2010-2011

DANCE HANDBOOK FALL SEMESTER: August 30, 2010 – January 14, 2011 SPRING SEMESTER: January 18, 2011 – May 20, 2011

Andrew Needhammer, ARAD, RAD RTS Dance Coordinator

Amy Tackitt, Program Coordinator

PO Box 6040 Flagstaff, AZ 86011 academy@nau.edu

www.nau.edu/academy Phone: (928) 523-1889

Snow Line: (928) 523-2333 Fax: (928) 523-1133

Monday – Friday: 9 AM to 5 PM Find us on facebook!

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Table of Contents

I. FACULTY AND STAFF……………………………………………………………………..3

II. 2010-2011 EVENT CALENDAR…………………………………………………………...5

III. DANCE CLASSES…………………………………………………………………………..6

• Pre-School Program • Royal Academy of Dance Syllabus Ballet Program • Jazz and Tap

IV. ROYAL ACADEMY OF DANCE EXAMS…………………………………………………7

V. REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION…………………………...............8

• Registration Process • Additional Fees • Payments • Refunds • Discounts and Financial Aid

VI. DRESS CODE……………………………………………………………………………...10

VII. POINTE WORK FOR FEMALE STUDENTS……………………………………………11

VIII. CLASS ATTENDANCE……………………………………………………………………11

• Make-up Classes • Class Cancellations/Weather • Student Pick-Up

IX. PARENT OBSERVATION DAYS………………………………………………………...12 X. STUDIO PROTOCOL……………………………………………………………………...13

XI. CONCERNS OR QUESTIONS…………………………………………………………...14

XII. PERFORMANCE OPPORTUNITIES…………………………………………………….14

• Flagstaff Festival of Science • Nutcracker • Spring Performance • Dressing Room Protocol • Performance Attire

XIII. PARENT VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES……………………………………………..16

XIV. COMPETITION OPPORTUNITIES………………………………………………………17

• Youth America Grand Prix • Genée Competition

XV. LOST AND FOUND………………………………………………………………………..18

XVI. MEDIA POLICY…………………………………………………………………………….18

XVII. PARKING …………………………………………………………………………………..19

XVIII. HANDBOOK ACKNOWLEDGENT…..............................................................Appendix

The NAU Community Dance Academy is a division of the Northern Arizona University Community Music and Dance Academy. The Academy office is located in Room 138 of the NAU Performance and Fine Arts Building (Bldg 37). Dance classes are held in the Academy studio in the NAU Ponderosa Building (Bldg 92) and occasionally in Room 125 in the Performance and Fine Arts Building. FACULTY AND STAFF

ANDREW NEEDHAMMER DANCE COORDINATOR, BALLET INSTRUCTOR andrew.needhammer@nau.edu (928) 523-6507 Andrew Needhammer trained at the New York School of Ballet before join-ing American Ballet Theatre II and touring the world. He joined the National Ballet of Canada, performing works by Nureyev, Balanchine, and Ashton. With Ballet Arizona, he performed roles in ballets by DeMille and Balan-he Nutcracker and Romeo and Juliet. He is an Associate of the Royal Acad-

emy of Dance and a Registered Teacher of the Royal Academy of Dance. He has been direct-ing the ballet program at NAU's Community Music and Dance Academy for four years. In two of the past four years, Needhammer's students have been invited to participate in the Geneé In-ternational Ballet Competition. In addition, his students participate annually in the Youth Ameri-ca Grand Prix ballet competition.

chine as well as in t

HEATHER CURETON BALLET INSTRUCTOR heathercureton78@hotmail.com (928) 523-6507 Heather Cureton is a native of Flagstaff. She started dancing at the age of six at an Academy affiliated with the Museum of Northern Arizona. She trained with founder Maureen Price as well as her teaching partner, Gail Reed. She completed her Royal Academy of Dance exams and is now a member of RAD. Mrs. Cureton participated in Pedagogy classes taught by Maureen Price and started teaching for the Prep School through Northern Arizona University in the fall of 1997. Heather has a great love for working with children and uses stories and games to teach ballet basics to eager young dancers. She graduated in 2002 from Northern Arizona University with a bachelor’s degree in accounting and continues to work part-time in that field. She is also working part time at a local pre-school. She is the mother of three beautiful children and feels fortunate to be able to share her love of ballet with others.

