February 2024 Newsletter
Welcome Back!
Hello and welcome back! It has been amazing to see everyone back after the Christmas holidays. We have been continuing to make excellent progress - many classes are getting very close to having learned their entire dance and a couple have learned the entire dance and have begun the process of refining them. Everyone has been so hard at work, and I incredibly grateful for all of the help and support we have received to make this dance season possible.
Upcoming Holidays
This season brings with it a number of holidays! There will be no classes held over the family day weekend, on Saturday, Febuary 17 and the following Monday, February 19 and classes will be cancelled on Saturday, February 24 to accommodate the retreat. Additionally there will be no classes held over the March break, which includes Saturday, March 9 and Monday, March 11. Lastly, There will be no classes held over the Easter weekend, including Saturday March 30 and Monday, April 1. Additionally, there will be no classes on the following Monday, April 8 as there will be a high mass that evening.
Saturday classes will be held on March 2, and from March 16 to March 23, then resume as normal on Saturday April 6. Monday classes will be held from February 26 to March 4, March 18 to March 25, and then resume as normal on April 15.
Open House
As our dancers have been hard at work with their recital dances, parents have been invited frequently to watch the last dance of the class many weeks. We will, however, be hosting our final official open house at the end of March, for parents, friends and family to watch the entire class time. As with last time, chairs will be set up for you to view the class at the front of our practice area and everyone is welcome.
Open house is an excellent opportunity for parents and friends to experience the class with students, but is also an important opportunity for dancers to practice dancing in front of a larger audience. For many of our dancers this year will be their first year performing on stage, and having the chance to practice in front of people now will help give them confidence when the time comes to be on stage at the end of the year. Please invite your family and friends and help our dancers prepare for the recital by joining them for their open house an audience.
Open houses will be held on Saturday, March 23 and Monday, March 25.
Recital Costumes
The recital is coming up soon! Dancers have fewer than 15 classes remaining this year before their big day! With the recital coming up quickly, we are looking to get our costumes underway soon. I am very appreciative of all the parents who have assisted with pattern tracing during classes. Your hard work will allow us to get sewing by March. If you can help during class, we very much appreciate it. We have 38 costumes to sew for our year end performance, “Joyful Joyful”.
Recital
Tickets for the end of year performance, “Joyful, Joyful!” will be available for sale very soon. The artwork and details have been largely finalized with the theatre, and information regarding ticket sales will be shared any week now. Tickets may be purchased at the Fergus Grand Theatre box office at 244 St Andrew Street W, Fergus, ON, N1M 1N7, over the phone by calling the Fergus Grand Theatre at 519-846-9691 ext. 201 or purchased at the Fergus Grand Theatre website. This newsletter will be updated as soon as the link is available for those interested in purchasing tickets online. All proceeds from the show will be donated back the church at the performance.
Important Dates at St. Vitus
February 17 and February 19: Family day weekend, no classes
February 24: Classes cancelled for retreat, no classes on Saturday
March 9 and March March 11: March break, no classes
March 23 and March 25: Open House
March 30 and April 1: Easter weekend, no classes
April 8: The Annunciation of the Lord, no classes on Monday
Thank you to everyone who has been working so hard to make our dance school a success! I am so pleased with all the progress our dancers have already accomplished. Our dancers’ hard work, enthusiasm and love for dance is inspiring and I am proud of each and every one of you. I am excited every week to come to class and see everyone’s smiling faces, and I look forward to continuing to dance with you this season!
God Bless,
Gwendolyn
