Hi DWK families,

Here’s a few pieces of news and some updates as we continue to work our way through the evolving COVID-19 pandemic.

Updates

Virtual Classes

Thank you to everyone that has already posted videos on FlipGrid or taken a Zoom class. It feels good to connect with each other, even if we can’t do it in person. Dancers can continue to explore all of the topics within each FlipGrid class and submit video responses so we can see what you’ve been working on and provide individual feedback. We will also be scheduling more live Zoom classes and are currently working on a regular schedule for those. Stay tuned.

Recital

While we doubt we will be able to have the regular Year-End Recital this year we are still hoping to put together some sort of Year-End Performance video. Whether we can get individual classes together to perform or whether we compile individual videos will depend on how the situation evolves through April, May and even June. Please know that we are evaluating options and will continue to keep you informed about format and timing.

Tuition Payments

Statements will be sent out to all families with a current balance. We recognize the financial uncertainty that many are feeling and are instituting a “Pay What You Can” option for all balances. As a small business that is also struggling with uncertainty we are very appreciative of anyone that can continue to pay the full tuition at this time. There will be no interest or late fee charges for anyone that cannot currently pay. We also will not be charging any additional tuition fees if the dance session is extended through May or June.

You can make a payment through the DWK portal, by sending an e-transfer to info@danceworkskenora.com or by responding to the email statement confirming with Erin the amount you would like charged to your card on file. 

Weekly Warm-up

Ms. Erin is posting a weekly warm-up on the DanceWorks Kenora Facebook and Instagram pages. We hope dancers (and families too) will do these warm-ups to stay active while they stay at home. Here’s the Weekly Warm-up #3 cards and the video of Ms. Erin doing the full warm-up.

Studio Challenge

DWK families, we’ve started a studio challenge! Receive points for each item completed from today through April 10. Every 10 points gets you one entry in a draw to win DanceWorks Kenora clothing! Keep track of your points and submit your tally by midnight on Friday, April 10. (Ms. Erin will also be keeping track of FlipGrid and public posts but make sure you send your tally in as well.) PS. Already said hello or participated in your FlipGrid classes, those will count towards your tally for this challenge too.

While the DanceWorks Kenora studio is closed indefinitely we will be continuing our dance classes online. Our hope is to help our dancers stay active, enrich what they’ve learned at the studio, and maintain a sense of connection and community while they are unable to dance together in person.

Our online programming will include a mix of on-demand and live options. We are starting with the on-demand options which include links to online resources, including class choreography and music files, as well as videos for warm-up, technique, and more. Moving forward we will also host some live classes through Zoom, stay tuned for that schedule.

With all online training we remind dancers to be mindful of the space around them, to do what they can safely and with supervision. Parents, we ask that you help your dancers with their dance activities and keep them on track with completing activities and classes.

FlipGrid Virtual Classroom

• Each class has now been set up with its own FlipGrid virtual classroom.
  • Worried about privacy? Read more about FlipGrid’s privacy policies here. If you don’t agree to provide consent for your child to participate, please get in touch with Erin and do not login to the FlipGrid virtual classroom.
• The link for each class is posted in the DanceWorks Kenora Portal under your “Schedule”.
  • Each dancer will login with their Student ID which is their first name and the first letter of their last name, ie: “ErinM”
  • Save or bookmark these class links for easy access in the future.
• Once you’ve signed in, say hi to Ms. Erin and the other dancers by recording a short video.
  • Topics for this week are still being added. For most classes you can also find links to your class choreography and music file.
  • New topics will be posted every Monday and dancers can complete them throughout the week at whatever time works best with your schedule.

More of a visual person? Here’s a short video overview of how to access the online classes.

Moving Forward

As you are aware, there remains a lot of uncertainty around COVID-19 and the amount of time that social distancing behaviours will be needed. We will continue to adjust our programming to adapt to the situation.

• We are reviewing options and making plans for an alternative format and timing for our Year-End Recital. Dancers will continue to learn their performance routines online in the hope that we can still finish the dance session with a group performance.
• For those that pay tuition monthly, April is the last month of tuition payments for the year. If we end up extending the session there will be no additional tuition charges. We understand that these uncertain times may mean that you’ve experienced changes to your financial situation. If you are able to continue with your regular payment it will be a significant help to the studio as we too are experiencing a lot of uncertainty as a small business. However, please do not hesitate to contact Erin if you need to discuss options such as postponing your payment.

We appreciate your continued support through this transition to online classes. While we would prefer to be in the studio with all of the dancers we hope that our online offerings will allow us to continue to connect, to stay active, and to be ready to finish the year with a performance whenever the situation permits.

Stay tuned for live online classes, studio challenges, and more. Also, please share pictures of your dancers doing their classes and practicing their dances with us by email or through social media. Keep dancing!

Erin

Hello DWK families,

We have updated our COVID-19 plans given the school closures and social distancing required for flattening the curve. DanceWorks Kenora will remain closed past our regular March Break until such time as deemed appropriate to continue with in-person dance classes again.

