March Team News and Updates
Competition Routine Rehearsal Schedule
It’s about to get real busy!!!
I am so thankful for that as we near the time of the year that everything was taken from our kids and us as dance teachers this time last year. Some of these kids never got the chance to get on stage at all last season after working so hard. Let’s keep positive outlooks and remember how far we have all come and how much our kids deserve these opportunities within these next few fun (and non quarantined) months! We can rest in JUNE!
We have turned off the Prior Engagement Form for these months. At this point in the season, every dancer needs to be available and present for any necessary rehearsals leading up to competitions. If you have any completely unavoidable dates from now until KAR weekend that you had not already entered before now, please email admin@espritperformingarts.com but know that the only types of dates I will be working with during the height of competition season will be true family emergencies and things like our senior dancer’s senior prom/graduation/etc dates that they simply cannot miss and most of those dates I have known about since the beginning of our season.
The March schedule is up (there have been some changes so make sure to double-check your calendars) and I will be making the April schedule in a few weeks.
I want to thank you all for being so amazing up to this point about attendance and rehearsals. It really has been a great year so far and I am so excited to finish it strong and see all our kids and dances on stage having so much fun together after all this time!
THERE is a LOT of super-important information below, so MAKE SURE TO READ EVERYTHING!!
If your schedule on your parent portal doesn’t look like this, contact us ASAP!
Ms. Sonya will remain at the studio from 9 to 9:30 pm on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays for those who would like to stay after and run through their solos once with her.
6-7:30 True Colors
5:30-6:30 Concrete Angel
6:15-7 March, March
7-8 For What It’s Worth/ Man, I Feel Like a Woman
Women’s Work/ Behind the Wall/ Born This Way
7-9 Jump Solos
11-1 Imagine
2-3 Women’s Work/ Concrete Angel
3-4 Man, I Feel Like a Woman/ Cinderella
4-5 Behind the Wall/ I Hope you Dance
5-7 Be a Light
5-6 March, March/ Firework
6-7 For What It’s Worth/ Firework
6-8 All Jump Routines
8-9 All Jump Solos
5:30-6:30 Concrete Angel
6:15-7 True Colors/Man, I Feel Like a Woman
7-8 Behind the Wall/ Born This Way/ Women’s Work
8-9 March March/ For What It’s Worth
6-7:30 Imagine
5:30-6:30 Concrete Angel
6:15-7:15 Behind the Wall/ Born This Way/ Man, I Feel Like A Woman, Women’s Work/ March, March/ For What It’s Worth
7:15-9 Be a Light
7-9 Concrete Angel/ Cinderella
6-7:30 Imagine
7-9 Be a Light
7-8 Be a Light
8-8:30 Man, I Feel Like a Woman
8:30-9 Women’s Work
5:30-6:30 Concrete Angel
Fees
Your competition fees have been posted for the remainder of the season. Those who are Recital costume fees and family recital fees, as well as March tuition have all been posted. We realize this seems to be a large amount posting as due in your parent portal. These things all have different due dates, and you can see the due dates on each one by looking at your statements on the parent portal.
A lot of our families like to pay their comp fees all at once, and have been asking for them to be posted together. You do not have to pay the full amounts all together, but can choose to make partial payments before they come due.
Fundraisers
Those who participated in our fundraisers last year and this year will see those credits applied to Nationals if your routines are going, and KAR if not. You will have the opportunity to sell recital ads and have those apply to Nationals or KAR as well. It’s possible we will have further fundraising opportunities this year as well, to apply to KAR or Nationals fees. Our ad sales can be purchased online through our website, at this link. Feel free to share a link to the product page on your social media.
Saturday Bonus Classes
There will be no Saturday bonus classes for March or April. It’s possible that we will start classes back up in May.
Upcoming Conventions/Competitions
UPCOMING TEAM COMPETITIONS
Here is a list of which routines are competing at each competition for the season.
