djazzexthedanceschool

Dear Mums, Dads and Students,
This term will conclude on Saturday the 3rd October. Term 4 commences 19th October and finishes on the 13th December. Remember our bi-annual concert will be on Sunday 15th November and students will be required to be available. We will also be holding a photo day and dress rehearsal on the 8th November. We have been including this date in our information for some time so this should come as no surprise.
As there is so much going on during the coming term IT IS IMPORTANT YOU READ this newsletter to make sure you are all aware of dates etc. As you are aware, concert preparations are now completely under way. Please ensure that you have paid your concert commitment fee. This will enable us to cover the costs involved in organizing such a huge event and is not a deposit on the costumes. If you or your child will be unable to attend please notify us in writing immediately! If we haven't already heard from you, we are assuming that you or your child will be participating and any costs incurred organizing costumes will be payable regardless. Further, unless you have already warned us, dropping out at this late stage causes huge confusion for all the class members and so we are relying on you to fulfill your commitments. Notes regarding what needs to be worn will go out to individual classes at the beginning of next term. Any assistance with sewing and other concert requirements would be greatly appreciated and will be organizing a helpers list to be displayed at the halls. Please write your name and contact number next to any jobs you can assist us with.
OPEN WEEK will be held next week starting the 28th September. So BRING YOUR CAMERA and fans are welcome to watch, just please do remember to try to keep the noise levels down! I suggest that siblings who can not sit quietly are encouraged to play outside. I trust everyone has been really happy with classes - please remember that your feedback is important to me, and if you have any comments about how we can improve our service to you in any way, I'd love to hear it! Many of the changes at the school over the years have been implemented as a direct result of feedback given by parents and students.

BALLET ASSESSMENTS
I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate all the students who participated in their ballet assessments. They all worked very hard and have shown huge improvements. Well done! I would particularly like to congratulate the 4 students who achieved their Major 2 (Certificate IV in Dance Performance Studies). This is a government recognized qualification and is the culmination of many years of studying ballet. Their great results and hard work in preparation deserve is a credit to them. I would also like to thank those parents who were so very helpful with clearing the hall, helping with morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea, and helping with packing up. I could not continue my work without the support of our fabulous parents. As I am required to lead the students in their assessments everyone’s help was truly invaluable.

SUNDAY 25th October, 2008
Brookvale Studio, Run Through
As the plan is to run a show with a storey line this year, we will be holding a run through in the order of the performance, including acting parts and sorting general staging requirements on this day. I will confirm during the week prior the exact times, as we are still confirming the running order at the time of going to print. It would be greatly appreciate if everyone could make the effort to attend on this day. No make up or costumes are required at this stage.
ALL DAY - 8th November,
DRESS REHERSAL & PHOTO DAY
Beacon Hill Community Center, Wallandra Road, Beacon Hill
This will be our final opportunity to check that the costumes are sorted, and give the students an opportunity to dance in another venue to which they are accustomed. The larger venue will also provide us with adequate space to change and provide an opportunity for each group to have their photos taken by Limelight Photography who also photographed for us last year. It is not compulsory to purchase the photographs but we would appreciate everyone’s participation so that we may have a keepsake of our gorgeous students. I sometimes use the photographs for advertising purposes, as was noted in the disclaimer you sign with enrolment. Please note that this is not a performance for spectators, but a practice run. Please do not photograph or video so as not to infringe copyright laws. Please be aware that the teachers will need free access to the music system so co-operation in not hanging around to watch would be appreciated. A more detailed timetable will be posted closer to the date as everyone will not be required for the whole time.
15th NOVEMBER, 2008
CONCERT
GREEENHALGH THEATRE,
UTS, Kuring gai campus
Eton Road, Lindfield
One of the differences between our “CONCERT” year and our “DEMONSTRATION” year is the extra effort we go to enable our students to experience as much as possible how a professional show is run. This means that we book a professional lighting technician at considerable expense. To enable the lighting technician to plot the show, we will need to have a “Tech run” in the morning. This means each group will have 5 - 10 minutes on stage in costume but not make-up. This also enables the students to get a feel for the size of the stage. It is important everyone make an effort to attend. Again, this is not a performance and the auditorium will remain closed except for performers. A detailed timetable will be posted closer to the day. The afternoon session will commence at approximately 2.00 and will run for about 3 hours.
GENERAL
Tickets will go on sale from the beginning of the term 4. Seats will not be numbered.
$15 - Adults, $7.50 - Concession (student/pensioner/child), Babes in arms - free
Our students do not need to pay for a seat unless they will be seated in the auditorium. There is a holding area that we will make available for them where they can watch the show. They will not be allowed in costume into the auditorium at any point in time. This is to try to keep as professional as we can. Your co-operation with assisting in enforcing this would be appreciated. You don’t go to the ballet and have a ballerina come and sit next to you in her tutu!
I will be sourcing a new DVD crew this year and am negotiations with Encore Productions and I have booked Limelight Photography who are experienced dance school photographers. It is an infringement of copyright laws to video the event so please respect our wishes and refrain from using your videos and cameras.
HELPERS NEEDED NOW!
I will be making a list of helpers needed for our demonstration and leaving it displayed at the halls. If you can help in any way please write your name next to whatever you feel you can help with. It would be greatly appreciated. There are so many things that always need to be done and your assistance means that I can keep costs down for you.
AS TEACHERS ARE NOW FINALIZING DANCES IT
IS IMPORTANT EVERYONE MAKE THE EFFORT TO ATTEND EVERY
WEEK, EVEN IF SICK - EVEN IF ONLY TO WATCH THE CLASS!
THANK YOU TO OUR FUNDRAISING HELPERS
Chocolate money needs to be returned by the end of this term. All your efforts are greatly appreciated and will enable us to keep ticket prices the same as last year despite a large increase in price this year. A reminder that we will be announcing the winner of the most chocolates sold at the beginning of next term, the prize being free family entry to concert. We can not accept any unsold chocolates now as the deadline for that was last week.

