September 2023 Newsletter
Welcome to the 2023/2024 Dance Season!
Hello dancers and families of St. Vitus Catholic School of Dance! I am excited to welcome everyone to our 2023/2024 dance season. Our first Saturday of classes will be Saturday, September 9th and our first Monday of classes will be Monday, September 11th. I would like to thank everyone who has worked so hard to make this dance season possible, who helped spread the word about our classes, who have contributed to our classes to make them accessible to parents and dancers and who are volunteering with our dance school. You have made it possible for our dancers to start classes this month!
Open Trial September Classes
During the month of September, dancers are invited to try out any classes that they may have interest in with or without a registration. Trial classes will take place from Saturday, September 9th to Monday, October 2nd. During this time classes will be focused on learning class material and exploring dance disciplines. If you are interested or know someone who is interested in trying a class but who is not sure which class to attend, please email stvitusdanceschool@gmail.com or speak to Gwendolyn after Mass for more details.
During this time, we will have more relaxed class dress requirements. If you are interested in tap dance you are invited to borrow a pair of tap shoes from our borrow bin to attend classes without purchasing shoes of your own. Ballet and jazz shoes can be used interchangeably for ballet, jazz and musical theatre classes, or clean indoor running shoes can be worn to classes for students who are attending to try before making a registration decision. Students may attend in non-baggy athletic clothing until registration is closed.
We do, however, have some important restrictions. Students who have not submitted a registration form with emergency contact information are asked to attend class while one or both of their parents remain on the church premises. Dancing without shoes in socks or tights will not be permitted for any classes, as it presents a slip risk that is likely to lead to dancer injury. Dancing in bare feet will, likewise, not be permitted for any classes, as it presents a risk to dancers’ toes getting pulled, blistered, or otherwise injured. For these reasons, dancers with no form of safe footwear will be asked to watch class rather than participate in it.
We request that students who intend to continue participating in dance classes for the year purchase appropriate class attire as soon as possible, and at a minimum by the formal closing of registrations. We recommend students have the required footwear for the classes they intend to participate in for the year as soon as possible for optimal practice experience, but are required to have the shoes they will wear on stage by January of 2024 at the absolute latest. Attire and footwear requirements for each dance discipline can be found on the class requirements page of our website. For further assistance in finding attire online, please also see our attire recommendations online page for a selection of items which can be ordered online.
Final Registrations
Registration for dancers trying classes will be extended until the day before classes resume after Thanksgiving weekend, Friday October 13th . Starting the first week back after Thanksgiving weekend, we request that dancers participate in the same classes consistently, have registered for classes they are participating in and purchase appropriate class attire as soon as possible. While students are encouraged to participate in the year end performance as the experience of dancing on stage is a memorable and meaningful experience for dancers, no one is obligated to participate in the year end performance for all (or any) of their classes. Students who are not intending to participate in the year end performance are asked to inform their instructor as soon as possible, but no later than when classes conclude for the Christmas holidays. Instruction related to class dances for the year end performance will begin after final registrations have concluded.
Parents of dancers who are participating in the kinder dance program are advised to carefully consider which and how many classes dancers will be enrolled in for the year and especially how many for the year end performance. Every effort will be made to ensure that dancers participating in multiple dances will have these dances in separate acts so that parents can assist with costume changes during the intermission, however, participation in more than two dances will guarantee that this is not possible as there will be only one intermission. Performers should either be comfortable changing their costumes independently or with the assistance of a parent volunteer if they intend to participate in more than two classes. Parents may also elect to volunteer at the recital as a way of assisting with their children’s costume changes. Parent volunteers will be invited to watch the dress rehearsal as well as to watch their children dance from backstage so they do not miss their children’s dance routines on stage by choosing to volunteer with the performance.
St. Vitus Bulletin Board
Thank you for everyone who participated in our bulletin board! We had many dancers help in putting together our board and they did an amazing job bringing their creativity and passion to life. We had a great time and the results speak for themselves. For anyone who did not have an opportunity to participate in the bulletin board who would like to, or for dancers who wanted to continue a little more, I will bring materials on Saturdays and Mondays for interested dancers who are between classes. We can host another bulletin board social in the new year to include information about our end of year performance.
Backstage Dancer Portal
The backstage dancer portal for members of the St. Vitus Dance Community is now available. Material from classes will be added to class specific pages before the end of September, including choreography for class work and all music that is used in class for dancers who wish to practice at home. Costume design proposals will be posted on the portal for each class on October 10, and sent home with students during their first class after Thanksgiving weekend. A section for volunteering opportunities has already been added.
If you are having difficulty accessing the backstage portal, have questions about what you can find there or have a request for information to be added, please either speak to your instructor or email stvitusdanceschool@gmail.com.
St. Anne Sewing Club
At popular request, I have added a new page for our seamstress volunteers detailing our activities and availability. We currently do not have a scheduled meeting time as regular meetings will not begin until the Winter. I have also received interest from a few individuals who would like to learn to sew, so in November I will offer a sewing tutorial class where I will bring lace and trim and participants will learn to sew by making a veil which they may keep and take home.
Further information will be provided through the monthly newsletters as well as through the website, so please stay tuned.
In keeping with our tradition, our seamstresses now have an official name - the St. Anne Sewing Club. If you are interested in learning more about St. Anne, the mother of Mary and grandmother of Jesus Christ, we have information about our patron saint available online.
Important Dates at St. Vitus Catholic School of Dance
September 9: First Saturday of Dance Classes
September 11: First Monday of Dance Classes
October 2: Last Day for Open Trial Classes
October 7-9: No Classes for Thanksgiving Weekend
October 10: Costume Design Proposals Posted in Backstage Dancer Portal
October 13: Registration Concludes
October 14-16: Printed Costume Design Proposals Sent Home with Dancers
November 25: Open House for Families and Friends
I hope everyone had a fun and safe summer, and are ready to begin dancing together. I am very excited to be beginning our first season of dance in 2023/2024! See you all in class!
God Bless,
Gwendolyn Witecki
