Parkland Ukrainian Dancers Society (PUDS) PO Box 2141 Stony Plain, AB T7Z 1C6

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Caitlin Merritt
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1 Parkland Ukrainian Dancers Society (PUDS) PO Box 2141 Stony Plain, AB T7Z 1C6 Reference Guide Welcome On behalf of this year s Executive and Artistic Directors, we would like to welcome you to the Parkland Ukrainian Dancers Society (PUDS). Whether you are new or an experienced dancer, it is our hope that you will have a fun and rewarding year. This reference guide was designed for new members to our club. However, it contains important information that all families should review and should answer many of the general questions that our members have throughout the year. If you have a question that is not answered please approach your Group Liaison and they will help obtain the information you need. At any time, please feel to contact a member of the Executive or the Artistic Directors directly. There are also many resources available on our website: pudsociety.com The Executive is composed of an elected group of parent volunteers with a lot of enthusiasm. Thank you for your patience and support as we strive to be as effective as possible. If you have any ideas or suggestions, please feel free to contact any member of the Executive or pass a message through your Group Liaison. We are looking forward to carrying on the success of the previous year into an exciting and thriving 30th anniversary year! Club Objectives Ukrainian Dance is a great way for families to spark interest in Ukrainian culture and feel Ukrainian Pride (even if you are not Ukrainian). As a club, we are committed to provide our dancers with outstanding instruction and opportunities to perform in front of an audience. At PUDS, our goals are to: a) promote Ukrainian dance, music and culture to our members and the community; b) encourage personal growth, self esteem and discipline; c) provide a social outlet, increase physical fitness and endurance; d) learn developmental skills such as coordination and teamwork; e) have fun! Practice Location Our regular practice venue is Stony Plain Community Centre Avenue, Stony Plain. Dance times run in 45 minute to 1.5 hour blocks depending on your level, on either Tuesday or Thursday evening. The first class starts at 5:30 pm and the last class ends no later than 10 pm. All class times will be confirmed as soon as possible, once groups are set for the year.

2 Table of Contents Registration...3 Payment Options...3 Refunds...3 Fundraising...3 Rehearsals...4 Dance Attire...4 Attendance...4 Parent Involvement...5 Volunteer Opportunities...5 Supervision...5 Home practice...5 Costumes...5 Make-up...5 Rental Terms...6 Performances...6 Malanka Family Social...6 Year End Concert...6 Competitions...6 Other performances...7 Communication...7 General Meetings...7 Newsletters and Updates...7 Other Methods...8 "Our growth is made possible in part by grants available from the Alberta Foundation for the Arts, and Parkland County." Version 1.2 Page 2 of 8

3 Registration On the first practice night of the new season, new dancers are invited to meet the instructors and try a mini class. The Artistic Directors will let you know at this time as to whether the class is suitable for your dancer and which class they should register in. Returning dancers will register in the same group they were in for the previous season. All dancers will be assessed and placed in a class according to ability and experience, regardless of age. Payment Options Registration forms and fees are due prior to dance class and instruction. Fees can be paid in the full amount or by monthly instalments in the form of post-dated cheques. A courtesy will be sent by the treasurer indicating when the cheques will be cashed each month. Payment can be made via pay pal, but is subject to a 3% service fee. All fees must be paid IN FULL, by February 1 of the current dance season. Please note that dishonoured payments are subject to applicable fees. Refunds Refunds will not be given for days missed due to absences, holidays, weather closures or other class cancellations. Requests to withdraw from PUDS must be directed to the Executive in writing. The refunds will be pro-rated based on the dance season and months danced. Fundraising Fundraising is necessary to keep our club viable and is on a per family basis (one family is considered living in the same household). All funds raised are added to the general revenue stream, and help keep our registration fees at the current level. OPTION A Families are required to provide the club with three fundraising deposit cheques with their registration form dated as follows: October 15 $ (Fall Fundraiser) December 15 $ (Winter/Spring Fundraiser) February 15 $ (Spring Fundraiser) Please advise the Director of Ways and Means and the Treasurer if you are unable to participate in a fundraiser. If your fundraising commitment is not fulfilled, your deposit cheque for that fundraiser will be cashed. OPTION B If you are not interested or unable to participate in our three fundraisers, you can pay out the fundraising obligations. Make a cheque payable to PUDS in the amount is $ per family (not per dancer), dated no later than October Version 1.2 Page 3 of 8

