Guide for New Parents

Centripetal Force Baton Club Guide for New Parents (Ages 5+) Cassandra Frank CENTRIPETAL FORCE BATON & DANCE CLUB

Table of Contents What am I getting our family into?...2 What Do I Need to Wear for Practice?... 2 What Supplies do we need to participate in baton?...3 What kind of funding is available?...3 Should I sign up for Rec, Pre-Competitive or Competitive?... 3 Cancellation Policy... 3 Fees & Other Expenses... 4 Dates, Times and Location...4 Faculty...5 Hayley Dunmire... 5 Miss Cassandra Jones...5 Miss Caitlyn Tink... 6 Miss Nicole Lavoie... 6 Miss Alyssa Crispin... 7 Miss Lise Vautour... 7 Miss Caitlyn Jones... 8 Miss Kelsey Poffenroth...8 What we Teach...9 Baton Twirling... 9 Dance...9 Acrobatics...9

What am I getting our family into? Baton Twirling is a fantastic sport that combines dance, acrobatics with the manipulation of a metal baton. Baton twirling is both an art and a recognised sport providing athletes with both a creative and physical outlet for their energy. There are many different avenues athletes can take in the sport of baton twirling included but not limited to recreational, performance, pre-competitive and competitive. As the athletes get older and develop more skills there is often a greater time and financial commitment involved. Highly competitive athletes may practice 2-4 days per week or even more if they choose. That said, there are many fun, less intensive options for athletes and families that don t choose to go the highly competitive route. We offer a variety of options for all levels of athletes to allow them to train in a way that matches their lifestyle, time commitment and priorities. We do not expect all of our students, even our highly competitive athletes, to only participate in baton. We love and encourage our athletes to have a well-rounded lifestyle and allow time for friends, family, school and other hobbies. The Centripetal Force Baton & Dance Club is a non-for-profit baton and dance club. It is our mission to "provide a fun, safe and welcoming environment for athletes to develop skills in baton twirling and dance while building character, confidence and lifelong friendships. All athletes will be given equal opportunity to participate and grow at their own pace." If you are looking to be on the next episode of dance moms then unfortunately we are not the club for you. We pride ourselves on trying to maintain that small club/family feeling. We believe in building strong relationships with each and every athlete, designing our lessons and programs to meet the students needs instead of our own and encouraging the students to be their own unique individual. We don't want to train and develop perfect cookie cutter athletes, we are looking to help develop and accentuate the athletes natural skills and style in a way that will help them meet their definition of success in our sport. What Do I Need to Wear for Practice? Active wear (no baggy or loose fitting clothes, no jeans, no large jewelry). Recreational students can have bare feet or appropriate dance shoes. If you are going to invest in a new pair of shoes we suggest Bloch Beige jazz shoes however other brands/styles, including ballet slippers, are appropriate for this group only. Pre-competitive and competitive students must purchase Bloch beige slip on jazz shoes. Hair pulled back out of face. We don t require a bun or anything fancy, we just want to keep the hair out of their eyes especially when twirling. No long bangs.

What Supplies do we need to participate in baton? Appropriate Active wear (see above) Shoes (see above) Baton available for purchase at our studio for $35 new. Some used batons are available. Batons don t have to be purchased from our studio however they must be Starline baton thick shaft batons. The baton should be approx. 1-2 inches longer than the athletes arm. We can size you for a baton at our gym. What kind of funding is available? Bingos approx. $40/shift Flames game concession approx. $65/shift Various fundraisers throughout the year. More info to come soon. Should I sign up for Rec, Pre-Competitive or Competitive? For ages 3-4 we have a fantastic rec program which will blend nicely into our rec and pre-competitive programs as they get older. For new athletes, we will teach them all the same tricks, twirls and routines regardless of whether they would like to participate as a recreational or pre-competitive athlete. As competition season approaches in February families can decide if they would like to perform their pre-competitive events that they have learned in class at local competition or just continue in recreational. We highly recommend the pre-competitive route. It is not a huge time or money commitment at 1-3 competition per year and approximately $50 or less for the competition. The students were perform 2-5 standard routines approx. 30 seconds in length in front of a judge. They will be scored on a standard scale as either an A, B, C or D and all athletes receive a ribbon based on the quality of their performance. Pre-competitions are a lot of fun, low pressure and give the athletes an opportunity to perform what they have learned and get positive feedback. We find most athletes love getting dressed up and the excitement of competitions and it makes a huge impact on their future practices. Our athletes who enjoy baton the most and continue within the sport all start competitions in the first 1-3 years. Cancellation Policy No refunds for cancelling/dropping out of classes after March 1 1 month notice and payment required for cancelling classes.

