Recital - Free Flight Dance

Recital Newsletter 2010 - please see link above for the makeup links, order of the show etc.

Important - all students please bring their own brushes or combs, as there has been lice in one of the elementary schools and we do not want to spread it

1 - All dancers dance on BOTH days! June 12th and 13th

2 - The shows start at 3 pm, which means all ballet students to be there BY 2.30 pm. All jazz, lyrical, tap, musical theatre and hip hop students who are NOT in the ballet must be there BY 3.45pm.

3 - No students will be allowed to leave the backstage until the intermission (for ballet students not in second half) or the end of the show, there are people watching the children until the show ends. You cannot come backstage to change your child then return to your seat, please note the backstage "Moms" are there for that purpose and no one will be at the backstage door to let you in!!!!!!!!!! Please remain in your seats and do not disrupt the show. The children complain every year about people moving about while they are dancing and it's just NOT theatre etiquette to do so.

4 - All students to arrive in the first costume they will be wearing (check the list up on the boards and around the studio closer to recital) with hair and makeup done. Please include a spare pair of tights (if they are wearing them) and ensure that every costume has ALL pieces, including shoes, hairpieces etc. Do a full check BEFORE you leave home, and pin all pieces together or put each costume into a bag with accessories. There is nothing fun about watching a group of 11 children remove hairpieces because the 12th has forgotten hers at home!

5 - Parents of younger children please send in story books, colouring pencils (NO wax crayons or markers, please), beading work or other fun things to keep them busy while they are waiting to perform. The children often like to make cards for each other or their teacher while they are waiting down stairs. They are better kept busy than too excited.

6 - All students should bring a bottle of water or colourless juice, and a non chocolate type of snack (snack bars, bananas, apples or cheese are good, NO crackers or cookies or chips as they are messy).

7 - If you are not picking your child up yourself, if you are carpooling or having a relative pick up, please ensure your child is aware of this arrangement, and if in doubt, send him or her with a letter to the class Mom who is backstage. As it's a different parent each show, do so for both days if you are not collecting yourself. Ballet ends approx 4.20 pm (this is art, not science, so PLEASE be patient) and the 2nd half at approx 6.30 pm. We have not had a full run through, so it's an educated guess. Children who are only in the ballet me ONLY be collected at intermission, not before, so please remain seated until the lights are up for the break.

8 - There will be someone taking the children downstairs in little "loads" so the parents will not be allowed backstage at all unless your name is on the volunteer list as a backstage helper.

9 - We all work really hard (especially the students) to make this a professional looking show that is fun for the children, great for the audience, but most of all, a BIG CELEBRATION of the student's work for the previous 10 months. Thanks to all of you for your wonderful support, of the studio, teachers and your children! Please remain seated until intermission or the end of show, and ENJOY.

10 - The tentative schedule for 1010/1011 will be at photo shoot, and registration will be offered to Free Flight students first, with the first open registration on June 30th (the early bird one) from 4 to 8 pm at the studio.

11 - DO NOT phone the studio on the day of the show and expect someone to get back to you. In case of an emergency (sudden illness or such, not what colour lipstick do they need), call me at home 946-8922 before 1 pm when I head out to the theatre. Otherwise please DO NOT call the teachers at home for anything, we are ALL very busy and have little or no time with our own families right now - PLEASE! PICK UP ALL SHOES BEFORE THE RECITAL,LOTS ARE IN LOST AND FOUND.

Dressing room "Moms" All parents must please read this!

THANKS TO THE MOMS WHO VOLUNTEERED TO LOOK AFTER THE CHILDREN DURING THE SHOW and all who volunteer their TALENT, TIME AND GOOD HUMOUR TO PUTTING ON THIS SPECTACULAR STUDIO PRODUCTION.

JOB DESCRIPTION – Dressing room “Mom”

1 - To book in the children as they arrive. They will be sent down to you in the downstairs area. You may wait upstairs until a few have arrived and take them down together, unless it gets very crowded up there.

2 - To report any child who is missing to the volunteer backstage Mom, who will let the teacher know (so we don't hold up the show waiting for someone who is perhaps off sick)

3 - Please keep all the children together in the designated area so we don't have to hunt anyone down.

4 - If a child is dancing in another number and has to change, please take the child to that group and that class Mom will help her change. Any really fast changes will be done upstairs in the backstage area. If you are the only class Mom, please ask a neighboring Mom to watch your group for a minute. All parents please help each other out. We also have a bunch of older student who will be wearing "Helper" badges, feel free to ask them for assistance.

5 - Please do not stand talking to the other Moms, keep connected to your group, sit with them, play games and PLEASE keep the noise down. Whispering to them works very well, especially if you tell stories to them in a whisper!!

6 - Please stay with the group until the last one has been collected, or if you have children in your group until the end of the show, please bring them upstairs AFTER cleaning up the area, and wait in the hallway for their parents to come. Please check with each child as you release them that they are going with whomever they are supposed to. DO NOT allow a child to go with another parent, even if you know them, without it being a prior arrangement! Note, all students are expected onstage at the end of the second half if they have not been collected at half time.

7 - This should not be a stressful experience, so please exercise patience, keep you sense of humour, and remember this is for the children. A "runner" will come and collect the group a few numbers ahead of their dance.

8 - Please encourage everyone to use the recycle bins and ALL trash in the trash bins. Last year Dane and I had to pick up LOADS of trash and recycling, and we lose the damage deposit if we leave the theatre in a mess.

*****Summer camp registration is still on, but camps are filling up fast. Camp two only has two spaces left! Forms available from the teachers or can be downloaded (printed off) the website www.freeflightdance.com (click on "registration forms")

www.freeflightdance.com