4 Rehearsals In order to keep distractions to a minimum, dance classes are closed. Occasionally, the Artistic Directors may invite the parents of younger dancers in during the last 10 minutes of class to watch their progress or give directions for home practice. Please ensure that your child arrives on time to receive the full warm-up, and has used the bathroom before class. In addition there should be No food or gum, bring water only (no pop or energy drinks); No cell phones or other electronic devices; and No jewellery or watches (other than small earrings) as they may cause injuries. Any issues that may impact the dancer or the class should be discussed with the Artistic Directors upon registration. Should a dancer be deemed distracting to the class due to disciplinary problems, they may be removed from class. A dancer exhibiting ongoing disciplinary problems may be barred from the class without consideration of a refund. Dance Attire Dancers are required to come to class prepared to dance as they may not be allowed to participate in class if not dressed appropriately. Proper attire consists of: Girls - Black bodysuit and black tights - Black dance skirt - Plain black t-shirt or dance sweater (optional) - Leather dance slippers or boots (check with Artistic Directors for correct footwear) Boys - Plain black t-shirt or sweater - Slender fit black leggings no sweats - Leather dance slippers or boots (check with Artistic Directors for correct footwear) Long hair must be secured in a ponytail and bangs pinned if they are in the way. For safety reasons, dancers who forget their footwear will be asked to practice barefoot. Attendance It is important that dancers attend class regularly to improve their skills. Missing dancers at rehearsals hold back progress of the entire group. Newly taught choreography must be repeated taking up valuable rehearsal time, and most dances involve partner work or intricate stage patterns that are difficult to practice with dancers missing. If a dancer is going to be absent, please contact the Artistic Directors directly, by or phone as soon as possible prior to the start of class. DO NOT relay your message through the executive or another family. Giving no notice is considered an unexcused absence. If a dancer has three unexcused absences, they may, at the discretion of the Artistic Directors, be removed from the choreography. If any classes are missed during the two weeks prior to a performance or competition, excused or not, the dancer may be disallowed from performing Version 1.2 Page 4 of 8

5 Parent Involvement Dancing is a family activity! Parent participation helps to build a network of relationships among the families in different groups which generates new ideas, improves communication and strengthens the club. Volunteer Opportunities We are a non-profit, volunteer run organization and it takes a commitment from all members to keep our club thriving and running smoothly. Each family is required to volunteer for the club in some capacity. Vacant executive positions and committee lists will be available during registration. Please sign up quickly to choose a position that best fits your time and talents. In addition, event volunteers will be required throughout the year and will be posted as required. There will also be volunteer positions available for dancers age 12 and up. Supervision It is the responsibility of the parents to ensure children s safety before and after dance classes. We encourage parents to remain in the lobby during class time, as this is a great opportunity to get to know each other. This is especially important for younger classes as they may need assistance opening and closing the hall and washroom doors. Younger siblings are welcome in the lobby area, but be aware that the hall is not soundproof. Please ensure that the door to the practice area remains closed as it is distracting to the dancers inside. Home practice Dancers are encouraged to practice at home whenever possible. Just a few minutes each day can reinforce the steps and help to memorize choreography. An MP3 version of each group s music will be posted on the club website and available for download as they are finalized. Costumes Most costumes are the property of the club and are rented to the dancers on an annual basis. Dancers are responsible for providing their own footwear and many need a few different styles depending on their level and the regions they perform. Make-up All dancers wear makeup on stage in order to make their faces and expressions visible to the audience. Makeup is used to emphasize facial features that would otherwise be washed out by stage lights. Full make-up applies to a theatre setting only i.e. performance or competitions involving stage lighting. The list of required makeup and application instructions will be available in the fall Version 1.2 Page 5 of 8

