Welcome to ALDEN MOVES Dance Theater!
Scroll down for Studio Policies
We’re thrilled to have your dancer joining us this fall! Here’s everything you need to know to get going:
NEW NEWS AND THINGS TO KNOW RIGHT AWAY
Faculty & Staff Updates:
Check out our faculty updates here, including who's teaching when, and our new hires!
Classwear:
When students feel the part, they dance the part. For your convenience, one set of dress code appropriate class wear--dance shoes excluded--is included for all single class packages, and 2 sets of classwear are included in all 2, 3, and 4 classes/week class packages. Those students enrolled in 3 or more classes/wk should tell us which classes they prefer their class wear for. Assuming students are present for Family Day Classwear Fittings or the first day of class, classwear should be available by week 2 or 3 of classes. Be aware, however, that sizes and styles may be backordered. It's always helpful to have an extra set for laundry purposes as well. We know Family Day Classwear Fittings line up badly with Rosh Hashanah this year, but when we have to do both classwear fittings and intros during the first class of the semester, we don't get much dancing in, which can be a bit of a let down. Please join us if you can, and register under the Camps/Events tab here so we can plan staffing, set-up, and refreshments accordingly.
School Pick-ups:
Please be sure you have registered for School Pick-ups if you will need them this year! Registration runs separately from class registration, and we do not know that you need them unless you register. They are generally available for students at PS 889 and PS 130, based on available staffing and a pick-up min of 3 students, but they do max out. They are generally offered for the first class of the day only, though for an additional charge, we can often accommodate students involved in the second class. Please be sure you have purchased this add-on if your dancer is in a class that begins at 4:30pm or after. During school pick-ups, students are picked up by a studio staff member at dismissal and walked back to the studio where we supervise a parent-provided snack and help them get ready for class. Further details will be sent out to registered students.
NEW NEWS AND THINGS TO KNOW RIGHT AWAY
Faculty & Staff Updates:
Check out our faculty updates here, including who's teaching when, and our new hires!
Classwear:
When students feel the part, they dance the part. For your convenience, one set of dress code appropriate class wear--dance shoes excluded--is included for all single class packages, and 2 sets of classwear are included in all 2, 3, and 4 classes/week class packages. Those students enrolled in 3 or more classes/wk should tell us which classes they prefer their class wear for. Assuming students are present for Family Day Classwear Fittings or the first day of class, classwear should be available by week 2 or 3 of classes. Be aware, however, that sizes and styles may be backordered. It's always helpful to have an extra set for laundry purposes as well. We know Family Day Classwear Fittings line up badly with Rosh Hashanah this year, but when we have to do both classwear fittings and intros during the first class of the semester, we don't get much dancing in, which can be a bit of a let down. Please join us if you can, and register under the Camps/Events tab here so we can plan staffing, set-up, and refreshments accordingly.
School Pick-ups:
Please be sure you have registered for School Pick-ups if you will need them this year! Registration runs separately from class registration, and we do not know that you need them unless you register. They are generally available for students at PS 889 and PS 130, based on available staffing and a pick-up min of 3 students, but they do max out. They are generally offered for the first class of the day only, though for an additional charge, we can often accommodate students involved in the second class. Please be sure you have purchased this add-on if your dancer is in a class that begins at 4:30pm or after. During school pick-ups, students are picked up by a studio staff member at dismissal and walked back to the studio where we supervise a parent-provided snack and help them get ready for class. Further details will be sent out to registered students.
|
Join us for Family Day: Saturday Sept 12
New, Prospective, & Returning Families Family day is a day of fun and meet and greets for new, prospective, and returning families. This is the time for you to visit the studio with your dancer and watch a class as you will drop off at the door to the facility once classes begin. It includes exhibitions, a ballet bun workshop for those feeling lost, rusty, like there must be an easier way--or that it's time for dancers to learn how to do their own hair(!). You'll meet key studio personnel and be able to slip in a classwear fitting so that your dancer can spend a little more class time dancing that first week. Please register in advance at the CAMPS/EVENTS tab on the Register page so we can be staffed and purchase refreshments accordingly. |
|
Mark Your Calendar's: Flatbush Frolic's Been Rescheduled for Saturday, Oct 10th Main Stage Performance time slot still to be confirmed It’s the neighborhood event of the year, held along Cortelyou Road and packed with fun for the whole family—from live music on the Main Stage to bouncy houses and tasty street treats. Our professional company—which includes many of your dancers’ faculty members—will kick off the ALDEN MOVES Main Stage performance, followed by choreography from Dance Explorers and Company B. All ALDEN MOVES dancers are invited to join us for a grand finale, and, if time allows, we’ll teach some of the choreography so they can jump in for even more! Get Full Performance Details Here |
|
GENERAL POLICIES
Dance is a team sport, and ensuring that kids understand what to expect and what’s expected of them in any given arena is one of the best ways to set them up for success. Promote growth-oriented habits and help your dancer to feel comfortable and confident going into class their first day and each subsequent class by making sure that you both–and anyone else involved in drop-offs and pick-ups–understand and are prepared to follow the following studio policies.
DRESS CODES Appropriate dance shoes and dance wear can be purchased at www.discountdance.com or locally at Grand Prix (7523 5th Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11209). Mention our studio at Grand Prix in the event that you may be eligible for any special offers. For Discount Dance, use discount code TP102931 to support the studio while saving 10% on your first order and 5% on every order thereafter. Notes for All Dancers: Dance shoes should never be worn outside. This is to save the delicate soles as well as to keep our floors clean and safe for dancing. Hair should be pulled back and out of the face. Long hair should be worn in a ponytail for all classes. Pre-Ballet and Ballet students should wear their hair in a bun. No dangling jewelry, underwear, or bras showing. Leotard and tights are worn like bathing suits, without underwear. If it’s absolutely necessary for dancers to wear underwear or bras with their dance clothes, you will need to purchase special undergarments to match each leotard to be sure it does not show.
