Sunday June 8
Wind-Up Party
Victoria Ave Studio Parking Lot
1:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Party
The party is available to all dancers and their families
The party will run from 1 PM to 4 PM
Dress code is your favorite dance costume
We recommend bringing camp chairs!
The party will have three large bouncy castles in the parking lot, a BBQ, and face painting, just for fun photoshoot, dress-up, and kid-friendly baby shower games for dancers excited for Alisia’s baby (coming this July!)
Tickets
Tickets are required for kids ($12.50 pre-purchase online… $17.50 in person at the event )
Tickets include access to bouncy castles, and other activities, a hot dog, chips, and a drink.
Tickets can be purchased for dancers and their siblings or friends
Food can be purchased at the event outside of what comes with your ticket
Built-in baby shower
Alisia wanted to make sure she got to have a baby shower with her favourite people! The upstairs studio will host baby shower games for dancers during the party.
Gifts!
Alisia insists she doesn’t need anything.
If you don’t care, advice for a first-time mom is appreciated, especially during the newborn phase!
If you still want to get something, Alisia has made a list of things she’s planning to get anytime in the next 1.5 years (and will likely continue to add to it as advice is received!).
Sunday June 1
Recital
St Patrick’s High School
Dancers
Preparation
Dancers should arrive with their hair (center part, low pony) and make-up (optional) done.
They should wear their bodyliner (dancers in multiple routines) and tights.
They should be in their first costume
All the costumes for the show should come with them, on a hanger, labelled
Limit the belongings that come backstage with them; be sure to include a (labelled) water bottle
Drop-off
Recital will run like rehearsal regarding drop-off (See above 3.b.)
Each toddler and pre-kinder dancer must have a designated grown-up stay backstage with them. Those grown-ups do not need a ticket.
Performance
Dancers will be seated on the balcony during the show and called backstage as appropriate to prepare for their performance.
All dancers are invited back on stage at the show's end for the finale.
Spectators
Spectators are required to have a ticket for admission
Backstage volunteers do not need a ticket, but must remain on the upper level with their dancer.s
Tickets can be purchased online until May 23 for $15. Purchase tickets here
Pre-ordered tickets are available for pick-up at Picture Day (pending packages being ready!), Dress Rehearsal, and at the door to the recital.
Once the online sale ends, they are only available for purchase at the door for $20.
Programs are available online or printed at the door.
Flowers, Dancer Jackets, Pink or Purple Tutu-ed Teddy Bears, and Proud Grown-Up Shirts will be available for purc.hase at the doors.
Saturday May 24
Sunday May 25
Extra Practice
for Assigned Groups
Victoria Ave Studio
Some classes have been assigned extra practice before the recital. Please see the table below to see if your class was scheduled.
Classes are generally chosen for extra practice for those with some attendance problems over the term.
Saturday May 31
Dress Rehearsal
St Patrick’s High School
Dress rehearsal runs at the same time as the Recital. Please be aware of which show your dancer is assigned to!
Dancers
Preparation
Dancers should arrive with their costumes on hangers and be in their first (or only) costume.
Hair should be in a center part, low pony, and secured off the face. It does not need to be “stage ready” as it needs to be for picture day and recital.
Makeup is unnecessary for dress rehearsal (unless you’d like to practice). It is optional for any event and should only be lightly applied in neutral colors.
We recommend that they label any belongings they bring and place them in a large, clear Ziploc bag, ideally with their name written.
Dancer drop-off is 30 minutes before “Curtain Time”
11:00 AM show drop-off is 10:30 AM
1:30 PM show drop-off is 1:00 PM
4:00 PM show drop-off is 3:30 PM
Upon arrival, dancers will be checked i,n and a password will be given to the check-in table for the dancer. This password will be used at pick-up to get your child back.
Drop off is on the third level of St Pat’s High School (head up the main stairs case to the appropriate floor, and go right; look for the check-in table)
Recital Tickets will be available at Dancer Drop-off!
Rehearsal
The dress rehearsal for dancers will be very similar to the recital; routines will be run on the stage in order, and costume changes will happen as necessary.