6 Rental Terms Costumes are very expensive to purchase and difficult to replace. A separate deposit cheque is required, equal to the replacement cost of the costume. It will only be cashed if the costume is returned with non-wear damage or is not returned within the specified time at the end of the year. Should the costume require cleaning during the dance season, please inform the Director of Costumes and Property. Stony Plain Dry Cleaners is our cleaner of choice, as they are very familiar with all our costumes. The cost of the additional cleaning is the responsibility of the renter. To protect our costumes, there is absolutely no drinking (except water) while in costume. If your child must eat, the foods must be colorless, not sweet, salty or sticky. Suggested items include no salt pretzels, low salt tortilla chips or arrowroot cookies. Performances Dancing teaches teamwork. Each dancer is allotted space in a dance and it is very difficult to work around empty spaces or absent partners. Every dancer is expected to attend all performances and competitions. The dates for major performances are publicized early in the season so families can make participation a priority. If dancers are unable to attend, the Artistic Directors and your Group Liaison must be informed as soon as possible. Malanka Family Social This is a wonderful family event with Ukrainian food and dance, where young and old celebrate together. Although it is held close to the Ukrainian New Year, there are not any traditional Malanka celebrations during the evening. It is generally held on the third weekend in January and is usually the first opportunity for our dancers to perform. More information will be provided closer to the date. Year End Concert This performance is a showcase of the dancers accomplishments to their biggest admirers. It is generally held on the third weekend in June, depending on venue availability. A stage rehearsal is usually held on a weeknight prior to the performance. More information will be provided as dates are finalized. Competitions Competitions in moderation are an excellent way to strengthen our club by promoting interaction between families with dancers at different levels. Our club attends at least two competitions each year, as determined by the membership at the fall General Meeting. Because of its proximity, we have attended the Cheremosh Festival in May since it began in The second festival generally requires travel and an overnight stay. It is at the discretion of the Artistic Directors to determine if a group is ready to compete Version 1.2 Page 6 of 8

7 Other performances During the year, opportunities will arise for our club to perform at different events. These performances are valuable for dancers to improve stage confidence in front of an audience and important for our club to fulfil a requirement for grant eligibility. Not all groups will be invited to attend every event. It is dependent on the event venue, stage size, show time, and preparedness of the group(s) or by special request of the event planners. Should an event be selected by the Executive and Artistic Directors, families will be contacted regarding their availability. We ask that you make every effort to attend these events as goodwill ambassadors. If you know of an event looking for performers, please contact the President or the Director of Concerts and Publicity with the information. In addition to performing, the club participates in the local Farmer s Day Parade in early June. Details are distributed closer to the date. Communication Communication is one of the most important elements in a successful club. As an Executive, we are committed to providing relevant information to our members as it becomes available to us. Primary communication will be via and it is the responsibility of each family to ensure they are receiving and reviewing the information. If you have any concerns, please contact your Group Liaison, or the Director of Concerts and Publicity. General Meetings General Meetings are held at least twice yearly, near the beginning and end of the dance season. These meetings are open to all members and are an opportunity for families to participate in the planning and direction of the society. Decisions are primarily made using majority votes where each family is entitled to ONE vote. A representative from 1/3 of the families must attend to reach quorum for decisions to be binding. The fall meeting may include: a report from the president and introduction of the new executive; request to fill volunteer positions; review of audited financial statements; approval of budget for the season; reports from directors; vote on competitions; and any other discussions. The spring meeting may include: summary reports from the president and directors; review of financial statements; executive elections for the next season; and any other discussions. Newsletters and Updates Club newsletters are prepared quarterly and contain club news and upcoming events. They are distributed via with a few paper copies available on the bulletin board at the hall. Weekly s are sent Monday morning if required. These messages are sent from puds.messenger@gmail.com and contain timely updates and reminders. Contact the Director of Concerts and Publicity if you are not receiving them. A copy will be posted on the bulletin board Version 1.2 Page 7 of 8

8 Other Methods Our website pudsociety.org is updated regularly. The bulletin board in the lobby of the hall (to the left of the double doors for the practice room) is where you will find a printed copy of all information distributed via . Each family has a folder in the file box. It will be used for any paper correspondence which needs to be distributed, such as phone lists, receipts, etc. A volunteer Group Liaison acts as a communicator between their group and the executive. They are an excellent information resource for members in their group and can provide feedback to the executive. Until a volunteer is found for each group, please contact the executive directly. Group Contact Lists will be distributed in early October, once all the registration information is entered and the groups are set for the year. Suggestions for changes to this document, the website or any other information that is distributed can be forwarded to the Director of Concerts and Publicity or any member of the Executive Version 1.2 Page 8 of 8

CAMROSE VESELKA UKRAINIAN DANCE SOCIETY HANDBOOK

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