November News
DanceStation News: November 2023
This newsletter has a lot of important Nutcracker information and dates which is why it is in paper as well as online. PLEASE READ THOROUGHLY. You will receive an order form with this Newsletter. All orders are due back by Sunday, November 19th, in order to get the tights and sweatshirts delivered the week before the performances.
Reminder after the 15th of the month we do charge a $10 late fee. Tuition is due the first week of every month. Monthly tuition payments are installments towards semester fees and are the same every month regardless of weeks in a month.
Thanksgiving break is Mon. Nov 20th – Sun. Nov 26th – NO CLASSES
Look for our SSDC dancers in the Christmas Light Parade on Sat. Nov 25th!!!
*DanceStation Nutcracker sweatshirts for 2023 are going to be black crewneck sweatshirts, with bright colors that really pop against the black. They are super cute! The design and sizing sweatshirts will be hanging in the lobby and I’ll post the design through the app as well. They are very popular with the dancers. In order to receive them before the performances, I need to turn in all orders by Sunday. Nov 19th. They come in Youth XS, S, M, L and Adult S, M, L and XL. If you would like this as a Christmas present, just put a note on the order form, and you can pick it up in secret the week after the performances.
**We will also be doing a pink tight order for anyone that needs new pink tights for the shows. No shiny tights please! Also, you may want to make sure your dancers have performance-ready ballet shoes. I have seen many shoes with holes in them over the last few weeks.
***Nutcracker DVD’s are available to order for each performance. Both DVDs and Flash drives are available.
****An 8 x10 class picture will be available to purchase. I use the class pictures in the lobby at the Hett, and in the program, but we also sell the prints to any families that would like to order one. We do not do individual pictures for Nutcracker, just class pictures. Only 8 x 10 prints will be available if you choose to purchase – it is not required but popular as a keepsake for some.
Saturday, Decemeber 9th from 10am – 5pm – Dress Rehearsal and Class Pictures at the studio. I have broken up the rehearsal into several sections within the first and second acts. We will also be taking our group pictures of each class in costume that day. Please have your dancer come with their hair in a performance ready bun, dressed in a regular leotard and pink tights, and bring ballet shoes in their bags. Dancers will change in and out of their rental costumes in the dressing room for rehearsal and pictures. Our SSDC volunteer moms and SSDC dancers help with the littles that day; you can just drop them off!
10am-12pm Party scene – parents, boys, and girls in the party scene, Clara, Fritz, Drosselmeyer, the three dancing dolls, soldiers, the Nutcracker, the Mouse King
11am – 12pm Tues 4:30pm class of Mice
12-1pm – Wed Ballet 3 Angels, Mon 6:15pm Bubble Gum, Mon 5:15pm Gingerbread
1-2pm – all soldiers, Wed 6:15pm class of Mice, Tues Ballet 2 Angels, Tues 5pm Bubble Gum, Tues 5:45pm Gingerbread
2-3pm – Thur 6:45pm class of Mice, Thur 5pm Bubble gum, Thur 5:45pm Gingerbread, Mon Ballet 2 Angels
3-5pm – Snow and Snow queen, Candy Canes, Mother Ginger, Arabian, Spanish, Chinese, Reed Flutes, Waltz of the Flowers and SSDC finale.
Thursday, December 14th – Dress Rehearsal at the Hett. 4-9:30pm. This rehearsal is 100% mandatory for your child to perform in the show(s). There are no regular classes at DanceStation that Thursday evening, since we will all be at the Hett.
4:30-5:30pm – (arrive at 4pm) Mice, Angels, Bubble Gum, Gingerbread in the Fri 6:30pm performance
5:30-6:30pm – (arrive at 5pm) Mice, Angels, Bubble Gum, Gingerbread in the Sat 2pm performance
6:30-7:30pm – (arrive at 6pm) Mice, Angels, Bubble Gum, Gingerbread in the Sat 6:30pm performance
7:30-9:30pm (arrive at 7pm) run show in order with Party Scene first and all classes Ballet 4 and older (Candy Canes, Arabian, Mother Ginger, Snow, Flowers, all SSDC parts).
The performances are pretty much sold out! The Hett may be releasing a few more tickets from their donor unused/reserved seats the week before the performance – call the Hett for info about more tickets. We may also have a few families that end up with tickets available to purchase that they won’t be using. I will have them post their tickets/info on the dry erase board in the lobby in December.
Reminder that all costumes are rentals, so they remain with me at the studio or at the Hett. Children should come to dress rehearsals and performances in pink tights and any solid-colored leotard. They will change into costumes in the dressing rooms. All costumes are labeled with their name and should be hung back on their hanger when finished. Girls need pink ballet shoes or pointe shoes and hair in a very tidy bun (boys check with your teacher for shoes). I will post a bun tutorial before Dress Rehearsal so parents can practice.
Nutcracker performances are Fri. Dec 15th at 6:30pm, Sat. Dec 16th at 2pm, and Sat Dec 16th at 6:30pm. Please arrive no later than 45min before showtime with your dancer. The house will open 45 minutes prior to each show. Your children will need to stay in the dressing rooms throughout the entire show since the performances are sold out and there won’t be any extra seats in the theater. The dressing room mothers and SSDC kids help to keep them entertained. 😊
We will have a parent volunteer list out in December and would really appreciate any extra help!
Weather Policy Reminder: If the schools in O’Fallon District 90 close due to poor weather conditions, dance classes are cancelled as well. If bad weather develops in the afternoon/evening while students are in school, I will send out a notification through the App if classes are cancelled.
Christmas/Winter Break: No classes Monday, December 18th – Sunday, January 7th. We take a slightly longer winter break on Nutcracker years because of all the extra rehearsals and performances in December. The last week of class is hectic with several extra rehearsals that more than make up for the time off.
**DanceStation is hosting a Nutcracker Tea and Storytime this year at the O’Fallon Station in town on Sunday, Dec. 10th. Cookies and hot chocolate (tea and scones for adults) will be served, and the kids will have a chance to dine with our costumed Nutcracker characters (think Disney Dining but Nutcracker). More info to come soon, and our DanceStation families will get a chance to reserve seats first, as we expect this event to sell out quickly.
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