Performance time is coming up quickly!

Costumes will be going home with dancers this week at all classes. Please keep them stored safely at home until needed for picture day and performances. A reminder that a costume replacement fee of $80 will be charged to your account if the costume is lost, damaged, or is not returned after recital.

Please make sure you have the following dates on your calendar.

• Sunday, March 8 – Picture Day
  • Each class will be at the studio for 45-60 minutes for their group and/or individual pictures.
  • Schedule and details will be sent out later this week.
• Saturday, April 4 – Kenora District Festival of the Arts
  • Adjudicated dance performances for all Dance Foundations, Primary, Junior, Senior, and Ensemble classes. Note: There are no regular classes at the studio on this day.
  • Entry fees are included in your class tuition and all class entry forms are done by the studio.
  • Dancers may choose to enter their own student choreography pieces for an opportunity to receive feedback on their own choreography and a chance to win the KDFA Student Choreography Award. Entry deadline is February 22 – visit kdfa.ca for the syllabus and entry forms.
• Friday, May 8 & Saturday, May 9 – DWK Dress Rehearsal & Year-End Recital
  • All dancers participate in both the afternoon and the evening show for our Year-End Recital on May 9.
    • This includes Creative Movement, CM & Tap, Dance Foundations, Primary, Junior, Senior, and Ensemble classes.
  • Dress rehearsal takes place the evening of May 8 and will run in an age-based order rather than show order.
  • Full details and ticket sales will be available in April.

If you know your dancer is not able to attend any of the above events please notify Erin ASAP.

We hope everyone had a good holidays. It’s time to kick off 2020 in the studio! Full year classes and the new winter session classes of Creative Movement start up again as of Saturday, January 4. (Mini-session classes start from January 8 and onwards, check the schedule for specific class dates.) We look forward to seeing you all in the studio.

It’s not too late to register for Winter session and mini-session classes

You can still register for Winter classes including Creative Movement (limited spots), Parent & Tot, Adult Hip Hop, Adult Ballet + Modern, Gentle Ballet, Gentle Jazz & Tap and Essentrics + Pilates mini-sessions. Minimum enrollment is required for classes to run. Register by Monday, January 6.

Visit danceworkskenora.com/registration to view class details and to register online. Don’t forget that multi-class discounts apply on a family basis, save 10-30% depending on the number of classes taken.

Choreography & Attendance

Classes will soon begin to learn their performance choreography for the Kenora Festival of the Arts and/or Recital. Regular attendance becomes even more important at this point both to your dancer and the class as a whole. If you know your dancer(s) will be missing class please notify Erin at info@danceworkskenora.com or by texting 807-464-3666.

Please mark the following dates on your calendars. There will be no regular classes at the studio on these days. If you know your dancer will not be available for one or both of these performance dates please let Erin know as soon as possible as it will impact class choreography.

• Saturday, April 4  – Kenora Festival of the Arts – Adjudicated Dance Performances
  • All Dance Foundations, Primary, Junior, and Senior classes
• Friday, May 8 & Saturday, May 9 – DanceWorks Kenora Dress Rehearsal & Year-End Recital
  • All Classes except mini-sessions (includes Creative Movement and CM + Tap)

January Payments

A reminder to those paying by cash or cheque that January payments are due at the first week of classes. Monthly payments require either a credit card on file or post-dated cheques. If you have selected credit card payment or have provided post-dated cheques your tuition fees will be processed on the 5th. Remember that you can check your payments and fees at any time through the DanceWorks Kenora member portal.

See you in the studio!

Hi DanceWorks Kenora families,

A reminder that classes are now on Winter Break. Classes resume beginning Saturday, January 4th. Registration is also still open for Winter session and mini-session classes including Creative Movement, Parent & Tot, and Gentle/Adult classes in Jazz, Tap, Ballet, Hip Hop, and Pilates/Essentrics. View more and register online at danceworkskenora.com

Thank you to everyone that joined us for Parent Viewing Week. We loved having you in the studio with us to support your dancer, to see what they are learning and how hard they are working.

The studio is open limited hours for the next week if you would like to purchase DWK clothing for yourself or your dancer before Christmas. Our winter sale is on with t-shirts at $20, tanks at $25, hoodies at $40 and sweatpants at $25 (HST included in all prices). There’s also a limited Clearance section with items for just $5 each.

