The Pointe’s Friday FYI – 4/28/23

Happy Friday, PSD Families!
This Friday FYI 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:
Tomorrow (4/29) is our FINAL Costume Alteration Day! Please sign up for a time slot here.
– PICTURE WEEK & In-Studio Dress Rehearsals begin Sunday, 4/30! See the recital page for the schedule, quick reference guide for the right shoes/tights for your class, and everything you need to know for recital! New to The Pointe? Not sure what to expect during picture week? Watch the replay of our picture week parent meeting here.
– Recital Ticket Update – ticket sales will be different this year than in years past. Read the details below!
– Recital program business ad and dancer shout-out orders are online now! These are due May 8. Order forms are on the recital page!
– Summer class registration is open NOW! Don’t miss out on the classes that work best for your schedule – register today! See details below and on our summer dance page.
– Recital gear is available online now! Stay tuned for program books and DVDs – shirts, flowers, and gifts are ready for your pre-order! Orders are due May 4. www.theturningpointeboutique.com – click on “Recital 2023”
– RECITAL INFORMATION is out! We know it can be a lot to keep track of, so we keep EVERYTHING you need to know on one page: www.thepointeschool.com/recital-2023 – bookmark this page and check it regularly!

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

  • April 29 – Free Costume Alterations (Please sign up for a time slot here)
  • April 30-May 5 – Recital Pictures (detailed schedule on the recital page – www.thepointeschool.com/recital-2023)
  • May 7-13 – Ticket Week (see details below)
  • May 10 – Performing Group Pre-Audition Parent Meeting (on Zoom – link here – Meeting ID 810 0995 13543, password: Love2Dance)
  • May 27-29 – Closed, Memorial Day Weekend
  • June 4 – 2023-2024 Performing Group Auditions
  • June 5 – Last Day of 2022-2023 School Year Classes
  • June 6 – 12:00 Show Dress Rehearsal
  • June 7 – 3:00 Show Dress Rehearsal
  • June 8 – 6:00 Show Dress Rehearsal
  • June 11 – Recital 2023
  • June 26 – First Day of Summer 2023

Picture week starts Sunday, April 30, and we are SO excited to help capture great images and memories for your dancer!
Please arrive on time (the picture week schedule lists an arrival time so you know exactly when you should get to the studio), in recital-ready hair, makeup, and costume. Everything you need to know for a successful recital experience – including picture week – is on our recital page. New to The Pointe? Not sure what to expect during picture week? Watch the replay of our picture week parent meeting here.

Due to management changes at the Paramount Theatre, we are no longer allowed to use an outside online service to reserve or sell tickets.  We had two options for ticket sales this year from the theatre: use the Orchestra Iowa online ticketing service (with ticketing fees of $5+ per ticket, plus additional fees for mailing tickets home or picking up at will-call) or distribute physical tickets and manage reservations and sales in-house.  To avoid burdening our families with significant increases in ticket costs, we will manage distribution and sales of physical tickets in-studio.  We have developed a great system to minimize costs and inconvenience for our families – please read the details thoroughly so you have all of the information you need to get your recital tickets at the lowest price, best seating availability, and without any added stress as we get closer to recital!  

  • Every family at The Pointe has 4 complimentary tickets included with your membership in dance classes! You will be able to reserve your complimentary tickets and purchase any additional tickets at the same time.
    • Purchasing tickets for multiple shows?  You can use your family’s 4 included tickets any way you’d like – 4 for one show, 2 each in 2 shows, etc.  Purchase the total number of tickets you need, reserve your seats for each show, and 4 tickets are complimentary! (Ex: If you would like 3 tickets for the 12:00 show and 3 tickets for the 6:00 show, you only will pay for 2 tickets!)
  • We utilize a system for reserved seating – so families don’t need to rush in to the theatre to choose a great seat.  There’s not a bad seat in the house – and you can choose your seats when you reserve or purchase tickets.
  • Ticket pricing is the same as the past several years – $14 during ticket week, $18 after that.  Sales tax does apply to tickets, but there are no additional fees for families.  With the changes, you do need to come in to the studio to reserve and purchase tickets, but you will save on ticket service fees of about $1.75/ticket!
  • Ticket Week at the studio: May 7-13
    • We will have extra hands on deck to help families reserve and purchase tickets this week.  Please make every effort to come in during this week to select your seats and reserve/purchase your tickets!  
    • Tickets are $14/ticket for additional tickets after your family’s 4 complimentary tickets this week only.  Starting May 15, tickets will be available for purchase at “best available” seating, and at $18/ticket.
    • May 7: Ticket pre-sales for graduating seniors, Company and Community Team, and STEP Program only (2:30-5:00 PM)
    • May 8-11: Ticket sales in the lobby from 5:00-8:30 PM
    • May 13: Ticket sales in the lobby from 9 AM – Noon
  • May 15 – June 18: Ticket sales open online or in person at the desk, our team will assign “best available” seats.  
  • There will NOT be tickets available for sale on the day of recital (this is a rule from the Paramount, this was not our decision).
  • Tickets will be bundled together after ticket week and then on an ongoing basis as we get closer to recital.  Tickets will be ready for pick-up at the front desk during the last week of classes at the studio (May 30-June 5) and at the table at dress rehearsals at the theatre.

