If you do competition or are looking to add it to your school we have developed a way to add these groups to your program. We call these classes Performance Groups. We have been doing competitions for over 20 years so we have done a lot of tinkering to get the kinks out. After much trial and error we have developed a system that we have used over the last ten years and we are very happy with the results. The parents, for the most part, like it too!
We have found that not every student is proficient at all styles so we don't have them do everything. The first thing we do is build these classes into our weekly schedule. Below is a small sample of these classes and how they might be added to a schedule. Monday. 4pm.Jazz PG Junior Monday..5pm.Tap PG Junior Wednesday.6pm.Ballet PG Senior Wednesday.7pm.Jazz PG Senior As you can see, we try to have the same age bracket in each of the classes whenever possible. The key here is that these classes are for the performance groups only. We work on technique, choreography or anything else we want the group to focus on. We will also rehearse one Saturday a month for one hour for each group. We charge an additional rehearsal fee for the season for each group a student is in. This fee is paid at the beginning of the year in advance and is non refundable. In addition to these classes students will be required to take other classes to supplement their training.
Once we know how many classes we want to devote to our performance group program we will then hold auditions. We hold three auditions starting in May. At these auditions the students are given a ballet, jazz and tap combination. They will be given a grade and we will then decide if they fit into one of the groups that we have. Some students may make one group others will be in four or five. The parents like this because they can decide on the level of commitment. They may choose to do only two of the groups they have been chosen for. We like this system because we are able to place the right students in each group and are not trying to get some one who is of a lesser level to keep up with the group. Not every student that auditions makes it into a group. If they do not make it we will help to build a curriculum for the student to help them improve, so that they may have a better chance next season.
Each performance group will have a regular class fee, costume fee and rehearsal fee. Our policy for attendance is that all performance group classes are mandatory. If a student misses a class for any reason they must take a private class to learn what they have missed It is amazing how the parents make sure that they attend these classes once they know they have to pay for a private class if they are absent! All entry fees are also paid two months before the competition. Typically, we have about twenty five groups a season with about 70 students participating. We will then handpick anyone who we feel is ready for a solo, duet/trio or for a small group. Any additional numbers that the students are picked for their parents will be charged an additional fee for participating. The price you charge is really up to you and the area you live in. We have helped studios implement this program at their schools with great results. Some of you may already be doing something along the same lines but might be interested in using some element of the program. From these performance groups we feed dancers into our company. These dancers will do it all and have the experience to make all styles look great!