• Monday, December 16 – 3:30 pm to 7:00 pm
• Tuesday, December 17 – 12:30 pm to 8:00 pm
• Wednesday, December 18 – 12:30 pm to 6:30 pm
• Thursday, December 19 – 12:30 pm to 4:30 pm
• Friday, December 20 – 12:30 pm to 4:30 pm
• Saturday, December 21 – 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm

Happy Holidays!

Need some ideas for the dancer in your life? Take a look at the following ideas for dancers – from useful gifts such as dancewear, bags, and at-home conditioning or gifts that inspire including tickets for performances or extra training opportunities or gifts that show their DWK studio pride. There’s something for every age, level, and type of dancer.

Tickets to See a Live Performance

We are lucky to live in a time when you can watch dance online anytime but there’s nothing quite the same as attending a live dance or theatre performance. Some of the prominent Winnipeg options include:

• Royal Winnipeg Ballet – rwb.org
• Rainbow Stage – rainbowstage.ca
• Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre – royalmtc.ca
• Manitoba Theatre for Young People – mtyp.ca

DanceWorks Kenora Apparel

Let your dancer or your dance family show their studio pride with DanceWorks Kenora t-shirts, tanks, hoodies, or sweatpants. Take advantage of winter 2019 sale prices on our DWK apparel and check out the limited clearance section in studio. All prices include HST.

• Youth
  • Charcoal Black T-Shirt (S, M, L) – $20
  • Royal Blue T-Shirt (S, M, L) – $20
  • White Hoodie (S, M, L, XL) – $40
  • Sapphire Hoodie (S, M, L, XL) – $40
  • Black Sweatpants (S, M, L, XL) – $25
• Adult
  • Berry T-Shirt (XS, S, M, L, XL) – $20
  • Teal T-Shirt (XS, S, M, L, XL) – $20
  • Royal Marble Tank (XS, S, M, L, XL) – $25
  • White Tank (XS, S, M, L, XL) – $25
  • Black Marble Tank (XS, S, M, L) – $25
  • White Hoodie (S, M, L, XL) – $40
  • Grey Hoodie (XS, S) – $50
  • Black Sweatpants (S, M, L, XL) – $25
• Clearance Section
  • Limited sizes and items – $5 each

Contact info@danceworkskenora.com or chat with Erin at the studio to purchase.

Dance Accessories & Books

Books or movies about dance, DVDs of live performances, dance accessories, at home training and conditioning equipment, and more. Check out Ms. Erin’s Idea List on Amazon for gift ideas for the dancer in your life.

Dancewear

A dancer can always use another pair of tights, a new bodysuit/leotard, or even a dance bag to hellp them keep their dance gear organized. Not sure what exactly your dancer might need? Give them a gift certificate and let them choose.

• Winnipeg Stores
  • Harlequin – The Dance Store
  • Mallabar Dancewear
  • Dance Plus
• Other Canadian Retailers
  • inspirationsdancewear.com
  • theshoeroom.ca
  • dancewearcentre.com

Summer Training

Give the gift of summer dance with a DanceWorks Kenora gift certificate or the gift of dance at a summer program outside of Kenora. Dancers age 9+ can greatly benefit from the experience of an outside summer program – they learn from new teachers, in a new environment, and make like-minded friends.

There are many summer intensives and camps for dancers to choose from. Professional level intensives typically require auditions but many programs are open enrollment with placement classes at the start of the camp to group similar level dancers. Examples include the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School’s Dance Intensive or International Music Camp’s Dance Program. If you’re looking for a recommendation for your dancer please ask Ms. Erin.

At Home Training with a CLI Studios Student Account

Want to learn from top choreographers such as Kathryn McCormick, Teddy Forance and Nick Lazzarini? DanceWorks Kenora has partnered with CLI Studios this year to give our students access to take online master classes from world-renowned choreographers. Read more at clistudios.com

This training program is available for current dancers at the Junior or Senior level at DanceWorks Kenora. Cost for access until the end of September 2020 is $50+HST. Contact Erin at info@danceworkskenora.com for more information or to sign-up.

