DANCE EXPLORERS INFO PAGE
Welcome to ALDEN MOVES Dance Theater’s Dance Explorers After-School Program
Led by Director Alden LaPaglia and studio faculty and staff, Dance Explorers features theme-specific dance classes and activities including costume & prop design, dance history through film, choreography, and more.
Here's everything you need to know:
Led by Director Alden LaPaglia and studio faculty and staff, Dance Explorers features theme-specific dance classes and activities including costume & prop design, dance history through film, choreography, and more.
Here's everything you need to know:
WHERE AND WHEN
Onsite at PS 889 (21 Hinckley Pl) : Tuesdays for ages 5-10*; Thursdays for ages 5-7
At Urbane Arts Club (1016 Beverley Rd): Tuesdays for ages 5-10*
*Students to be divided into 2 class sections based on age and ability
SCHOOL PICK-UPS
Available at PS 889, PS 130 and PS 139 with a 3-student minimum
END OF DAY PICK-UP TIME & INSTRUCTIONS
5:15pm
PS 889 Families: Pick up explorers onsite near the security desk at the front of the school.
Urbane Arts Families: Pick up explorers near the front door to Urbane Arts. There’s a chance pick-up may shift to the back door in the future. Please note: because there is co-working before 6 PM and a group that begins meeting in the parlor at 6 PM, you may not be able to enter the building. Please be prepared to wait on the porch for your explorer to come out with the group.
TYPICAL SCHEDULE
Dismissal - 3:00pm Snack and change into dance clothes
3:00 - 3:20pm Intro to Style & Culture through Film Study
3:15 - 4:15pm Warm-up & Choreography Group 1/Design Group 2
4:15 - 5:00pm Design Group 1/ Warm-up & Choreography Group 2
5:00 - 5:15pm Wrap Meeting & Clean-up
YOUR TEACHERS AND AIDES
Tuesdays at Urbane Arts
Veda Manly with Lexi Vesselinov assisting
Tuesdays at PS 889
Tess Driscoll with Mika Foguel assisting
Thursdays at PS 889
Lexi Vesselinov
*Special guest instructors may occasionally supplement our regular staff, depending on the unit.
ABSENCES
Please let us know if your explorer is ever not in school or not being picked up for the program after school. Otherwise, it creates pick-up confusion and unnecessary stress, and we don’t want it to lead to mistaken assumptions that a child wasn’t in school if they’re sent to the wrong program.
SNACKS
We do not have extra snacks available for students. Please pack a snack for your explorer and make sure they know to save it for after school. While an extra snack here or there doesn’t feel like much, over 30 kids it becomes more than we can keep up with, and fees may apply.
BACKPACKS: PACK LIGHTLY
For safety reasons and because of the impracticality of carrying several backpacks in addition to our own personal items, we cannot help students carry backpacks on the walk from school to the program location.
Whenever possible, use soft bags instead of hard-sided ones to keep belongings lightweight. Kids are little, and it’s easy for their backpacks to feel bigger than they are(!).
PHOTO & VIDEO UPDATES
We create Shutterfly albums for each location so you can get a sneak peek of each unit and be a small part of the adventure yourselves. Links to come!
IMAGE USAGE
We're very careful with the way we use student images. We never post photos/videos with names or underwear showing, and we only post things that students can be proud of. We always appreciate being able to share camp activities with you and prospective families as they influence registration, but we work to respect privacy as well. Please be sure your photo preferences are marked on your forms. We will assume that we have permission to share images in responsible ways unless you have expressly stated otherwise.
SURVEYS
We may send out a brief survey to you at some point to gauge how things are going for your Explorer, and to get helpful feedback. Completion is optional, but helpful to us, and may get you entered into a raffle to win a discount off of a Nutcracker or Masters of Style performance package.
PARENTS OBSERVATION & END OF SEMESTER SHOWCASE
The end-of-semester showcase (specific date TBD) is a fun, nutshell overview of the class material that serves as a vehicle for showcasing spontaneity alongside the more historical and technical aspects we've covered.
Showcase choreography is not fixed in the way it usually is for dances; it is very much guided, so there are no real rehearsal videos for them to work with. We mostly focus on the general concepts that you will see put into play.
OUTSIDE PERFORMANCE OPPORTUNITES:
FLATBUSH FROLIC (Sept), CHURCH AVE STREET FAIR (May), DANCE PARADE NYC (May)
Our Dance Explorers perform their own special piece at the Frolic and Street Fair every year!
For more info on the upcoming Frolic, click here for our Frolic info page. More info on the Church Ave Street Fair to come.
Dance Parade NYC is a spectacular community event featuring free performances from over 10,000 dancers from many different styles and genres. More info to come.
