The Dance Mom Thread

[AZMickeyfans]

We are wrapping up the term but it doesnt slow down for us either. We have recital next tues then rehearsals for Disneyland and go to DL in 2 weeks. Summer intensive begins the Mon after recital. 5 hours a day for 6 weeks M-Th and solo practice on Fridays. I was hoping after tuesdays recital we would have the rest of the week off to relax but we have DL rehearsals and company meetings all week so no rest for the weary. Should be a lttle better though, well at least until that monday when intensive starts.

We have a few dancers who are always 15 minutes late for class and missed Memorial Day rehearsals completely for the production number. The director is threatening to take them out of all dances for the recital if they are not on time for everything between now and then. While I dont like them being late or missing because it messes up the other hard working girls I do think taking the 7 girls out of dances 5 days before the recital is harsh. I believe she should start next year or summer out with stricter guidelines. What will these dances look like if they remove the girls last minute??? The girls all know the dances by now. Dont get me wrong, I hate it that they are late and to be on company I think they need to be kept accountable BUT she should have said something a long time ago. The one mom was really offended by this and might pull her girls anyway. She has 4 of the 7 girls and 2 of the best friends of her daughters are the other ones. I just hope they all stay for the recital whether or not they are in company next year.

our picture week was 2 weeks ago. Gosh what a pain that always is. I'm not impressed with how they turned out either so I just bought 1 individual package because we had to and bought the other 10 group photos for her album. We always get 8X10 of every group dance and she keeps these in a separate album. Usually Im pleased and buy more than 1 individual package but this year they stunk. I hope we use a new photographer next year.

 

[dreamer17555]

GRRR. Must Vent! We had a different teacher take over my daughters company classes. She is a great teacher and all but she decided to do Major rework to their dance. She added some harder stuff and while my daughter got a showcase part I just think the whole thing is asking for trouble. They are six! Its a month to go until Nationals and they only have class 2 hours 2 times a week. What is she thinking?

I believe my DD can pull it off. I believe several of the girls can in fact- but not all. And when someone is off... well you all know. I am bracing for a big mess at Nationals.

-Becca-

 

[Sleepy]

My son's school had recital last night. As usual, it was hot as the underworld in the theatre. I was amazed at the number of boys in the school this year. All the kids did a wonderful job. My son finally got more than 1 minute on stage this year. I enjoyed seeing him in the character piece. It was something different other than the usual classical ballet. It was almost midnight before we got home. We have 3 whole days off! We normally only get 1 day off a week. Exams are next week. Especially nervous now that we are nearing the last few years of classes and the number of kids per class are cut in half as each year goes by for a variety of reasons such as burn out, wrong body type, not good enough for the level of expectation, etc. My son's goal is to get that certificate of graduation! That means quite a few more years here. Not thrilled about it, but he is my only kid and it is only time. I feel a huge sense of relief knowing recital is done and summer is just around the corner. Those 3 hour commutes each day is burning us out.

 

[AZMickeyfans]

GRRR. Must Vent! We had a different teacher take over my daughters company classes. She is a great teacher and all but she decided to do Major rework to their dance. She added some harder stuff and while my daughter got a showcase part I just think the whole thing is asking for trouble. They are six! Its a month to go until Nationals and they only have class 2 hours 2 times a week. What is she thinking?

I believe my DD can pull it off. I believe several of the girls can in fact- but not all. And when someone is off... well you all know. I am bracing for a big mess at Nationals.

-Becca-

this would make me nervous too.

My son's school had recital last night. As usual, it was hot as the underworld in the theatre. I was amazed at the number of boys in the school this year. All the kids did a wonderful job. My son finally got more than 1 minute on stage this year. I enjoyed seeing him in the character piece. It was something different other than the usual classical ballet. It was almost midnight before we got home. We have 3 whole days off! We normally only get 1 day off a week. Exams are next week. Especially nervous now that we are nearing the last few years of classes and the number of kids per class are cut in half as each year goes by for a variety of reasons such as burn out, wrong body type, not good enough for the level of expectation, etc. My son's goal is to get that certificate of graduation! That means quite a few more years here. Not thrilled about it, but he is my only kid and it is only time. I feel a huge sense of relief knowing recital is done and summer is just around the corner. Those 3 hour commutes each day is burning us out.

