Hello Dance families, 

I hope your family is having a great start to the Holiday Season and staying healthy.  This week is the last week of classes before our Christmas Program on Sat Dec 21 at 11:00am and Christmas/Holiday Break.  This is what to expect at the dance studio this week: 

Germs:  Lets do a little extra this week to keep the kids healthy for the show and Christmas.  When coming into the studio, please either go the the bathroom and wash your and your dancer hands or use hand sanitizer that will be at both entrances.  After class, I recommend doing the same thing.  We will be washing the benches between classes with the thieves cleaner and a Norwex cloth.  If your children play with the toys, please consider wiping them down with a wet Norwex cloth that I will have hanging from hooks by the bathroom door.  Rinse with hot water and hang to dry.  We will be encouraging dancers to keep hands out of mouths and away from the face.  

If your dancer is NOT in the program: You are still invited to participate in everything this week, they still have their spots on the ends. They can wear something special in class if you’d like, or just normal leotards. 

Dress Rehearsal: Our dress rehearsal is NOT on the stage, it is at the studio during regular class times. It just means to have dancers wear whatever costume you’ve come up with for them for their routines based on my guidelines, to their class.  Here are some additional guidelines: Think about maintaining modesty: dancers that are changing costumes should have a nude leotard on under costumes, or a base Leo of some kind so no one gets completely naked to change costumes.  Please have everyone have something on under dresses during class and on stage.  If your dancer falls or  kicks high or the dress comes up for some reason, we want everything covered under the dress.  I recommend short over tights to help with this.  

Parent Watch Week:  Parents are welcome to come into the studio at the beginning of class to watch our warm ups and then sit in front as the audience when the class practices their routines at least 2 times.  After this, parents would move back over to the side of the room while we continue working on whatever we need to.  We have a few fun Christmas games, including a snowball fight that parents and sibling are invited to participate in if you’d like. Please plan to take your shoes off when on the dance floor. 

In the past, I’ve invited families to bring snacks or drinks to share with the class at the end of class, and that invitation is still open.  If baking or crafting is your talent or love language, please feel free to bake and share with your students class or classes, but there is no pressure to bring something.  

I will also have a Christmas backdrop set up if you’d like to get some cute pictures of or with your dancer.  

The Program: 
Tickets: the program is sold out.  If you have extra tickets, please post on the band app as some still need them.  If something happens and you have extra tickets even the day of the show, this is the best place to sell them or find them.  I will not be able to facilitate any ticket exchanges on the day of the show. Here is the link to join the band if you’d like: HDC band 

Hair and Make up:  Unless we’ve talked in class about a special hairstyle, dancers can wear hair anyway they want as long as it is back away from the face.  (tumblers especially need to practice without hair wispy’s in their face) I recommend French (or another kind of) braids and lots of hairspray for all classes.  Make up: Littles: just some lipstick or blush as each family will allow, Pre Teen and Teen: I like a smokey eye and red lipstick, along with eyeliner, mascara, etc.  Youtube has lots of stage make up tutorials you can use.  We just want color in the faces so everyone doesn’t look washout out under the lights. 

What time to arrive: The auditorium will open for seating at 10:30am.  Dancers can start to arrive at 10:00 if you are in the first half of the show and need to finish getting ready at the school.  Please do not come before 10am unless you are helping with the stage and props.  The show will last 2 hours max.  Probably more like 1.5 hours.  There is a 15 minute intermission. 

I need help after the show, loading up the portable flooring, mats, and props onto the trailer, then unloading back at the studio.  Anyone willing to help with that, please message me.  

When you get there:  The dancers will go to the band room to finish getting ready and wait for their turn to dance.  I will have signs on the wall pointing the direction.  If you walk in the front doors of the auditorium turn right and go down the second hallway.  We use that entrance only so we can track the munchkins and it’s close to a bathroom.  I have several parents that have volunteered to help in the dressing room.  But this Christmas show is more casual than the spring recital AND because there entire studio would be in that room instead of only half at a time when we have 2 show, I allow for younger students to sit on parent laps in the auditorium while waiting if your dancer is in the second half of the show.  (Students that are sensitive, nervous, or need mom or dad with them: it is fine for you to stay with them, you can watch their routine from backstage if needed).   Our goal is for this to be a positive and uplifting experience for us all, no need to stress about anything. 

Programs/Flowers/Sweatshirts: If you ordered any of this stuff, you should pick it up in the lobby of the auditorium.  Your names will be on everything at the tables in the lobby area.  Attached is the Program in a PDF form, feel free to print it for yourselves, but please check it for name spelling errors now because it goes to the printer on Monday.  Everyone that purchased tickets will have a program link emailed to them, plus it will be on the studio website, plus a QR code will be at the auditorium for people to scan.  There will NOT be any extra printed programs at the show. 

Attachment: Christmas Program 2024.pdf (807.7kB)

Video:  We have a new video company again.  They are offering a digital download or a USB stick with the program on it as options.  You can still order these through the ticketing site.  If you are recording with your phone, please keep it low so not to bother other people in the auditorium.  You may NOT bring a tripod and set up anything to record.  

Popcorn and Cotton Candy:  Our dance at Disney Team and Competition team will be selling popcorn and cotton candy in the lobby before, during and after the program.  If you’d like info on joining the team as they dance Christmas season 2026, join this band. It is available to dancers who will be 7 and up by Dec 2026.  Dance at Disney Band

At the end of the program we will do a grand finale.  This just means that ALL the dancers will walk on stage together to a great song, I will talk a bit, they will take a final bow, and they will be dismissed from the stage.  If your little is sitting on your lap, you can put them up on the stage, one of our preteens or teens will hold their hands.  If not, no biggie.  Please talk to your dancer about where you will be to get him/her after the show.  I would keep the dancers on the stage until they see you and you collect them from the stage.  

There are no classes after the Christmas Program.  Regular classes resume Monday January 6th.  

Again, have a blessed Holiday season. If you have any questions, please feel free to respond to this email. 

Ms Heather