SUMMER SESSION BEGINS
MONDAY, MARCH 13!
Studio Address: 802 Main St West, Ashland, WI Mailing Address: 1316 Main St W, Ashland, WI 54806
ASHLAND SCHOOL OF DANCE
Offering Ballet, Lyrical, Jazz, Tap, Poms & Funk Classes
For Dancers Ages 3 & up
DATES TO REMEMBER:
SUMMER DANCE REGISTRATION
Now through May 1
SUMMER SESSION - SHOE FITTING DATES
4:30 – 6:00 pm Wednesday, May 1
5:00 – 6:00 pm Monday, May 6
FLY DANCE COMPETITION
Friday, May 3 – Sunday, May 5
2024-2025 COMPETITION TEAM TRY OUTS
Wednesday, May 8
5:00 - 6:00 (Dancer ages 4-6)
6:15 - 8:15 (Dancers Ages 7& up)
SUMMER DANCE SESSION
Friday, May 13 – Monday, July 22
SUMMER DANCE SESSION
Our Summer Dance Session is scheduled to start Monday, May 13 with classes ending on Monday, July 22 (Note: Wednesday classes begin May 29 & Friday classes begin May 24). Registration for the Summer Session begins Wednesday, March 20. All class space is available on a first come first serve basis. Use the following link to register your dancer for a summer dance class: https://dancestudio-pro.com/online/asod. The shoe fitting days for the Summer Session will be held on Wednesday, May 1 from 4:30-5:30 pm and Monday, May 6 from 5:00-6:00 pm. All Summer classes are one day a week for the session. A copy of the schedule is attached and also available for pick up at the dance studio or on our website. The Summer Session will end with a performance location and time TBD. Registration for the session is complete and a spot will be held for your dancer once payment is received. Payments can be done online at the time of registration or through Venmo (@asod5678). A complete summer schedule can be found on the 2024 Summer Schedule tab above.
SOLO/DUET DANCERS – SUMMER PERFORMANCE
All registered dancers in our Summer Dance Session are invited to do a solo/duet for our Summer Performance. A solo or duet dance would be in addition to their class dance. Dancers would meet with an instructor for private lessons to learn a dance. Dancers decide which instructor they want to work with; what type of dance they want to do for their solo/duet dance (ballet, lyrical, jazz, poms, etc). Private lessons are $30/hr and typically dancers meet with an instructor 2-3 times to learn a solo or duet dance. Use the following link if you'd still like register your dancer for a solo or duet dance for the summer performance: https://dancestudio-pro.com/online/asod. Sign up will continue through Monday, May 6 or until all available spots have been taken.
2024 – 2025 COMPETITION TEAMS
This fall we will again have competition teams! Being on this team does require you to take at least one other dance class on our fall dance schedule. Tryouts will be required for this team. This group will attend 3-4 competitions as a team in the Superior/Duluth area and possibly one competition in the Minneapolis area. The teams will attend one competition in October/November with the rest of the competitions held in the spring (February - May). These teams will also perform at our Winter Showcase in January, Spring Dance Recital and possibly one other local performance. Being on a competition team does involve additional time, commitment and costs which include but aren't limited to - cost of another costume, travel costs & the fees associated with registering for a competition. The approximate fees for a team to compete is $60-$80 per dancer per competition. Registration costs vary with each competition as each competition sets their own registration fees. These fees would be in addition to your regular monthly class fees. This team may have extra practices scheduled prior to competition weekends. If you have a dancer interested in signing up to try out for the competition team, please log in to your dance account to sign up for try outs. Members of the competition team will have opportunities to participate in extra fundraiser opportunities too.
RECITAL DVD
Recital DVD's are available for pick up at the New England Store beginning Monday, April 29. If you didn't get a chance to order a DVD at the recital, there are extra copies available for pick up at the New England Store. If you have any questions or comments regarding the DVDs, please contact Ed Monroe (monrophoto@gmail.com).
CLASS ADVANCEMENT
Emails will be sent prior to fall registration to notify dancers who are advancing to the next level. All Creative Movement and PreBallet/Tiny Tap dancers advance to the next level depending on their age. Dancers must be 5 by September 1 to advance to the PreBallet/Tiny Tap or PreJazz/Funk classes. Dancers must be 7 years old by September 1 to advance to Level I. After dancers reach Level I, they are moved up to the next level by the instructors. Instructors evaluate dancer's skill & ability levels, their behavior and attitude in class, listening skills, maturity levels, respect for others (dancers & instructors), how well they work together as a team, their attendance... and many other things determine if they are ready to move up to the next level.