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FLOWER DARBY JAZZ AND TAP INSTRUCTOR flower.darby@nau.edu Flower Darby has been teaching jazz and tap dance as well as Pilates for over 14 years. She currently teaches for the NAU Community Music a Dance Academy, Coconino Community College, and Flagstaff Athletic Club. Flower’s unique and energetic jazz dance style fuses classic influ- ences such as Gus Giardano and Luigi with the contemporary feel of street jazz and hip hop dance forms. Her tap classes are based on the world-renowned Al Gilbert graded tap system. In addition to her dance

related pursuits, Flower teaches a variety of English literature and composition classes for NAU. Over the course of her jazz and swing dance career, Flower has performed in such exotic loca-tions as England, China, and Indonesia. Flower stays busy with her husband and three young daughters; in her spare time, she enjoys traveling and reading.

AMY TACKITT PROGRAM COORDINATOR amy.tackitt@nau.edu (928) 523-1865 Amy Tackitt is the Program Coordinator of the NAU Community Music and Dance Academy as well as the Curry Summer Music Camp at NAU. She holds a B.M. in cello performance from the University of Michigan. Before serving as Program Coordinator, Amy held the posi-

tion of the Assistant Librarian for the Houston Symphony. Amy also plays in the cello section of the Flagstaff Symphony Orchestra where she serves as the chair of the orchestra committee and teaches cello privately through the Academy. RENDESSA MARTINE ADMINISTRATIVE SPECIALIST academy@nau.edu (928) 523-1889 Rendessa Martine is the Administrative Specialist for the NAU Community Music and Dance Academy as well as the Curry Summer Music Camp at NAU.

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2010-2011 EVENT CALENDAR

August 9-27: Science Festival Workshop

August 30: Fall Ballet classes begin

September 6: Labor Day: No classes; Academy Office closed.