Starquest Dance Competition April 9-11
- Be a Light
- Footloose
- I Hope You Dance
- For What It’s Worth
- March, March
- Man, I Feel Like a Woman
- Women’s Work
- Behind the Wall
- Born This Way
- I Was Here
- Dawn of Time
- Cinderella
- Concrete Angel
- Firework
- True Colors
- Imagine
- All Solos
Showstopper Lakeland April 16-18
- Be a Light
- Footloose
- I Hope You Dance
- For What It’s Worth
- March, March
- Man, I Feel Like a Woman
- Women’s Work
- Behind the Wall
- Born This Way
- I Was Here
- Dawn of Time
- Cinderella
- Concrete Angel
- Firework
- True Colors
- Imagine
- All Solos
Starpower Lakeland April 23-25
- For What It’s Worth
- March, March
- Behind the Wall
- Born This Way
- I Was Here
- Dawn of Time
- Cinderella
- Concrete Angel
- Firework
- True Colors
- Imagine
- All Solos
- KAR Lakeland May 7-9
- Be a Light
- Footloose
- I Hope You Dance
- For What It’s Worth
- March, March
- Man, I Feel Like a Woman
- Women’s Work
- Behind The Wall
- Born this Way
- I Was Here
- Dawn of Time
- Cinderella
- Concrete Angel
- Firework
- True Colors
- Imagine
- All Solos
Nationals *Either Revel or Showstopper, it’s not yet decided. Somewhat tentative, but these are the currently planned routines. June 30-July 4
- Be a Light
- For What It’s Worth
- March, March
- Man, I Feel Like a Woman
- Behind the Wall
- Women’s Work
- Born This Way
Upcoming Optional Conventions/Competitions
These are some upcoming Conventions/Competitions that you may choose to attend. Let us know ASAP as spots will be limited and sell out QUICKLY. We will post the fees on your parent portal and as soon as they are paid we can reserve your spot. This is not a complete list of ALL available conventions, so don’t hesitate to tell us if there’s another that you know you’d like to attend.
Optional Conventions/ Competitions
-
Revel Tampa April 30-May 2
- We are not taking any routines to Revel Tampa. Team members are invited and encouraged to attend, and possibly perform their solos. Check out their website at https://www.dancerevel.com/ and let us know if you’d like to attend the convention and if you would like to take your solo, let us know.
-
League of Champions Lakeland May 14-16
- Competition Only – for solos.
-
VIP Dance Orlando May 14-16
- Competition Only – for solos.
-
NUVO Miami May May 21-23
- Check out their website at https:https://gonuvo.com and let us know if you’d like to attend and/or perform your solo there.
-
Velocity Orlando May 21-23
- Convention and for solos.
- ALL COMPETITION TEAM MEMBERS should have 15 mm aurora borealis rhinestone earrings by now, either in clip-on or in pierced style.
- Dancers in For What It’s Worth will also need small hoop earrings, either gold or silver.
- ALL dancers should also now have false lashes, heavy/thick style in black. We have used Bunheads Heavyweight Performance lashes in the past, and they are the right style/ length/ thickness that we are looking for.
- If possible, get multiple pair of lashes and earrings, in case one gets lost or damaged.
Competition Hairstyle:
All routines will be using a simple low bun for competitions this year, hair parted in the middle. NO BUN-BUILDERS/DONUTS/ETC.
Part hair in the center, smoothing it back into a low (at the nape of the neck) ponytail, using LOTS of HAIR GEL (MAXIMUM HOLD STRENGTH). Wet hair before applying the gel, and use an edge smoothing brush (or even a dedicated toothbrush) to get it smoothed down and contain the ‘wispies.’
USE LOTS MORE GEL THAN YOU THINK YOU NEED!! After putting LOTS of hair gel on and through your hair, make the smooth low pony and then add MORE GEL to the smoothed-down hair.
Dress Codes for Competition Practice/Rehearsals
REMINDER ABOUT TEAM REHEARSALS AS OUTLINED IN THE TEAM AGREEMENT:
All black: pure black, with no words, stripes, colored mesh, dots, etc.
No sleeves, no pants (except For What It’s Worth). Shorts need to be form fitting and short enough to see long leg lines.
For Women’s Work and tap dances this year, dress code is all black t-shirts and pants/leggings with the boots or tap shoes they will be wearing for that dance.
Hair that is long enough needs to be pulled into low ponytails, sleek and tight with NO WISPIES. Use gel/spray please. Dancers shouldn’t have to push their hair out of their eyes constantly throughout their routine. Shorter hair can just be pinned/braided back enough so it’s not in the face. No accessories like barrettes, beads that cause distractions/noise/damage when it slaps them in the face while doing turns.