NUTCRACKER & MASTERS OF STYLE
Our two biggest shows of the year, of course!
Click here for more on the Nutcracker.
Masters of Style info coming soon.
GENERAL STUDIO POLICIES
Can be found here.
Onsite at PS 889 (21 Hinckley Pl) : Tuesdays for ages 5-10*; Thursdays for ages 5-7
At Urbane Arts Club (1016 Beverley Rd): Tuesdays for ages 5-10*
*Students to be divided into 2 class sections based on age and ability
SCHOOL PICK-UPS
Available at PS 889, PS 130 and PS 139 with a 3-student minimum
END OF DAY PICK-UP TIME & INSTRUCTIONS
5:15pm
PS 889 Families: Pick up explorers onsite near the security desk at the front of the school.
Urbane Arts Families: Pick up explorers near the front door to Urbane Arts. There’s a chance pick-up may shift to the back door in the future. Please note: because there is co-working before 6 PM and a group that begins meeting in the parlor at 6 PM, you may not be able to enter the building. Please be prepared to wait on the porch for your explorer to come out with the group.
TYPICAL SCHEDULE
Dismissal - 3:00pm Snack and change into dance clothes
3:00 - 3:20pm Intro to Style & Culture through Film Study
3:15 - 4:15pm Warm-up & Choreography Group 1/Design Group 2
4:15 - 5:00pm Design Group 1/ Warm-up & Choreography Group 2
5:00 - 5:15pm Wrap Meeting & Clean-up
YOUR TEACHERS AND AIDES
Tuesdays at Urbane Arts
Veda Manly with Lexi Vesselinov assisting
Tuesdays at PS 889
Tess Driscoll with Mika Foguel assisting
Thursdays at PS 889
Lexi Vesselinov
*Special guest instructors may occasionally supplement our regular staff, depending on the unit.
ABSENCES
Please let us know if your explorer is ever not in school or not being picked up for the program after school. Otherwise, it creates pick-up confusion and unnecessary stress, and we don’t want it to lead to mistaken assumptions that a child wasn’t in school if they’re sent to the wrong program.
SNACKS
We do not have extra snacks available for students. Please pack a snack for your explorer and make sure they know to save it for after school. While an extra snack here or there doesn’t feel like much, over 30 kids it becomes more than we can keep up with, and fees may apply.
BACKPACKS: PACK LIGHTLY
For safety reasons and because of the impracticality of carrying several backpacks in addition to our own personal items, we cannot help students carry backpacks on the walk from school to the program location.
Whenever possible, use soft bags instead of hard-sided ones to keep belongings lightweight. Kids are little, and it’s easy for their backpacks to feel bigger than they are(!).
PHOTO & VIDEO UPDATES
We create Shutterfly albums for each location so you can get a sneak peek of each unit and be a small part of the adventure yourselves. Links to come!
IMAGE USAGE
We're very careful with the way we use student images. We never post photos/videos with names or underwear showing, and we only post things that students can be proud of. We always appreciate being able to share camp activities with you and prospective families as they influence registration, but we work to respect privacy as well. Please be sure your photo preferences are marked on your forms. We will assume that we have permission to share images in responsible ways unless you have expressly stated otherwise.
SURVEYS
We may send out a brief survey to you at some point to gauge how things are going for your Explorer, and to get helpful feedback. Completion is optional, but helpful to us, and may get you entered into a raffle to win a discount off of a Nutcracker or Masters of Style performance package.
PARENTS OBSERVATION & END OF SEMESTER SHOWCASE
The end-of-semester showcase (specific date TBD) is a fun, nutshell overview of the class material that serves as a vehicle for showcasing spontaneity alongside the more historical and technical aspects we've covered.
Showcase choreography is not fixed in the way it usually is for dances; it is very much guided, so there are no real rehearsal videos for them to work with. We mostly focus on the general concepts that you will see put into play.
OUTSIDE PERFORMANCE OPPORTUNITES:
FLATBUSH FROLIC (Sept), CHURCH AVE STREET FAIR (May), DANCE PARADE NYC (May)
Our Dance Explorers perform their own special piece at the Frolic and Street Fair every year!
For more info on the upcoming Frolic, click here for our Frolic info page. More info on the Church Ave Street Fair to come.
Dance Parade NYC is a spectacular community event featuring free performances from over 10,000 dancers from many different styles and genres. More info to come.
NUTCRACKER & MASTERS OF STYLE
Our two biggest shows of the year, of course!
Click here for more on the Nutcracker.
Masters of Style info coming soon.
GENERAL STUDIO POLICIES
Can be found here.