September 20-23: Dress rehearsals for Science Festival performance

September 27: Science Festival performance

October 1: Last day to apply for dance discounts

October 2: Jazz and tap classes begin

October 23: Late fee applied to all outstanding tuition account balances

November 11-Veteran’s day: Academy Office closed

November 11-13: Fall Break: No classes

November 24-27: Thanksgiving Break: No classes; Academy Office closed

December 8-9: Dress rehearsals for Nutcracker

December 10-11: Nutcracker Performances

December 20-31: Winter break: No classes

January 3: Ballet classes resume

January 17: MLK Day: No classes; Academy Office closed

January 18: Spring Ballet classes begin

February 21: President’s Day: No classes

March 14-19: Spring Break: No classes

TBA: Dress rehearsals for Spring Performance

TBA: Spring Performance

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DANCE CLASSES Pre-school Program The Pre-school Program consists of Pre-ballet and Pre-primary classes and is geared toward students ages 4-5. Registration is accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Registration is not complete and a spot will not be reserved for students until 50% of tui-tion has been received in the Academy Office. Classes are closed once capacity is reached. Pre-Ballet - age 4 by 9/1/2010 This fun, creative class for boys and girls is full of age-appropriate movement, songs, games, exercises and introduction to ballet steps. Classes consist of activities designed to increase children’s awareness, understanding, and control of their bodies in space and time. Exercises develop basic dance skills such as coordination, balance, spatial awareness and the ability to cooperate and dance well with others. Classes include practice in all loco motor steps and creative, expressive dancing to music. Pre-Primary - age 5 by 9/1/2010 This level of dance consists of both the Pre-Primary set of dance exercises designed by the Royal Academy of Dance—which prepare children for beginning ballet—and the creative exploration of the four elements of dance: body, space, time, and effort. Child-ren will develop coordination, balance, control, and awareness of space, rhythm, and effort qualities. They will also develop their abilities to learn movement combinations and to cooperate and dance well with others. Classes include practice in all loco motor steps, expressive dancing to music, age-appropriate introduction to ballet steps and the preparation of creative dances for a performance for parents during the last class of each semester. Royal Academy of Dance Ballet Program Our certified ballet instructors follow the world-renowned Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) method beginning at the Primary class level for all ballet dancers. Founded over eighty years ago, the Royal Academy of Dance is the largest, most influential dance teacher training and examining body for classical ballet in the world. The RAD was in-itially formed with the objective to improve the standard of Classical Ballet training in the UK and a method of ballet technique was devised for the Academy by a group of emi-nent European dancers. The RAD curriculum is used in over seventy countries in the world, setting high standards of dance training for over 250,000 students each year. Its international examiners travel the world examining pupils in the syllabus at every level. Primary - age 6 by 9/1/2010 The beginning of classical ballet technique is introduced in this class which includes the study of proper placement, partner and group work, and musicality.

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Grades Syllabus: Grades 1-8 - at least age 7 by 9/1/2010 A progression of ballet technique and performance qualities based upon the Royal Academy of Dance Grades Syllabus. Vocational Syllabus: Intermediate Foundation, Intermediate and Advanced 1 & 2 (also includes Pre-Pointe and beginning Pointe Classes): A more in-depth look at and study of ballet technique; these classes may also include the study of Pointe work. Generally students begin this syllabus at the same time they are taking Grade 6 in the Grades syl-labus. Jazz and Tap Classes This fall, the Academy will be offering primary and beginning jazz and tap classes on Saturday afternoons beginning October 2nd. This is an exciting chance to explore new and different facets of the dance medium with a highly trained instructor who will lead those who are new to these styles as well as those looking to build on past experience. Primary Tap and Jazz (ages 5-6) Introduces dancers to basic tap and jazz dance concepts through games and structured activities. Beginner/Intermediate Jazz (ages 7+) Introduces and develops jazz dance skills for both dancers who are new to the jazz me-dium as well as those looking to develop upon existing skills. ROYAL ACADEMY OF DANCE EXAMS During the spring semester, students have the opportunity to participate in the Royal Academy of Dance examination process. The exams are designed to recognize the progress and achievement of children and young people. RAD examiners travel to Flagstaff to conduct several days of examinations. The RAD offers separate examinations of the Grades syllabus and the Vocational syllabus. Voca-tional examinations are generally held in February or March, and the Grades Examina-tions in April or May. Students generally take one examination each spring through Grade 5, and then may take two examinations, one each in the Graded and the Voca-tional syllabi. The Academy strongly encourages students to take the examinations ap-propriate to the syllabus they are studying to: • attain their personal best and have fun • have a goal to work toward • receive recognition from the world's largest examining body for ballet A fee is charged for each examination a student takes. This fee covers the cost of bringing the examiner and accompanist to Flagstaff. The fee for a particular examina-tion reflects its length. Thus, younger students who have a short examination period pay

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a lower fee than advanced students who may have a 1-2 hour examination. Exam reg-istration forms are distributed in class approximately one month prior to the examina-tion. Students who wish to take the examination must return the form promptly with the fee. Examination results are received at the Academy approximately 2-3 months after the exam. Results are mailed to the student’s home at the address on file at the Academy office. REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION Registration Process Registration for current students takes place twice a year, in August for the fall semester and in December for the spring semester. Registration forms are available online as well as important dates, calendars, event information and more on the Academy web-site (www.nau.edu/academy). Regardless of the program in which the student is enrolling, in order to reserve and con-firm a spot in class for the 2010-2011 year, the Academy must receive all completed registration material—including at least 50% tuition payment. Please note that registra-tion is not complete and instruction MAY NOT BEGIN until we have a completed regis-tration form on file in our office AND have received at least 50% of the semester’s pay-ment. The receipt of a registration form without the initial payment will not reserve a spot in a class. Late payments will result in a late fee. Please read Academy policies (listed on the back of the registration form) carefully before signing and consult the Academy calendar for important dates! The Academy will not prorate semester tuition fees for late registrants. The student’s parent or legal guardian is ultimately responsible for ALL tuition fees, re-gardless of any anticipated scholarship awards or outside assistance. Additional Fees A $25 fee will be assessed against all accounts that are outstanding after the deadline for final payment. A $25 fee will be due for all checks returned for any reason. The fee must be paid in cash within one week from the time the owner of the account is notified.