Fees & Other Expenses Fee s are based on the number of lessons you take. Single Class (45min/week) Mon/Tues/Wed/Fri Varies $45/month Pre-Competitive/Rec (1.5 hours/week) Mon/Tues/Wed/Fri Varies $65/month Pre-Competitive/Rec (2.25 hours/week) Mon/Tues/Wed/Fri Varies $85/month Competitive/Pre Comp (3 hours/week) Mon/Tues/Wed/Fri 6:00-9:00 $110/month For new students we recommend a minimum of 1.5 hours-3 hours on one evening per week. If they find they are having a ton of fun, many athletes choose to add more lesson time later in the year. Fees includes an average of 3 x 30 minute classes per month over the months of September-June 2016. Late registrations may not get an average of 3 classes per month depending on date of registration. No discounts will be given for these changes. Yearly membership fee, due at Registration $20/year for precompetitive & approx. $60/year for competitive. This includes a rec/pre or competitive membership with the Alberta Baton Twirling Federation. New Baton $35. Each student is required to have their own baton which will be brought to and from practice each class. The batons at this age will typically last 2-3 years before needing to purchase a larger size. There are options available to buy and sell used batons when available. Recital entry is typically $10/adult in early to mid June. There is no minimum or maximum number of tickets required. There are no costume fees for recital. All costumes will be lent to the students by the club and returned in good condition. Competition fees depend on the level and number of events participated in. Dates, Times and Location For new students ages 5+ we suggest lessons on Wednesday Nights with the amazing Hayley Dunmire and her coaching team. Wednesday Evenings 6:00pm start time. Centripetal Force Studio 125, 4950 106 th Ave SE, Calgary AB

Faculty Hayley Dunmire MISS HAYLEY had been twirling for six years with the Baton and Dance Company coached by Loranne Meek. In only six short years Hayley had developed into a skilled twirler and has developed a very unique and breath taking sense of style. She has competed in two national championships. Hayley's bubbly personality and kindness makes her an excellent role model for kids of all ages, especially our younger students. She loves baton because, "It shocks people. When most people think about baton they think about marching around with a stick, but it is more than that, it's a work of art!" Hayley has been coaching with the Centripetal Force Baton and Dance Company since it was established in 2009. Her favorite part of coaching is watching how excited the girls get when they do something new for the first time and also how happy it makes her feel. Hayley has graduated for the University of Calgary with her teaching degree and will be working with CBE in the fall. She is exceptional at working with and inspiring kids and has great experience also working with special needs youth. Her love, patience and relationships with her athletes makes Hayley a very unique coach and an amazing role model for new athletes. Miss Cassandra Jones MISS CASSANDRA - had been twirling for nine years with the Southside Baton Club and The Baton and Dance Company. She first picked up a baton at a friends house and after making up a few silly routines she was hooked on the sport. She placed first at Nationals in BN Solo Dance Twirl in only her second year of twirling and has since won several BN and BI Individual Events at the National level. Her most memorable moment was winning the title of Senior A Small Dance Twirl Team and Grand National Dance Twirl Team at the 2007 Canadian Championships with her team members JUMP which performed a no-drop routine in order to narrowly beat the defending champs. Cassandra was also part of the International Cup Team Music in Me who won the Gold Medal at the 2008 International Cup in Limerick, Ireland. In 2015 Cassandra decided to twirl again one last time and participate in the International Cup Championships being hosted in Abbotsford BC. Cassandra placed 4th in Adult B 3-Baton, 3rd in Adult B Pair with Alyssa Crispin and 1st in both Adult B Solo and Artistic Twirl. Outside of baton Cassandra has participated in gymnastics, high school track and field and soccer while keeping busy with school. Cassandra is a mechanical engineer working in Calgary and is currently applying for her professional engineering designation.

