The Pointe’s Friday FYI – 2/23/24

Happy Friday, PSD Families!
This Friday FYI email is our primary method of communication to studio families – please save it for a time when you can read through it thoroughly and bookmark it for reference!

New & Urgent this week:

• Summer Dance Class Registration is now OPEN! Sign up today to save your spot before they fill up!
• The Recital 2024 webpage is LIVE! Check below for all the information available now to prepare your dancer for the June performance!
• Sign up to participate in the Family Dance at Recital! All registrations for this opportunity are due March 15th!
• Skills Testing is happening at the studio March 4-9! See more details below.
• We have some notes and updates regarding attendance notifications at The Pointe. 🙂
• Recital Costumes will continue to go home this week! Please read below for details on how to best take care of your costumes until the June Recital.
• Our Classical Ballet Variation Clinics continue! – see details below

Stay tuned to these regular email updates – this is your primary source for all studio news!

Find all of the important dates for the year here: www.thepointeschool.com/policies – we list upcoming dates within the next few weeks in the Friday FYI as well for your convenience!

• February 25 – March Tuition & Costume Payment Processed
• March 4-9 – Skills Testing
• March 11-17 – Spring Break; Closed
• March 25 – April Tuition & Costume Payment Processed
• March 29 – Spring Evaluations Sent Home
• March 29-April 4 – Easter Break; Closed
• April 1 – 2024-2025 Rollover & Automatic Registration Begins
• April 2 – Pipe Burst Makeup Day – Studio is OPEN!
• April 20 – Last Day to Opt-Out of 2024-2025 School Year Registration
• April 25 – May Tuition & Costume Payment Processed
• April 25 – 2024-2025 Membership Payments Processed

Regular class registration for Summer 2024 is OPEN for current families! Visit thepointeschool.com/summerdance for access to all of the class schedules and to get your dancer signed up before spots fill up!

A few important things to know:

• Priority class registration for current PSD students is open now! Class registration will open to the community on February 19th.  See below for more information on class selection.
• Over the summer, we fit classes into just 4 days per week as opposed to 7 days a week during the school year – so we have some combined-level classes.  These allow us to offer more schedule options for families.  A Level 3/4 class, for example, is suitable for dancers recommended for either Level 3 or Level 4.  These are not new levels (Level 3/4 is not “in between Level 3 and Level 4” – it is a mix of dancers in both levels). 
• We are still offering packages for classes (this is the best way for your dancer to get the most out of their time at the studio – and the best value for tuition).  To keep things simpler and cleaner on the administrative end, register for all of the classes in the package you want – then our team will adjust your tuition right before tuition is added to your accounts so you get the package pricing. 
• At registration, there is a $20 deposit due per dancer.  This holds your spot in classes and will be credited back to you when tuition is processed before summer classes begin. 
• Questions about summer registration?  We can help you by email, over the phone, or at the front desk.

Class Selection:

• If your dancer is 1 or 2, register for My First Dance Class
• If your dancer is currently in Mini Movers or My First Dance Class and will be 3 by July 1, enroll in Dance & Discover 1/2 and/or Hippity Hop.
• If your dancer is currently in Dance & Discover 1, enroll in Dance & Discover 1/2 OR Dance & Discover 2/3 and/or Hippity Hop.
• If your dancer is currently in Dance & Discover 2, enroll in Dance & Discover 1/2 OR Dance & Discover 2/3 and/or Hippity Hop.
• If your dancer is currently in Dance & Discover 3, enroll in Level 1 classes (we recommend the Level 1 Core Class Package + any specialty classes)

If your dancer is in a Graded Technique class, they may want to wait to register until class recommendations and evaluations come out April 1.  Here’s a tip – if they are in a level now, they could register for that level (ex: a dancer in Ballet/Tap/Jazz 1 this year should register for Ballet/Tap/Jazz 1/2 – they will either be in Level 1 or 2). 

SUMMER CAMPS

Summer Dance Camps are active and creative fun for kids – and we are thrilled to have several brand new camp themes for this year!

Bluey, Barbie, Swifties, Skill Sessions, Intensives, and more – registration is open NOW and you secure your spot in camp and save by registering early!

