Thank you to everyone for FINISHING STRONG with us in our 9th Season! The character your children exhibited as they finished what they began, showed up when it was hard, and put a smile on their face even on days where they did not feel like it, is to be COMMENDED. Our Virtual Recital was certainly unusual, unique, and one for the history books. Seeing the smiling faces of your children in the camera after every dance they performed was worth all the long hours, retraining, and pivoting to create lemonade out of lemons. At Bella Via we say “We don’t teach kids to make great dancers, we teach dance to make great KIDS!” And I have to say, you guys have some great kids. 🙂

 

RETURNING TO THE STUDIO

We are looking towards the future with enthusiasm and wisdom! We will follow best practices and recommendations from our local health department and from our industry association, More Than Just Great Dancing!® and Youth Protection Advocates in Dance. Bella Via Dance Studio will return to face-to-face service at the studio on July 6th with our Safer Studio Summer Plans in place (please see below)… we know how much these dancers need to move and connect, and we can’t wait to get back in the studio with them! Check out all the opportunities available to our dancers this summer:

 

SUMMER CLASSES REIMAGINED!!! (JULY 6TH – 31ST) 

*now open for registration*

We have made some unique changes to our Summer Mini-Session. All classes will be “a la carte” this summer, meaning there will be no prerequisites. You will NOT need to be enrolled in ballet to take jazz and tap, or contemporary, etc. (Pointe shoes will still require a teacher recommendation for safety reasons) So sign up for any class that your little dancer’s heart desires! 

Our class sizes this summer are all SEMI-PRIVATE SMALL GROUP classes, so space is EXTREMELY limited. Once a class is at capacity, we will not go beyond the maximum number of students. The beauty of these small class sizes is the individualized attention each dancer will receive from their teacher this summer! (If classes reach capacity with waitlists, we may add additional classes into the schedule)

For the continued safety of our staff, and the convenience of our families, Bella Via will be moving to a completely online payment system. (the front desk will remain closed this summer) Payments are all done online through our software provider, and will be automatically charged to the card on file on the first day of each payment period. After registering you may make an online payment to secure your child’s spot in class. If you prefer to pay by check, payment must be received before the first day of the payment period. (the 3% convenience fee no longer applies)

For those thinking of auditioning for Troupe, Hip Hop Company, or Bella Company we encourage you to get back in the studio training during the month of July!

 

SUMMER DANCE CAMPS REIMAGINED

*now open for registration*

We are now thrilled to announce our Summer Camps Reimagined for 2020! Keeping our students health and safety as our number one priority, we are moving forward with extremely small camp sizes, adjusted camp layouts (every camper will now receive their very own craft bag at the beginning of camp, complete with everything they need), as well as adjusted times and fee structures.

Every camp has 2 time slots: 9-10AM, or 10:30-11:30am.

 

VIA PERFORMANCE TROUPE TEAM

*now open for registration*

Dancers will NOT need to audition to join our Performance Troupe Team this year. To join our Troupe team, dancers will simply need to register for Troupe online, and sign up for a ballet, jazz and tap class this summer (as well as for the fall session). Rehearsals throughout the season are complementary when taking all the required classes! We will not hold in-person rehearsals during the summer session due to class size limitations, BUT we are very excited to let you know that once you register you will gain access in July to pre-recorded choreography that can be practiced and learned at your dancer’s own pace throughout the summer. Before these dances are performed, each group will have rehearsals to practice with the Troupe Director. A Troupe commitment/team fee of $125 is due at the time of registration, and every team member will receive a Troupe Team Shirt to wear at their first performance together and throughout the season! (We will reach out to you for your dancer’s shirt size after registering) 

Other Troupe policies remain in effect: a dancer must be enrolled in ballet, jazz and tap beginning in the summer session in order for rehearsals to be complimentary. If a dancer would like to join Troupe beginning in the fall, Troupe commitment/team fees still apply and rehearsals will not be complimentary (regular tuition rates will apply).

 

PRIVATE LESSONS

If you have a child with a compromised immune system, or are concerned about a family member and would prefer to set up private lessons during the summer session please email the studio at [email protected] with the subject line “Summer Private Lesson.” 

 

STUDIO CARE AND AWARENESS

While we are beyond excited to begin seeing you again, we are proceeding with the utmost care and reasonable caution in order to protect our staff and students and everyone’s families. Although we cannot predict every possible unique circumstance, we believe the measures outlined below in our Safer Studio Summer Plan provide our staff and students with the best balance of safety, wellness, and ability to participate in the performing arts which is good for the mind, body, and spirit right now!

To prioritize everyone’s health and well-being as we return, we have a few important procedures in place, which are listed below. We all must remember that the protective measures we establish are, for a variety of reasons, unlikely to be practiced perfectly by children, especially in an active environment. It is of extreme importance then that ALL adults—staff and parents alike—must be willing to adopt our protocols, monitor their health and their family’s health, and seek COVID-19 testing and isolation promptly if they suspect infection.

 

SAFER STUDIO SUMMER PLAN

  • All classes will be reduced to Semi-Private Small Group lessons for the summer session. Class sizes have been modified to reflect a 6-foot social distancing pattern and floors will have markers to help students maintain boundaries as much as possible.
  • The lobby and all common areas will remain closed. A teacher or staff member will greet students at the front door and escort them to class, and will bring them back to the front door for pickup at the end of class. (we ask that all parents arrive a minimum of 5 minutes before the class ends to pick up your dancer; we will not be able to accommodate late pickups during this short session)
  • All classes have staggered start/end times, so only one class at a time will be entering or exiting the studio.
  • Everyone will be required to sanitize as they enter the building, enter the studio, exit the studio, and exit the building. Sanitizing stations will be located at all entrances and exits for everyone’s convenience.
  • Staff will constantly be cleaning and sanitizing all areas, including studios between classes.
  • No food will be allowed. We ask that all students bring a clearly labeled water bottle, as the drinking fountain will be closed.
  • Dancers will bring all dance bags into the studio for changing shoes. Dressing rooms will be closed. Bathrooms will be available for toileting only, but not for changing clothes. We do recommend/encourage dancers to use the restroom at home before coming to class.
  • The use of all handheld props will be discontinued. Barres will not be used for this session.
  • Before arriving at the studio, parents are required to screen their children for symptoms related to COVID-19 and other contagious illnesses, and children are not permitted to attend if any symptoms are present.

 

We know how much these kiddos have been itching to get back to dancing in the studio, and we can’t wait to celebrate safely and joyfully with them this summer! We are so excited to cautiously and responsibly welcome back our dancers, and we look forward to a July full of movement, smiles, and emotional connection. If you have any questions about our Safer Studio Summer Plan please feel free to email us at [email protected]. Together we will walk a straight and steady line and continue to keep kids happy, healthy and safe in dance.