• But we plan to keep dancing! We are working on plans to offer digital programming for our students and will be in touch again later this week with more details on how we will transition our in-studio classes to online offerings. Our hope is to help our dancers stay active, enrich what they’ve learned at the studio, and maintain a sense of connection and community while they are unable to dance together in person.
• What this means for performances is that, sadly, the 2020 Kenora Festival of the Arts has been cancelled. We are still hoping to have our DWK Year-End Recital as planned on May 9 (but are being proactive in considering our options if social distancing is still required at that time).

We are working on our DanceWorks Kenora specific resources for you. In the meantime, here are a few online dance options to get you moving.

• IntelliDance – “Direction Activities”
  • Best for ages 3 to 5
  • Direction Focused Creative Dance Activities. Direction describes the way a body leads or intends to move through the space. Preschool Children are ready to label directions and move in directions with clear intention.
• CLI Studios – Free “Keep Moving” Classes
  • Level and type of classes vary. Check schedule online.
  • CLI Studios are committed to providing the best dance education experiences to dance studios, dance teachers, and dancers around the world. In the midst of the current climate, it’s more important than ever that the dance community works together to support one another and to help our dancers keep dancing. Starting on Monday, March 16 they will be live streaming an amazing set of dance classes from the CLI Studios faculty, free for everyone in the global dance community to join.
• CLI Studios – “Student Training Program”
  • For Junior through Senior level dancers
  • DanceWorks Kenora is a member of the studio partnership program with CLI Studios. Our Junior to Senior level students can access the student training program to take a variety of online master classes from world-renowned choreographers.
  • This program will be free for DWK dancers while classes are not running at the studio. Contact Erin at info@danceworkskenora.com for the link to sign-up through our studio partnership account.

Hi DWK families,

March Break

A reminder that the studio is closed from Saturday, March 14 to Friday, March 20 for March Break.

Classes resume on Saturday, March 21.

COVID-19 Update

DanceWorks Kenora is monitoring the news and the development of COVID-19 (Coronavirus). We value the health and well-being of our students, their families, and the broader community and will be increasing our cleaning schedule at the studio.

• A deep clean will be done while the studio is closed over March Break (March 14 to 20).
• When classes resume students will be asked to wash their hands before and after each class. We will also be cleaning the frequently touched objects (barres, door handles, etc) after every class and cleaning the floor and mirrors daily.
• We request any students to stay home if feeling unwell, particularly if they or a family member have travelled recently. Our makeup policy remains open until the end of the year for dancers to attend other classes to makeup any absences.
• By the end of this week every class participating in Festival of the Arts will also have a video link available to them for at home practice (this is our regular routine as we prepare for performances but will also be a valuable resource if your dancer is sick or self-isolating).

We will continue to monitor the news and health recommendations for our community and will continue with proactive measures as needed to help “flatten the curve”.

Important Dates

• Saturday, April 4 – Adjudicated Dance Performances – Kenora District Festival of the Arts
  • All Dance Foundations, Primary, Junior, Senior, and Ensemble classes participate. Schedule to be available by March 21.
  • There are no regular classes at the studio on this day.
• Friday, May 8 – Recital Dress Rehearsal
  • All classes participate (including Creative Movement level classes). Runs in an age based order in the evening.
• Saturday, May 9 – DanceWorks Kenora 2020 Year-End Recital
  • Shows at 1:30pm & 6:30pm. All classes participate in both shows.

Spring and Summer classes and camp information will be coming soon. Stay posted for future updates at danceworkskenora.com or by following DanceWorks Kenora on Facebook or Instagram.

Class and individual pictures will be taken at the DanceWorks Kenora studio on Sunday, March 8 from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm.

Dancer attendance is requested at Picture Day (even if you do not plan to purchase pictures) as the goal is for the group photo for each class to include all dancers. If you know you are unable to attend or if there is illness or an emergency on the day of Picture Day please notify Ms. Erin as soon as possible.

Picture Day Checklist
____ Check Your Class Call Time
____ “Spring Forward” – Daylight Savings Time Starts March 8
____ Costume (including tights, shoes, accessories)
____ Hair & Makeup
____ Cash ($30) for Individual Picture Deposit

For more details on the Picture Day, the ordering process, and what your dancers needs for costumes, hair, or makeup please review the following detailed notes. Printed copies of these notes are also available at the studio.

Picture Day Schedule

Classes will arrive at different times in order to reduce congestion at the studio. We will be using Inglenook Studio as a staging and prep area, when you arrive please enter directly through the art studio doors. Parents will be asked to wait in the art studio area while dancers enter the dance studio for their pictures.

Please arrive no later than the call time listed below with hair and makeup done. Be sure to sign in with the studio volunteers when you arrive. If you plan to finish hair or makeup at the studio please be sure to arrive earlier than your call time. The “picture time slot” is the approximate time your group will require for photos, expect to be at the studio until the end of this time.

*SPRING FORWARD*
Make sure you set your clocks ahead before going to bed!

Colleen Serban Photography will be taking pictures for us again this year. Their price list will be available on Picture Day and is also posted below.

A few weeks after pictures are taken you will be sent a link to view the proofs. You will then have one week to place your order and decide on exact images and types of prints or digital files you would like to order. Once your order is placed your selected images will be fully edited (background cleaned up, lighting re-touched, etc) before the prints or files arrive. Any questions regarding orders should be sent directly to Colleen.

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!