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Payments The Academy accepts checks, cashier’s checks, traveler’s checks, cash, and credit and debit cards. A student’s tuition may be paid by the parent/guardian selecting one of the two options on the registration form:

1. Payment in full at the time of registration 2. Installment Plan: First payment (50%) due at the time of registration; remaining

balance paid by Friday, October 22, 2010 to avoid late fee The parent(s) or guardian of the registered child will be responsible for ensuring the Academy Office receives payment prior to the end of each billing cycle. Payments may be mailed, hand- delivered, or phoned in to the Academy Office. Refunds Tuition is non-refundable. Refunds will not be made, except in the case of serious ill-ness or injury. If a student is dismissed from the Academy because of unacceptable behavior, no tuition will be refunded. Refund requests must be submitted to the Acade-my Office in writing and will be considered at the discretion of the Program Coordinator. The Academy reserves the right to deny any refund request. Should a full refund be granted for a student, all but the $25 registration fee will be refunded to the parent’s/ guardian’s account. All refunds and credits must be used and resolved within one year. After one year, they will expire. Discounts and Need-Based Financial Assistance The following discounts are available to Academy dance students:

• NAU full time faculty/staff/student: 10% • Sibling discount: 20% off second and third child (applied to least expensive child) • Dance cap—No dancer shall pay more than $775 for registration in one semester

The maximum discount for any registration is 20%. Discounts and caps will only be applied to registrations paid before Friday, October 1, 2010 and only for those who do not have outstanding previous balances. The Academy does not currently have funds available to provide financial assistance to students. However, the focus of the 2010 planned fundraising for Parents on Pointe is to establish a need-based scholarship program for the Academy. Parents interested in volunteering for this effort or donating to such a program should contact the Dance Coordinator.

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DRESS CODE Students are required to adhere to a simple dress code and maintain a neat, profes-sional appearance in the classroom and before and after all performances. Items pro-hibited in the studio include bare legs, cut off tights, sweats, shorts (for girls), leg war-mers, sweaters and wraps. Students should not wear dance clothes as street wear out-side the studio. Cover ups should fully cover leotards. Students may not wear jewelry, other than pierced ear studs, in class or rehearsal. Gum chewing is prohibited in class, rehearsal or performance. All students with long hair should have it neatly tied back. Classic-styled "buns" are re-quired for girls in ballet classes (Primary level and above). Use a hair net to keep the bun tidy. The following websites have instructions for putting your child’s hair in a bun.

• http://www.oregonballetacademy.com/schedules/wear.htm • http://www.singledad.com/single-parent-advice/how-

to/How_To_Make_a_Ballet_Bun_1217103815.php • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPnYSZ1-WCI&feature=related

Ladies Pre-Ballet/Pre-Primary Pink leotard, pink tights or socks and pink ballet shoes will be required for per-formances. Shoes are not required for class. Please, no tutus. Primary Pink leotard of choice, pink socks and pink ballet shoes.

Grades 1 – 5 Regulation navy, lavender or light blue “Aimee” leotard, pink tights, pink ballet shoes and character shoes. Grades 6 – 8 Choice of leotard in a plain dark color, pink tights, pink ballet shoes and cha-racter shoes.

