2. Desk/Phone help. This year Tirssa Schaefer, Heidi Jorgensen, Anna Husemann, and Stephanie Spradling will answer phones and help out at the front desk. Thanks girls!!! The girls will hold office hours Monday through Thursday 3:45-5:30 or 6pm in the fall. I will do my best to answer the phone whenever possible. If there is no answer, I am probably teaching. However, the machine is always on, and I will check the messages nightly. Phone calls for student absences are greatly appreciated, and I will try to return all questions and messages promptly. And as always, you can also ask me in person.

3. Recital fee. There is a recital fee of $10 per family due in November. You can include the recital fee with the registration fee at the beginning of the year if you so choose. The recital fee is just to help cover the cost of the hall. I make no money on this whatsoever.

4. Teachers. We are so blessed to have back the expertise of former director Lisbeth Brown. Her knowledge and kindness are immeasurable. Lis will continue teaching all levels of pointe and Cecchetti (ballet) as well as taking most of my classes while I am out with the new baby…more on that later. This year we welcome Loryl Breitenbach as our new modern teacher. Last year Loryl choreographed a piece in our SSDC show. She holds a BFA in Dance from Webster University, and actually danced with me while I was attending Webster. J She will also take be teaching preschool and teen jazz. Our returning tap teacher is Sonya Deorr. She brings a wealth of knowledge and lots of enthusiasm to the studio. She will be taking on all levels of tap this year. An Adult Tap class will also be offered this fall on Thursday evenings, call for more information. We also have a new preschool teacher, Michelle Baldwin. Michelle has years of experience teaching everything from ballet to jazz and tap and even broadway. She will be teaching her own preschool classes, as well as teen ballet, and helping out with my preschool class while I’m out. I will continue to teach all levels of ballet, pointe, jazz, broadway, Pre/K classes, etc.

5. The baby…As most of you know, I am having a baby this fall. I am planning on teaching for as long as possible until my due date - which is Sept. 30th. I plan to be home with the baby until Thanksgiving break—about 6 or 7 weeks depending on when the baby decides to arrive. J I have arranged to have Lisbeth Brown take all my ballet/pointe classes as well as Wed. evening SSDC rehearsals. Sarah Flatt will take 2 of my Cecchetti classes (she has taken her Cecchetti teachers exams through grade 5 and is currently working on 6), new teacher Michelle Baldwin will take my preschool class, and I have 2 teachers lined up for jazz classes on Thursdays. All of these teachers are incredibly talented and I trust them completely with my classes while I am away.

6. Classes begin this year on August 31st. Why so early? I am starting a week earlier to get in some extra time with the students before I leave and also so that I can have more time at home with the baby later. Because we are starting a week earlier, the studio will be taking a 3 - week winter break this year. However, we will still have the same amount of weeks in the semester.

7. Monthy newsletters: You can opt to receive the studio newsletters through email. Just print it clearly on your child’s registration form. We had some problems with incorrect addresses last year, so if you have a new email account or think I may have the wrong address – please include it again. I will still send home the newsletters with the students, but many times the papers have a way of disappearing before they make it back to you. The newsletters will always be posted on the website. So if you lose one or forget a date you can always check the website. www.dancestation.biz
Contact Info: If need to talk to me personally while I am out - or any time for that matter - my home phone is 288 –7082. I screen all of my calls at home through the answering machine, so just leave me a message and I will call you back as soon as I can. Even better, you can email me at: edancestation@yahoo.com
That’s it! Tuition costs have remained the same, as well as State Street company dues. Class descriptions, dance attire, weather policies, etc. are included in the pamphlet and on the website. New pictures, including many from last year’s recital, are posted on our website. Recital pictures and DVD’s will be available at Open House.