NO hanging jewelry or bracelets/scrunchies on wrists/etc.
Food/Snacks
Reminder on snacks at the studio:
I am seeing dancers hiding messy and unhealthy snacks in their bags and munching on them every chance they have during rehearsals. I have picked up and thrown away a few half eaten bags of Doritos, Cheez-its, etc. as well as half-empty iced coffees from Dunkin Donuts.
THESE TYPES OF SNACKS AND DRINKS ARE NOT OKAY FOR DANCE.
Please pack things like protein or energy bars, apples, healthy crackers, and WATER ONLY please. THIS MEANS NO KOOL-AID/ CRYSTAL LIGHT/ GATORADE/ OTHER FLAVORED MIXES ADDED TO WATER.
On the days when we have had/will have 5-7 hour days – which shouldn’t often – I don’t mind girls packing an entire lunch-sized meal, and I give time for them to sit and eat. AGAIN, it needs to be at least somewhat healthy, not greasy, and not super messy). ALSO PLEASE REMEMBER WE HAVE FOOD ALLERGIES (Peanut, Tree Nut, Sesame). We need to avoid bringing in food items that contain those things and be sure to wash our hands thoroughly to avoid getting those allergens on surfaces or on each other while dancing.
ALWAYS BRING A MASK AND WATER BOTTLE!!
Team Rehearsal calendar is available on our studio website and can also be seen on your parent portal under Manage Students and then ‘My Weekly Schedule.’
NOTE ON CLASS ABSENCES/WEEKEND CLASSES:
I should not have to text and ask where a dancer is after I notice they are absent.Older dancers who miss their required classes should attend weekend classes as makeups IN ADDITION to the amount they are already required to attend each month. If we already have a short month (like December ) dancers need to not be missing any classes as we only get the few weeks to begin with before their bodies won’t be doing much for the whole winter break.Dancers who are required to attend one weekend a month: This means ALL THE CLASSES ON THAT MORNING, not just one or two. All dancers coming to the weekend classes need to be at the studio at the start time of the first class!Also, parents are supposed to be registering their dancer as drop-ins for the weekend classes on parent portal. Even if you are on the Full Class Pass you still need to register for attendance purposes.
BIG/LITTLE SISTER/BROTHER PARTNERS
I love doing this as it gives a sense of team bonding, gives our little ones someone special to look up to and our older ones hold their heads a little higher knowing they are inspiring someone younger!
| BIGS | LITTLES |
| Reagan Bowker | Sabella Winn |
| McCrae Clary | Maggie Morrisey |
| Alexis Johnson (Lexie) | Taylor Tempel |
| Kiele Miranda | Alexis Soto |
| Alayna Weber | Isabella Barr (Izzy) |
| Riyana Sinha | Skylar Bueno |
| Gracie Moran | Kayleigh Wessells |
| Lillian Akins-Demers | Chloe Walker |
| Jaedyn Villegas | Charlotte Howell |
| Kaycie Bailey | Scarlett Spann |
| Aubry Hammock | Adrienne Smith |
| Serenity Cobbett | Bayleigh Lovering |
| Kaylee Dibble | Ashlyn Peer |
| Sebastian Levy | Maia Sancen-Henderson |
There is a link attached in your parent portal to team parent contact information if you would like to contact any of the team parents for gift ideas, etc.
Upcoming Fees and Fundraisers
Recital Fee:
Competition Fees:
Showstopper: Due March 12
Starpower: Due March 24
KAR: Due April 7
Nationals: Will be posted soon, along with fundraiser credits.A lot of our families like to pay their comp fees all at once, and have been asking for them to be posted together. You do not have to pay the full amounts all together, but can choose to make partial payments before they come due.Those who participated in our fundraisers last year and this year will see those credits applied to Nationals if your routines are going, and KAR if not. You will have the opportunity to sell recital ads and have those apply to Nationals or KAR as well. It’s possible we will have further fundraising opportunities this year as well, to apply to KAR or Nationals fees.
SHOES/HAIR/MAKEUP/ETC:
As we get closer to time, information for everything you need for each routine will be posted on portal. Please keep up with these things so your dancer has everything they need. MAKE SURE YOU HAVE ALL NECESSARY MAKEUP/LASHES/COMPETITION EARRINGS NOW!
Fundraisers: