Holiday Ballet: Christmas Spectacular
Refer to this post throughout the year for important information about our Holiday Ballet!
Watch this video if you prefer LISTENING to some important information!
(Video Coming Soon!)
IMPORTANT DATES
Oct. 27th, Nov. 3rd, 10th, 17th & 24th - rehearsals for Principal, Jr. & Sr. students (See full schedule below.)
Nov. 10th - T-shirt sizes due
Nov. 13th - Tickets go on sale online
Nov. 15th - deadline for Sponsorships
Dec. 2nd-4th - Condensed class schedule (View Schedule)
Dec. 3rd - set up stage at Zion Church
Dec. 5th - Dress Rehearsal at Zion Church
Dec. 6th - Show 1 at Zion Church
Dec. 7th - Show 2 and Show 3 at Zion Church
WHY DO WE DO A HOLIDAY BALLET?
Performing for an audience is a crucial aspect of building up our students’ Confidence, which is a core value here at CCA. Being able to perform on a stage will set kids up for success when it comes to public speaking and leadership roles. Having a Recital half-way through the year and again at the end of the year gives you the chance to truly witness your kiddo’s progress! Plus, the unique thing about our Holiday Ballet is that the entire show tells a story just like a professional Ballet does. It’s truly a delightful production for the entire community!
HOW DOES A HOLIDAY BALLET COME TOGETHER?
Our students will be working on their holiday dances in their classes. Some students in our Principal Levels and Junior or Senior Company will be cast in additional dances that will rehearse on the weekends. We will host a one-day dress rehearsal in the venue of our performance for kids to practice their dance on stage.
You can check your Parent Portal for a refresher on what class(es) your child is in!
CAST LIST & ADDITIONAL REHEARSALS
Our Principal, Junior and Senior level dancers are invited to participate in additional dances for this show. These dances will be rehearsed on Sunday afternoons. Please see the Cast List & Rehearsal Schedule below for details.
Cast List & Rehearsal Schedule
TICKET SALES
Tickets will be available to purchase online beginning November 13th at 12:30pm. Tickets are $12 each plus processing fees. Tickets sell quickly, so mark your calendars for November 13th! Because we use a third-party ticket seller, fundraiser profits cannot be used for tickets. If you have children performing in multiple shows, you will need to purchase separate tickets for each show. All attendees over the age of 1 will need their own ticket.
An email has been sent with a cAsE SeNsitiVe promo code for two complimentary tickets per dancer. The email comes from [email protected]. If you wish to reserve your complimentary tickets online in advance, you will still have to pay the processing fee per ticket (charged by the third-party ticket seller, not us!). Otherwise, you can claim your complimentary tickets at the box office prior to the show.
T-SHIRTS
Students get a commemorative t-shirt for participating in this show. Please add your child's t-shirt size to the Google Spreadsheet below. (You will need to download the Google Sheets app or use a desktop computer.)
You can order additional t-shirts for yourselves at $25 a piece, too. Just stop by the Office!
DRESS REHEARSAL
We host a one-day dress rehearsal to give students the chance to practice their dances on the stage in the venue of our shows. This event is crucial for helping students feel confident about their performance! Each class is given a specific time to be at dress rehearsal. All students need to attend for the sake of their entire class.
Date: Thursday, December 5th starting at 4:00pm
Venue: Zion Church, 114 Zion Road, Clarion, PA 16214
NOTE: The Dress Rehearsal Schedule includes our condensed class schedule for the week of December 2nd. Please review your child's class time for that week!
COSTUME, TIGHTS & SHOES
For this show, students are often asked to put together their own costumes. We have an inventory of costume pieces that we’ll use, but students typically wear their own leotard or other articles of clothing they should have lying around at home. If you don’t have an item that we ask you to provide, you’re welcome to pick up something cheap from the store or stop by our Office to see how we can help!
Please make sure your kiddo also has the correct shoes and tights. And don't forget to label them all!
Twinkle Tots & Little Leapers
Black tap shoes and fun Christmas pajamas. Leotard and tights of any color are optional. Students will borrow a Christmas tutu to wear over their pajamas at the performance.
Petite
Bare feet, light winter bundle such as leggings, sweater, hat and scarf. Color doesn't matter but there shouldn't be any crazy patterns! Leotard and tights of any color are optional. Here's an example!
Primary 2 Ballet/Tap
Pink ballet shoes, ballet pink tights, plain black leotard (any sleeves).
Primary 3 Ballet/Tap
Black tap shoes, tan tights, plain black leotard (any sleeves).
Primary Jazz/Lyrical
Bare feet, tan tights, plain black leotard (any sleeves).
Principal, Junior and Senior Dancers
Pink tights, black camisole leotard and shoes for each genre of dance. Students will borrow some pieces from CCA and may also be asked to come up with additional pieces. Here's an example of the kind of black leotard they need...
Need to purchase tights, shoes or leotard? Here are a few ways to do that!
At the Dancer's Shop on Main Street in Clarion
Through our Office
Discount Dance website (Use our Teacher ID: 73570 for a 5% discount!)