A calendar will be sent home with the students the first week of classes. Reminder classes begin Monday, Aug 31. Can’t wait to see you all! Remember to call with any questions!!!
Thanks, Elizabeth Conway

Class Descriptions (some of the following classes need teacher evaluation for placement–call if you are unsure)

Pre/K (ages 3 & 4yrs or 5 & 6yrs, Preschool/Kindergarten) is a preballet, pretap, and creative movement class. This class is designed to be a fun class for beginners and continuing students using costumes and props from the studio. (Students should wear leotard, tights, pink ballet shoes, and black tap shoes).
Beginning Ballet/Jazz/Tap (6-8yrs and 9-12yrs) is a ballet/tap/jazz class for older beginners (or a refresher/fun class for ongoing students). This class is designed to be a fun class combining technique with costumes and props that belong to the studio. (Students should wear leotard, tights, pink ballet shoes, and black tap shoes).

Teen Ballet/Jazz (age 13 and up) A class for older students wishing to learn the basics of dance. This class will touch on ballet and jazz movements to prepare the students for fall classes. Fun and fast paced, this is no baby ballet class! Also a great class for the color guard girls/boys.
Ballet/Pointe Three levels (Ballet I/II, Intermediate, and Advanced) of ballet/pointe are offered this summer. These classes will focus on performance and technique in ballet and pointe (or pre-pointe) work. Also fulfills SSDC technique requirement for students.

Kaleidoscope Jr (ages 6-9) and Intermediate (ages 10-14) (June session only) A purely fun class featuring a different dance technique each week.
Swing/jive, cha-cha/samba, country line dancing, and hula dancing will be taught. No dance experience required.
Broadway Jr (6-11yrs) (July camp only) This class is an introduction to the dancing and singing styles of musical theatre for children ages 6-9yrs. This is a fun class that also helps prepare students for youth musical theatre. The class will consist of a warm-up, center work, and songs from the musicals “The Pajama Game” and “West Side Story.” No dance experience is needed.
Broadway Intermediate (ages 11 and up) (July camp only) This class will consist of a fun warm-up to a variety of musical theatre songs, center work, and dances from the musicals “Movin Out and South Pacific.”

Hip Hop Jr (6-10yrs) A class just for fun for students 6-10 yrs. A great class with fun songs for future poms, dance squads, cheer or flag line aspirants. Students may wear shorts and a t-shirt (or leotard) with clean tennis shoes or hip hop dance shoes.
Hip Hop Intermediate (ages 11 and up) and Adv Hip Hop (high school and up) A fun and fast paced class to hip hop/techno contemporary music. Leotard and tights are not required. Jazz pants and leotard, or shorts and a t-shirt, plus jazz or hip hop shoes may be worn.
Conditioning (Ballet IV and higher or for non-dancers ages 14+) This combo class is a great way to stay in shape this summer. Format: 20 minutes devoted to stretching and strengthening, 20 minutes of core/abdominal work, and 20 minutes of a kickboxing/dance cardio workout.

Beginning Modern (age 8 and up) (Both sessions) This class is designed to introduce the beginning student to the joy and freedom of modern dancing. At least 2 years of other dance experience is required. Modern Intermediate (ages 11 and up) (June camp only) Dancers need teacher evaluation for placement in each class. Students must have at least 2 other years of dance experience.

Tap (both sessions) Intermediate and Advanced levels offered as well as an Adult class. Dancers need teacher evaluation for placement in each class. These classes are for dancers who already have a solid background in tap fundamentals.

Teen Ballroom (ages 14 and up—Separate fee and dates!!!) Come learn the latest in ballroom technique and register soon! It’s sure to be a big hit and class space is limited. Basics steps in styles like the cha-cha, rumba, samba, jive, swing, foxtrot, tango, and/or waltz will be included. This class has as a separate fee of $40 per couple. That’s only $5 a class per student!!!! It will be offered as a four day workshop from 5-6pm the weeks of June 29-July 2 and also August 3-6.

Registration begins May 1 and is on a first come, first served basis. Classes with less than 6 dancers will be cancelled, so please register by the end of May!

Call the studio 632-1217, or email Elizabeth at edancestation@yahoo.com, for specific times and days!