STUDIO WAITING ROOM
If you plan to wait at the dance studio while your dancer has class, we do ask that all parents and other family members stay in the waiting room when dance classes start. We have found that dancers perform better when they aren't being watched by everyone in the waiting room. If you have a dancer that is waiting for their class to start, we also ask them to stay in the waiting room until the prior class has ended. Once kids enter the dance room, we ask that kids DO NOT RUN AROUND while waiting for class to start.
COMPETITION TEAMS
These teams will perform at our Winter Showcase in January, Spring Dance Recital and Dance Invitational. Being on a competition team does involve additional time, commitment and costs which include but aren't limited to - cost of another costume, travel costs & the fees associated with registering for a competition. The approximate fees is $60-$80 per dancer per competition. Registration costs vary with each competition as each competition sets their own entry fees. These fees would be in addition to your regular monthly class tuition. Each team practices one day a week; this would be in addition to their regular dance class(es). There will be a monthly tuition fee associated to this class. This fee are applied to your dancer's account each month.
EMAILS, NEWSLETTERS & WEBSITE
Throughout the dance season, please be sure to check your emails regularly and read the monthly newsletters. Our main form of communication is email. The monthly newsletters always have lots of important information. All newsletters will be emailed to everyone who provided an email address at registration. Please email us (asod@centurytel.net) if you didn't receive a copy of this newsletter by email. All of the information is also available here on our website. (site.ashlandschoolofdance.info). You can also find ASOD on Facebook.
PRE-BALLET/TINY TAP & LEVEL I DANCERS
When dancers for the Pre-Ballet/Tiny Tap and Level 1 classes come to class, please make sure that both sets of their shoes have their names in them and please make sure their shoes are in a bag when they come to class each week. This will help lessen the confusion of whose shoes are whose since most dancers have the same shoes.
SOLO/DUETS DANCERS
Solo, Duet & Trio dances have become more and more popular with each dance season! It's a great opportunity for dancers to get extra time on stage to showcase their skills. Instructors begin working with these dancers before the start of the season. If your dancer is interested in doing an extra dance, please email me so I can get them added to the list. When you email, we need to know what type of dance they want to do (jazz, lyrical, poms, tap, contemporary, hip hop, etc) and which instructor they want to work with (Ally, Anessa, Lily or Brooke). Doing an extra dance does involve extra costs which include private lessons, another costume and a $35 fee to cover studio and music fees. Private lessons are $30/hr or $15 for 30 minutes and to be paid directly to the dance instructor. Dancers will need 2-3 lessons with their instructor to learn the dance. All solo/duet/trio dancers are allowed to do 1 solo and 1 duet for the Winter Showcase in January. Those dancers are also able to do their dance(s) at competitions if they choose to go that route. Sr Company dancers will be the only dancers allowed to perform at the Spring Dance Recital. Please be sure to email me ASAP if you have a dancer interested in doing an extra dance.
DANCE SHOES
All dancers are expected to have the appropriate pair(s) of dance shoes for their dance class. Please be sure to write your dancer's name or initials in their dance shoes! Dancers are expected to have the appropriate dance shoes for their dance class. Wearing must dance shoes during class is a must! No exceptions!! Below is the list showing what each class needs for dance shoes. If your dancer's shoes are too small, you can order new shoes through the dance studio at anytime. Please let your instructor know if your dancer needs to get fitted for new shoes.
Creative Movement – Pink Ballet shoes
Pre-Ballet/Tiny Tap – Pink Ballet & Black Tap shoes
Level I & II Ballet/Jazz classes - Pink Ballet & Black Jazz shoes
Level III Ballet/Jazz – nude lyrical shoes
Jazz/Tap – Black Jazz & Black Tap shoes
Poms – Black Jazz shoes
Level I, Level II & Level III Jazz/Funk classes – Black jazz shoes
Jr & Sr Company – Nude Lyrical
Jr Co Jazz/Funk & Sr Co Jazz/Funk – Black Nike shoes
DANCE STUDIO PRO
We'll continue using the online program called Dance Studio Pro for our registrations, tuition payments, ticket sales and volunteer sign ups. DSP also offers an app which is also very convenient. This link: https://dancestudio-pro.com/online/asod can be used to log in your account. If you ever have any issues logging in, please be sure to let me know. Monthly payments can be done right online, otherwise payments can also be given to your dance instructor or sent via Venmo (@asod5678) if you want to avoid the fees from paying online. Please note, dance instructors DO NOT know how much each family owes on their account; you are responsible for logging into your account to get your balance due. Monthly newsletters and various reminders are also posted on bulletin board of DSP. Once our schedule is finalized after registration the calendar page on DSP will show the no class dates.