Dress Rehearsal is a CLOSED rehearsal; there is no one in the audience!
The point of rehearsal is for dancers to practice getting ready, being on stage, and enjoying the experience.
Dancer Pick-Up
Dancer pick-up for Dress Rehearsal will be 90 minutes from curtain time (IE, dancers will be with us for 2 hours from drop-off). The run time for the recital should be 75 minutes, but rehearsal always runs a bit slower.
Costumes will go home with dancers from rehearsal and be brought back the next day for the Recital.
Grown-ups picking up dancers must know their dancer’s pick-up password
Volunteers
Below is the table of volunteers for the shows. Those volunteers are expected to be there on Saturday and Sunday to learn the process.
Volunteers will be provided with a purple volunteer shirt. If you already have a purple volunteer shirt, please wear it (both days!)
Staff and crew will be wearing black T-shirts. These are the only grown-ups allowed down the stairs to the stage! All other backstage volunteers must wait in the hallway or watch from the balcony during their dancer’s performance.
Monday May 26
Tuesday May 27
Wednesday May 28
Thursday May 29
“Bonus” Week and Group Photos
Victoria Ave Studio
All recital dancers come to the studio on their assigned day and time (see table below) with hair and makeup done for photos.
Hair is a center part, and the low pony is kept in place with gel and spray as necessary.
Make-up is optional; keep it light and neutral if your dancer wants to wear it.
Generally, this week is not a drop-off situation, especially for dancers 10 and under with multiple costumes! They will need assistance changing and keeping their belongings organized.
If ticket packages are ready, recital tickets may be distributed with costumes!
Costumes
Costumes
Costumes for the recital will be picked up downstairs. Once costumes are passed off to you for picture day, they are yours!
Costumes have been steamed/pressed as appropriate when given to you. Please be sure to keep wrinkle-free until after the recital! (Hanging in the bathroom is a good idea if your family likes hot showers, if you do not have a steamer at home)
Be sure to put your dancer’s name INSIDE their costume if they have multiple costumes.
Account balances must be paid before costumes will be released!
Tights
Dancers will be provided with a pair of tights on picture day to wear in pictures.
Tights should be stored safely before recital to avoid piling or ripping. Please note that sequins can cause pilling or tears! Be aware of that during picture day while wearing costumes.
Provided tights should ONLY be worn for picture day and recital, NOT for Dress Rehearsal (feel free to wear your own tights to dress rehearsal)
Body liners
Body liners are flesh colored leotards designed to protect modesty backstage.
They must be worn by ALL dancers with more than one costume. Nudity (changing) is not permitted backstage.
If you already have a body liner from a previous performance (last year’s recital or Nutcracker) and it still fits, you don’t need a new one.
If you do not already have a body liner, you can purchase one online from Amazon, Flair Athletics, or us for $15+HST.
Bodyliners replace underwear! Do not wear underwear under your bodyliner.
Tights go over the top of body liners.
Rehearsal
Dancers will meet their group at their assigned start time in the downstairs studio (i.e., give yourself enough time to collect costumes and change them BEFORE your scheduled time).
They will rehearse their dance with music once or twice, in costume
Group Picture
After they rehearse, dancers will travel upstairs to the photographer together.
They are scheduled to be in front of the photographer 15 minutes after their scheduled rehearsal time (on the table below)
Dancers will be posed by one of our teachers
Our photographer this season is Damien Gilbert or Epica Pictures.
Each dancer is billed $9.50 per class for the group picture (paid through the portal) and will receive a digital copy.
Individual Picture (Optional)
Families who would like to book an individual set for their dancers are encouraged to book ahead of time to ensure there is space for them in the schedule.
Individual bookings are $45 for the first set and can be booked online.
If dancers would like multiple sets (e.g., different costumes, with siblings or friends), they can do so for $20 per additional set. Please let us know at info@connectionsdance.ca after you have booked your first set!
Finishing up
When pictures for your dancers are taken, we encourage you to change them back into street clothes and transport costumes on the hangers provided.