Registration begins May 1, by phone or in person. Please call 632-1217 with any additional questions about our summer classes

teachers: Elizabeth Conway, Sonya Deorr, Ellyn Sjoquist, Nicole Shelpman, and Gwen Meeker. Gwen is a graduating senior at Lindenwood University. She will be teaching all levels of Hip Hop and Conditioning this summer. Her senior hip-hop piece was selected for the American College Dance Festival – which is a great honor. She is currently dancing with Turn of Change Dance Collective and aTrek in St. Louis.

See you this summer!!!

SSDC students/parents: I goofed! Rehearsal on May 16th will be in the afternoon - O’Fallon Graduation is at 10 am that morning.

Welcome back dancers! Whether you joined us for our summer sessions, or took the summer off, we hope you had a wonderful summer vacation. Just some friendly reminders to get the year going:

1. Registration/Open House. Everyone needs to register for classes again this year! A $10 Registration Fee per family is due upon registration ($25 for new families). For your convenience, you may wish to include the $10 recital fee as well, although it is not due until November. You can register by mail or in person at the Open House. Open House is Friday, August 29th from 3:30-6:30 pm. Even if you register by mail you may want to come to Open House to pick up your recital pictures and DVD’s. Plus it’s a chance to visit with friends and get some punch and cookies too! If you are unable to attend the Open House or would like to register early, you may register by mail anytime between now and August 29th. The schedule, as always, is subject to change due to class sizes. Please send your check and the registration form/class list to:

DanceStation 220 West State St O’Fallon, IL 62269

1. Desk/Phone help. This year Tirssa Schaefer, Kathryn Krev, Heidi Jorgensen, and Monica Woods will answer phones and help out at the front desk. Thanks girls!!! The girls will hold office hours Monday through Thursday 4-6pm in the fall. I will do my best to answer the phone whenever possible. If there is no answer, I am probably teaching. However, the machine is always on, and I will check the messages nightly. Phone calls for student absences are greatly appreciated, and I will try to return all questions and messages promptly. And as always, you can also ask me in person.

2. Recital fee. There is a recital fee of $10 per family due in November. You can include the recital fee with the registration fee at the beginning of the year if you so choose. The recital fee is just to help cover the cost of the hall. I make no money on this whatsoever.

3. Teachers. We are so blessed to have back the expertise of former director Lisbeth Brown. Her knowledge and kindness are immeasurable. Lis will continue teaching all levels of pointe and Cecchetti (ballet), as well as tap for our younger students. This year we welcome Lindsey Silman as our new modern teacher. Last year Lindsey choreographed an exciting modern piece on our advanced students for the SSDC winter concert. She holds a BFA in Dance from Webster University. Our new and returning (after a brief hiatus) tap teacher is Sonya Deor. She brings a wealth of knowledge and lots of enthusiasm to the studio. Welcome back Sonya! We missed you. Lindsey and Sonya will be teaching Pre/K classes as well. Adult Tap and Adult Ballet classes will also be offered this fall, call for more information. I will continue to teach all levels of ballet, pointe, jazz, broadway, Pre/K classes, etc.

4. DanceStation picture calendar: Due to popular demand, we are in the process of developing another studio picture calendar this year, with proceeds going to our student company State Street Dance Company. The calendar runs Sept – Aug and includes pictures of DanceStation classes as well as SSDC company members. There will be order forms available at Open House and when classes start on September 8th.

5. Monthy newsletters: This year you can opt to receive the studio newsletters through your email. Just print it clearly on your child’s registration form. I will still send home the newsletters with the students, but many times the papers have a way of disappearing before they make it back to you. The newsletters will always be posted on the website. So if you lose one or forget a date you can always check the website.

New Contact Info: If you ever need something and can’t reach me at the studio, my new home phone is 288 -7082 or you can email me at: edancestation@yahoo.com

That’s it! I’ve updated the studio pamphlet and our website too! Tuition costs have remained the same, as well as State Street company dues. Class descriptions, dance attire, weather policies, etc. are included in the pamphlet and on the website. New pictures, including many from last year’s recital, are posted on our website: www.dancestation.biz. Recital pictures and DVD’s will be available at Open House.