AGE REQUIREMENTS FOR FALL DANCE CLASSES
The following age requirements are required for fall dance classes: Creative Movement dancers must be 3 years old by Sept. 1; Pre-Ballet/Tiny Tap must be 5 by Sept 1; Level I dancers must be 7 by Sept 1; dancers in Level 2 and up are all moved up by instructor recommendations. Please let us know if you have any questions on which class(es) your dancer may sign up for this fall.
CLASS PLACEMENT
For all dancers in Level 2 & up: dancers advance to the next level by instructor recommendations. If your dancer advanced to the next level, you should have received an email last week stating class placement details. Please remember it isn't abnormal for dancers to be in each level for multiple years (2-3 years typically). If you have any questions as to which level your dancer is in, please be sure to email.
NO CLASS DATES
A complete list of "no class dates" may be found on the schedule tab. Please note: ASOD doesn't follow the school schedule; sometimes we have class when there is no school and vice versa.
WEATHER/CANCELLED CLASSES
Please remember all families to check your email on a regular basis. A few of our dance instructors come from out of town to teach their dance classes; if we cancel dance class for any reason, I will send an email to notify parents. I will also post on facebook if classes are cancelled. All cancelled classes will be made up at a later date; all make up class details will be emailed to parents once dates and times are set.
CLASS ATTENDANCE
If your dancer is unable to attend their dance class, please be sure to email asod@centurytel.net or send us a message to let us know they won't be at class. If your dancer isn't feeling well, please be sure to NOT send them to dance class!! We want to stress the importance of attendance to dance class. In our policy handout it states "Any student who misses 8 or more classes during the regular season (Sept-April) will not be allowed to participate in the spring dance recital performance." Dancers only progress if they attend class on a regular basis. If your dancer is going to miss 2 or more weeks in a row due to other commitments, you can expect that while they're missing class the rest of the class is learning parts to their recital dance so your dancer may be excluded from a portion of the recital dance. It is not fair to the instructors or the other dancers in the class, if instructors can't move forward each week with teaching their recital dances.
WATER BOTTLES
Remember to send a water bottle with your dancer to each and every class!!
CLASS ADVANCEMENT
Over the dance season, the instructors evaluate the dancers in their classes to decide who is ready to advance to the next level. All Creative Movement and PreBallet/Tiny Tap dancers advance to the next level depending on their age. Dancers must be 5 by September 1 to advance to the PreBallet/Tiny Tap class. Dancers must be 7 years old by September 1 to advance to Level I Ballet/Jazz; Level I Jazz/Tap and/or Level I Jazz/Funk. After dancers reach Level I they are moved up to the next level by the instructors. Instructors evaluate dancer’s skill & ability levels, their behavior in class, listening skills, maturity levels, respect for others (dancers & instructors), how well they work together as a team, their attendance...many things are taken into consideration when determining if dancers are ready to move up to the next level. As parents it’s natural to think that our dancer is ready to advance to the next level but we have to remember we aren’t the ones in the class each and every week. . . . . so we’ll leave this up to our instructors.
DROPPING OFF AND PICKING UP YOUR DANCERS
If you have a Creative Movement, PreBallet, Level I or Level II dancer please stay at the studio with your dancer until class starts. Dancers shouldn’t be arriving more than 10 minutes prior to class starting. And please remind your dancers there should be no running around and yelling or using loud voices while waiting for class to start. Also, when your dancer’s class ends each week we would like parents to come into the building to pick up their dancer (this is required for all dancers through Level 2).
LOST & FOUND
When you pick up your dancer after class each week, please be sure to make sure they have all their shoes.
CLEAN STUDIO
For those of you that bring a snack to the studio, please take a moment to clean up any mess before you leave. Please help up keep the studio area clean.
FACEBOOK
Like Ashland School of Dance on Facebook to keep up on all the dance updates and reminders.
QUESTIONS, COMMENTS OR CONCERNS
Please contact us by phone or email.
Telephone: 715-413-1074
Email: asod@centurytel.net
Mailing Address: 1316 Main St West Ashland, WI 54806
Ashland Studio Address: 802 Main St West Ashland, WI 54806 (next to The Alley)