New Class - ZUMBA!
Taught by John Burris
Don't know what Zumba is? It is an aerobic workout that combines latin music with easy to follow moves. In other words it is just an all around fun way to work out! Sound fun? Tell all your friends! The class will begin on Tuesday October 20th from 7:30-8:15. We will run the class for an 8 week session. The cost to join us is only $40, and that covers the entire 8 weeks! The session ends on December 8th which should allow plenty of time for last minute Hanukkah preparations, or plenty of time to do Christmas shopping! There is a sign up sheet located in the waiting room at the studio. Anyone interested may also email the studio at dancearts95a@gmail.com to get on the list.

Bring A Friend Week Take 2!
October 19th - 22nd
Students may bring their friend to participate in class with them. Letters will be sent out the week before like we did for Bring A Friend week 1. Remember that your student, or yourself, will fill in the top part of the letter stating the Class name, Day, and time. Try to ensure that their friends, or friends' parents, fill out the bottom portion and return it when they come to participate in class. It is always an enjoyable week, and their friends always have a good time as well! If their friends do not have ballet or dance attire they may wear exercise/gym clothing. Friends are also encouraged to register for classes. While they may not end up dancing in the same class they came to we do have our Beginner Ballet 4/5 and Beginner Ballet 6 for those who want to register. We also do have slots available to start additional beginner classes for those who are interested.

Observation Classes
Week 1
November 9th thru November 12th:
All of Idy Codington's classes, and All of April Leichtnam's classes

Week 2
November 16th thru November 19th:
All of Alicia Killela's classes

We hope you have been enjoying your first quarter of lessons at Dance Arts. Idy, April and I are quite pleased with the progress of all our students and we invite you to join our Observation Classes on the days mentioned above. All Observation Classes will be held in Studio A. Please note that the schedule of observation classes is divided up by instructors. Also note that it is the two full weeks before Thanksgiving break. Please be sure to remove your street shoes before entering the studio. We recommend that you reserve seats for adult observers and have younger siblings sit on the floor. However if seats are available they may sit in a seat. We ask that you cooperate in our efforts to teach your child without distraction or disruption. Observation classes are designed for you to see an actual class in progress. Disruptions such as siblings talking/running, parents talking to each other or to the student taking the class are not permitted. We hope to see many of you at our observation weeks!

Costume Information
Measurements: November 17th - 19th
Deposit Due: December 1st
Believe it or not, we are already beginning to organize our recital! All children will be measured during the week of November 17 for their recital costumes. Children will be individually measured during their class. If any child is absent during that week, we will measure her the following week. When ordering the costumes, we will take into consideration that children will grow between November and June. Each child will be measured by Mrs. Cathy Killela or Alicia Killela. A non-refundable costume deposit of $40.00 is due by December 1st for each costume that a child will wear. (This is a deposit. It will be applied to the total cost of the costume.) If we do not receive the costume deposit, we will assume that your child has opted not to perform in recital and we will not order her a costume. Each child is allowed to perform in one dance per weekly class. WE WILL BE ORDERING COSTUMES IN EARLY DECEMBER AND WE WILL NOT ORDER ONE FOR A CHILD IF THE DEPOSIT HAS NOT BEEN MADE OR IF TUITION IS IN ARREARS. The balance will be due in January and we will give you advance notice of the cost. Typically, the younger children’s costume range from $60.00 - $70.00. More advanced students usually range from $70.00 - $90.00.

Please note: Your costume deposit payment indicates to us that you agree to have your child participate in the recital and agree to pay the balance due in January. If we order a costume for your child in December, you will be responsible for the full cost of the costume. The companies that we order from do not accept exchanges or cancellations. All sales are final, particularly for ballet costumes as they are sewn based upon the order. (They do not keep ballet costumes in stock as they receive fewer orders for ballet costumes.) Unless we hear from you, we will assume that you understand and accept this agreement. Further information regarding costumes and recital will be distributed in the near future.

Dance Arts Wall Calendars!
We are excited to be making another Dance Arts Wall Calendar this year. This year we will be opening up our photo shoot portion to the entire studio. A signup sheet will be posted in the studio's waiting area. Last year we took all 12 scenes on one Saturday in late November. However this year we'd like to get an early start on it. The photoshoot date is currently being discussed with Cindy Rzonca, who was our photographer for last years shoot. Photos will also be taken during class time, but will not distract or take away from the importance of their weekly class work. They are meant to be action shots like those you may take yourself during observation classes. We will also have an order form for these calendars for you to place an order starting in late November early December. They make great holiday gifts! We also ensure that we put all of Dance Arts' important dates on them for your reference. These include observation weeks, bring a friend weeks, days off, beginning and end of registration periods and when things are due.

Other Notes
Newsletters - As many of you may have already noticed, we have found a way to send you our monthly newsletters straight to your email without the use of PDF files. Please be sure to read these as soon as possible they are chock full of information for you. All of our newsletters will give you an option to update your email if ever you need to change your email with us. If you have not done so aready, please be sure that your email displays the images or pictures. Many emails automatically block images, but give you a link to allow images to be displayed. Or if you no longer receive email at the email address you have provided please visit our website where we will provide a link on our "Newsletters and Other Important Information" page. A copy will always be provided on our website on the aforementioned page, as well as hanging in our waiting area.

Street Shoes vs. Dance Shoes - Just touching on the subject of dance shoes being used as street shoes, as well as street shoes being worn in the dance rooms. Many of you already know that when you are entering our dance rooms we ask that you remove your street shoes. This is to help preserve our dance floors. Wearing street shoes on the dance floor can track in water and dirt that in combination tend to act as buffers and make the floors slippery. Just as we don't want to track in this water and dirt with our street shoes we should use caution with our ballet shoes as well. The soles of ballet shoes are typically made from suede which soaks up water and dirt so they should not be worn outside. This way they will also not track in dirt and water in to the studio when they are worn for class, thus keeping our floors in good shape. Thank you in advance for adhearing to these two notes.

Colder Weather - Now that we are entering the cooler months of the year just a word of caution when dressing to come to and leave from dance class. We should be sure to dress warmly for both. When arriving to dance we should dress warm so that our muscles will be able to begin working right away. Cold muscles tend to take a little longer to start working therefore making it more difficult to get the most our of your class. However you may come in as early as 15 minutes to begin stretching and warming up the muscles to help get you prepared for class. Next thing to consider is after class when the muscles are already warm, you want to keep them that way. Pants and long sleeved shirts are recommended to help keep your muscles safe. When muscles are warm and then immediately cooled that is the easiest way to acheive the infamous pulled muscle. Just keep this bit of advice in your mind when coming to and leaving your dance class.

A Few Reminders
1. As per our operating policies every student Ballet 1 or above must arrive to class with their hair in a bun. Please also try to get all the hair out of the face as well. As these classes learn more advanced steps it becomes increasingly difficult when students are fixing their hair, or trying to push it out of their faces.
2. We respectfully request that parents make every effort to be on time when dropping off and picking up children from class. It is difficult for children to focus properly when they arrive late. Thank you for your understanding.
3. Post cards for our incentive program will be available in the coming weeks be sure to ask for them when you see they become available on the white board in the waiting area.
4. Second Quarter tuition payments are due by November 9th.
5. Thanksgiving recess will begin on Wednesday, November 25th and continue thru Sunday, November 29th. Classes will resume on Monday, November 30th.
6. If you have not yet returned your acknowledgment of operating policies, please do so at your next class.