RAD regulation leotards may be purchased online at: www.freedusa.com, or by tele-phone at (866) 693-7333. The cost of the leotard is $32.00, which includes a matching belt which will be worn for exams. Character shoes may be purchased online at: http://www.discountdance.com/frame_set.php3?mf=/dancewear/shoes/page1 or by telephone at (800) 328-7107. The style is “Capezio Girls Academy Character shoes (No. 457C) and the cost is $21.95

Gentlemen Pre-Ballet 1 & 2/Pre-Primary White T-shirt, dark shorts and bare feet. Primary White T-shirt, tight-fitting black shorts, white socks, and white or black ballet slippers.

Grades 1 & 2 White T-shirt, tight-fitting black shorts, white socks, white or black ballet slip-pers and black character shoes. Grades 3 and above White T-shirt, black footless tights, dance belt, white socks, white or black ballet slippers and black character shoes

Standard tap and jazz dance wear is appropriate for tap and jazz classes. Tap and jazz shoes are available through All That Dance (928-714-9300) and Canyon Dance Acad-emy (928-774-3937). POINTE WORK FOR FEMALE STUDENTS Students will be notified when the instructor feels that the student has sufficient strength, level of technique, and maturity necessary to begin pointe work. Pointe work can be damaging to the dancer if it is attempted too early. The decision to allow a student to begin pointe work will be made on an individual basis with the advice, in some cases, of a physical therapist, even if the student has been on pointe at a previous studio. Instructors will check the fit of the shoes to ensure the stu-dents purchase proper shoes for their feet. Students should not sew ribbons and elas-tics on their shoes until they receive approval from the instructor. Students usually begin pointe work after completing Grade 5. Students beginning pointe work must be enrolled and attending four classes per week. New students in these levels should not purchase pointe shoes until speaking with their instructor. Pointe work is difficult and can be dangerous if practiced unsupervised. Improper floor surface could cause injury to students. The Academy faculty discourages students from practicing pointe work outside the Academy studios unless otherwise approved. Students who have passed Grade 8 must enroll in three Advanced 1 or 2 courses in or-der to perform en pointe in Academy dance performances. CLASS ATTENDANCE Good attendance is an integral part of dance training and is necessary to achieve cor-rect technical and physical development. Except in the case of illness, injury, or other excused absence, students are expected to attend all classes for which they are regis-

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tered. Students who have a contagious illness should stay home. Those who are able should still attend class and watch, unless otherwise instructed by a physician. A student who has repeated unexcused absences in one semester may be ineligible to take the RAD examination and advance to the next level. He or she may also be ineligi-ble to perform in Academy productions. Students who miss a semester may be asked to repeat the Grade level. If a student is not able to attend class, it is not necessary to call the Academy Office; however, we do encourage the parent to email the student’s instructor to notify him or her of the absence. Make-up Classes Students may make up absences due to illness, injury, religious holiday or required school activity during the semester of the absence. Students may make up a class by attending another section of the class in which they are enrolled or in a class in the level above or below that in which they are enrolled. Class Cancellation/Weather Classes may occasionally be canceled due to severe weather conditions. The Acade-my follows FUSD’s closing schedule for inclement weather. Parents should listen to the local radio station to obtain information with respect to closings. The academy will at-tempt to notify parents by email should class(es) be canceled. Parents may also call the Academy Snow Line for automated updates at (928) 523-2333. Students are en-couraged to make up classes missed due to inclement weather. Student Pick-up Students must be picked up after classes on time. The Academy is not responsible for the safety of the students when they are not in class. Parents who anticipate a delay in picking up their children should arrange for another responsible adult to pick up their children. In case of emergency, a parent should contact the Academy office as soon as possible. PARENT OBSERVATION DAYS Parents of students in Pre-ballet and Pre-primary classes are welcome to observe their child’s classes. However, instructors may close these classes if the presence of par-ents becomes distracting to the students. Academy classes above the level of Pre-primary are closed to visitors. Parents are welcome to wait in the lounge or hallway while their children are in class and to observe through the windows in the studio or classroom doors, although quiet must be maintained.

