JANUARY NEWSLETTER

Happy New Year!

Wishing you and your family the very best in 2021! As I was gathering my thoughts about what a ride this year has been, my first thought was to make a giant list of all we’ve endured and the many ways we’ve added value to our programs with every challenge thrown at us. Instead, I’d like to speak honestly straight from the heart…

This year has been the hardest year I have ever walked through as a leader. This year bent us, stretched us, and sometimes pinned us to the ground by the throat it seemed. But it did not break us. Instead, it did what all trials do:  It made us stronger and shine brighter.  After all, the same geologic pressure that makes dust also makes diamonds.

I truly feel like we have been able to shine in this time- a light in a darkness that gave our students and families hope in a tumultuous time.  And, although I never would've chosen the journey that 2020 took us on, neither would I trade it. Because THIS....this is what we were made for. Learning to solve problems and survive the challenges of life is what we prepare our students for. Helping others out is what we were made for as a community. 

Thank you to each of you for believing in us, I am EAGER to enter 2021 with you all. See you back next week!

Amy

PAJAMA SUCCESS! Thank you to everyone that participated in our annual pajama drive and Benefit Concert, what a success!!  All the participating studios did an amazing job of turning a few heads by collecting a total of 1701 pajamas and 1479 books…WOW! What a great experience we shared together.  We were able to donate to: Safe Harbor in Kaysville, Utah Foster Care Foundation from Ogden to Southern Utah, and Secretly Santas in Bountiful, UT. Great job! 

Congratulations to the following students for meeting the requirements to join our Service Society!  Finley Baird, Addison Simkins, Olivia Perry, Mia Bright, Ava Rose, Makayla Nelson, Megan Nelson, Camille Coleman, Allie Parker, Raegan Parker, Esmeline Welch Jaro, Andie Polster, Cora Littig, Gracyn Shipley, Cora Uresk, Lucy Youngberg, Camille Youngberg, Ellie Limb, Atticus Dehesa, Kensley Coon, Ava & Isaac Toone

FROZEN FRIENDS CAMP!

Who has a kiddo that loves Frozen? Register to attend our Frozen Friends Camp and we will give you an elegantly wrapped box with an ice blue tutu and special invitation! Only a few spots left!

• When: January 9th

• Where: Expressions Dance, Bountiful location

• To sign up, click here

• We’ll be following current Covid-19 guidelines for businesses and Safer Studio practices for this fun event

AVOIDING WINTER BLUES- PUSHING THROUGH THE COLD WEATHER

While we can’t stop the snow from falling, we can help our dancers beat the winter blues by warming them up with dance. The winter months are the best time to be attending dance lessons since seasonal depression kicks in and there is not as much outdoor time to be had. Dance lessons get you moving, laughing, and make you forget about those icicles outside for just a little while! If your dancer is struggling to push through and come to class, it’s worth the encouragement! If you can just get them in the door, they are going to have a great time and leave happier!

FALL 2021 ACADEMIC PRESCHOOL ENROLLMENT OPENS JANUARY 4TH

We are now accepting registration for Fall 2021 preschool at both locations!  The benefit to our preschool is that it INCLUDES our dance and tumbling classes!  Get it all done in one!  We offer it all and have the BEST TEACHERS around!  Space is limited! LEARN MORE

---

 WELCOMING NEW STUDENTS!

We would like to give a warm welcome to all the new faces joining us this month. It is open enrollment time. Our few remaining spots in current classes are going fast. If you know of an aspiring dancer, send them our way! Tell them to use the coupon code "care2share" when they register, and you will BOTH get $20 TOWARDS TUITION! Help us spread the word about our amazing program!

---

NEW CLASSES FOR TODDLERS & PRESCHOOLERS

Current dancing families with little ones are invited to join our toddler dance classes for only $40 a month. Our dance and tumbling combo classes are lots of fun and will get a few of your toddler's wiggles out!

Click on a class time below to schedule a trial class for January!

