Recital time is quickly approaching. This letter is provided to familiarize you with our rehearsal and recital procedures. Some procedures may have changed due to our recital location. Although these practices may seem tedious and lengthy, please be assured that they are necessary to produce a smooth and productive show with a cast of such magnitude. Please read and refer back to this letter so as to follow all of these important procedures.
CHEVALIER THEATER, FOREST STREET , MEDFORD , MA (LOCATED IN MEDFORD SQUARE )
Our dress rehearsal, Sat. (June3) and recital, Sat. (June 3) will be held at the Chevalier Theater. Directions and parking information are provided below.
Per order of the Chevalier Management, no eating, drinking, smoking or chewing gum is allowed on the premises including dressing rooms. Please eat lunch and dinner before you arrive. The Medford Fire Department prohibits any sitting in the aisles, exit ramps or stairways. This will be strictly enforced during both rehearsal and recitals. Small children must be in a seat at all times.
To get to the Chevalier Theater enter Forest st. on Mapquest for your guests to get exact directions. Exit 32 off of 93 brings you into Medford Square .
Parking is available in all Municipal parking lots in Medford Square . Parking is available in the parking garage on Governor's Ave, City Hall Mall Parking lot and Riverside Ave. parking lot. All parking lots are free and are a short walk to the theater.
Street parking is a ½ hour to 2 hour parking only and is not advised due to towing. Do Not Park in the medical building parking lot across from the Theater on Forest Street. Your car will absolutely be towed even on the weekend. Please advise all your guests where they should and should not park. The Chevalier Theater and Jody's School of Dancing is not responsible if your car is towed.
DRESS REHEARSAL
On Sat. June 3, students should arrive at the Chevalier Theater no earlier than 10:00 A.M. and be ready in the dressing rooms downstairs for an 11:00 or 11:30 A.M. performance. Everyone, including dancers and parents, must have a ticket for the dress rehearsal. Each student will receive a free rehearsal ticket for herself and one free ticket for one parent or guardian. All others in attendance must purchase rehearsal tickets beforehand at the studio for $10.00 each. The free rehearsal tickets will be distributed on May 7 when we will be selling all tickets at the studio.
RECITALS
On Sat. June 3 students should be in the dressing rooms downstairs by 6:00 p.m. We will not allow any dancers in costume to enter the lobby or the seating area of the theater at any time. At 6:30 p.m., my assistants and I will begin lining up all classes, at which time parents should go to their seats in the audience. The front doors open at 6:30 p.m. Please let all guests know that early seating is not allowed. Our curtain will go up promptly at 7:00 p.m.
.Parents must exit the auditorium and enter through the stage door located in side parking lot, to pick up the dancers immediately after their performance. Students may only sit in the audience to watch the remainder of the show if a seat has been purchased for them and when they have changed into street clothes. No costumes can be worn in the audience. Each year some parents allow this rule to be broken. Please help us set good examples; kindly follow the rules.
DRESSING ROOMS
The dressing rooms are located directly below the stage. Please do not eat in the dressing rooms. The theater will not invite us back if we do not follow their rules. If you cannot be found during line up time (1/2 hour before show time), we are not responsible if you miss your dance. We do not go searching in the audience for missing students. Please be in the dressing room area no less than 5 dances before your dance. Quick-change students should get changed immediately and come upstairs to the stage area. Do not wait for someone to come get you.
TICKETS
All seats are reserved for our performances. To avoid long lines and hours of waiting for recital tickets, we have been using the lottery system for ticket distribution with great success for the past 29 years. In most cases, it will take only five minutes to select and purchase all of your tickets for the performances. In order to ensure the convenience of this system, we will only sell tickets according to the schedule. If you are not in attendance when your lottery number is called on tickets sales day, you must forfeit your selection number and buy tickets at the end of the day. Please know before your arrive on ticket day how many tickets you need.
The system works as follows:
Sat. April 15 - Lottery Drawing - All family names will be drawn at the studio to determine the order of ticket selection. You need not be present for the drawing since the Lottery Numbers and Schedule will be posted at the studio after that date. If you would like your name drawn with another from our dance studio so that you may select seats at the same time, you must contact Karen before April 11 so that both names can be placed on the same drawing ticket.
Sun. May 7 - Recital Ticket Sales - Recital tickets will be sold according to the Lottery Schedule posted earlier at the studio. Each family will be allowed up to ten (10) tickets on this day, if you need 11 tickets you can only choose 10 at this time. There is no free seating at the performance. Anyone three years or older must have a ticket to get into the show. All dancers and parents must have a ticket to enter the auditorium. Parents are not allowed to watch from backstage.
If you would like more than ten tickets, you may purchase unlimited additional tickets on a 1st come, 1st serve, basis starting Tues. May 9 between 2:45-3:00p.m. Also at the same time Wednesday and Thursday or at the end of all classes on each day.
All tickets must be paid for upon receipt. We will accept cash payment or personal checks made payable to Karen Kosta. *** After ticket day cash only will be accepted for ticket sales . No exceptions.***
Telephone orders will not be accepted.
No tickets can be purchased if tuition payments are in arrears. Please check for any unpaid balances beforehand, as we cannot collect for unpaid tuition on Ticket Sales Day, May 7.
All seats are $15.00
If you cannot be at the studio to select your seats on May 7, you may leave your payment and the number of tickets and performances you would like at the studio by May 6. Although we cannot take out any tickets ahead of the schedule, we will choose the best available tickets at the time your lottery number is called.
CHEVALIER INFORMATION
The Chevalier Theater is Handicap accessible. A Handicap elevator is located from the side parking lot entrance.
The elevator will take you to an usher on the seating level. All other guests must enter through the front door and enter the theater up one level of stairs. Ushers will be posted to guide you.
