FOOTNOTES RECITAL HANDBOOK The Glamorous Life 2010 Production Modesto Junior College, 435 College Ave. ~ Modesto Dear Parents and Students, Friday, June 18 th 7:00PM ~ Saturday, June 19 th 6:00PM For more than 13 years, Footnotes Dance Studio has provided students with an exciting performance experience through its year-end recital. The annual staple of the dance school, the recital, conjures images of childhood and happiness for many. It s a rite of passage for thousands of youngsters, a chance to shine in front of family and friends that they anticipate with nervous excitement. The recital offers our students a professionally directed performance that allows them to present to their families and friends the results of a year s hard work, dedication, and progress. A big part of the dance training process includes learning through performance. The experience helps build self-esteem, self-assurance, and contributes to a sense of confidence. Although performance opportunities can help prepare some students for a possible career in dance, they also contribute to children s success in non-dance activities. That onstage experience can result in better in-school presentations, improved social skills, and strong interview skills for future college or job opportunities. Dedication to recital commitments is the responsibility of both students and their parents. We ve created this handbook in an effort to clarify what we expect from you in terms of commitments and responsibility to the annual recital, the school, and other students and parents. PART I: The Commitment Important Dates By allowing your child to participate in Footnotes Dance Studio s recital, you commit yourself and/or your child to the following dates and events. June 12 th June 16 th June 17 th June 18 th June 19 th Date Activity Where Picture Day! (will be posted Footnotes Studio in June newsletter & on pic envelopes) DRESS Rehearsal For Act MJC Auditorium I (schedule posted at studio & on website) DRESS Rehearsal For Act MJC Auditorium II (schedule posted at studio & on website) Recital begins 7:00PM, MJC Auditorium ALL Dancers arrive at 6:15PM Recital begins 6:00PM, MJC Auditorium ALL Dancers arrive at 5:30PM
Updates As the show dates grow closer, additional recital information or updates will be posted on our website, Footnotesdancestudio.com. Make it your priority to keep aware of this important information. Our goal is to make the recital an organized, exciting experience for everyone involved. It s a team effort; students, their parents, the teachers, and the director are key players in the show s success. Home Study To ensure that the students feel confident about their performance, we ask parents and guardians to encourage them to rehearse their recital choreography on a regular basis. We have made routine DVD s for your child that you can purchase for $5.00 at the front desk or you can video tape the routine yourself. You must ask permission to film before class so the teacher is aware and can help you. PART 2: Costumes Alterations Alterations are sometimes needed after the costumes have been distributed and are the sole responsibility of the student s parent or guardian. We have a wonderful seamstress available to you. Her name is Ursula 209.524-1107. You may call her anytime but do not wait until the week of recital. Costume Care We can not stress this enough..please WRITE YOUR CHILD S NAME ON EVERYTHING including: costumes, shoes, accessories and tights. Place the costumes in a garment bag with your child s name on the outside. Pack accessories in a clear plastic bag with your child s name on the bag and on each item. Press all costumes prior to pictures, dress rehearsal and the performance. If they cannot be pressed with heat, hang them in the bathroom and take a steamy shower. Please do not wash costumes in your washing machine; dry clean them only. PART 3: Tights, Hair, and Makeup Tights (not all classes need tights) To ensure that there are no discrepancies in color and style, students are required to have the appropriate tights for their classes. Tights are included with the costumes, but some classes will not receive tights. We prefer the tights we sell so that all students will have the same color. Do not wear or wash tights before recital/pictures. (Note: Having a second pair of tights on hand offers students and parents a great sense of security.) Please order at least 2 weeks prior to recital. Tights are worn with NO underwear. We don t want underwear showing through costumes. Hair and Makeup All female students are required to wear makeup for the recital: red lipstick, blush, eye shadow (not blue), and mascara. For the boys, a little blush works well. We want the dancers faces to pop with color under the lights. Makeup is NOT intended to make the little children seem older. Stage lighting will wash out their faces if there is not color applied. You can never have too much stage make-up! Uniform hairstyles are required. All female students must wear their hair in the manner that their instructor requires. This will be determined according to style of song and costume. Footnotes require long bangs and hair to be tied back out of faces. Hair and makeup requirements will be set before picture day and we expect dancers to wear it as such to pictures. PART 4: Be Prepared Pre-Planning