Gifts we do not recommend you give your dancer…

• Pointe Shoes
  Dancers must be given approval by their teacher before buying pointe shoes and must go for a personal fitting. Pointe shoes can be damaging if dancers are too young, have not trained properly and do not have the strength and technique required for proper use.
• Foot Stretcher
  Not necessary to use a foot stretcher to achieve the classical line. Using a foot stretcher can overly stretch ligaments and lead to instability and does nothing to help dancers gain the strength and control to maintain the pointe range.
• Leg Stretch Bands / Flexistretcher
  Static stretching and forcing your body into a stretch are often the least effective methods of increasing flexibility and can encourage dancers to push past their safe stretch. These can be useful for some but their utility is often limited and dancers can achieve this range and line without this tool as well.

We hope everyone enjoyed their Fall Break Week and had a good Halloween. We are now back into the swing of things at the studio. As we move from Fall into Winter please keep the following studio news and updates in mind.

Proper Dance Attire is a Requirement
A reminder that an important part of dance class is coming to class prepared with the proper attire, hair, shoes, and a water bottle. You do not play hockey without your equipment and your skates or show up to soccer without your shoes, shin pads, and uniform. The proper attire for dance is just as important and while Ms. Erin gives families a break at the start of the dance year to allow time to order online or make a trip to Winnipeg it is expected that by November all dancers are coming to class with the appropriate clothing, shoes, and hair. Please double check the dress code requirements for each class under the FAQ on danceworkskenora.com (these are guidelines only for Adult classes but are requirements for all child and teen classes).

Parent Viewing Week – December 9 to 14 
You are invited to attend your dancer’s class(es) for the week of Monday, December 9th to Saturday, December 14th to see what the class has been working on so far this year. Parents and well-behaved siblings are invited to observe class to see what the dancers have been learning. Please be mindful of our limited studio space and keep the number of observers per dancer reasonable (our spring performances are the time to invite extended family and friends). Also, if you are attending an early evening class please be sure to park in a way that does not block access for any of our neighbouring businesses.

Tuition and Payments
Don’t forget that monthly payments are due on the 5th of each month. Accounts that are behind in their payments will be receiving reminder statements to the email address on file. You can check your payments and fees at any time through the DanceWorks Kenora portal.

Attendance is Important
An important part of dance training is regular attendance at class. Did you know that you can view your dancer’s attendance through your portal account? Makeup classes are encouraged for dancers that have missed classes – particularly for those in the Primary, Junior, and Senior levels. If you are unsure what class would be a good fit for your dancer as a makeup class please check with their teacher. Dancers that have missed more than 3 classes during the Fall session will be receiving an email with details on attendance requirements in order to be included in the spring performances for their class.

Registration is open for Winter Session
Most youth classes run as full year classes but for the youngest dancers and the adults you can now register for Winter classes. These include Parent & Tot, Creative Movement, as well as Adult and Gentle classes. View the details on each class online at danceworkskenora.com or register through your portal account.

Important Spring Dates
Please be sure to mark these dates on your calendar. In the new year classes will begin to work on their routines for our spring performances. The skills and techniques they have worked on in class will be used in the creation of a group routine. The planning for these performances begins now for the teachers – please notify the studio ASAP if your dancer will not be available for one or both of these performances.

• Sunday, March 8th, 2020 – Picture Day
  • Picture Day at the studio will run from approximately 10:00am to 4:00pm. Dancers should plan to be at the studio for approximately 1 hour to have their class and/or individual pictures taken.
  • Please let Erin know if there is a time of the day that does not work for your dancer – if this is known in advance it can sometimes be worked into the schedule. Once the schedule is set it will not be changed for conflicts.
• Saturday, April 4th OR April 18, 2020 – Kenora Festival of the Arts (Date TBD)
  • All Dance Foundations, Primary, Junior, and Senior level classes are entered in the Kenora District Festival of the Arts adjudicated dance performances.
  • This is a chance to perform and receive feedback from the adjudicator as well as a chance to watch other dancers and classes perform.
• Friday, May 8 & Saturday, May 9 – DanceWorks Kenora Year-End Recital
  • Our year-end performances will take place on Saturday, May 9th and will include a matinee and evening show for all dancers.
  • Dress Rehearsal will take place on the evening of Friday, May 8th (younger dancers will rehearse earlier so they are not up too late for 2 nights in a row).
  • All dancers in Creative Movement, Creative Movement & Tap, Dance Foundations, and the Primary, Junior, and Senior levels will be performing.