She believes it is important to lead by example and encourage athleticism, dedication and persistence in students of all ages. Cassandra teaches baton in order to share her love for the sport with other young athletes in the community. Miss Caitlyn Tink MISS Caitlyn Tink (Dance Manager)- This is Caitlyn s second year with Centripetal Force and she is very excited to bring her dance knowledge to the team. Caitlyn st arted dance at the young age of 3 and competed competitively for 10 years traveling across Alberta, BC, and states in the US including Disney. Dance has always been a part of her life whether it was at the studio, in school talent shows, or completing her ADAPT exams, she always finds a place to dance. Aside from her dance life Caitlyn is attending Mount Royal University to complete her Bachelor of Science degree before working towards her Education degree. She has always loved working with kids and shows that through her coaching in dance. Miss Nicole Lavoie MISS Nicole Lavoie (Acro Manager)- Nicole's previous success in gymnastics has led her to give back to the sport through coaching and working with children. Nichole's gymnastics career consisted of representing Calgary in the Alberta Winter Games in both 2010 and 2012, representing Team Alberta at the Western Canadian Gymnastics Championships in 2012 and winning two provincial gymnastics titles. Her thirteen year gymnastics career was unfortunately ended with a knee injury, after competing at both provincial level 5 and national levels. Nicole is a NCCP Artistic Gymnastics certified coach who has been coaching acro at the Centripetal Force Baton & Dance Co. She has also bee certified through the Respect in sport program. Her passion for gymnastics has carried over to acro as it is a sport that goes beyond physical skills. Acro teaches important life skills and tests both physical and mental ability. She believes acro encourages kids to become active and enjoy physical activity. Nicole takes a cautious approach to ensure safety before new skills are approached.

Miss Alyssa Crispin MISS Alyssa- has been twirling for since 2003, during this time she has competed at many Provincial and National Championships, one of her most memorable being in Moncton, New Brunswick. In 2015 Alyssa competed at her first International Cup in Abbotsford, British Columbia representing Canada and taking home a Bronze medal in the Adult B Artistic Pair event with Cassandra. Alyssa has been coaching for 5 years and loves being involved in the sport. Last year she was a part of the Athletes Representative Committee for Baton in Alberta. Currently, Alyssa is working through her Practicum to graduate from SAIT in the spring with a diploma in Chemical Laboratory Technology. She is extremely excited for the new season and can t wait to get started! Miss Lise Vautour MISS Lise- began twirling at the age of 8 years old in an after school recreational program offered at her elementary. After two years of that, and finding her love and somewhat natural potential she decided to look more seriously into the sport. Lise joined Reunited Baton Club under the coach of Kim Johnson, now known as Revolutions Baton and Dance. Lise also had the privilege of being taught by Chelsea Hofmeister alongside Kim Johnson for her few final years as an athlete. Lise competed in many Provincial, National and International competitions throughout her time as an athlete. One of her greatest accomplishments was earning 1st place at the 2009 Canadian Baton Twirling Championships in Sr. B Freestyle. Lise is honoured to have represented Canada three times at the WBTF International Cup Competition. 2008 Limerick, Ireland. 2009 Sydney, Australia and finally her final competition 2011 Jacksonville, USA. She made it past preliminary rounds numerous times in different events she competed in. 7th place 2 different times would be the closest she made it to a gold medal which she is still very proud of. Her biggest accomplishment internationally was placing 7th out of close to 40 athletes in her division for Artistic Twirl in 2011. Lise is currently a Level 2 CBTF certified coach and is now entering her third year with Centripetal Force Baton and Dance. She loves coaching and everything that it has taught her about herself. It's not just the aspect of teaching baton, it's about the opportunity she has to build relationships with her students. She feels that the positive lifelong lessons that come with this sport and the amazing influential coaches have had such a huge impact on the person and character she is today. The feeling to enrich confidence, positivity, trust and commitment into each one of her students is one the most remarkable feelings ever.