Don’t miss out on the camps your dancer will want to be a part of this summer – register today.
Check out all things Summer Dance & Camps and register by visiting www.thepointeschool.com/summerdance

Looking forward to an awesome summer – we can’t wait to see your dancer in camps and classes!

It’s time to start preparing for Recital 2024! Our Recital webpage is now LIVE! You will find everything you need to prepare you and your dancer for a successful Recital season. Check out thepointeschool.com/recital-2024 regularly for updates.

Here is everything you can find on the website this week:

• Performance Handbook: EVERYTHING you need to know, in one convenient place!
• Quick Reference Guide – all the most important info for each class in one place!
• Music and videos for practice at home
• Picture Week Schedules
• Dress Rehearsal Schedules
• Show Performance Orders
• Assignments for Tights & Shoes for each class
• Family Dance Registration – due March 15th!

Create memories you and your dancer will cherish for a lifetime – dance with them in their Recital!

We are SO excited to be bringing back a special tradition to Recital 2024 – the Family Dance! (formerly known as the Father Daughter Dance). We had so much fun putting this together last year, and we are pumped to watch this experience continue to grow.

The Family Dance is a special Recital performance created for a dancer and ONE adult family member. Dads, Moms, Aunts, Uncles, Family Friends or any significant caregiver are welcome to perform with their dancer. This structure gives more of our studio families the option to get involved in this performance opportunity – and the more the merrier! The dancer and their chosen adult will learn and perform the routine as a pair.

Listed below are the requirements and details to participate in the Family Dance:

– Your dancer must be enrolled in classes Level 1 and Up (age 6+)

– The dancer and adult must be able to attend THREE out of the four rehearsal dates to learn the Family Dance. These dates and times are:

Sunday, March 24th from 5:30-6:30 PM

Sunday, April 14th from 5:30-6:30 PM

Saturday, May 11th from 1:00-2:00 PM

Sunday, June 2nd – 12:00 Show Rehearsal: 9:45-10:30 AM, 3:00 Show Rehearsal. 10:30-11:15 AM, 6:00 Show Rehearsal 11:15 AM -12:00 PM (Final Show placements will be determined after registration is complete.)

– The dancer and adult must be available to dance in one of the three Recital Performances on June 9th, 2024. Performance times are 12:00 PM, 3:00 PM, and 6:00 PM. There is an option on the registration form to request your preferred show time to perform in. We will do our best to accommodate these requests based on your dancers current Recital placement, but final placements will be determined after registration is complete.

– The dancer and adult must also be able to participate in the Dress Rehearsal for their corresponding assigned show time. Dress Rehearsals will be in the evening on Tuesday, June 4th for the 12:00 PM Show, Wednesday, June 5th for the 3:00 PM Show, and Thursday June 6th for the 6:00 PM Show (exact rehearsal times can be found on the Dress Rehearsal Schedule on the Recital webpage – thepointeschool.com/recital-2024.)

– Cost to participate in the Family Dance is $59 + sales tax per Family pair. This fee covers rehearsals and T-Shirts for the dancer and adult to wear onstage during their performance. If a family has more than one dancer the adult would like to dance with, or a dancer would like to dance with more than one adult – an additional dancer or adult can be added on for $24 + sales tax. These additions will be considered as separate pairs and participate in different shows from one another.

– To register for the Family Dance, please fill out the form on the Recital webpage (thepointeschool.com/recital-2024) by Friday, March 15th.

If you have any questions, you can reach Miss Laura by email at [email protected]

Skills Testing Week is in TWO WEEKS in Graded Technique Classes! Dancers just need to come to class as always, in dress code, and know that the majority of class time will be spent demonstrating the key skills for their level so their teachers can prepare for evaluations and next season’s recommendations. Recommendations and evaluations are a huge undertaking for our instructors, and this week focused on key skills (a little break from learning recital choreography!) helps instructors get started on that big project.

Dancers will receive personalized, detailed evaluations (emailed home to the email address we have on file) on March 29th.

Skills Testing is only for Graded Technique classes – this does not apply to Dance & Discover, Beginning, or Adult programs.

Our studio system has recently made some updates that allow us to connect and follow up with each dancer and family better after a missed class. We have been getting a lot of similar questions, so we wanted to address then here to the studio as a whole.

If your dancer is absent to one of their classes and marked absent in our system, you will get an automated email from us checking in and giving you information on our class makeup policy. This just helps us stay connected with our families and helps everyone keep track of their schedule – especially as life gets busier though the spring!