Diaper Dancers for 1-2 yr olds (parent participation class)

• Fridays 9:15-10am @ Bountiful

Tiny Tots for 2-3 yr olds (Independent class. Must have turned 2 by Sept 1, 2020)

• Tuesdays 7-7:45pm @ Bountiful

• Fridays 9:15-10am @ Centerville

Preschool Dance & Tumble for 3-4 yr olds (Independent class. Must have turned 3 by Sept 1, 2020)

• Tuesdays 5:45-7pm @ Bountiful

• Wednesdays 6-7:15pm @ Centerville

• Thursdays 9:15-10:30pm @ Bountiful

Pre-K Dance & Tumble for 4-5 yr olds (Independent class. Must have turned 4 by Sept 1, 2020)

• Wednesdays 6:30-7:45pm @ Bountiful

• Fridays 10-11:15am @ Centerville

• Fridays 9:15-10:30am @ Bountiful

NEW ENHANCED CHECK IN PROCESS

When we welcome you into the studio next week, we’ll have a new check-in process!  Each student will receive a membership card. This card needs to be attached to the bag your child brings to class each week. Upon arrival to class they will scan their card to check-in. This enhanced system will improve our attendance tracking and leave more time for learning in class. If you forget your card, the office can help you sign in. Replacement cards are $5.

PRESCHOOL DANCERS CAN NOW “EARN THEIR WINGS!”

We are excited to continue our fun incentive to help our preschoolers master their SKIPS! When dancers pass off skips at dance they will be invited to earn their wings at a “Fairy and Prince Party!” on January 29th.  Start practicing skips at home so they can EARN YOUR WINGS!

 FOR PARENTS OF PRESCHOOL DANCERS- JANUARY THEME

This month our theme is "I Need A Hero."  We will be focusing on teaching our dancers important rules for safety and good manners! We encourage you to get involved and have them practice their skills at home!  Here is what we will be working on in class this month: echappe, step touch with jumps, hips- side to side, following directions, angry faces.

FOR PARENTS OF SCHOOL AGED TUMBLING/ACRO STUDENTS

January Stretch of the Month- Hips  |  Strength Challenge- V-sits

We are so excited this year to have a “stretch of the month” and a “strength challenge” in our acro/tumbling classes! Encourage your child to work on these skills at home to help them improve even faster!  Be more involved by printing off the at home practice tracker HERE.

---

 HIP HOP CLASSES- SHOE POLICY

Winter is here! Please carry your hip hop shoes into the studio and change into them before you enter the classroom.  You will be asked to dance with no shoes if you don't have a dry pair! Thank you! 

 If you haven’t had a chance to give us a positive review yet, we would love you take one minute to share with others why you love being part of our Expressions Dance Family. We really appreciate all your support! If you can’t give us a 5-Star rating, please email us your reason so that we can improve. We are continually striving to improve ourselves! Thanks in advance!

• Bountiful Dance

• Centerville Dance

• Bountiful Preschool

• Centerville Preschool

---

 STUDIO FACEBOOK GROUP: Join our studio Facebook group and be a part of our community HERE!  Stay up to date on current events and connect with us!

TEXT REMINDERS: We send text reminders to the first phone number listed on your account.  You can update this anytime in your parent portal.

THANK YOU! A BIG thank you from all our teachers for all the thoughtful Christmas gifts! As always, we want to thank you for your support and appreciate you trusting your children with us! We love working them and look forward to what 2021 has in store!  

UPCOMING EVENTS 2020-21

JANUARY

• 4th Classes Resume

• 18th NO CLASSES- MLK

FEBRUARY

• 15th NO CLASSES- PRESIDENT’S DAY

MARCH

• 22-26th In-Class Parent Observation Week

• 29-31st NO CLASSES- SPRING BREAK 

APRIL

• 1-2nd NO CLASSES- SPRING BREAK

MAY

• 31st NO CLASSES- MEMORIAL DAY

JUNE

• 11-12th Tumble Exhibition

• 18-19th Recital Day

DECEMBER NEWSLETTER

Happy Holidays! Wishing you and your family the very best this season. We enjoy the opportunity to work with your family and love teaching your children!

FROZEN FRIENDS CAMP!

Who has a kiddo that loves Frozen? Register to attend our Frozen Friends Camp and we will give you an elegantly wrapped box with an ice blue tutu and special invitation to put under the tree this Christmas!

• When: January 9th

• Where: Expressions Dance, Bountiful location

• To sign up, click here

• Gift boxes will be available for curbside pick-up Dec 9-16 @ Bountiful

• We’ll be following current covid-19 guidelines for businesses and Safer Studio practices for this fun event

Dec 21- Jan 3 | NO CLASSES FOR WINTER BREAK! We hope you all have a wonderful December! Our schedule stays the same when we return on January 4th. The classes you are currently registered for will continue through June 2020.  NOTE: We charge the same amount every month for convenience and consistency to our families. Holidays and studio closures are factored into the season’s tuition amount and is then broken into even monthly payments.