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Parents of students in all levels are invited to observe demonstration classes during the last week of fall and spring semesters. Families with extenuating circumstances, such as visiting grandparents, may request to observe at another time. The class instructor has the final decision with respect to whether to grant the request. Observation Dates for 2010-2011: Fall Semester: The week of December 13-18. Spring Semester: The week of May 9-14. STUDIO PROTOCOL Students are expected to:

1. approach all classes with energy, enthusiasm, and the desire to learn. 2. maintain an open and responsive attitude and apply all corrections given in class

and rehearsals. 3. adopt a respectful attitude toward his or her peers, instructor, and Academy staff. 4. respect the judgment of the instructor regarding his or her progress in the curricu-

lum, readiness for advancement, pointe work, or performance. Students may not enter class late or leave class early without permission from the in-structor. Injuries are caused by insufficient warm-up and interruptions are distracting to the other students in class. If a student is more than ten minutes late, the teacher must give permission for the student to participate in class. Food, drinks and chewing gum are prohibited in the studio. Students may bring water bottles into the studios, but spills must be cleaned immediately. This rule is strictly en-forced for the safety of the dancers and the protection of the floors. The Academy dance program currently shares space with the Disability Services pro-gram in the Ponderosa Building. Parents and students should respect the need for those working in the building to enjoy a quiet, well-ordered environment. Running, shouting, and horseplay are not acceptable. Parents are responsible for supervising their young children and ensuring that they appropriately control their behavior. Parents will be asked to remove disruptive children. Older students should be aware that they represent the Academy and are expected to maintain a mature, professional demeanor while in the waiting area or studio. Noise must be kept to a minimum, so that Academy classes and rehearsals are not disrupted. Unacceptable behaviors include, but are not limited to:

• Violation of any law, Academy rule or policy • Drug or alcohol use • Behavior that places other students, staff, visitors, and/or self in danger • Verbal, written or physical harassment • Swearing, cursing or yelling

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• Smoking • Disrespectful interaction with instructors or other students

The Academy reserves the right to dismiss students from class for inappropriate beha-vior either in class or in the waiting area. Repeated instances of inappropriate behavior may result in expulsion from the Academy. CONCERNS OR QUESTIONS The Academy is committed to keeping lines of communication open with parents. If you have a concern, question, or feedback regarding:

• administrative matters, such as registration and financial information, scheduling, dates of examinations and performances: Please contact the Academy Office

• your child’s development or class or performance experience: Please speak di-rectly with the class instructor (To avoid distracting the instructors during class time, please speak with them briefly before or after your child’s class. You may also contact them by email)

• volunteering: Please contact the Volunteer Coordinator, Kelly Rowe, at krowe@azbar.org

If you feel that your concerns were not adequately addressed after speaking with the designated person, please contact Mr. Needhammer or Mrs. Tackitt. PERFORMANCE OPPORTUNITIES Academy dance students have the opportunity to perform in the Flagstaff Festival of Science, he Nutcracker, and the Spring Performance. The Dance Coordinator assigns parts in all productions, without auditions. Flagstaff Festival of Science This performance is open only to students in RAD Grades 3 and above. It involves one performance, before the keynote speech of the Flagstaff Festival of Science. Students who wish to perform must register for and attend the Science Festival Workshop, which takes place during three weeks of August. Nutcracker This performance is open to students in all ballet classes. It involves 2- 3 performances with the Flagstaff Symphony Orchestra and normally takes place during the first or second weekend of December. Younger children will participate in one of the perfor-mances. Older students may dance in all performances.

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Spring Performance This performance is open to all dance students, including those who are enrolled only in jazz and tap classes. The Spring Performance is usually held in mid-May, but the schedule may vary depending on when the RAD exams take place. The focus of the Spring Performance is a traditional story ballet. In previous years, the Academy has done excerpts from Swan Lake, Coppelia and Sleeping Beauty. The Spring Perfor-mance also highlights variations by advanced students who have attended the YAGP competition, as well as jazz and tap pieces. The Spring Performance takes place in Clif-ford E. White auditorium at NAU. A performance fee is assessed to cover the theater rental and costumes. Parents of students who wish to perform in the Nutcracker or the Spring Performance MUST:

1. attend one of two mandatory parent meetings scheduled each semester (usually in early October and March);

2. ensure that their child attends his or her regular classes during the two months prior to the performance;

3. ensure that their child is available for the mandatory rehearsal and for blocking and dress rehearsals.