A reminder that this week is Fall Break Week at DanceWorks Kenora. The studio is closed and there are no classes from Monday, October 28 to Sunday, November 3. Classes resume as usual on Monday, November 4.

Enjoy the short break and have a happy Halloween!

Hello DWK families,

We hope you are settling into your fall and winter schedules. Most dance classes have now had 2 weeks of classes and it feels good to be back at it – to see the familiar faces and to greet the new families. Please review the following news and studio information to make sure you are up to date.

Mini-Session Classes Start This Week – Adults Can Dance Too!

Parent & Tot and Adult classes at DanceWorks Kenora start this week! These classes are always a lot of fun. Never taken a dance class before? Don’t be afraid to try – classes are welcoming to all levels with variations given, if needed, to accommodate different skill levels. Already have a dancer in the family? Don’t forget your multi-class discount applies on a family basis.

Adult classes offered include:

• Adult Ballet & Modern (Wednesday 8:30-9:30pm)
• Adult Hip Hop (Friday 6:45-7:45pm)
• Gentle Ballet (Wednesday 2:00-3:00pm)
• Gentle Jazz & Tap (Tuesday 10:00-11:00am)
• Essentrics & Pilates (Wednesday 6:00-7:00pm)

Minimum numbers are required for classes to run.

Late Registrations Accepted

We accept late registrations in classes that have openings. Know a friend or family member that would like to join? Send them to our website – danceworkskenora.com – to review class information and register online or have them reach out to Erin at info@danceworkskenora.com

Dance Attire

Don’t forget to review the DanceWorks Kenora Dress Code to ensure you have the proper attire for each class. If you don’t have the correct dance attire for the start of the year please wear clothing that allows for a full range of motion and thin socks. All dancers should bring a water bottle to class and long hair must be tied back. You can look for used gear in the DWK – Buy & Sell for Dance Gear group on Facebook.

Hip Hop dancers, please remember that there are no outside shoes allowed in the studio. Please be mindful that other classes dance in bare feet or thin slippers and we need to keep the studio floor clean and safe for all dancers.

Tuition Fees & Payments

Tuition fees for classes are posted to your account and can be viewed through your portal at any time. Monthly credit card payments will be processed on the 5th of each month or you can also pay monthly by providing post-dated cheques to the studio. Cash, cheque, credit card, or e-transfer can be used for lump sum payments. If you have applied through Triple Play or other funding sources please make sure that Erin is aware.

DWK Ensemble Fundraising

The DanceWorks Kenora Performance Ensemble is now using FlipGive to raise funds towards travel and competition costs. If you want to help support the competitive dancers you can become a member of our FlipGive team. The team earns cash back when you shop online or buy gift cards for partner retailers. A little bit of cash back on all your regular purchases can really add up! Join our team at flipgive.com/f/1061989 or by searching for DanceWorks Kenora Performance Ensemble at flipgive.com

Upcoming Dance Conventions

There are two upcoming dance conventions – one in Steinbach and one in Winnipeg – that are great opportunities for dancers to challenge themselves, to work in different styles, and to learn from different teachers. DWK Performance Ensemble dancers will be attending and any other DWK dancers are invited to attend as well. Follow the links for more information on the classes and pricing.

Maximum Impact Dance Convention – Steinbach, MB

• Sunday, October 20 in Steinbach, MB
  
• Ages 8+ can register for the full day or for individual classes.
• Registration is done by the individual through Dance Manitoba at dancemb.org/maximum-impact-dance-convention.html

Triple Threat Dance Convention – Winnipeg, MB

• Saturday, November 2nd and Sunday, November 3rd
  
• Ages 7+ can register for one or for both days. Registration is done through the studio, contact Erin by October 1st if your dancer is interested in attending.
  
• View more information at triplethreatdance.com/
  

Contact & Information

If you have questions please contact Erin at info@danceworkskenora.com or by texting or calling 807-464-3666. Please note that emails or text messages are Ms. Erin’s preferred methods of contact as they are easier to respond to quickly in between classes or after classes in the evening.

The answers to most questions can be found either on our website, in the portal or on one of our social media pages. Stay up to date and informed at the following links:

• Website – danceworkskenora.com
• Portal Access – DWK Portal Login
• Facebook – DanceWorks Kenora
• Instagram – @danceworkskenora
• Facebook Group – DWK Buy & Sell
• Facebook Group – DWK Dance Families