HOLIDAY PARENT PEEK-WEEK PERFORMANCE DETAILS! Stars, Hip Hop, and Preschool dance classes have started working on holiday routines! We will be performing for parents over Zoom the week of Dec 7-11th. We are super excited to give these kids take a chance to show off their hard work! Watch for an email with details for how to join us for the peek-in when it gets closer! If your dancer wants to practice for the big day, head HERE to find music and videos for our Holiday Parent Peek-Week!

RECITAL CONSENTS NEEDED BY DECEMBER 15TH!

Can you believe it, we are already preparing for our next big show! Coming up in June will be our Tumbling Exhibition and our year-end Recital. Recital commitments are due by Dec 15th by filling out the form HERE.

We realize there is so much unknown about events with large groups right now. Last year's Red Carpet Recitals were a wonderful alternative to our big theater performance and might be one of the most memorable experiences we've ever provided for our dancers! No matter what our Recital ends up looking like in 2021, we promise to make it a wonderful event for your family.

Recital costumes must be ordered months in advance, so we're moving forward to continue using the end-of-year performance as a tool to build confidence and provide a sense accomplishment to our students- even if that still has to look a little differently than we would like it to. We hope you'll join us in this celebration of a successful year of hard work!

Not sure if you have registered for the recital? You can see your recital registration by logging into your online account HERE.

1. Click account login

2. Click the dropdown menu (hamburger icon) in the top left corner

3. View all my classes

   • There you will see the enrollment for recital pay in full or 7 installments

   • Company members are automatically enrolled in the show and will not appear here

4. First installment payments for the recital process on December 1st or upon consent if after the 1st.  

Not sure what recital is all about? Watch this highlight video.

New knowledge and skills abound when it comes to preparing for the recital … and we’re not just talking about learning dance steps!  There’s more than meets the eye when it comes to all of the advantages of recital participation.  Check out some of the unique benefits your child will acquire that go beyond the performance itself HERE.

Head over to the online consent form to view the details and fill it out now!

PAJAMAS AND BOOKS are due by Dec 11th

Our annual pajama and book drive is going on now! Our project will help support Utah Foster Care and several other local Utah charities.  We are collecting new pajamas and books at both studios until December 11th. We hope you will join us in this cause!

We are also collecting monetary donations which will go towards more jammies and books! Bring in cash or Venmo donations to @danceforlife and include the dancers name so the amount can go toward their service society recognition!

 What is Service Society? The pajama and book drive is our “Winter Project” and an opportunity for dancers to qualify to become a member of the “Expressions Dance Service Society.”  To meet the qualifications for Service Society, a dancer needs to donate 10 pairs of pajamas, or 20 books, or $50 in cash donations. We will also accept a combination of the three donations (ex. 5 pjs and 10 books).  We want to encourage students to put their hearts into this by asking friends and family to get involved and donate towards our project.  Students who meet the donation requirements will be recognized for their service with a certificate. These credentials will acknowledge their involvement in a good cause and will look amazing on future college scholarship applications and resumes! We are so excited to have a program within our studio to help teach our students the importance of service and community involvement! To get credit for your donations be sure to fill out the form on the clipboard next to the donation box!

---

FOR PARENTS OF PRESCHOOL DANCERS- DECEMBER THEME: In December our theme is "From My Heart to Yours."  Each class will be focused around Christmas!  This month we are focusing on:  gallop, moving your head, shoulders, 6th position (feet together), sharing, and toe touches. We hope you can find time to review these elements with your dancer at home.  It is a great way to get EVERYONE moving!!

 FOR PARENTS OF SCHOOL AGED TUMBLING/ACRO STUDENTS

December Stretch of the Month- Straddle  |  Strength Challenge- Superman: We are so excited this year to have a “stretch of the month” and a “strength challenge” in our acro/tumbling classes! Encourage your child to work on these skills at home to help them improve even faster!  Be more involved by printing off the at home practice tracker HERE.

---

BOUNTIFUL PARKING LOT REMINDER:  Please don’t wait in the pull through line for students to finish classes. If you’re not pulling through, park in a stall! This will eliminate congestion and backed up traffic.