Mandatory rehearsals for the Nutcracker are usually scheduled for the weekend before the Thanksgiving holiday. The mandatory rehearsal for the Spring Performance varies depending on when the RAD examinations are completed. Blocking and dress rehear-sals are held during the week of the performance. Dressing Room Protocol To maintain the safety and privacy of our young dancers, the children’s dressing rooms are closed to adults other than those volunteering for a particular rehearsal or perfor-mance. Occasionally, an exception may be made for a young child who is anxious about being left without his or her mother. Parents who believe their child may need such an exception should contact the volunteer coordinator in advance, if possible, or speak with the dressing room coordinator on duty. Students younger than RAD grade 5 must be signed in and out of the dressing room by a parent. Children who arrive without a parent to sign them in will be asked to call their parent. Students in Grade 5 have the privilege of signing themselves in and out of the dressing room. Children are expected to behave with self control in the dressing rooms, hallways, and theater and to remember that they represent the Academy during rehearsals and per-formances. Costumes should be hung up after each wear. At no time should students eat or drink in costumes or sit in costumes, except with the permission of the instructor or dressing room chaperone. Any abuse of costumes will result in a dry-cleaning fee of $30.00.

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Performance Attire Handouts regarding makeup and hair will be distributed before performances and must be adhered to. Parents are responsible for ensuring that their child arrives at the dress-ing room with hair and make-up prepared as directed, and wearing tights, ballet shoes, etc., as instructed. Hair workshops will also be held on certain Saturdays during the months of October and November. Parents who need help learning to put their child’s hair in a bun should plan to attend one of these workshops, as should parents of children in RAD Grade 2, who will have a different hairstyle for the Nutcracker Ballet. Please sign up at the mandatory parent meeting in October. PARENT VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES The Academy relies on parent volunteers for many aspects of its performances. Be-cause the dance teachers are very busy choreographing, teaching, rehearsing, fitting costumes, etc., they are not able to perform all the other tasks that are necessary to the production. Without a professional support staff, a performance involving 120 children, ages 4-18 can only happen if parents lend their support. Therefore, we use parent vo-lunteers to staff the dressing rooms, prepare programs, alter and steam costumes, ush-er, and fundraise. Specific information relating to the volunteer jobs will be available online during the week prior to the mandatory fall and spring parent meetings. Parents will have the op-portunity at the meeting to sign up to volunteer. We are aware that in some cases parents are unable to lend their time to a production. The Academy wishes to recognize this reality, as well as to reward the efforts of those parents who are able to give their time. Therefore, the Academy has the following poli-cy with respect to tickets. Parents who sign up within two weeks after the mandatory parent meeting to volunteer for a production will receive:

• for the Nutcracker Ballet: a voucher for two half-price tickets • for the Spring Performance: a voucher for two free tickets

Those parents who cannot volunteer for a particular production may purchase tickets. In the event that all volunteer positions are not filled within two weeks after the manda-tory parent meeting, additional vouchers may be available for parents who choose to sign up for a second volunteer position. Vouchers will not be provided to parents of dancers who have not paid tuition fees in full. Vouchers may be redeemed at the NAU central ticket office, and should be used to obtain tickets for a performance other than the one at which the parent is volunteering.

