August 2022 Parent Letter

Dear Parents and Students,

I hope everyone is having a great summer! Our summer classes are in full swing and we’re seeing a lot of growth in the dancers already. If you haven’t signed up for any summer classes yet, there is still time! We have three more weeks of classes before we break until September.

Dancers ages 3-8 can sign up for our week-long Fairytale Ballet workshop which will take place next week (August 8-12). This year’s theme is The Snow Queen! Students will take a daily age-appropriate pre-ballet class, listen to the story of The Snow Queen, and do a themed craft, culminating in a showcase for family on Friday. A light snack will be provided each day. Masks are optional but recommended.

Dancers in Ballet 1-2 can sign up for a week-long intensive workshop which is also taking place next week (August 8-12). Each day will consist of body conditioning, ballet technique, and stretching, followed by a class in an alternative discipline such as jazz or character.

All dancers can take drop-in classes which are happening weekly through August 25. See our schedule at spokaneacademyofdance.com/summer-drop-ins and register through your parent portal, or email me the dates you wish to drop in.

In case you missed it, August 27 is a busy day at the studio! We will be holding our auditions for the winter concert, The Snow Queen! As a reminder, all dancers in Ballet 1-5 will be part of this winter concert; however, they can audition for an additional role which will rehearse Saturdays. The Saturday roles are open to all dancers in the Spokane area age 6 and older. Go to https://www.spokaneacademyofdance.com/auditions for audition times, the online audition form, and more information about the show.

August 27 is also the date of our Open House. Drop in any time between 5-7 pm to meet teachers and other students, get fitted for dancewear, sign up for classes, and more.

Make sure to register for fall classes before they fill up! If you’re not sure what level your child should be in, email me and I can let you know.

I hope you’re all managing to stay cool and hydrated in this heat!

~Naomi <><

July 2022 Parent Letter

Dear Parents and Students,

Happy summer! I hope everyone is enjoying some well-deserved time off. Here is the news for the studio this month:

Concert DVDs have arrived! If you requested to pick yours up at the studio, the office will be open between 2-5 pm Tuesday-Friday next week. After that, we will be open whenever classes are running – check our summer class page as the schedule varies week to week. If you requested to have your video shipped to you, it has been mailed. If you haven’t ordered a DVD and would like to, you can do so at https://kdk-1.com/product/spokane-academy-of-dance-june-2022/. Please note that orders can no longer be delivered to the studio and must be shipped instead.

Concert photo gallery is live! You can view the photos from the concert at https://melissaallenphotography.shootproof.com/gallery/18583182/. The gallery will only be online through July 15, so be sure to order any photos you want before then!

Sign up for summer classes! We will be holding classes for all ages this summer. If you plan to take drop-in classes, please register via the parent portal so we know to expect you. The system will not bill you for drop-ins until you show up, so in order to get the multi-class discount, go to “Dance Cards” from your dashboard and purchase the card that best fits the number of classes you plan to attend for the appropriate class.

Open registration for 2022-23. Registration for the 2022-23 school year is now open to the public. Be sure to register early to guarantee your spot in the class. We keep our class sizes small in order to ensure personal attention is given to every student.

Open house August 27. We will be holding an open house on Saturday, August 27, from 5:00-7:00 pm. Families are encouraged to attend, especially if they are new to the studio. Students will be able to order new leotards and other classwear as well.

Have a great summer!

December Parent Letter: Costume Week, Parent Observation, and More Concert Info!

Christmas 2019 - two of our Ballet B dancers enjoy the AOD Ballerina Tree

Dear Parents and Students,

‘Tis the season for Christmas music in ballet class and all things Nutcracker! I hope the dancers are enjoying the change of scenery at the studio as we’ve made everything look a bit more festive. As always, please save this email for your records as it contains some important information!

December tuition is now due for those who are paying monthly. In addition, I’ve added the costume fee to all accounts that indicated they are participating in the concert. The costume fee pays for your dancer’s costume, as well as any necessary alterations and embellishments, which we do in-house. The costume fee is $55. We also charge a $50 performance fee that covers the studio’s costs for the concert (all ticket proceeds go to our youth company, Spokane Youth Ballet, which covers the bulk of our concert costs, so the studio itself does not make money on the concert). The performance fee will be due in March. If you have not yet indicated that your child will participate in the concert, or if you initially said no and have since changed your mind, let us know ASAP. Costumes are ordered in January as they can take a few months to ship.

This week (December 6-11) is another Dance Buddy Week for those who have signed up. If you haven’t signed up to be a dance buddy and would like to, check the Register for Classes link in your parent portal to see if there is a class that fits into your schedule. You do not need to attend the full class as a dance buddy – even 15 minutes gives us time to have some fun together.

Costume Week AND Parent Observation! Our last week of classes before we break for the holidays will be December 13-18. During this week, students are invited to dress up like we did for Halloween (reindeer antlers, jingle bells, angel wings, ugly sweaters, Santa hats, etc.). As always, dancers still need to be have their full range of motion in whatever they’re wearing, should still wear their hair in a bun or other secure updo, still need to wear ballet shoes, and should not wear any necklaces, scarves, capes, or other accessories that wrap or tie around the neck. December 13-18 is also our next Parent Observation Week. Once again, feel free to join us in the studio for your dancer’s class. All observers except children under 3 years old must wear masks at all times. If you are a parent of an older dancer and can’t sit through a full two hours, I suggest coming to the latter part of your child’s class, especially on Thursday (for Ballet 4) and Wednesday (for Ballet 5) as well as to Character, Jazz, and Contemporary if your child is enrolled. Students may wear their skirts/tutus during Parent Observation classes (in addition to or instead of a costume, in this case).

Next week, we will start taking dancers’ measurements to order their costumes, and all classes will begin learning choreography for the concert after Christmas. Even dancers who don’t intend to perform will learn and practice choreography, since that is an important part of dance training (if your dancer won’t be performing on stage but you would still like to purchase a costume, please let me know). As I have mentioned in previous letters, our concert this year is La Boutique Fantasque, an early 20th-century ballet about the secret lives of dolls in a Parisian toyshop. I will be sending out a cast list for the ballet possibly within the next week!

A few dancers have asked me about bringing treats for their classmates on the last day of class. This is acceptable, but all treats must be individually packaged and dancers may not eat any items in the studio or without parent approval. I do not have a comprehensive list of food allergies or dietary restrictions, so please let me know if your child has any. This information will remain confidential but I will be able to let classes know what ingredients to avoid if possible. If you want to bring something for your fellow dancers, a non-edible goody is always appreciated, such as a Christmas card or ornament. I will be passing out our annual studio Christmas ornament starting this week.

I hope you are all staying cozy and warm this winter and on behalf of the studio, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you all!