Miss Caitlyn Jones MISS Caitlyn Jones- is 24 years old and enjoys travelling and spending time with her friends and family. Caitlyn s interest in baton twirling began when her older cousins, who were also baton twirlers, began to teach her how to twirl. Caitlyn officially began baton twirling when she was 10 years old and continued doing so for 10 years. Caitlyn s family was very involved in baton twirling so she joined her older cousin s baton club, Southside Baton. While in Southside, Caitlyn learned lots of tricks and the basics of baton. Caitlyn later joined the Baton and Dance Company where she excelled into an A level athlete. Caitlyn attended the 2009 International Cup in Limerick, Ireland where her team, Music In Me, placed first in their division. Caitlyn has recently began coaching with Centripetal Force and is very excited for the upcoming season. Miss Kelsey Poffenroth Bio Available soon.

What we Teach Baton Twirling Students will be introduced to the basics of baton twirling including twirls, tosses and rolls. They will develop exceptional hand eye-coordination and fine motor skills as they learn to blend tricks into combinations and later routines. Athletes will be taught tricks and skills at their own pace. If they are struggling with the basics we will provide extra help as needed and if they excel at baton twirling we will continue to provide them with new and exciting challenges as needed. Athletes will not be expected to develop at a standard rate with the remainder of the class, we will ensure that each athlete gets all the opportunities to succeed based on their own personal definition of success. Dance Students will be taught jazz fundamentals to supplement their baton twirling. As the students learn more routines and skills we will begin to blend baton twirling with dance and the students will learn to coordinate not only their body but also the simultaneous manipulation of batons. Our dance classes are currently 100% recreational and include a year-end recital number in June. Acrobatics Students will begin by developing the strength, flexibility and coordination required to perform future acrobatic skills. The Centripetal Force Baton Club is Acrobatic Arts certified in addition to our instructor being NCCP Artistic Gymnastics Certified. When athletes are ready they will learn a variety of acrobatics skills including but not limited to summersaults, handstands, cartwheels, walkovers, handsprings, aerials and flips. Our Acro classes are currently 100% recreational and include a year-end recital number in June.

Centripetal Force & Idiom Expression Baton & Dance Co. 2016-2017 Season Name: DOB (dd/mm/yyyy): Age (as of Dec 31, 2016): Membership Number (if known): Parent(s) Names(s): Address: City: Postal Code: Home Phone: Cell Phone(s): Email Address: Emergency Contact: Relationship: Emergency Home Phone: Emergency Cell Phone: Medical Conditions/Concerns: Class (average of 3 lessons/month) Date: Time: Rate: Intro to Baton & Dance Ages 3.5-5 Thursday 5:30-6:00 $30/month Single Class (45min/week) Mon/Tues/Wed/Fri Varies $45/month Pre-Competitive/Rec (1.5 hours/week) Mon/Tues/Wed/Fri Varies $65/month Pre-Competitive/Rec (2.25 hours/week) Mon/Tues/Wed/Fri Varies $85/month Competitive/Pre Comp (3 hours/week) Mon/Tues/Wed/Fri 6:00-9:00 $110/month Competitive/Pre Comp (4.5 hours/week) Mon/Tues/Wed/Fri Varies $150/month Competitive (6 hours/week) Mon/Tues/Wed/Fri 6:00-9:00 $165/month Competitive (9 hours/week) Mon/Tues/Wed/Fri 6:00-9:00 $175/month Other (please specify) Mon/Tues/Wed/Fri 1 Hour Private Lesson Mon/Tues/Thurs/Fri/Sat Varies $80/month ½ Hour Private Lessons Mon/Tues/Thurs/Fri/Sat Varies $40/month Available Discounts: Semi Annual Payment (Sept-Jan & Feb-June) 5% Annual Payment (Sept-June) 10% Siblings Discount 15% per athlete (increased from last year) Bring a friend (who registers and pays until February 2017) 50% off one month s lesson/friend! Other Funding Options Bingos approx. $40/shift Flames Games approx. $65/game