May 18, 2020

Dear GDA Families,

We just finished reading the Governor’s guidance for reopening and we have a plan for the immediate future.

REST OF THE DANCE YEAR

We will continue on Zoom with the last class being June 1. Thank you to everyone that has stuck with this less than ideal way of teaching. The staff has worked hard to find creative ways and present different resources to keep dancers moving and involved over the last 8 weeks. We will dance this Friday and Saturday but not on Memorial Day Monday, May 25th. Teachers will be focusing on the recital dances – a little more about Recital down the page.

COSTUMES

We have 2 planned Recital Costume Pickup Days planned this week. These are for dancers that have not received their costumes.

We encourage you to wear a mask as per state guidelines. We will also be wearing masks and gloves.
Please have a sign in the front window with your child’s name.
Do not exit your car. A staff member will bring the costume to you. While we would love to share a hug or a high five with your child, we want everyone to remain safely in their vehicle.
Lastly, if the line extends to the end of the driveway, please DO NOT wait in the street. Drive around for a minute or two and come back. We can’t block traffic on Ararat Street.

Pickup days will be Wednesday, May 20th from 1pm-3pm and Thursday, May 21 from 4pm-7pm.

RECITAL

With the new guidance regarding Reopening Massachusetts, we will need to move to one of our alternate plans. We have decided to opt for a Virtual Recital. Presently we are not able to book a venue and we believe there doesn’t appear to be plans to allow large group gatherings in the near future. The logistics of an outdoor recital are far greater than our capacity to manage let alone finding a venue large enough that is accepting bookings or trying to control the weather.

Here is what we have come up with…

Dancers will work their recital dances with their teachers over last classes. Most recreational classes have practice videos in the parent portal as well which can be accessed any time.
The Zoom class will be recorded during the last class. Remember to be in class these last two weeks so you don’t miss out. Unfortunately, if you miss out, we will not be able to go back and re-record.
The Recital Theme is Dancing in the Great Outdoors. So try and find a space where you can zoom that is either outside or along a plain wall. IF neither are available, don’t worry. Parents, we trust you can pick an appropriate place. Most of all, we are trying to avoid recording dancers in their bedroom.
Dancers should wear their recital costume. Tan tights if you have them. But if you don’t, wear what you have.
Dancers can wear full stage makeup and put their hair in a bun just like the real recital if they want. We would love to see it, but it is not mandatory.
Dancers should give themselves plenty of space to dance and make sure they are visible from head to toe on their screen. Parents, they may need your help. Remember… What you see on your screen is what you will see in the virtual recital video. (Acro may find the best option is outside if available).
If there are siblings in the same class it would be helpful if they could be on separate devices so they each have their own box on the screen. If not, they will need to squeeze together to fit on the screen.
Lastly, if you want your child included in the slide show, please dress them in their costume and take a picture of them in your favorite outdoor spot and use the SUBJECT: GREAT OUTDOORS when you email it to [email protected]. Afterall, we are Dancing in the Great Outdoors! Pictures are DUE by June 1st.

Please be patient with us for the last part – our plan to present the videos is subject to change as we learn this new technology… We will assemble the videos and make our Virtual Recital Available on our original Recital Date, June 13th. Time TBA. Our hope is that we can all watch it together. It may need to be broken up into different acts based on length. After that, we are working on a way to make your child’s video and the slide show available for download through the parent portal.

It’s important that your child is at the rest of their classes so they can practice the dance and so they don’t miss the recording of their dance.

There will be no charge for this recital. If you would like to support our small business, please sign up for summer dance or register right away when the fall schedule is announced.

SUMMER DANCE

We are very hopeful after today’s announcement from the governor that we will be able to open in July for Summer Dance. Like everyone else in our situation, we are reading and learning about the new guidelines and planning to reopen when we get approval.

COMPETITION TEAM

Three quick things… we have the EDC check and will work on those refunds. We are still working with POD. We are planning a summer program, we just don’t know what it will look like until we can go through all of the governor’s information.

THANK YOU for your patience and all of your kind emails and messages. We are eager to get back into the studio and wish we could be there now, but we are proud of the work our staff has put into the zoom classes and providing materials to dancers while we have been away. None of them signed up to teach like this, but they have handled it so unbelievably well. And to the dancers and families… this certainly is not the dance experience you were expecting but you have been patient, open minded and supportive throughout it all. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.

Sincerely,

Miss Melissa