Fox Cities Dance Academy

Vande Walle Candy Bar Fundraiser now available!  Posted 08-27-10

Check out the new Vande Walle Candy Bar Fundraiser page for complete details!

Parent Meeting Notes  Updated 08-24-10

Here are the highlights from the 8-23-10 Parent's Meeting. Before we get into the details, here is a list of forms handed out. Please be sure to complete all that are applicable to your dancer and return them promptly to secured silver box located within the dance studio.
 

Forms:

• *.FCDA Student / Family Contact Information form mandatory
• *.Team Earring Order Form
• *.Lyrical Shoes Order Form
• *.FCDA Tights form mandatory
• *.FCDA Team Warm-up Jacket Order Form 
• *.Fundraising Flyer

* Forms are in Adobe .PDF Format    

Meeting Notes: 
 

Ballet classes: We are pleased to announce our newest dance instructor: Allison who will solely be teaching our ballet classes!  Ballet I and II are geared towards the mini, junior, and teen dancers; Ballet III and IV are geared towards the senior dancers.  Please attend a class time that is convenient.  Allison may, after a couple of weeks, place a dancer in a different level if she sees fit.  She will also recommend dancers for pointe classes.  Click here for ballet class schedule.  A leotard isn’t required at this time; hair must be tied back, lyrical / jazz shoes worn, and tight clothing to see body lines.

 

Tights: All dancers are requested to complete the * FCDA Tights form even though they may not get tights.  Each dancer’s tights size would like to be on record.  Thank you!

 

Shoes: 

• All tap classes will need laceless black tap shoes

• All jazz classes will need laceless black jazz shoes

• All lyrical classes will need two (2) pairs of lyrical shoes.  Please use the attached *.Lyrical Shoes Order Form and return by October 1, 2010.  One pair is for practices in the studio.  They will get worn and ruff looking.  The other pair is to be kept for good and will be used for performances.  Be sure to indicate the dancer’s street shoe size.  If you have a pair that still fits from last year, you may use them. In years past we have used Capezio® Women's "Pedini Femme" Teaching Sandal as our lyrical shoe.

Instructors are trying to keep to same shoe styles, but some small groups may need to get tan shoes.  The instructor will advise you if the style changes for your dancer’s class. Bloch shoes are available from Discount Dance Supply (website: http://www.discountdance.com/index.php) or from downtown Appleton’s Dance store.  This Dance store will do group orders – team parents might organize this for the specific groups.

Team earrings:  Each dancer will need team earrings. If you still have last year’s pair, you may continue to use them.  Dancers who have pierced ears have preferred the pierced team earrings over the clip-ons, which tend to be tight.  Some dancers have purchased two pair to keep one as a spare in case one gets lost and/or damaged.  Please complete the *.FCDA Team Earring Order Form and return by October 1, 2010.

Team jacket – required:  All FCDA team members are required to have a team warm-up jacket.  NOTE: Y is rebranding its logo.  We have a year to comply.  Current jackets can be used, however new orders will get the new logo. Please complete the *.FCDA Team Warm-up Order Form and return by October 1, 2010.

Contact info needed: Each family’s “vital statics” are needed – even if you emailed your information earlier this year.  Please complete the *.FCDA Student / Family Contact Information form.

Committees:  We have various committee opportunities for families to participate – to be a voice in our day-to-day operations, to meet other dance families, and to help lighten the load of work to make our studio be successful.  Your involvement is appreciated, especially this year as we are fortunate to increase our team size from 65 dancers last year to 90 dancers this year!  Some of our committees are:

• Activities – The next meeting will be held Thursday, August 26 at the HOTVY café 7:00 pm – all are welcomed to join!

• Activity Committe Event: All dancers and dancers-at-heart will certainly enjoy the Ailey II (website: http://www.alvinailey.org/) performance at the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center on Thursday, November 4 at 7:30 p.m.!  Tickets are $12.00 a person for immediate family members of FCDA.  Checks payable to Julie Laurent.  Include your dancer's name, number of tickets purchasing, and your dance instructor's name / class day / class time.  Deadline to order tickets: Wed Sep 8 at 5:30 p.m.  No late orders will be accepted.  Tickets will be delivered to your dancer's dance instructor during the week of October 11.   Questions regarding tickets can be directed to Julie Laurent Phone: 954-7661  Email: djlaurent@new.rr.com

• Competition – The Competition committee helps block hotel rooms for out-of-area venues (Madison, Chicago, etc.), provides refreshments for our dancers between competition performances.  Refreshments such as Goldfish crackers, string cheese, bananas, cookies, trail mix, granola bar, water. It’s not meant to be a meal, just extra sustenance for our dancers between performances.
• Fundraising

• We can fundraise to offset competition entry fees, dance convention fees, and maximum $220 out-of-area – such as to Chicago – competition venues to be applied towards hotel cost.  Cassie can tell you where you are on your fundraising credits.

• See the attached Fundraising Flyer for an overview of some of this year’s fundraising opportunities.  Here is some explanation:

• Kwik Trip: From now until the January order, 10% of sales are applied to your fundraising account.  How it works is when you buy, for example, a $10 gift card, you get $10 gift card, and 10% ($1.00) goes towards your fundraising account.  You pay face value of the gift card, however Kwik Trip allows us to keep 10% of the sales for fundraising.  You get full face value use at Kwik Stores for use at the gas pump and/or any in-store purchases.  Between February and April our profit is 5%.  Kwik Trip orders are due the 1^st Wednesday each month. Distributed the following Wednesday. Entice coworkers, family, friends, and/or neighbors to purchase gift cards!  Order forms are found on the www.ymcafcda.org website.

