Monthly Archives: July 2020

Hello Everyone!

I met with the fire department Thursday and our COVID capacity is  15 in studio, though for the time being we are limiting it to 5 for 2-3 year olds and 7 for 4-7 year olds with the older kids having one class that tops out at 9.  This means that we are going to be looking at a bit of a different time schedule in some places.  At this point I hope you have read and reviewed the current policies for coming back in August.  If not they can be found here:  http://www.shootingstardancenj.com/how-we-reopen/ .  Please review that masks will be required for participation in dance class unless there is a medical reason.  That is the governor’s executive order and I mus follow it or risk being shut down not only temporarily but permanently.

Policies for recital this year can be found here: http://www.shootingstardancenj.com/recital-2020/ .  I may need to amend again as things change.

Now I need you to give me your vote so to speak.  We are offering 3 options – not coming back for August, virtual for august (with or without recital) and in person (again with or without recital).  Please only fill out the form of your choice.  If you opt not to participate in recital  after you have paid towards it you will  receive a $50 credit that can be used anytime in the next 2 years.

I understand masks may be a sticking point, you may not be ready to come back to the studio, or whatever your reason – they are all ok.  What is best for your family comes first when making this decision.  Our doors will always be open to you.

Please fill out the form that matches your decision:

We are not coming back : https://forms.gle/YM7Y9ndEisox6cgX7

We want virtual: https://forms.gle/jiKR9nMQqTirump88 (NOTE – virtual will be streamed alongside a live class, teacher interaction will be minimal, though I will do my best to monitor that while Miss Nicole is teaching.  Schedule will be released once we see who wants virtual and do our best to accommodate everyone.  Virtual can still participate in recital)

In person class: https://forms.gle/wjX3mYGJwuYY7SSd6

Again no right or wrong answers – but I do need everyone to fill out a form by Tuesday July 28th so I can make schedule changes and a virtual schedule before we open on 8/1.

Just one more thing – several people have asked about outdoor classes.  While we have a small patch of land behind the studio it is sloped down to the river and overgrown and wholly unsuitable for class.  Using a local park requires many permits (they only cover 3 hours per day, so imagine just a weeks worth), bathroom concerns, electricity use, even ground to dance on, and a way to section an area off not just to keep the kids in one spot but to keep the public out and insurance coverage.  As a legitimate business (instead of an independent who is doing the occasional class) it is pretty much too many hurdles to leap to take it off property.  As much as I would like to do it, it just isn’t possible at this time.

Thank you,
Katie

We are so excited to be able to tie up our season with an outdoor recital.

Here is how it will look:

Date: Saturday, August 29th. Rain Date – Sunday August 30. If signing up for recital please be available for both as this will be calibrated based on audience numbers.

Time: TBA once audience numbers are in

Location: Oakeside Mansion – 240 Belleville Ave, Bloomfield. The show will take place behind the mansion. When standing on Belleville Avenue and looking at the front, there is a gravel driveway to your right, you will follow that back and you will find the show.

Parking: There is parking by Memorial Park (follow the signs, left at light just past the mansion). You could also choose to park on side streets Williamson, Spruce or any others and it’s just a short walk up.

Audience: We are asking to limit the audience to parents and siblings with a maximum of 4 per family (Performers not included). We only have so much space to work with and will social distance chairs by family. We are looking to keep it to 10 families or so per show. You will be able to enter the performance area 5 minutes before your show time. If you arrive early please enjoy the community gardens while you wait.

Masks: Though we will social distance, we do still recommend a mask, but under executive orders it is not currently required. Performers if wearing a mask should take it off to perform as they will be socially distanced there too. Please know that as executive orders change this may need to change too.

Cleaning: All chairs will be wiped down between shows.

Performers Performers should come dressed in their first costume, stage ready with hair and makeup only needing to put shoes on. Please no jewelry. For 2 in one classes you will receive a bucket at your last class. Please have it packed with their change of bottoms. The bucket will come back to us after.