Important things to note:

• If you have gotten one of these emails over the last few weeks, but your dancer was in class – it is likely they were either accidentally marked absent or marked absent because the dancer was a few minutes late. We have communicated with our staff to triple check the accuracy of their attendance now that these automated messages are in place, so their should be less mistakes in the future.
• If you have submitted your dancers absence in your parent portal before the class happens – you will still get one of these follow up emails the day after their absence. Please keep submitting your absences as they come up! Life is busy and missing a couple classes is usually no problem, but it makes all of our instructors lives easier if we know ahead of time that your dancer will miss class. Unfortunately, the automation at this time is either “all or nothing.” We don’t enjoy sending you more emails than you need, so if you have previously submitted the absence – you can disregard the email.

Recital costumes will begin to go home this week and throughout the next few months as they arrive. Families will be notified by email when costumes for their class(es) are in and ready to go home. We do a quick costume try-on in class, then dancers take their costumes home that day. We have a handy guide to keep your costumes recital-ready & some information about the timeline for recital costumes below.

Experience the magic of some of the most world-renowned classical ballets! We are offering a unique opportunity for your dancers to immerse themselves into the story, technique, and choreography just like a professional ballet dancer! We have clinic options appropriate for every dancer in Level 1 and up spread out throughout the year!

Clinic Dates:

• Friday, May 17th — Don Quixote

Click here to get registered today!

Clinic Schedule (these times and prices will remain consistent throughout all dates)

• Storytime: 4:45-5:15 PM (This portion is FREE, and available to all dancers age 6+ to learn the story behind each of these famous ballets)
• Ballet 1/2: 5:15-5:45 PM ($12)
• Ballet 3/4: 5:45-6:30 PM ($15)
• Ballet 5+ (pointe shoes optional for Intermediate Pointe and up): 6:30-7:30 PM ($18)

As we get into winter weather, a few reminders about winter weather cancellations and protocols at the studio 🙂

• We do not necessarily follow any school district closures – schools consider busses, walking students, and the morning commute – where we do not have busses or walkers, and most of our classes start after the school day is over.
• If we need to cancel classes, we will notify families by email, the studio-wide BAND app, and on our public Facebook page by 8 AM for morning classes and 2 PM for afternoon/evening classes. We may not be able to reply to questions about possible weather closures before those times (if we spent the whole day replying to every individual question, we wouldn’t be able to make progress on our other important work for the studio!)
• Canceled classes for weather are not rescheduled – to make up missed classes, dancers are welcome to attend any class at a similar or lower level within 2 weeks of the missed class. Dancers can just come to the class they’d like for a makeup – no need to check with the office in advance. Questions about what classes would be great options for your dancer? We’re happy to help 🙂
• Every family has a different commute and level of comfort with winter driving conditions – please always make the best decision for your family. If we are open and you don’t feel comfortable driving, no worries – stay home and safe. Makeup classes are always available.

Did you know that we offer free trial classes for new-to-The-Pointe families – and we have a sweet deal for you if you refer a friend to our program? Families can schedule a trial class easily – just have them send us an email and we’ll take care of it!

When a family you’ve referred signs up, please have them list your name in the “Where did you hear about us?” form in online registration. We will send them a $20 gift card to our boutique to help them get the gear their dancer needs for class – and as a thank you, we’ll send one to you, too! Trial classes are easy to schedule online, and are FREE for a limited time!

• Click the links on your phone to download the BAND app and join these groups 🙂 
• Please join the Studio-wide BAND here: https://band.us/n/a7aa9b43OcwbP
• If your dancer is in COMPANY, please join the Company BAND here: https://band.us/n/a1ae9741O1XbO (dancers can and should join, too!)
• If your dancer is in COMMUNITY TEAM, please join the CT BAND here: https://band.us/n/a7ab9544OeY4B (dancers can and should join, too!) 
• Families have received an email with a unique link to join the BAND group for each class – if you’ve joined us after that message went out, please find your dancer’s instructor after class to get access or shoot us an email ([email protected]) and we’ll get you added!

We’ve added another easy method of communication to get relevant information directly to families – right on your phone!

Have a wonderful weekend!
– Miss Vanessa & your PSD Staff