PICTURES
Two photographers from the studio of Peter Noel will be taking our professional photographs at the studio on Sunday, April 30th. Information on picture packages and prices from Noel Studios will be available in April. Since this procedure is still new we will provide you with a picture letter with all the information you will need. The letter will be handed out in April.
Personal picture taking, whether it is still or video is STRICTLY FORBIDDEN on the nights of the shows. Anyone caught with a video camera during the performance will be asked to leave without a refund. Because of this restriction, you are encouraged to take as many pictures at the dress rehearsal as you like. (No lights on video cameras, however.) Please take advantage of the dress rehearsal picture taking and tell your guests not to bring cameras to the show. The Chevalier ushers will be watching for digital and video cameras. Each year there are a few inconsiderate individuals who rudely interrupt the show by "sneaking in a few shots". Your cooperation is imperative and greatly appreciated.
VIDEOTAPES
We will be having the recital professionally videotaped by our videographer Gary Antle Productions. Gary Antle productions will be handling the video orders. You will receive an order form from us but you will place your order through Gary Antle Productions. Do not mail order forms to the studio. Your checks should be made out to Gary Antle productions. Your video will be mailed directly to your house 8-10 weeks after the show. VHS and DVD are available. Order forms will be available in April.
MAKEUP
Stage lighting tends to wash out facial features. Dancers must wear lipstick, cheek blush, eye shadow and liner for both dance recitals. Your are encouraged to wear makeup for the dress rehearsal but are not required. If you plan on taking stage pictures at the rehearsal it is suggested you apply makeup to show up facial features. However, hair must be in required style for Ballet, Tap, or Jazz.
HAIR
All ballet dancers are required to wear their hair off their face in a neat bun. Tap and jazz dancers would do well to do the same but are only required to wear their hair in a ponytail unless specific classes are told otherwise. No French braids are allowed as they cut off the neckline on stage. Ballet buns should be lined up with the top of your ears. Buns should not be on top of the head. Hair must be worn in the required style for both rehearsal and recital.
EARRINGS
If you are planning on piercing your daughter's ears please wait until after the recital. Earrings are not allowed on stage. Students are thoroughly checked for makeup, costumes, hair and earrings before dancing. Earrings will be removed from students before dancing and placed back after they finish their routine. All jewelry should be left at home to prevent loss.
AWARDS PRESENTATION
Perfect attendance recipients and Ten Year Dancer Awards will be presented at the end of the performance. Ten Year Award recipients must contact me sometime during March to verify your years of training with us. Do not assume that you will receive a ten-year award. You must contact the studio to verify your years of study. You need not have danced for ten consecutive years to receive an award.
COSTUMES
Your stage presentation requires great preparation. Kindly prepare your costumes by doing the following.
1. Sew any necessary straps on costumes. Do not pin or crisscross them.
2. Securely fasten all headpieces (especially hats) with barrettes and bobby pins.
3. No underpants can be worn under costumes, NO THONGS! Thongs are very noticeable with stage lights.
4. Tuck in all strings on ballet shoes and Pointe shoes.
5. Color of shoes was instructed on our chart for shoes and tights, which was in our February newsletter.
6. Purchase only Revolution Brand Tights. Other varieties do not have the same colors and elasticity we require. Students with improper accessories will not be allowed to perform.
7. Put your name inside your costumes and various other accessories in case of any confusion over sizes or loss. Check your bags before you leave your house and before you leave the Chevalier Theater to be sure that you have not left any pieces of your costumes or shoes behind.
Performance is the final and most exciting phase of dance training. One of our most important objectives is to provide our dancers with a performance that is as close to professional as possible, hence our strict rules and regulations and choice of a professional theater rather than a public high school auditorium. Please remember to be a courteous and attentive audience so that all the hard work of our students can be appreciated. Please discourage all talking and calling out of names of those on stage. Do not wear costumes in the audience at any time. We would like our dancers, as well as our audience, to have a memorable and enjoyable evening. We encourage parents to invite grandparents, aunts, uncles, teachers, friends, etc. to attend the performances. Our dancers need a full auditorium to respond to their accomplishments. Even a shy student is prepared well enough by June to boast his/her talents.
Thank you for your anticipated cooperation in the matters captioned above. Please do not hesitate to call me with any questions or problems concerning any dance matter.
Sincerely, Karen
SCHOOL NEWS!
Ø We have now started teaching recital routines. Regular attendance is very important. Class time does not allow us to re-teach routines to students who have been absent for more than one week in a row. Please make an effort to attend class regularly until the recital to give each student the chance to show their best on stage.
Check out our new web-site at Jodysdance.com! All newsletters are posted on line.
RECITAL SHOE FITTING:
We will be having a one time only recital shoe fitting for anyone who needs new shoes. Students must be present at the fitting and payment is due at the fitting. Students will not be measured during class time.
Fitting #1 Wednesday, April 12 6:00-6:30
Fitting #2 Saturday, April 15 11:00-12:00
Please check all shoes now to see if you need to attend a shoe fitting.
If you miss the shoe fitting a $10. Shipping fee will be added to any order made after April 15 th .
MARCH / APRIL/ MAY DANCE CALENDAR
March 7 (tuition payment #7 due)
March 8 (tights order deadline)
April 7 (Tuition Payment #8 due)
*Recital Tickets cannot be purchased if April & May Tuition have not be paid
April 15 (Lottery Drawing)
April 16-22 (April School Vacation - No Classes) Additional rehearsals may be scheduled for group dances
April 30 (Picture Day) at the studio
May 7 (Tuition Payment #9 Due)
May 7 (Recital ticket Sales) at studio
May 27 (No Classes) Memorial Day Weekend