• Vande Walle candy bars – more info to follow – Oct 4 & 24 may offer carpooling to go to Lambeau field to sell before Packer games.  Order forms will soon be available on the www.ymcafcda.org website.

• Papa Murphy coupon cards is another fundraising event that is being explored.  If we choose to offer this event, details will be posted on the website.

• Strong Kids: Strong Kids is a program the Y – financial aid if your family is affected by medical expense, job loss, etc. Instead of pulling your child from dance, contact Y for possible assistance.  All of Y supports Strong Kids.  Other departments reach out to each participating families for contributions.  FCDA did some creative fundraising 2 years ago and made our department’s first $1,000 goal for which we received a white banner.  Last year all of our profits ($3,000) from the Father / Daughter dance went to Strong Kids earning us a red banner (hanging in the dance studio).  This year we’d like to strive for a black banner ($5,000 earned for Strong Kids).  This is a big deal for us; something to be proud to make the black banner.

• Father / Daughter dance will be held Saturday, February 12.  All families will be asked to help in some way (donations, time, and/or monetary contributions).  Last we were at/near capacity.  For our next dance we are exploring creative ways to ensure all interested guests can be accommodated and yet continue to have a wonderful experience!  More details to follow.

• Dance recital:  Profits earned by selling flower bouquets and refreshments at our spring dance recital go into our general dance fund to offset new headbands, t-shirts, etc. for the next year competition dance team.  This dance revue is generally held the 3^rd week in May at Fox Valley Lutheran High School.  We haven’t signed the contract yet finalizing the 2011 dance revue, but expect to shortly.  More details will be shared when known.

• Photo / Video:  All throughout the years take pictures for the Picture committee to compile to slideshow which will be shown at the dance recital in May. 

• Team Parent: Team Parents provide a leadership role for each performance team. They help communicate between the dance coordinator / instructors and the families; they provide dancers with an “emergency kit” when at competitions.  The kit includes things such as safety pins, needle & thread, band aids, screwdriver for tap shoes, super glue (for earrings and such), hairspray, bobby pins, nail polish to stop runs in tights, etc. 

If you do not receive an email response from Toni or Cassie, you may email Toni’s gmail (especially after the recent Y server being down).  Toni Rockow’s back-up email: trockow@gmail.com

Dance Convention / Competition schedule 2011:

1. February 18 - 29, 2011  Middleton, WI - "Applause Talent"

2. March 11 - 13, 2011  Green Bay, WI - "Rainbw Connection Dance"  

3. March 2 - 27, 2011  Middleton, WI - "Showstoppers"

4. April 1 - 3, 2011  Chicago, IL - "Showbiz Talent" TENTATIVE - BASED ON PARENT'S RESPONSE by September 1 email Miss Toni if you are / are not interested in attending this competition.

5. April 15 - 17, 2011  Appleton, WI - "International Dance Challenge" IDC

Only the Chicago competition is negotiable based on the majority of parent response; the rest of the competitions are mandatory.
 

• Only exceptions of not being able to perform at a competition: illness (vomiting), broken limb, etc.  Must attend practice the week before competition otherwise the dancer will not perform in that competition. If dancer is sick, call (don’t email) Toni and communicate.

• We have never gone to Nationals.  It usually a trip to Florida and needs at least 2 years planning – a lot of fundraising; a lot preparation.

YMCA Membership: Your dancer(s) has to be a Y member.

 

Costumes:  You pay $80 we don’t make any money on costumes; we spend every penny if not more.   

• Extra costs: Bra.  The dance instructor will advise, even if they don’t “need” a bra – clear shoulder / back strap.  Younger dancers have a leotard bra with clear back.  A bra provides uniformity and modesty. At competition never know when / where they need to change – can be in a hallway. Teacher/instructor orders the bra. 

• Underwear: Tan underwear; two pair: 1) boycut and 2) regular underwear. Recommended: Gilligan & O'Malley® Seamless Boy Shorts 2 pk. – Chocolate; Gilligan & O'Malley® Ultimate Modal Hipster 3-pk. - Basic Colors; Gilligan & O'Malley® Ultimate Seamless Bikini 2-pk.  Available at Target.

 

Hip Hop – Kendra Hill (dance choreographer from Milwauke) is due to have a baby in this fall.  We might have a hip hop dance practice in November. May not perform hip hop at our first competition. More details to follow.

 

Medical release / permission and waiver form – needs to be completed

 

Dress rehearsal: Saturday, February 5 – dress rehearsal.  Costumes will have arrived.  Will make sure hems are inline, straps are correct; will be off-site – such as Kimberly or Appleton East high school.  Will have dressing room.  Stage for full for rehearsal.  Dress rehearsal is not “mandatory – but strongly encouraged.   Parents will bring sewing machines and donate their time to ensure hem lines are equal.  Prior to Feb 5 a hair & make-up clinic will be held to advise appropriate hair styles and make-up colors.

 

Spring Dance Revue: This recital is held approximately the third week in May where the dancers can perform for family and friends.  The contract is not yet signed, but planning on the same weekend as last year to be held at Fox Valley Lutheran High School. 

HOTVY email down  Posted 07-30-10