---

HIP HOP CLASSES- SHOE POLICY: With winter weather approaching, we need to remind you that we CANNOT have wet, salty, muddy shoes stepping onto our dance floor. Please carry your hip hop shoes into the studio and change into them before you enter the classroom.  You will be asked to dance with no shoes if you don't have a dry pair! Thank you!

---

STUDIO FACEBOOK GROUP: Join our studio Facebook group and be a part of our community HERE!  Stay up to date on current events and connect with us!

Dance Class Etiquette

At Expressions Dance, we love seeing how excited our students are to practice in class!  Their motivation fuels their progress, and as they gain more experience in dance, they have the potential to advance even more quickly.  But this path to progress also requires developing self-control, confidence, and discipline.  Through basic class etiquette, our students are growing these skills and understanding how to use them in all aspects of their lives. 

 In this post, we wanted to share some of the age-appropriate etiquette expectations we have at Expressions Dance for our intermediate and advanced students.  These expectations include:

1. Abiding by the dress code: Our dress code is intended to make the dance classroom a comfortable and safe learning space, so it’s essential for our students to understand its importance!  The dress code reduces distractions and levels the learning playing field.

2. Asking for permission if they’re joining class late: For the experienced dancer, starting class late can be unsafe, depending on how much time is missed and how long the warm-up lasts.  It’s polite for a student to ask the teacher before jumping into class after it has started.

3. Being prepared when taking turns: Some dance class exercises are performed in groups or one-by-one.  It’s considered a sign of respect for a student to be ready to dance with their group or when it’s their turn, so the teacher doesn’t have to give reminders.

4. Remembering corrections: “Corrections” are the feedback students receive from teachers about what to improve.  Retaining corrections from class-to-class shows the teacher that a student is engaged and wants to do better.  Writing corrections down in a notebook after class is one way dancers can remember their corrections (we recommend tracking compliments too!).

5. Raising their hand to ask a question: Expressions Dance teachers love it when their students have questions!  But they love it even more when students ask those questions at the appropriate times and with a raised hand, instead of interrupting the class or talking over their friends.

With all this in mind, there’s one last piece of class etiquette we want our students to learn and practice—and that is to say thank you.  Whether it’s after asking a question, receiving a correction, or at the completion of class, we always encourage saying thank you to your teacher.

 The benefits of these class etiquette expectations extend well beyond dance, and we’re proud to see our students using these skills to become more responsible and respectful human beings!

The Benefits of Recital - Working Toward a Goal

The recital may seem far away right now, but months of preparation are needed to make sure every dancer is as ready as they can be.  Just as football teams must practice for months before the Super Bowl, dancers must practice for months before the recital! 

The time required for recital preparation helps teach our students how to work towards a goal—a goal they can take personal pride in achieving.  Some dancers may also be reaching for individual goals, such as improving on a specific step in the choreography or dancing with more poise and confidence than they did last year.

So, what are some of the ways our students are working toward their goals?

Well, as soon as we begin learning choreography in class, each dancer is beginning to develop their memorization skills, both in their mind and in their muscles!  Our instructors are also continually offering corrections and adjustments for the dancers to apply; these small tweaks help each student fine-tune their individual part in the group’s dance.

Once the full routine has been taught, “cleaning” the choreography begins.  This is a simple way to say that our teachers will be helping the dancers improve their routine by practicing the recital dance many times, making it stronger and more polished with every run-through.  This process makes it possible for the dancers to reach their full confidence with the steps, which in turn makes the goal feel truly achievable!

With the outcome of their recital performance in mind, many dancers also take it upon themselves to practice at home.  Others write down their corrections from class in a journal, so they can remind themselves what to work on between classes.  And still others spend time building up their mindset, using positive self-talk and affirmations to strengthen the belief that they can accomplish the goal they’ve set. 

What’s extra-awesome about working toward the goal of recital is that it’s a long-term goal and can’t be met by immediate gratification.  Through dance, your child is learning what the “compound effect” is, how small efforts over long periods of time contribute to success.  This lesson is going to benefit them time and time again as they set new goals.

Even our youngest dancers are beginning to understand what it means to work toward a goal.  Although they are still developing their sense of time, the seeds are planted for them to know that we are practicing with a special event in mind … one where they’ll get to show off everything they’ve learned!

Performing in the recital, after all of the preparations and hard work in the classroom, is the ultimate example of goal achievement.  Though the months and weeks leading up the show can feel long, your child will experience the incredible thrill of achievement once the performance is complete!