Any retail store that exclusively sells dance attire
HAIR REQUIREMENTS
For girls, hair should be pulled up off of the neck and out of the face into a tightly secured dance bun with loose ends pinned and sprayed down. Click on the links below to view some helpful video tutorials for putting your child's hair in a bun!
Whatever you do, don't forget the hair pins! The hair pins are the most important piece to holding the bun together during class. You can get all of these supplies at Walmart, Amazon, Dollar Tree or anywhere that sells common hair supplies!
If your child’s hair is too short for a bun, please use hair ties, bobby pins and barrettes to pull the hair back completely away from the face and off of the neck as much as possible!
Boys with long hair should also have it pulled away from the face and off of the neck as much as possible. If it's long enough, wear a man bun!
SPONSORSHIPS
Our Sponsorship packages include a business card ad in the Holiday Ballet program, 1/6th page ad in our Dance Recital program and a mention in both our Winter and Summer Junior Musical programs. The package is $199 and we only have 6 spots available! If your business or workplace is interested in becoming a sponsor for this year, reach out to our Office Team ASAP!
VOLUNTEERS
In order to make these shows a success for the kids, we need help from the parents! There are 4 important types of volunteers needed:
Stage Crew - to set up the stage on Tuesday, December 3rd
Stage Crew - to tear down the stage after the final show on December 7th
Ushers - to collect tickets at the door of each show
Childcare - to take care of students backstage during each show (This role is compensated and volunteers must get their own clearances. Parents cannot fill this role during a show their child is performing in.)
To volunteer for one of these areas, please add your name to the to the Google Spreadsheet below. (You will need to download the Google Sheets app or use a desktop computer.)
PERFORMANCE DETAILS
Location: Zion Church, 114 Zion Road, Clarion
Show 1: Friday, December 6th at 6:30pm
Childcare check-in will begin at 5:45pm. Students must be checked in no later than 6:15pm.
Box Office opens at 5:30pm.
Auditorium doors open at 6:00pm.
Show 2: Saturday, December 7th at 10:30am
Childcare check-in will begin at 9:45am. Students must be checked in no later than 10:15am.
Box Office opens at 9:30am.
Auditorium doors open at 10:00am.
Show 3: Saturday, December 7th at 2:00pm
Childcare check-in will begin at 1:15pm. Students must be checked in no later than 1:45pm.
Box Office opens at 1:00pm.
Auditorium doors open at 1:30pm.
PERFORMANCE POLICIES
No jewelry, earrings, or exposed body piercings are allowed except for small crystal stud earrings. No watches, bracelets or hair ties should be left on a student’s wrist.
All nail polish must be removed.
Underwear must not be worn with leotard costumes. It’s like wearing a swimsuit!
All students must have their hair in a tightly secured bun. If the student’s hair is too short for a bun, please use hair ties, barrettes, bobby pins and/or hair spray to pull it straight back out of the face and off the neck.
Students should wear some makeup to prevent their faces from being washed out under the light. Basic brown eyeshadow, light blush and some lip gloss is sufficient for young students!
No adults will be permitted backstage after the show has begun. It’s important for our childcare atmosphere that you do not go backstage to see your child… even during Intermission. Our Childcare Team will have your seat number in case you need to be reached.
We have a grand finale and company bow at the end of each show that includes all of our students. Childcare checkout will start at the conclusion of each show and no child will be dismissed early. For the safety of all our students, we appreciate your cooperation in this!
RECITAL AUDIENCE ETIQUETTE
Out of respect for all of our performers, please share these policies with any guests you have attending our shows and ensure that they are followed:
We recognize that seeing your child, niece, friend, or loved one onstage is an exciting experience, whether it's for the first or fiftieth time. Enthusiastic applause is encouraged; however, it is never appropriate to scream out a child’s name or yell in any way.
Siblings or children attending the recital should not bring handheld electronic games or other devices with sounds and/or lights that could be a distraction for other audience members.
Because we present a professional performance, we ask that everyone remain seated during the entire performance. If you must leave the auditorium during the show, please exit and enter the auditorium only between dances.
Children must remain seated for the entire performance. If you think they will have a hard time remaining seated during the performance, please do not bring them to the recital. Allowing children to run around or otherwise disrupt the performance is not fair to other audience members.
Parents who bring infants to the performance should quickly exit the auditorium if the infant begins to cry or create a distraction for the audience.
The use of video or flash photography is strictly prohibited during the recital. It is important that you pass on this policy to your recital guests.
HELPFUL PERFORMANCE TIPS!
Label every single item in your child’s possession before checking in.
Pack some activities, mess-free snacks and water for your child.
For multiple costumes, we suggest bringing a laundry basket to put them in after they have been worn. You may also want to invest in a portable garment rack.
KEEP IT POSITIVE! The last thing your child wants or needs is to hear you complain about anything. Be sure to speak positively about the entire performance to your child! That means speaking positively about them AND others involved in the show. Here are some great affirmations to share…
“It looked like you had a lot of fun!”
“I love watching you dance.”
“Thank you for bringing joy to our community through your dancing!”
“Your teachers have worked so hard to help you put on a good show!”
“You made a difference on that stage by sharing a story of hope.”
“Your passion really showed through on that stage!”
“I love the heart you have for making a difference through dance.”
“You and your classmates dance so well together!”