A calendar will be sent home with the students the first week of classes. Reminder classes begin Monday, Sept. 8.

Can’t wait to see you all! Remember to call with any questions!!! Thanks, Elizabeth Conway

Tom Schwarz and Steve Griffin! Congratulations!

And Congratulations on a wonderful recital everyone!

Pictures to be posted later this summer!!!

Announcements/Reminders: Lots and lots of information—PLEASE READ ON!!! I have a new email address to use if you need to get in touch with me. It is… Edancestation@yahoo.com.

1. Picture Day is Mon. June 2th. Pictures are taken by Photographique here at the studio and payments should be made directly to Photographique that day. We would appreciate it very much if you would show up for the group pictures, even if you choose not to buy any. The daytime picture schedule will be posted by the door in the waiting room later in May.

2. State Street Dance Company Auditions for next year will be held in May.
   Why?…because we will be starting a few pieces at the end of the summer before regular classes begin. Students in Ballet II and older, with minimum 3 years dance experience (or permission of the director), are all eligible to audition. Generally the younger students perform in 2-3 pieces, and the older students in 5 or more. Junior and Senior company members will rehearse the week of August 25-28 in the evening. Auditions are from 5:00-6:15 PM on May 16th; students should wear pink tights and a black leotard and have their hair in a bun. The audition will consist of a ballet and jazz.

3. Dress Rehearsal is on Friday June 6th at McKendree College. Maps are available. Rehearsal for The Ugly Duckling performance is from 10am-2pm, and the Cinderella rehearsal begins at 3pm. We hope to be done by 7pm.

Recital Day is June 7th at McKendree College. Showtimes are: The Ugly Duckling 2:30 PM Cinderella 7:00 PM

1. Tickets will be on sale at the front desk on May 27th. Adult tickets are $8 and children (under 12) are $5. If you have a child or children in both shows you will receive one free ticket per family to the 2nd show.

2. Parents/guardians will need to pay for the 5th/June installment before you purchase your recital tickets. Once the recital is over, families take vacations and it can be difficult to track down missing payments. Most common June question: Why are you paying for a full month? Because tuition is calculated by the semester and then broken down into five equal payments for your convenience.

3. Sign up sheets for recital DVD’s and flowers will be in the waiting room. The cost of each DVD is $20. You must prepay to have a DVD ordered for you.

more info on the back….!!!!

1. Sign up sheets for our summer sessions are also in the waiting room. We have some fun classes and guest teachers this summer. Please sign up by the end of May.

2. There is no class on Monday, May 26, for Memorial Day. The last day of regular class is Monday, June 2nd.

Full cast rehearsals The last few days of the semester are reserved for extra rehearsal times here at the studio. Your child will be needed outside of their regular scheduled class time. Please try your hardest to attend!!!

Mon. June 2nd = pictures and regular classes, 6:30-9pm Cinderella run through
(Adv. Ballet and Ballet IV only)

Tues. June 3rd = Ugly Duckling Dress Rehearsal 4:30-6:30pm, and SSDC rehearsal 7-8

Wed. June 4th = B-way Jr and Int 4:30-5:30pm, Cinderella Dress Rehearsal 6-8pm,
Adv B-way 8-9:30 pm

Thur. June 5th = Rock & Roll Hall of Fame 4:30-6pm Dress Rehearsal, and 6:30-9pm Jazz/Tap/Modern/B-way evening show Dress Rehearsal

please make good use of street parking during the large rehearsals

1. Last but not least…on Sat, May 31, there will be make-up classes from those pesky snow ice/storms a few months ago. All students in the following classes must attend!
   10-11:30 Modern I, II, III
   10-11 am = flowers, skunks, rainstorm
   11-12 pm = Thur tap/jazz Beginning, I, and II
   12-1 pm = young swans, ducks, pre-pointe and pointe I/II (Cinderella street scene)
   1-2 pm = Ballet III (farm animal dances)
   2-3 pm = Jazz III, IV, and V
   3-4:30 pm = Adv B-way
   

We will also be hosting an SSDC sidewalk sale, outside DanceStation, on that Sat. (May 31st ) from 8 am-12 pm. Come and check out all of the cool items going for sale!

