Anita's Dance Academy

Newsletters

Anita’s Newsletter No. 5

July 2010

 

 

A big hi to everyone,

 

Firstly, thank you all so much for bringing your friends along and helping build up our studio. I really appreciate it. Your support has motivated me to make some improvements to the studio! Over the holidays we have removed the red carpet and put new polyurethane on the floor, so now we have more dance space and there should be no more splinters!

 

Term 3: It’s All About Respect.

Our new studio motto is It’s All About Respect. This term students will be considering the need to have respect for:

1. themselves (including how they present themselves for class)

2. their parents

3. other adults

4. their friends

5. property—theirs and others’, including the studio

 

Au revoir, ants and farewell, food!

On the subject of property, over the past few months the level of hygiene at the studio has been disappointing. So many food scraps have been dropped that the parents’ area became infested with ants. During the holidays Anita hired an ant exterminator and refurbished the parents’ area. The exterminator said the only way to stop the ants returning is to ban food completely. So we have a new rule:

NO MORE FOOD

to be eaten or brought into

the studio, changing room, parents’ area, toilets, stairs or corridor

 

Those who get Subway or McDonalds meals before class will need to eat these at the takeaway shops.  Hopefully this will not be too much of a hardship. On average, most  pupils (excluding Advanced grades) spend just 45 minutes at a time at the studio. That is not too long to last without food. Think of Anita, who will have to manage 6 or 7 hours at a stretch without eating!

 

On the other hand, keeping up your liquid intake is very important when dancing and drink bottles are still fine, but please don’t spill juice, milk or soft drink or the ants will be back. If you put used drink bottles or cans in the bin, rinse them out with water first.

 

Uniforms:

Our goal is to be the top dance studio not only in Upper Hutt but in all of Wellington. Wouldn’t that be a great achievement? As a step towards that goal:

 

CORRECT UNIFORM IS NOW COMPULSORY FOR ALL CLASSES.

 

Students and parents have one week after the start of term to get the correct attire.  After this any student who comes to class without proper attire will sit out and watch (they will still learn a lot by watching).

 

A reminder of correct uniform:

· Ballet grades - girls: navy blue leotard, flesh-pink socks or tights, navy crossover, pink ballet shoes. Hair in a classical bun (fringes off the face).

 

· Ballet grades - boys: white short-sleeve leotard or T-shirt, navy or black footless tights or unitard or shorts or bike shorts, white ankle socks, white or black ballet shoes.

 

· Preschool, pre-primary and primary ballet - girls: pink leotard, pink crossover, pink skirt, flesh-pink socks, pink ballet shoes. Hair tied back or up. Skirts will need to be identical for the end-of-year show and an affordable style has been chosen which looks like cute little tutus. Some classes will make their own and some will place an order through Sonia Bodley on 5288 682. The cost of the tutu is $40 payable in advance.

 

· Preschool, pre-primary and primary ballet – boys: white short-sleeve tee shirt or leotard, black shorts, white ankle socks, white or black ballet shoes.

 

· Jazz: black hoodies with Anita’s Dance Academy logo, studio camisole or tee shirt appropriate to your grade, black bootleg pants or bike shorts or shorts, black jazz shoes. Long hair tied back or up.

 

· Contemporary: black three-quarter length tights/leggings, black or navy leotard or close-fitting top, white socks. Long hair tied back or up.

 

· Do you have second-hand uniform items to sell? If so please make a list and give it to Anita.

 

· Anita has spare navy and pink crossovers for sale at $10.00 each.

 

· We will be placing an order for any required jazz camisoles/tee shirts.

 

The Adventures of Alice – Victoria University Memorial Theatre

This show promises to be our highlight for Term 3. There will be more details from Anita soon.

 

Zumbatomic

Zumbatomic is a very exciting and fun programme designed for children (i.e. no suggestive adult movements). We began teaching it with a small display over the school holidays. Classes will learn six different dances to perform in our end-of-year show, in 2 age groups:

Lil’ Starz (ages 4-8): Saturday 9.30 am

Big Starz (ages 9-12): Thursday 4:45 pm.

 

Zumba Parties

The Zumba craze is proving very popular at children’s birthday parties and adult “hen” parties! Anita offers a special 45-minute Zumba party experience where guests learn an exciting cool dance and have lots of fun. To find out more about how Zumba could enhance your next celebration contact Anita.

 

End-Of-Year Show

This is almost 100% confirmed as Saturday 4 December at the fine auditorium at Hutt International Boys’ School.  

Times:  2.00 pm: Preschoolers to Grade 1, plus Alice ballet and selected older grades items.

 7.00 pm: Grade 2 and over, Variety Show plus Alice ballet.

 

 

Royal New Zealand Ballet The Nutcracker Workshop and Matinée Performance

· Workshops at our studio - Thursday 28 October:   

o 4.00 pm - 5-8 years

o 5.00 pm - Grades 4-6

o 6.00 pm – Intermediate and Advanced

 

· Matinée performance in Wellington - Saturday  30th October: 2.30 pm.

 

· Cost -  $15 per child for workshop and show. Parents pay full price to see the matinée, but they don’t have to attend because Anita will be able to take children with her.

 

This will be our (hopefully) after–exam treat. It is an excellent opportunity to learn all about the classical ballet The Nutcracker (story, origins, music, choreography, costumes and props) and to see a professional performance of it.

 

Ballroom lessons for weddings

We can arrange ballroom dancing lessons for wedding parties, and not just for the happy couple but for all attendants and parents of the bride and groom, etc. Make your special day extra special and have a fun social occasion at the same time. Enquiries to Anita or Charmaine.

 

Well everyone, that’s all for now. I am so much looking forward to dancing in our freshened-up studio and keeping it clean and beautiful, and I can’t wait to see all of you dancers smartly turned out with professional-looking uniforms and hairstyles.  Let’s show everyone how proud we are to belong to Anita’s Dance Academy!

 

 

With lots of love from Anita