Thats great your son got to do something different in the recital. 3 hour commute!



Well, today is our dress rehearsal. 9 hours long! Since we are a new studio we are only having 1 recital tomorrow. Although it will be a long one. My opinion is that it we could have had 2 recitals because she has enough students BUT she wants all of the parents to see every dance and see what a wide range of dancers we have. It will be nice to see some of the little ones, not that being backstage I'll get much of a chance though. Our other studio did 3 recitals. company did some dances in all of them but there was a main company show with a few older teen classes mixed in so we always just bought that DVD and I never saw the little ones dance.

 

[missypie]

So at your studio, everyone sits through the whole recital? Ours is definitely a come and go affair. The little non-company kids are in two numbers, about 30 minutes apart, so families only have to be there for under two hours. We company parents are there longer, of course, but if everyone stayed, we'd need a place with more than twice the seating capacity!

 

[AZMickeyfans]

So at your studio, everyone sits through the whole recital? Ours is definitely a come and go affair. The little non-company kids are in two numbers, about 30 minutes apart, so families only have to be there for under two hours. We company parents are there longer, of course, but if everyone stayed, we'd need a place with more than twice the seating capacity!

Yes you cannot pick up the girls before the end of the show. That was the same at the other studios we were at too. I feel bad for the little ones who have to sit for 3 hours but they do provide games and movies in their room. One Christmas show at the old studio they had the first act picked up at intermission. Well, it ended up being so disruptive that they stopped that. The auditorium where we are having our recital holds about 1800 and we only have 160 students enrolled so seating isnt a problem this year. Now next year if she gets a ton more kids she will break it up.

 

[jwsqrdplus2]

We actually have 5 recitals on Sat, then 2 more on the following Monday. The Saturday shows are about 90 minutes each and are mostly non-company classes with a couple of company dances thrown in. Monday's shows are all company: all the solos, duos and trios in one, and all the group dances in the other. The concept behind the 5 recitals is great for non-company families, but makes for very long days for company families! DD1 is in 6 of 7 shows and DD2 is in 5 of 7 (DD2 doesn't have a solo, duo, or trio).

 

[missypie]

Yes you cannot pick up the girls before the end of the show. That was the same at the other studios we were at too. I feel bad for the little ones who have to sit for 3 hours but they do provide games and movies in their room. One Christmas show at the old studio they had the first act picked up at intermission. Well, it ended up being so disruptive that they stopped that. The auditorium where we are having our recital holds about 1800 and we only have 160 students enrolled so seating isnt a problem this year. Now next year if she gets a ton more kids she will break it up.

Ours are typically 8 hours long...no way would parents agree to sit through the whole thing.

 

[AZMickeyfans]

We actually have 5 recitals on Sat, then 2 more on the following Monday. The Saturday shows are about 90 minutes each and are mostly non-company classes with a couple of company dances thrown in. Monday's shows are all company: all the solos, duos and trios in one, and all the group dances in the other. The concept behind the 5 recitals is great for non-company families, but makes for very long days for company families! DD1 is in 6 of 7 shows and DD2 is in 5 of 7 (DD2 doesn't have a solo, duo, or trio).

Ohhh, see we never have the duo's, trio's and solo's in recital just competition. I cannot imagine how many shows that would make it when we got bigger! No wonder why you have so many shows!!! I agree a very long day then. WOW!

Ours are typically 8 hours long...no way would parents agree to sit through the whole thing.

Holy Cow! you have 1 8 hour show? Why dont they have several shows then? Thats nuts and I can see why they have to let them leave.

 

[missypie]

I'm actually glad we only have one show. Up until last year, I had three kids in dance-two taking regular classes and one in Company (now I only have two). Two years ago, we had to be at every minute of the recital. But I like that better than if I had to come on three different nights for three different kids. Plus, the variety is a lot of fun....you'll see the 3 year olds, followed by a senior company number, followed by 7 year olds, followed by a solo, etc.

 

[STLDisney_Freak]

DD has her recital at the end of the month. They are wanting the girls to have cover ups for their costumes if they wanna go through the lobby and watch the rest of the show. Can anyone recommend a place to get a recital costume cover up or what I should use for one?