Costume instructions will be passed out when the costumes arrive later in May.

Have a wonderful month, see you at the recital!!! Thanks, Elizabeth

2 week Summer Dance Camp/Intensives 2008

June 23 – July 3 and July 28 - August 7

Experience the fun and excitement of a professional
dance camp without leaving town!


Each class will meet twice a week for 2 weeks.
Offering classes in:

Ballet, Pointe, Jazz, Modern, Hip Hop, Tap,
Pre/K (3-6yrs), Beginners 6-8 yrs and 9-12 yrs,
Beginning Teens, Broadway, Kaleidoscope, Conditioning,
Choreography, Contact Improv, and Teen Ballroom!!!

Summer Dance 2 Week camp/intensives 2007
(Per session)

1 class (meets a total of 4 times) $40
2 classes for $70
3 classes for $100
4 classes for $130
5 classes for $160
6th and/or 7th class free!


Please call DanceStation for exact times and dates, 632-1217.

First of all, I would like to congratulate all of our Cecchetti dancers on another successful exam session! We had dancers taking grades 1-7 this year, and everyone did beautifully. Congrats!! I’d also like to invite you to come and watch 8 of our young dancers in a production of The Velveteen Rabbit at McKendree College April 18th and 19th. The girls were chosen by audition to perform alongside the professional company ODC, from San Francisco. It’s a huge honor for the girls and our studio, but I hear tickets are going fast. So call the box office at McKendree soon if you want to go.

Snow Days. We’ve had a lot this year. Wendy’s Mon. tap/jazz classes will have their first make-up day on Monday, March 24. Those classes will meet at their normal times. We will make most of the Tuesday ballet classes and Thursday jazz/tap/modern classes up in May or early June (as it gets closer to recital time when we could really use the extra rehearsals). Advanced Ballet and Pointe, Ballet IV, and Ballet III will have many extra rehearsals throughout the next few months. Those rehearsals should more than make up for any missed classes last month.

A Costume deposit of $45 was due in February, and the remaining balance owed will be mailed to your home in late March/early April. We try very hard to be creative and keep costume prices down, especially for the girls involved in multiple classes.

Broadway workshops. We will offer two Broadway workshops once again this year. They will run for 8 weeks each, starting in April. Students enrolled in the Ballet IV class (Mon 6:30-8) will have the option to take the Intermediate Broadway class offered on Wednesday nights from 7-8pm. We will be dancing to “One Night Only” from the musical Dreamgirls. Students enrolled in Ballet III (Mon 5:15-6:30), Teen Ballet (Thur 8-9), Ballet II (Tues 7-8), and Ballet I (Tues 6-7) are invited to take the Junior Broadway class on Wednesdays from 5-6pm. We will be dancing to a medley of songs from the musical Jersey Boys. The fee for either workshop is $70 ($60 for the 8 week class and a $10 costume rental). Both Broadway classes run for 8 weeks beginning April 9 - May 28. There is a sign up sheet available in the waiting room for both classes. The $70 dollar fee for the workshop is due by April 9th (the first class).

Students, your hair and attire have gotten out of control! Please secure your hair neatly and tightly to your head so you don’t play with it all class; And now that the weather is warming up, get rid of your extra apparel!!!

REMINDER: Dress rehearsal and recital dates for Ugly Duckling and Cinderella are June 6th and June 7th.

Spring Break is Tues March 18-Mon March 24. NO CLASSES! (Except Wendy’s make-up classes)

The staff at DanceStation wishes you a warm and relaxing Spring Break!!!