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. Costujme a little long? Need a little help making the fit better with a strap adjustment, pants hem, or other minor alteration? We have veteran dance parents who specialize in costume alterations ready to help make your costumes fit just right on 4/29! Please sign up for a time slot here.

Don’t wait – get signed up for summer dance classes and camps today!

Class Selection:

  • If your dancer is 1 or 2, register for My First Dance Class (my Ray will be taking this class this summer and I can’t wait!)
  • 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)

Recital 2023 preparations are happening in classes and behind the scenes! Stay up to date on EVERYTHING you need to know for recital here: www.thepointeschool.com/recital-2023 – this page will hold all of the information you need for a smooth and low-stress recital experience. Bookmark this page and revisit it regularly – we’ll email home when we add updates, and keep everything you need on this convenient page.

As we prepare for recital, we often have families wondering what tights and shoes their dancer needs for their classes. All of the details are on the costume label on the garment bag for your dancer’s costume, and the quick reference guide on the recital page. Here are details on the shade options that we have. If your dancer’s class has skin tone tights and shoes as an option or the required shade, we mean the closest match to the dancer’s skin tone. We ask that tights and shoes match (not ballet pink tights and caramel shoes or vice versa). Samples of these shades are available in our boutique – and we have most sizes in these listed shades available in stock, and anything we don’t have in stock at the moment you come in can be easily ordered.

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 using this link!

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/aba6607526O3B 
  • If your dancer is in COMPANY, please join the Company BAND here: https://band.us/n/a4ac627b2aNdR (dancers can and should join, too!)
  • If your dancer is in COMMUNITY TEAM, please join the CT BAND here: https://band.us/n/a7a9687a26O1J (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!

Studio Lobby & Lounge
We ask that families limit lobby visitors to one parent per child if you’ll be waiting in the lobby during class.  We also ask that families ONLY have food in the lounge, and to pick up after eating. We have wipes, paper towels, and a small broom/dustpan in the lounge so the space can stay nice and neat for the next group to use the space.

How to get connected at The Pointe!
We love our studio community and truly work with the best families in Cedar Rapids.  We know that it takes a village to raise up awesome kids, and our studio community can be a part of your village.  We have a private Facebook group just for studio families – click here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1921735994748769 Please also join our studio-wide BAND app: https://band.us/n/aba6607526O3B (dancers, too!) 

Absences
Attendance in class is crucial for dancers to learn and grow.  We can only teach students who are in class 🙂  However, we know that things happen and kids may need to miss occasionally.  To report an absence so your instructor knows what’s going on with your dancer, follow the steps in this 40-second video! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nstwEOf7e58&list=PLZkeFgMt7mR63GMRqwjdoIM8-U1mxAx-3&index=2 

Boutique & Front Desk Hours
We’re happy to help ! We catch up on studio voicemails, emails, and are available at the front desk from 4:30-7:00 Monday through Thursday, and 9:00 AM – Noon on Saturday mornings.

Dress Code
Students who are dressed for dance perform and progress better in class!  Find out what your dancer needs for their classes and easily order online here: www.theturningpointeboutique.com 

Studio Policies & Full Calendar
Our Policies & Calendar for the 2022-2023 School year is online! Here you will find all the dates needed to plan a successful season, as well as all policies that help keep our studio running smoothly. You can find the Policies and Calendar on our website here: www.thepointeschool.com/policies

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