There are 2 shows this year! Please plan ahead. Gather all costumes, accessories, shoes, and makeup several days in advance so you ll know if something is missing or isn t right. Make a checklist of your child s routines, listing their costume, tights, shoes, and any accessories, and refer to it to make sure you have all your supplies before going to the theatre. TIPS: OTHER HANDY EXTRAS Hairspray & bobby pins Baby wipes/shout wipes (to fix makeup mistakes or wash hands) Extra pair of tights Baby powder (for itchy costumes) Safety pins (for emergency costume repairs) Clear nail polish (to repair minor holes or runs in tights when there isn t time to change them) Tylenol for yourself Band-Aids (the invisible kind) PART 5: Dress Rehearsal.yes, this year it is a dress rehearsal! Participation in the recital rehearsal is mandatory and we RUN ON TIME!. The rehearsal allows the students to become familiar with the auditorium surroundings and feel comfortable with their performance and being onstage. Lighting, music cues, set changes, and all other logistics for an organized and professional performance are rehearsed so that the students make the best impression possible. Rehearsal is the best way to familiarize yourself with the auditorium and where you child will be dressing for drop off and pickup. We run an organized and timely rehearsal; your help with the process will guarantee a professional production. Please arrive on time and ready to go. Students MUST wear their costume and their dance shoes to rehearsal. Don t forget any props as well. Rehearsals are long and can be stressful. If we have parents calm and ready to help out instead of frustrated and non-cooperative, then expect your rehearsal process to be smooth. Please understand that to coordinate all of Footnotes students and run through their routines and know where to stand on the stage is essential to the recital s success. This is why rehearsal is mandatory! Once your child s class has ran through their routine they will be dismissed by their teacher. Final Bow We will NOT be doing a final bow this year. Having 2 shows is a lot for the dancers so once there are done performing, you may pick them up from their assigned dressing area. Please send ONE person to pick up and drop off. Dancers may return to the recital as long as they are OUT of their costume and in street clothes and have a ticket for them if they need a seat. Dressing-Room Etiquette Students must respect other students space and property in the dressing rooms. The students will spend more time in the dressing rooms than onstage or in the auditorium, so please do your best to keep them organized and clean. Water and non-staining snacks only! Rehearsal Guests One parent or guardian may accompany each student to the rehearsal. Please, no siblings who do not dance. The auditorium doesn t allow food, drinks 9other than water,) or children running around. If you want to bring a blanket and lounge outside in the shade with your small children, feel free to do so. Please note that if you are causing a disturbance during the rehearsal or the show, you will be asked to leave. The show
is for the dancers and rehearsal is for the teachers to make sure routines are stage ready. PART 6: Recital Drop-Off and Pickup Rehearsal Drop-Off and Pickup Parent or guardian should bring the students to their assigned dressing rooms, where they will be checked in and placed under the supervision of their class mom(s). Parent or guardian must pick up their child at the designated dressing room after their performance or the show. Rooms will be assigned and you will be notified on rehearsal night. Parent must be respectful to our volunteers and staff during this event. Please bring your patience. If Issues May Arise We are hiring security through MJC to facilitate any needs we may have. Please note that if you have custody issues, court-mandated restraining limitations, or any other awkward situations in your family, please try to leave those issues at home. If this is unavoidable, please see the front desk IMMEDIATELY so that we can accommodate. Any disturbance and the police will be called. Special note: If you pick up your child during the recital performance to sit with you and watch, they will need a ticket if over the age of 3 and cannot wear their costume in the theater. All students will be under the supervision of responsible adults and will be safe for the length of the performance. The dressing rooms will be stocked with various activities. We ask that you bring a nonstaining snack for your child, bottled water and an activity for them such as a reading book or coloring book. Children cannot be in the auditorium with their costumes on during recital! If any child is sitting in a lap and blocking