As soon as performers have their shoes on, staff will line them up.

Changing and bathrooms: There is a bathroom and changing areas directly off of the small yard we are in. Please make sure all costumes and shoes are labeled with your initials.

Viewing for those that are not in the audience: We are working on where we will live stream/or post the show (probably to facebook, though we have music rights issues sometimes. We are also working on finding a videographer to put together a digital download. Send you recommendations my way!

Recital shirt: makes a great cover up for costumes, but we will not be having a large finale so it is not necessary for the show. All performers will take a bow at the end of their last number.

Vendors: Oakeside hosts food trucks every day in the parking lot right next to the mansion so please feel free afterward to get some concessions. Please do not eat in costume before you perform at all and without a cover up.

Length of show: TBD – will depend on where the family numbers fall. We are estimating not more than 20 minutes (the older students show may be slightly longer).

Quick Links (But please read all policies):

Costume pick up: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/9040f45a4a62aa0f94-costume

Picture Sign Up: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/9040F45A4A62AA0F94-picture1

We have rebooked DancePix for Sunday July 26th.

Here is how this will work:

Everyone will be masked. Students can take the mask off for pictures.

Hand sanitizer will be readily available for all and used.

We had Germbusters come in last week and will do a thorough cleaning the day before pictures as well.

DancePix will be sanitizing all pens and any other common use items. We will not be using props for pictures.

DancePix also has a waiver that will need to be signed that you acknowledge that they are taking every step possible to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Only one parent/guardian please in the building.

When you arrive you will call 973-743-5030. Miss Nicole will take your name and phone number. We will be allowing one family into the studio area and one in the waiting room. We will call the next in from your car when the person ahead of you has moved into the studio.

Please come dressed with hair and make up done. All that you will need to do is take care of package selection and payment with Marisa when you get there. Miss Nicole will look over the costume and take care of any issues in the waiting room.

If taking multiple pictures (whether costumes or siblings) please sign up for back to back time slots when you can. You still need one slot per picture. For the sake of everything running smoothing please keep hair and make up the same between pictures.

Ready to sign up? Please do so here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/9040F45A4A62AA0F94-picture1

Thank you as always for your cooperation.

Please read all the way to the end. Important thoughts and a survey link.

A lifetime ago I thought we were going to closed for 2 weeks and thought it may be a few crazy weeks life would continue by the end of Easter break at the latest. As we all know, that was an extremely optimistic view and not in the least realistic.

So here we are – almost 17 weeks later and still not there yet. When I say I make a new plan weekly it’s not a jest. The staff and I have planned, re planned and changed it some more. And most likely will need to do so again.

Throughout this process I have been blessed with the fact that so many of you have been keeping the lines of communication open. Talking to you and hearing how it has or hasn’t affected you has helped shaped our decisions thus far. But as we reach a crossroads here I don’t want to assume – I need you to weigh in. From there we can decide how we proceed.

There are 7 questions to this survey and only 6 need to be answered (one question depends on one of the answers)- it should take just a few minutes to fill out this survey. At this point the questions are pretty straightforward. I know we all have a lot to say and we can get into comments after we get past this stage and start to get things in place.

Please find the survey here – https://forms.gle/CRkF13UHxosjb4Dt8

The more people that weigh in the better of an informed decision we can make. You are not held to your responses by any means, I’m not even asking for names, but please give us your gut feeling.

In the end you need to do what is best for your family and your family alone. Some will not be ready, some will and that’s OK either way. I have not decided if we will charge for the end of the year lessons (pictures are a separate issue) or what that charge will even be so please base answers on your comfort level around the health climate with money not a factor. No child should not finish out this year/perform due to finances.

We also have in the works our new policy and procedures to comply with any and all health mandates. As this is an ever changing process when we have our plan we will update to the latest info and release it all at once.

I thank you again for your time and consideration. I am doing my best to make decisions that majority is comfortable with and be able to keep the studio roof over our heads so we have it to go back to when we are able.