Welcome to AED's 2019/2020 Season!

Here are some helpful notes:
(If you just registered and missed the first set of notes please email me at arabesqueetcdance@gmail.com so we can forward them to you!)

2019/20 AED POLICIES are available in the Lobby: please avail yourself of them so we are all on the same page :)

IF YOU REGISTERED ONLINE: we will need your John Hancock! Papers just for you are in the studio and should be filled out by the second class please.

REMINDER: If your child skips a day of class, we need to know it please! You can call or text: 802-383-8468. Especially if they take the bus. We will stop all activity until we locate your child and know they are safe. This is tricky to do while giving out snacks, changing into dance clothing and having quiet time before lessons :)

WHAT TO BRING TO DANCE CLASS: Appropriate clothing (see below,) a snack (or money for a snack,) and a water bottle.

WHAT ARE SNACK CARDS? We provide each child with a snack card. We have assorted granola bars 50c, and fruit gummies 25c for sale. At the end of each quarter we add up the cards and bill. PLEASE tell your child if they are not allowed to buy a snack...hungry, grumpy dancers do not enjoy classes!

PLEASE NO PEANUTS! Open peanuts can trigger allergic reactions...peanut butter is just fine :)

CLASS ATTIRE: We understand how busy the beginning of the year is, and that dancers sometimes move from one class to another, so we are less strict in the beginning of the year. If a hip hop dancer does not have indoor sneakers yet, please wash the soles of a regular pair of sneakers for the first week. Rocks are really frustrating to land on in ballet flats or bare feet. We absolutely cannot have them in the studio for safety reasons :) Ballerinas- if you do not have your class leotard yet, please wear any leotard and tights, or leggings and a cami. Thank-you!

• Hip Hop: CLEAN INDOOR sneakers, loose clothing, hair pulled away from face.
  
• Ballet Girls: class leotards, pink ballet tights, pink ballet flats, hair pulled back in ponytail if possible or with a headband if short (under age 7,) age 7 and up, hair in bun (we have bun kits and we can show you how).
  
• Ballet Boys: black leggings, black ballet flats, white t-shirts.
  
• Contemporary: hermes sandals or foot undies, leggings, cami (girls) t-shirt and sweats (boys).
  
• Jazz: Black Jazz shoes, leggings, cami (girls), t shirt and sweats (boys).
  
• Musical Theater: Black Jazz shoes, leggings and cami (girls), t-shirt and sweats (boys).
  

ORDERS FOR NEW DANCE WEAR: Go out Sept 15 and Oct 15. Download the order form here. Leotard colors can be found under class attire.

CLASS COLORS: Where do I find them? Under Class Attire, which is in the last column of the website (Policies & Info):

GENTLY USED DANCE WEAR SALE: Ongoing at the studio....Drop off your clean leotards with an envelope attached. Written on the envelope should be your name and the price you are asking. When you leotard sells we will notify you and you can pick up the $.

IMPORTANT DATES: Where are those? Important Dates > Under Policies & Info (the last column of the website)

NUTCRACKER NEWSFLASH: Dates: Dec 21: 1 PM and 4:30 PM at the Elley Long Center (20 minute drive from AED via the circumferential highway.) This venue seats 300, so we are having fewer shows and a dessert/tea buffet. Start the holiday break off with a bang! (and fly to Grandma's on Sunday if you travel...) NOTE: the Nutcracker is not a studio-wide event...no pressure...only do it if you want. We have a fantastic time!

I think that is enough information for now! Looking forward to our new school year:) Website will be updating with our introductions to our new ballet and hip hop teachers asap!

Best, Martina and the staff

As you know, at AED we endorse students participating in other activities! Youth is a precious time with oodles of opportunities....and we have dancers participating in crazy fun activities all over Chittenden County and beyond. Some children focus on only one thing, some do a gazillion...the point is to be realistic as to the consequences of choices. As a dance studio who takes training seriously, we want all of our dancer's experiences with us to be successful and joyful.

So what to do? How can we maintain a studio where classes make continual progress and do not have to back track (in order to catch students up to speed because they were involved in another opportunity?) It is unfair to those who come consistently to dance class to have to stop their momentum.

Here are several things we recommend.

1. Come to a dance class during your other activity that works for your schedule. If soccer is on Tuesdays and you dance on Tuesdays, figure out with Martina which class you can substitute during soccer season.
   
2. You may have to take some extra classes when you get back from your sport to catch up with your peers...and some of the classes may be with a level lower than you....but that's ok!!!! That is part of dancing with a studio that makes progress! You don't want to dance at a place where they have learned nothing in the 2 months you missed! Work hard, catch up, and enjoy the rest of the year!!!
   
3. Be realistic and prioritize. If your heart is set on Varsity at all costs...that is definitely where you need to put your emphasis!  Just know that for someone else, dance is their Varsity, and they are not slowing down their pace. They may move up faster than you, they may get a role you dreamed of...that's ok!!! We all have our own priorities! One reason AED was started was to have a place where dancers work hard, at their own pace, while supporting each other's decisions.
   
4. Amazingly, there are the rare birds who can do it all, and do it all successfully. If you are not one of them, you are actually like all the rest of us humans, and you are wonderful just as you are! Sigh....oh well. We will have to be super human some other way :)
   

Hello AED!

I am sending out the class recommendations today. So exciting to see so much interest in the fall!!! If you still have questions after today by all means please give me a shout out.

We have increased our Hip Hop classes to include a new beginning level of Bunheads ( a class for accomplished ballerinas who want to learn hip hop.) This underlines the philosophy of our studio...if you take ballet, all other styles of dance will come easier. (Thus our name....Arabesque Etc.  :)

We have also increased our Contemporary line, and added in new levels of Ballet.

The summer class participants are blossoming at an exponential rate!!!!!  It is amazing to watch these dancers grow! If you have time in your schedule, it is not too late to catch the wave of excitement that is going on (in the air conditioning) at the studio!

We still have openings in the American History Doll Camp, the Int Hip Hop Camp, the Contemporary/Jazz/Ballet Camp, and the Fairy Tale/Tiny Tot B camp. (As well as Beg HH and Beg ballet next week.)

Already planning the Nutcracker and the Spring Show.....hmmmmm. any guesses? Our Seniors this year are already having fun discussing the songs!!!!

Happy end of July to all!
Martina