another person s view, you will be asked to leave. It s not fair for those who bought their ticket and want to enjoy the show. This is very large event and it s a joyous moment for all. Please come prepared with your patience and courtesy for others. Please remind your guest of this as well. Prepare Your Guests The tickets are numbered so guest need to arrive 20-30 minutes early to find their seats. If you have family members who are habitually late, they will not be able to come into the auditorium unless it s between performances. If they arrive late and try to find their seats in the dark, it is distracting to the other audience members. Please stress this to your guests We start our shows ON TIME so PLEASE don t be late. PART 7: Volunteer Information Recital Volunteer Information We are currently asking for parent volunteers to help backstage. Please sign up at the front desk. There will be an orientation for all volunteers, and all must abide by the policies set forth by Footnotes Dance Studio. The recital weekend is a hectic one; all volunteers must work in a cooperative manner at all times. Our backstage managers work very hard to put an efficient system in place, and we ask that all volunteers rely on their experience and follow their instructions. We ask that parents who do not volunteer to help be respectful and mindful of our volunteers. Please understand that their best interests are the dancer s safety and the fluidity of the show. If you are NOT volunteering for a show night, you can bring a lawn chair and sit outside until your child is done performing for that particular show. All volunteers will receive an identification wristband on recital day, which must be worn in the theatre at all times. Please do not bring guests, including children, with you while you are volunteering. Backstage
Family members and friends will not be allowed backstage or in the dressing rooms during rehearsals or the recital. The same applies during intermission and after the show. There is a lot of backstage activity in a limited space, and dressing rooms are a private area. Please remind your family and guests to be respectful of these areas. Those who wish to greet a performer after the show or present flowers should do so in the lobby area. Class Moms Class moms must assure that each child in her care is safe and accounted for. They are responsible for making sure that each child is in the proper costume, has the proper accessories and shoes, and is backstage at the appropriate time. They are also responsible for seeing that all children return to their appointed dressing room after their performance. The number of volunteers needed for each class will be determined by the number of students and their ages (1 to 9 students = 1 volunteer; 10 to 16 students = 2 volunteers.) Younger classes, require more. If there are too many volunteers for one class, some may be asked to work with children from another class. During their class performances, room mothers leave the students at the stage door with their teacher. Volunteers are only allowed to enter the stage area while the class is performing. Because there will be live microphones backstage, everyone must remain quiet or you will be asked to leave the stage area. PART 8: Recital DVD Video and Photography Parents or guardians may videotape or shoot photographs of their children at the rehearsal ONLY. Due to the large number of cameras, no electrical outlets will be available, so be sure your batteries are fully charged. Please note: No video or flash photography will be allowed at the recital. Security guards will ask you to bring any cameras back to your car no exceptions. This is for everyone to sit back and enjoy the show without having to dodge those with cameras in their line of view. This has been Footnote s policy since we opened in 1997. No video or flash photography will be allowed at the recital you will be asked to leave. Recital DVD The recital will be professionally videotaped by Audio Video Headquarters. No personal video cameras are allowed in the auditorium. The cost of a DVD is $40.00 and will be available for pick up 4 weeks after recital at Footnotes. We will be handling the orders until dress rehearsal but after that, you will have to call AVH directly at 209.579-0580. PART 9: Picture Day Recital Photos Class/individual photos will be taken on June 12 th at Footnotes Dance Studio. After the group photo shoot, students may choose to have solo portraits made in any or all of their costumes. There is no obligation to purchase photos. The group photos hang in our lobby so we appreciate everyone coming to picture day. Please arrive at least 10 minutes before your child s scheduled time, dressed in costume and ready since photo shoots tend to run on-time. Please note: the photographer s staff poses the dancers and do not allow parents in the room while they are taking pictures. Picture schedule will be posted in the studio and online. Thank you for reading this handbook and please call the studio for any questions. 538-8544