This is it! About one month till showtime--till the costumes in this photo will take center stage with many others. Now is the time to please bring your dancers to class as often as possible--class attendance helps dancers feel prepared and confident when it's their turn on stage.
As a reminder, our show date has been set for Sunday, June 5th, 2022 at the Jerry Garcia Amphitheater in McLaren Park. All current families should have already received an email with performance details and a costume list. Didn't get it? Email Leila (and you are also welcome to check posted information at the studio).
While masks will be optional during our outdoor performance, we'll continue to mask inside at the studio for the remainder of the semester.
Costumes are here! Invoices for costumes have been sent this morning, May 2nd, and can be paid online. (Didn't get one? Email Angela). Once costumes are paid, they can be picked up at the front desk and taken home (and this year, tights are included!). Classes whose costumes are "TBD" will not receive an invoice until costume choices have been finalized.
Costume tip! When you bring your costume home, please take moment to try everything on, double-check that you have everything you need, and determine whether any elements need ironing. Tights don't fit? Bring them back for the right size. Once you're all set, store your costume in a safe place until showtime.
We need volunteers for the day of the show! Classes of younger students (age 8 and younger) need two parent volunteers to sit with each class, keep dancers together, and help dancers change their shoes between numbers. All volunteers will also be able to watch the show. Please contact Angela if you're willing to assist.
Finally, whether or not you're a current family, please get excited and join us on show day--all are welcome and invited!
MOVEMENT OF THE MONTH: DANCER WALKS
As we gear up for the performance, it's a great time to practice dance walking to get on and off the stage. Dance walking creates the effect of seamless motion that originates in the forward (or backward!) movement of the pelvis. To practice, have your dancer roll through their feet from their toe to ball to heel, shifting from one foot to the next in continuous motion as they imagine someone pulling on their hips to draw their pelvis forward.
TEACHER EMILY'S FOUR BY FOUR: TICKETS ON SALE NOW
Teacher Emily's first full-length show debuts at the end of the month! This groundbreaking and kid-friendly project engages its performers as equal partners in the creative process who are hired as employees rather than independent contractors. Emily has chronicled the importance of these choices, which have the potential to begin to shift the dance world. In conjunction with the show, Emily is hosting a free kids' workshop for vaccinated kids ages 5-12, and all Steppin' Out dancers are invited! Please learn more about the show, Emily's intentional practice as a choreographer, and the free workshop--or just buy your tickets and we'll see you there!
QUICK TIP: DANCE WITH YOUR FACE!
As our performance will be outdoors this year, masks will be optional. Your face has been hidden behind a mask for a while, so now is a great time to practice using it while dancing, perhaps even with a smile.