 

[Sleepy]

DD has her recital at the end of the month. They are wanting the girls to have cover ups for their costumes if they wanna go through the lobby and watch the rest of the show. Can anyone recommend a place to get a recital costume cover up or what I should use for one?

I really don't have a suggestion, because no school my son has ever gone to allows the costumes past the backstage/dressing room area. I am just surprised they don't have the kids take the costumes off.

 

[cabanafrau]

DD has her recital at the end of the month. They are wanting the girls to have cover ups for their costumes if they wanna go through the lobby and watch the rest of the show. Can anyone recommend a place to get a recital costume cover up or what I should use for one?

Men's long-sleeve shirts or summer robes work well. Nothing that needs to go over the head.

 

[pixiepower1971]

Men's long-sleeve shirts or summer robes work well. Nothing that needs to go over the head.

I second mens long sleeve dress shirt. They work really well.

 

[missypie]

I really don't have a suggestion, because no school my son has ever gone to allows the costumes past the backstage/dressing room area. I am just surprised they don't have the kids take the costumes off.[/QUOTE

The differences among studios are striking! At our recitals, a photographer is set up in the lobby to photograph the kids in their costumes....so you see scores of kids in costumes in the lobby!

 

[NY Disney fan]

I have been following this thread. I am a former dancer and pray that I will be a dance mom too! My DD is only 20 months old but am jumping at the chance to enroll her when the time comes. Of course, if she doesn't like to dance, I will be happy too.

 

[disneygals]

Just found out that the very nice $75 ballet costumes for this weekend's performance are not coming in as the company has folded. I'm not sure how this will be handled. I have 2 girls so my total is $150, one family has three so her total is $225.

This is a small dance school, definitely not making a profit, they don't nickel and dime us, so I am annoyed, but not with the studio owner.

The ballet is La Fille Mal Gardee and they had the one costume to wear during the whole show. There is a back-up costume, not very nice though. All the younger kids' costumes are in, thank goodness for that.

 

[Diamondintheruff]

They are wanting the girls to have cover ups for their costumes if they wanna go through the lobby and watch the rest of the show.

The studio's here make us buy team jackets and pants. That is what our dancers are supposed to wear for cover-ups.

Our studio is merging with another one. I had been thinking of leaving-too many negative parents, and an overpleaser owner so it looks like I can bow out gracefully. Now I have to figure out which studio to go to. Very stressfull.

 

[AZMickeyfans]

The studio's here make us buy team jackets and pants. That is what our dancers are supposed to wear for cover-ups.

Our studio is merging with another one. I had been thinking of leaving-too many negative parents, and an overpleaser owner so it looks like I can bow out gracefully. Now I have to figure out which studio to go to. Very stressfull.

I feel for you on switching studios. I cannot tell you how stressful changing ours was. I just didnt feel it was worth the money anymore and the owner kept lying to us moms. She also said she didnt want the moms talking to eachother . That should show the dishonesty there.

I never talked bad about the drama with my dd7. She is just too young to be carrying that on her shoulders. So she was upset at the thought of me switching her studios. This made it worse of course.

Anyway, I would literally lie awake at night worrying about this. Then in the morning I would search the internet and make phone calls and visits while my dd was in school. I talked to as many parents as I could. Every now and then my dh would try to put this into perspective and remind me we were talking about Dance here and to not be so stressed but I couldnt help it. Eventually we found a great new studio. Of course I was worried being that it was so new but I decided to give it a shot and see how it turned out. If we didnt like it we could switch again. Here in Phoenix there is a studio on every corner.

Our recital was last week and it went very well. All of the dances looked great. My dd felt really proud of the work she had put into them and said she was really happy we made the switch.

 

[dancemomma]

Ok....I lurk on here and post under another name...so you may know me...as do others. So for this question...I am changing my screen name. What should I do about changing dance studios....does it really need to be so dramatic. I am finding it to be such a drama-filled studio...and I think the owners and the parents (some) enjoy it that way and condone it.
to change studios: what should I look for? do I tell the new studio that I am leaving another? I don't even know why I am psoting this...other than the fact that this is very stressful on myself and daughter and it feels good to maybe talk about it with others. the studio is one of the best in the area...but the classes have become quite large becasue of that...and now I think it is becoming all about the money. Is it better to go to a smaller studio with less people in the classes? Help....and any advice is great!!!!