special events. Please make sure the primary phone number listed on your account is one that can receive texts.
ONLINE PARENT PORTAL
The account you created online can be updated at any time. Log in on the website to update contact and billing information, register for new classes, and make payments. You can also reset your password any time. https://www.dancetoexpress.com/parent-portal
STUDIO FACEBOOK GROUP
Join our studio Facebook group and be a part of our community HERE! Stay up to date on current events and connect with us!
COMMUNITY CONNECTION: BALLET WEST NUTCRACKER
It is a studio tradition to go to Ballet West's Nutcracker at Capitol Theater every year! This year we have TEN dancers cast in the Nutcracker! We will be attending three different shows as a studio to be able to support all our dancers in the production! Choose from the dates below based on your schedule or the night that your classmates will be performing! Pre-sale tickets go on Sale Saturday, October 2nd. We will post the link to the Facebook group as soon as we have it!
Friday, December 4th at 2pm for ages 6+ (Addison S, Camille C, Maya J, Bella E)
Friday, December 10th at 7pm for ages 6+ (Makayla Nelson)
Wednesday, December 22nd at 7pm for ages 6+ (Ava T, Klara S, Alli L, Kallie P, Camille Y)
UPCOMING EVENTS 2021-22
NOVEMBER:
Nov 1-5: Fun Bun Week
November 24-26: Thanksgiving Break, no classes
DECEMBER:
December 6-10: In-class Parent Performance Week
December 15: Recital consents due
December 20-31: Winter Break, no classes
JANUARY:
January 17: MLK Jr Day, no classes
January 28: Skipping pass off party for preschool/pre-k dancers
FEBRUARY:
February 5: Valentine Ball- Daddy Daughter Night Out
February 8-14: Wear red, pink, purple week
February 21: President’s Day, no classes
MARCH:
Mar 14-19: Wear green week
APRIL:
April 1: Mom & Daughter Paint Night
April 4-8: Spring Break, no classes
April 11-15: Parent Peek Week
April 18: Pathways for Dancers Meeting
April 11-20: Rollover Rally
MAY:
May 2-6: Teacher Appreciation Week
May 21: Recital Picture Day
May 30: Memorial Day, no classes
JUNE:
June 3-4: Tumble Exhibition
**DATE CHANGE** June 11: Recital
June 13-17: Last week of dance & in-class celebrations
June 21-23: 2022-23 Company Auditions
