December 2019 Newsletter
Ballet Chesapeake Nutcracker
Guest Performers Announced!

The Ballet Chesapeake Nutcracker will be an exciting performance featuring guest artists Nardia Boodoo from the Washington Ballet as the Sugar Plum Fairy and Da'Von Doane from Dance Theatre of Harlem as her Cavalier. Come see these amazing guest dancers along with a cast of exceptional students and children from DCM and our dance community!
Performances:
Nutcracker performances will be held in Stephens Hall Theater at Towson University on:
Saturday, December 14th at 1pm
Saturday, December 14th at 6pm
Sunday, December 15th at 1pm

Tickets:
Tickets are on sale now! Tickets can be purchased online or stop by to see us and purchase in person.

Prices range from $22-$28 in advance, and will be $30 at the door. Tickets for the performance on 12/15 are SOLD OUT and our Saturday performances are nearly sold out. Get your tickets soon!

Rehearsals:
Nutcracker performers, please check the online rehearsal schedule for all rehearsal times, and contact the DCM office if you have any questions.  All production week rehearsals are mandatory.

Info for Performers:
All parents of performers should have received an email with performance information including what dancers will need and drop-off/pickup procedures. Please click on the link to view this email, and contact the office if you have any questions.

DVD Orders:
DVD's and digital downloads of the Nutcracker performance will be available for purchase. Order forms are located at the DCM front desk or you can fill out the attached order form and return to us.
Vote for DCM!
DCM was nominated as one
of the county locations for
'Best Dance Lessons'!

We are so grateful to have you all as part of our dance family and appreciate your support always! Please take a few minutes to show your love for DCM by VOTING for us!

Click below, and under the 'Recreation' tab, vote for DCM!

You can cast your ballot daily and once per device so please share with family and friends!

VOTING ENDS DECEMBER 13 AT 5PM!

Thank you for your support!
Winter Session
Class Time Changes
Broadway Jazz

Broadway Jazz will now take place from 7:30-8:30pm on Tuesdays to accommodate our dancers who are in the Ballet 2 Intensive performance class.

Beginner Modern

The length of our Beginner Modern class has changed from 1 hour to 45 minutes. Class will now take place from 6:45-7:30pm on Fridays.

Please let us know if you have any questions or concerns with the class time changes!
Adult Classes
ZUMBA
Mondays and Thursdays 5-6pm

ADULT BALLET
Mondays 7:30-8:45pm
Wednesdays 10:15-11:30am

ADULT TAP
Fridays 5:30-6:15pm
NEW Winter Session Drop-in Rates
Zumba - $10
Single 45 minute class - $15
Single 60 minute class - $18
Single 75 minute class - $22
Single 90 minute class - $25
Single 120 minute class - $32
Nutcracker Outreach Performances
Bel Air Armory Performance

Ballet Chesapeake will be presenting a performance at the Bel Air Armory geared towards pre-school to first grade children. This performance will feature an abridged version of the Nutcracker with narration by Ms. Diane!

Friday, December 6th (3 performances)

ALL PERFORMANCES ARE SOLD OUT!
Swan Lake Auditions!
Swan Lake auditions will be held Sunday, January 5 from 12:30-2:30pm at DCM.

Boys and Girls ages 6 and up are invited to audition for Ballet Chesapeake's Swan Lake.

Please arrive 30 minutes early for registration and come prepared to dance.

Dancers must currently be enrolled in a ballet class at any local Maryland dance school. Dancers should wear a black leotard and pink tights with hair in a ballet bun.

A parent meeting for those dancers auditioning will be held following the audition.

Performances are scheduled for April 4 and 5, 2020 at Towson University.

Please contact Ballet Chesapeake for more information - 410-877-0777, info@balletchesapeake.org
DCM Photo Shoot
Please join us for our first studio photo shoot in the new building! Dancers in all classes are welcome to attend. We will be doing a large group photo and then staged class photos in different studios with different dance disciplines.

Sign up below so that we can plan for you to attend! 
Dancers should wear their class dress code for all photos:  (read carefully here)  Please have hair performance ready (ladies: bun for ballet, modern, and jazz/pony tail for hip hop or tap) with gel or hair spray. Dancers ages 10 and up may wear light street makeup. If dancers are not in dress code, they will not be able to participate in photos.
June Concert

All DCM classes are invited to perform in the June Concert, which will be held at Bel Air High School on June 6th at 6pm.

The performance will no longer be a joint production with Ballet Chesapeake. Each class will be performing their own piece, similar to the old mixed bill rather than a story ballet.

All dancers must register to participate in the performance by filling out the attached costume and commitment form and submitting to the DCM office no later than January 15th.
NHSDA
NHSDA Audition Photo Shoot
DCM Recommends that all dancers study over the summer. We will be sending out information about DCM summer programs and programs that we recommend nation-wide in December, and many of these programs require the submission of dance photos.

NHSDA will be holding an audition pictures photo shoot as a fundraiser in December. Faculty will be present to pose dancers and all proceeds from the shoot go to help the NHSDA Club hold their annual concert and attend a field trip. Please see the dates and times and sign-up using the following link:
NHSDA Club

Attention Middle & High
School Dancers!!!

Attention DCM dancers who are in middle school and high school! You are cordially invited to join the DCM Chapter of the National Honor Society for Dance Arts. If you are interested, please contact Ms. Barclay and attend our next meeting on Saturday, December 21st from 3:30pm - 4:00pm.
Winter Drop-in Classes
Adult students and dancers in Ballet levels 4-7 are invited to participate in ballet technique drop-in classes over the winter break when DCM regular classes aren't in session.

All classes are $25 per class with payment of cash, check (made out to DCM), or indicate to charge a credit card on file due before class. Please see the dates and times listed in the link below to sign up for classes.
DCM Holiday Closings
Please check the DCM School Year Calendar for information about closings and vacations as we get close to Thanksgiving, Nutcracker, and Winter Break.

November
11/23 - Last Day of Fall Session 
11/25-12/1 - CLOSED for Thanksgiving
11/25, 11/26 & 11/30 - Nutcracker participants will have rehearsals

December
12/2 - Winter Session begins (No performance classes until January)
12/8-12/15 - DCM CLOSED for Nutcracker Production Week
(Nutcracker performers check the rehearsal schedule for details.)
12/16-12/22 - DCM Open for regular classes
12/23-1/5 - DCM CLOSED for Winter Break

January
1/5 - Swan Lake Children's Cast Auditions
1/6 - Classes resume following Winter Break, and all ballet performance classes begin for ballet 1-7.


SAVE THE DATE for Visitor's Week at DCM!
February 24th-29th
Parents and friends are invited into the studio to observe DCM classes! This offers an opportunity for guests to see what dancers have been working on in class, and to track a student's progress from year to year. Parents and friends can take photos and watch DCM instructors interact with the class.

A Visitor's Week schedule will be sent out in advance so you know when classes are open for observation.

We look forward to having you join us!
Pre-Professional Ballet Conferences
Dancers in the DCM pre-professional program  (Ballet levels 4-7)  are invited to sign up for mid-year conferences. This is a chance to have a dialogue with the DCM faculty and director about what dancers are working on in class, and what your goals are for the future. We will be offering 30 minute conference sessions April 6th through April 9th.   

Dancers should come to their conference with written responses to the three conference questions for this year. To view more information and to sign up, please click on the link below.