MORE ON WHAT TO LOOK FORWARD TO... The Nutcracker ALDEN MOVES Dance Theater’s annual Nutcracker is the highlight of our students’ holiday season, and our production makes it a true family affair. A defining feature of the experience is the chance students have to work with the professional dancers who dance some of the leading roles, effectively guiding students and audience members in event participation in the process. SHOW DATE: Dec 20 AUDITION & PARENTS ORIENTATION: Oct 2 & 3–Mandatory for participation. No Exceptions. Advance Registration Required. REHEARSALS: Begin the weekend after Columbus Day and take place each Saturday--excluding the Saturday after Thanksgiving--until the show. This year’s Spacing Rehearsal will be Saturday, Dec 19. Students who wish to participate in The Nutcracker must attend mandatory Placement Auditions and their parents must attend a mandatory Parent Orientation over Zoom. Performance fees will be due the Monday following the audition. Students will be assigned a 30-60-min rehearsal time between 1:30 and 6:30pm on Saturdays for weekly rehearsals. They will be needed for longer periods of the afternoon for run-throughs during the weeks leading up to the show. Rehearsal attendance is mandatory, and we regret that we cannot excuse absences in the event of conflicts with Saturday afternoon birthday parties or other events. Students cast in the show must attend all technique classes, making up missed classes as necessary, or jeopardize their ability to perform. End-of-the-Year Performance: Masters of Style Our year culminates with an opportunity for students to take the stage once again in Masters of Style, a full-school, off-site, and costumed production in which students perform class by class. There will be no regular rehearsal date/time as for Nutcracker, but beginning in March, children’s classes will be extended by 5-15min to allow for rehearsal time. Dancers participating in the show will also be required to attend 1-2 weekend rehearsals outside class time in order to be ready for the show. The performance package includes eligibility for one adult ticket, a costume, all additional rehearsal time, the venue rental, and specialized performance event staffing. It is not included in the semester tuition. Date and venue are typically announced in January or early February. The performance is typically in June. Winter Break & Summer Dance Immersion Camps Adventure into Dance! Available by day during Winter Break and by week over the summer. Dance Immersions provide students with accelerated, advanced study as well as the opportunity to explore various styles of dance and the many facets of dance outside of technique including history, film, composition, and production (everything from set design to costuming, marketing, and staging a show). Day camps are available during February break and weekly camps are available during the summer. Special Offer through Sept 12th only: Students who register for Winter Break Immersion Camps along with either our Dance Explorers After-School Program or fall classes at the studio by Family Day Sept 12th can save 10% on single day Winter Break Camp Registration, 12% off 2 days, 15% off 3 days, and 20% off 4 days. Learn More & Register Family Days- Free Event! Though we’re not able to welcome parents and siblings into the studio around class times, we like to make sure that new families have had a chance to tour the space before classes begin. This is your chance. Family Days typically take place at the start of each semester and feature free class samplers for new students, exhibitions, a free ballet bun workshop (to take the stress out of getting ready for classes and performances for already registered students–perfect for older dancers who are starting to do their own hair as well as parents!), and class wear fittings. After-Hours at ALDEN MOVES Dance Theater: Join us for Parents Night! Another free event! Why should the kids have all the fun? Our studio doubles as a beautiful event space, and during After Hours, you’ll enjoy live music, snacks, and a chance to catch up with your dancer’s teacher as well as hobnob with other parents. Dates TBD, but we typically do one fall semester and one spring semester. Fall semester, it usually piggybacks off of our Nutcracker Art Auction, and young artists who can blend with an adult crowd are always welcome. COVID-19 Policies & Updates In accordance with relaxed CDC, NYC, and NYS guidelines, we have relaxed COVID-specific safety protocols instituted during the pandemic. We do ask that families continue to be mindful of healthy everyday habits to avoid spread of anything that may be contagious. To avoid overcrowding in the lobby, dancers will continue to be dropped off and pick-up at the front door of the facility. Surfaces will continue to be cleaned after crafts and meal periods, but frequently touched surfaces will only be cleaned as part of opening procedures at this point. COVID-19 Guidelines & Healthy Habits to Keep in Mind: Frequent Handwashing: We have ample hand sanitizer on hand, but will also give students the opportunity to wash hands in between classes and activities. Exposure: Individuals notified of COVID exposure (less than 6 ft for 15 min or more over a 24-hr period) in the last 7 days should test in order to come into the studio whether they have symptoms or not. Studio should be notified of any positive COVID tests. Symptoms: Dancers or staff members who are coughing or showing flu-like symptoms at home (or elsewhere not at the studio) should stay home. To differentiate between COVID and other similar symptoms, all individuals should test before coming to the studio. Note: COVID symptoms mirror those of colds, flus, and allergies. Individuals who are observed to be symptomatic while at the studio will be asked to wear a mask. Symptoms that include persistent coughing, fever, sneezing, runny nose, sore throats, headaches, tummy aches, shortness of breath, and any strained breathing during mask wear may necessitate a call to parents to take a dancer home for the day. Finally, all everyday studio rules--including but not limited to: wearing hair (and bangs/wispies!) pulled neatly back in a bun or ponytail, no hanging on the barres, no playing in the curtains, no touching the piano, no going behind the back counter, and using the bathroom before class starts--remain in full effect. These have always been important rules safety-wise for students as well as the space itself, but they also keep students from needlessly touching their faces and surfaces. |