LAST TERM IN REVIEW
Term 3 was an amazing term. Students completed in-house assessments and our ballet students shone in their ballet exams. I attended a workshop given by Julian Littleford, who taught Baryshnikov and Nureyev and is contracted to teach Pilates to Cirque do Soleil. I came back very inspired with new exercises for our students, and information for our teachers.
We are blessed with some wonderful teachers who are very dedicated and have been going out of their way to make our school special. Michelle has helped with the design of a new website, which includes a calendar, so if you forget an important date you can go on line and check it out. I can also update it easily to our timetable and fee structure will remain up to date on there as well.
Justine has been doing a fantastic job with the Eisteddfod Groups. We had our final eisteddfod for the Senior Group and they won a place!! It was a fantastic way to finish up the group. Our Junior group has had a great year and have placed in several eisteddfods. Congratulations and thanks to Justine for all her efforts and hard work.
All the teachers have been putting lots of extra hours trying to get costumes sorted and ensuring that the prices remain reasonable for our students, and this is where assistance with sewing and sourcing costumes really helps.
I have been talking with ADAP about the Certificate II as a HSC subject and although we have not really promoted it, it is an option that some students might like to consider. If they have already passed this level with their ballet, they can do Jazz which will be offering next year, as an assessment subject through ADAP. They can also do the Certificates in years 9 & 10 as extension subjects and provided we go through the correct bureaucratic processes, it will count towards their HSC units. Contact me if you are interested, and urgently if you think you would like to do the course next year as part of your HSC.
MORE IMPORTANT DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
PARTY DAY SATURDAY
12TH DECEMBER, 2009
This day will conclude our activities for the year and will be run as a party for the different age groups at the Brookvale Studio 11c/106 Old Pittwater Road, Brookvale:

1.00 - 2.30 3 - 7year olds
2.30 - 4.00 7 - 12 year olds
4.00 - 6.00 teens and adults
PLEASE CHECK LOST PROPERTY AS WE HAVE A GROWING PILE OF THINGS THAT HAVE LOST THEIR OWNERS!
Finally, thanks to everyone who paid they're fees so promptly this last term. It made
my job much easier. Please remember to pay the $10 concert commitment if you haven’t done so already and return chocolate money before the term end. Please note that no invoice is issued for term fees. A reminder, to assist in the easy flow of classes, your fees must be placed in an envelope with your name, class, time, and day clearly marked and please specify what the money is for i.e. tickets, costumes, assessments etc.
Fees for next term are due on the first week of term! (Late fees apply as per always).
Just a reminder that fees are now due and you can pay electronically:
BSB: 802351
ACCOUNT NO: 2997869
ACC NAME: Lisa Peresan T/a DJAZZEX
If you do decide that you want to pay in this way, we really need you to print out your receipt and hand it to your teacher. This will assist us with our paper work and help us to avoid hassling you for your fees when you have already paid. Your co-operation would be greatly appreciated.
Also, if you would like to receive emails from me but are still not receiving them, please email me at DJAZZEX@bigpond.com and I will add your contact to our data base. I have many emails that bounce back and I can only assume I have incorrectly entered the data.
Have a great break and looking forward to wonderful and exciting Term 4!!