Spring Update!

So much to catch up on!!!

With our Globe trotters performance and the flu/stomach bug epidemic, I have not been as communicative as I usually like to be!!!  However, the last few weeks, I have been buckling down to get you all the information you need for the remainder of the year!!!  Please read this update with a CALENDAR in your hand, and as always feel free to email me with any questions you may have!!

Wrapping up Nutcracker:
I have received a few questions about Nutcracker DVD's & Photos
- Digital Photos will be provided to you by May 1st if you ordered them!
- Nutcracker DVD's will be delivered, however possibly not until after our May performance.  Shortly after the holidays, our videographer was in a life threatening accident and has pushed the final product date back significantly.  We may not receive Nutcracker DVD's until after our spring show or even into the summer.  However, our videographer always does an excellent job with our shows & I know it will be well worth the wait.  In the meantime, please feel free to send prayers and healing thoughts to our friends at Asta Productions!

Sponsors:
Sponsors are year long sponsors!  So they will recieve a package with all of their items (pictures from both shows, any t-shirts, dvd's they qualified for, etc) after the year end.  We have to wait for photos from our photographer (which takes some time to sort & edit) so Sponsor packages should be ready in July!  An email will be sent to sponsors, but feel free to remind them to send me messages for the spring show as well as an email to reserve their (FREE) tickets to our Spring Show!  missrachelballet@gmail.com

Our Long Awaited Name Change/T-Shirts:
I know you are all SO excited about our name change (as am I!) and I am pleased to announce that the paperwork has been sent, we are just waiting to hear back for our approval!  However, I am worried we will not receive word back in time to create t-shirts that can be delivered before recital.   BUT I have spoken with Miss Lauri and she is working on designing us a beautiful  t-shirt with our current "Ballet with Miss Rachel" name that can arrive before our recital date!  These shirts will feature the 2017-2018 year students as well as our theme for the year, "TAKE FLIGHT".    Instead, our SUMMER t-shirts (which are free with summer enrollment by May 1) will feature our new name!!!  

A reminder that although a few parents have paid for t-shirts in cash or by check, I have NOT charged any accounts for t-shirts since I was not sure when they would be able to be in.   Those who ordered t-shirts will be charged April 16th unless you would prefer a different date (I am happy to accomodate a different date if you need me to!).   T-shirts will arrive before our Spring Recital!

If you have not ordered a t-shirt, but you would like to, please fill out a purple form at the studio!

Speaking of Summer!
Our Summer Sessions will take place form June 4th - July 5th, with a performance on Friday, July 6th!  Imagine DANCE! Camps will be offered the week of July 23rd and July 30th.  

All summer sessions will be posted and current students may begin registering Monday, April 9th!

Dancer Strong Performance
Our Youth Company Members are supporting the Barbara Ostrander Scholarship fund for BWMR dancers & The Ronald McDonald House with their upcoming performance on April 14th!  Join us @ the Ballet with Miss Rachel Studio for a performance & Silent Auction!

April 14th
4:00pm - 1st Performance
5:00pm - Silent Auction & Refreshments!
6:00pm - 2nd Performance
Tickets are $5 each, 2 & under are FREE

Silly Sock Week- April 23- 27
Silly Sock week is returning!! During your dancer's class, wear silly socks to dance in and BRING A FRIEND!  Fliers will be sent home and dancers can bring friends with them to class!  All friends must pre-register to attend!

April 28th - 11am - 7pm
Food Truck Rodeo Appearance!
More info coming soon about this opportunity to bring dance to our community!  (This is an optional event for our dancers.)

AND NOW FOR THE INFORMATION YOU'VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR... :) 

We finally have a recital date & venue!!!!

Please mark your calendars for the following dates!!
May 12 - General Rehearsal & PICTURE DAY
*All dancers will receive an 8x10 of their child in recital wear as well as a 5x7 of them with their ballet class!  Please make EVERY effort to reserve this day, since there will not be a make-up picture day scheduled!

May 18th - DRESS REHEARSAL @ the Ballet with Miss Rachel Studio 4:30pm - 9:00pm

May 19th - PERFORMANCE @ Eastern Montgomery High School 
11am - warm-up for Upper School students
12pm - arrival for all other dancers
1- 3:00pm- 1st show
*Upper School dancers may STAY between shows
4:00pm - warm up for Upper School students
5:15pm - arrival for all other dancers
6:00pm - 2nd show

Tickets, DVDs & Photos can be ordered beginning April 23rd!  
Online Ticket Sales begin May 1st.
$8 - 13 & up
FREE 12 & under!

Parents, please remember that participation in both shows is MANDATORY for all dancers.  When your dancer misses one performance or the other it effects spacing & timing for the rest of the dancers.   The only exceptions are illness & emergency to this policy.   This rarely happens, but when it does, the dancers (especially younger ones) have a lot of difficulty adjusting to the change on stage.  Every dancer is important in every show!  Thank you for helping us keep a positive team environment both backstage and on stage!

A note about our venue:
This venue is a 20-25 minute drive from the Radford area, however the facility is beautiful, backstage accomodations are more than adequate and the faculty is a JOY to work with.  When our other more local options fell through, EMHS came through in 48 hours for me this week.  I know that driving to a farther venue is difficult, but I am thrilled to be working with this high school once again!  Thank you for your patience as we sorted out the details for this show.  

DON'T STOP READING YET!!
Parent Observation Week will be May 21st - 24th.  Come watch classes and see how far your dancers have come this year!  They will also receive an invitation for next year's level!  

Staff Changes
Both Miss Maria & Miss Kristy were offered other jobs (Congratulations ladies!!) and have finished their time at Ballet with Miss Rachel.  We are both sad to see them go and also celebrating with them for the new chapter in their lives!!  Since February, we have had two NEW faces around Ballet with Miss Rachel!  

I'm excited to have Becky Forster as our Administration Assistant!  Becky & I met years ago when we worked at the ROCK Club together.  She is the oldest of ten children and is a very talented seamstress!  (She helped us with our Nutcracker costumes this past year!)

We also want to welcome Miss Hannah!  Miss Hannah is a beautiful ballerina from Radford University who is assisting with Pre-Ballet and Beginning Ballet I classes.  Many of you will meet her at our upcoming performances!

Last, I want to mention a familiar face who has come on as an offical teaching assistant.  We are so proud and thankful to have Emma Brockway returning to help with our younger students!  

Whew!!!!

I think that's finally everything!

Please feel free to email me with any questions!  I'm looking forward to all of the exciting things we have on the horizon @ Ballet with Miss Rachel for the rest of the year!!!

We're just gonna keep on dancing!
​Miss Rachel