I can’t believe it’s that time again ~ time to register for the 2011 Dance Season! Most of you have already gone through this process and some are fairly new to it, regardless, we have some guidelines to follow when registering your child for next year. I decided to add this info sheet to help guide everyone through the process so that your child gets properly enrolled for the classes she/he is interested in. Please take a moment to go through these guidelines before filling out your enrollment form. Please see Miss Jennifer or any of her staff with any questions you may have regarding level placement, styles of dance, etc. 1.   Registration for Current students begins April 1st – please do NOT bring forms in before April 1st as they will not be accepted and will be returned to you to ensure everyone a fair chance at getting the class, day & time they want.   Classes are filled first come, first serve. Registration for new students begins on April 15th . 2.   On April 1st you may drop off your registration form with your registration fee at the studio during business hours, through the mail or by sliding your registration under the side door (NOT the back door). Class lists will be filled in the order we receive registration forms. Keep in mind, we do limit the number of kids in each class. We will contact you immediately only if there is no room left in the class of your choice, otherwise you may assume that your child has secured a slot. 3.   We will send home a registration form with the level your child may enroll in – remember, the general number of years per level is 3 years (not 2) The teachers take a lot of time to assess the level, maturity, strength, technique and understanding each student has of their class material. We will NOT move a child because her friend is being moved to a higher level or based on how many years she has been at that level. Placement is based on skill. Keep in mind that each student progresses at a different rate based on many factors including the number of years they have danced, practice time at home, flexibility, the number of classes they take (a student who takes one class per week generally does not proceed as fast as a student who take two, three or four classes – think in terms of a student studying Math. A student who studies one hour of math per week will not be as strong as a student who studies four hours of math a week) Students must have proper strength & technique so they do not injure themselves with material they are not ready for. We don’t want anyone intimidated by the class work and the speed at which the higher level is taught. In the upper levels students must have mastered the material in previous levels so we do not have to continuously review what they should already know. It isn’t fair for current students to slowdown the class pace for new students who aren’t prepared. 4.  Understand that we are concerned about the well being of every child who enters our studio. Students who move to the next level without being properly prepared will struggle and will not have the same confidence as a student who is completely prepared.  Our job is not only to teach dance but to promote self esteem & self confidence. Many students may be asked to stay in a level for one more year so they can become the star of the class. They will understand how it feels to be the role model of the group and feel confident dancing in the front of the class instead of shrinking behind her classmates because she feels she can’t do the class work as well as the others. I will never move a child before I am confident that they will excel in the next level. We can always decide in the Fall that a student has made the progress that’s needed to move up. We never want to move a student back down a level, that will hurt her confidence and can make her want to stop dancing altogether. I have many students who have vocalized to their classmates how glad they are that they didn’t move up with their friends – they became more focused on dance and feel they would never have succeeded or have become as strong a dancer in that next level had they not stayed back. They were shocked at how difficult the next level was when they finally arrived there & understood that their teachers made the right decision for them. 5.   Looking back through the past 14 years the studio has changed a lot. We started as a recreational program but have grown to become so much more. Most of our students continue on to college as Dance Majors or just for recreation. When I was first certified I was told that only approximately 1% of students will go on with their dance training in college – I beg to differ! Obviously I am proud of my girls that have gone on to earn dance degrees but I am even prouder of those that have chosen other career paths but have continued their dance training, joined dance troupes and maintained their passion for dance. A lot of parents are under the impression that their child’s dance experience will end Senior Year of High School. We have found that almost every single one of our graduates has continued some form of dance training and it has given them the confidence & discipline to do other things in their lives. Because of this, our class standards have gradually changed and the class material has grown more and more difficult each year, thus making it harder to reach the next level. Many of our Advanced students have been in Advanced Classes for 5 years so the material that is given to them each year grows more and more difficult. We don’t want to hold the girls in each level back by adding students to the group who are not ready for the challenge. The girls who are in Level 2 are actually doing last year’s Level 3 class work and students who are in Level 1 end up doing the work of last year’s Level 2, and so on, and so on…. 6.   Please fill out BOTH sides of the registration form and include your registration fee: $25/student or $40/Family (unlimited # of children) 7.   Ballet Bucks!!!! For every family you refer to the studio who enrolls in our 2010/2011 Season you will receive $25.00 in Ballet Bucks. Ballet Bucks may be used for Medway Dance Authority tuition, workshops and studio products. REQUIREMENTS FOR SPECIAL CLASSES Hip Hop 1 –  For 1st, 2nd & 3rd graders only. First graders must fulfill one year of Level 1 Ballet or Level 1 Jazz for technique purposes first. The transition from KinderDance to Level 1 is a big one. The Level 1 classes are much more complex and include warm ups, stretching at the barre and center floor, across the floor combinations & center floor combinations – the kids are dancing and having a whole lot of fun while learning. The counts in Hip Hop are much more intricate and the movements quicker and more rigid. Pointe – With teacher approval only! Students must have a solid background in Ballet training, must have the proper technique and strength to hold their weight properly on Pointe and must be mentally ready for this challenge! Students must also be at least 13 years old. Pointe students will be invited when Miss Jennifer feels they are ready. It is a rewarding & difficult challenge as well as a privilege. Students who are not ready can seriously hurt themselves. We also recommend an approval from your pediatrician! Preschool  -  For 3 & 4 year olds only. Must be 3 by August 31, 2010 KinderDance – For Kindergarten students only – must be in Kindergarten in the Fall of 2010 Dance Production – For Levels 3 (2nd year only) Level 4 and Advanced Students – with permission from Miss Jennifer in all levels. Starting next season we will require that students must have one year of Level 3 behind them before being considered for this program. All Dance Production students must either take a one hour classic technique class – Jazz or Ballet. Hip Hop and Tap do not apply. Level 1 – First, second and third grade students only! Level 2 – Third grade (with teacher permission if they have mastered Level 1) & Up Level 3, 4 & Advanced – Teacher Recommendation Only Get ready for our 15th Season of Dance !!! Please see us with any questions you may have!!!