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Parents on Pointe is a 501(c)(3) non-profit parents organization formed to support the Academy programs through fundraising. Parents who have questions about how to vo-lunteer time or make a contribution to Parents on Pointe should contact Kelly Rowe, Vo-lunteer Coordinator. COMPETITION OPPORTUNITIES Advanced students may also have the opportunity to prepare solo and ensemble varia-tions for the Youth America Grand Prix competition and the Genée International Ballet Competition. Youth America Grand Prix Competition Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP) is the world’s largest student ballet scholarship com-petition that awards over $250,000 annually in scholarships to leading dance schools worldwide. The competition is held annually around the world and is open to dance stu-dents of all nationalities 9-19 years old. Performing at the YAGP is a challenging and rewarding experience. Preparation re-quires additional hours outside normal class time to learn and rehearse the variations to be performed. The Dance Coordinator will make the final decision regarding whether a particular student is ready to participate in the YAGP in any given year. Students who wish to attend the YAGP must, at a minimum, have successfully com-pleted the RAD examination for Grade 6 and must be taking a minimum of four classes during the fall semester prior to the competition. The cost of coaching, registration, and travel to San Diego to participate in the YAGP may be substantial. These expenses are the sole responsibility of the student or his or her parent or guardian. In addition, the travel expenses of the Dance Coordinator will be shared equally by all families attending the competition. Advanced students who wish to participate in the competition should contact the Acad-emy Office as early in the fall semester as possible to obtain information regarding the competition. They may also learn more about the competition at the YAGP website: http://www.yagp.org/eng/index.php Genée Competition The Genée International Ballet Competition is a classical ballet competition that was first held in London, England in 1931 and which has since been held in major cities around the word. The competition is promoted by the Royal Academy of Dance and is named in memory of Dame Adeline Genée, one of the founders of the Academy. The competition is open to candidates who have studied the Academy's syllabus, having

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completed the Advanced 2 examination with Distinction, or having been awarded the Solo Seal. In the past, The Dance Coordinator has coached Academy students and traveled with them to competitions in London and Toronto. Advanced students who achieve a dis-tinction on their Advanced 2 examination may contact the Dance Coordinator about par-ticipating in the competition. They may also learn more about the competition at its fa-cebook page: http://www.facebook.com/GeneeInternationalBalletCompetition LOST AND FOUND Students are expected to maintain control of all personal items in the waiting room and studio. An informal lost and found is maintained in the waiting room near the studio. However, Northern Arizona University and/or the Academy will not be responsible for lost, stolen, or damaged personal property. MEDIA POLICY All media inquiries and requests for interviews and information must be referred to the Program Coordinator. No dancer, student, parent, teacher, employee, staff member, or other person affiliated with the Academy should talk with a member of the media about the Academy or any individual associated with either organization, on or off the record, without prior authorization from the Program Coordinator. All photographs taken of Academy students in classes or photo sessions are the sole property of the Academy. Occasionally, students are interviewed by journalists and media crews to promote activi-ties of the Academy. By registering their child for Academy classes, a parent or legal guardian gives consent for the student to participate in radio, television, audio, and vid-eo recordings, and to be photographed without compensation, for use in the Community Music and Dance Academy website, publications, and other promotional materials. Mi-nors will not be identified on the website. PARKING The parking lot outside of the Ponderosa building where the dance studio is located is an NAU parking lot, which requires a parking pass. NAU Parking Services has created a Non-Affiliate parking pass this year. This is a pass you may purchase through their office for $1.50 per day—so, for example, a parent who takes their child to dance twice a week would pay $3/week multiplied by the number of weeks in the semester. The pur-chaser may not be an NAU student or employee to qualify for this pass. Please contact parking services directly with any questions at (928) 523-6623.

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DANCE HANDBOOK ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Please complete your child’s registration by returning this form to the Academy Office. The form must be on file for your child to be eligible to participate in Academy classes and performances. The form must be

signed by the parent or guardian and by all students twelve years and older. By signing this document, I acknowledge that I have received and read the NAU Com-munity Music and Dance Academy 2010-2011 Dance Handbook and agree to abide by the policies and procedures outlined herein. I recognize that I (or my child) may be sub-ject to disciplinary action or expulsion from the Academy for violation of the Handbook terms and policies. Name of Parent or Guardian (Print) Signature of Parent/Guardian of Registrant Date Student Name (Print) Signature of Student Date

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