Parent Meeting Notes

This will be a long post as it contains all the information discussed at the parent meeting. This info has also been emailed to you as a word document. Please review it carefully even if you attended the meeting as more details have been included. Also look for another email in the next few days with volunteer opportunities and assignments. Thank you, as always for your support.

MEETING NOTES:

The following are notes from the parent meeting as well as some additional information that has surfaced since, so please read this carefully even if you were in attendance Friday. Thank you.

Production staff and support staff:

Angela Curtis is the Artistic Director. She is in charge of what happens on the stage. She, along with her choreography staff, will instruct the dancers and cast roles that best fit the needs of the production.

Paige Miller is the production Manager. It is her job to keep things running smoothly behind the scenes. She coordinates the day-to-day business needs of South Pointe Ballet and will head-up all volunteer committees. It is her job to take the busy-work off of Angela’s plate so she can concentrate on delivering a professional ballet. If you have concerns, questions or need information please contact Paige first!

Stephanie Soper is the Treasurer. It is her job to collect all fees from participants and keep the production on budget. She will handle all finances for South Pointe Ballet and serve as chairperson of the ticket sales volunteer group.

Sandi Rogers is our costume director. She will serve as chairperson of the costume management and dressing room committees and will work closely with seamstress volunteers to ensure all the director’s costuming needs are fulfilled.

Sacha Cook is out scenery director. She will serve as chairperson of the set design/construction and backstage volunteer committees. She will need a lot of help with this undertaking and more volunteers are needed (especially people that can work with tools and lift heavier pieces of scenery). If there are any fathers, uncles or adult brothers of cast members that can assist please let Paige know so she can get you in touch with Sacha.

Volunteer Opportunities:

As stated on the registration form we are requiring all parents to fulfill 4 hours minimum of volunteer work on this production. You play a very important role in helping things run smoothly, on time and on budget. Thank you in advance for being an active part of your child’s performing experience. Volunteer sign-up sheets were available at the meeting and spaces are still available to help with every aspect of the show. Look for an email later this week detailing our needs and please fill as many spots as you can. Thank you. This show will be a great success if we pull together to show our kids our support by helping out.

Important Dates:

Picture Day is mandatory. Purchasing pictures is optional. Even if you choose not to purchase photos ALL DANCERS must be to the photo shoot. These will be the photos for the program and may be used for other publicity purposes (blog and future advertisements) so we want all our dancers to be a part of it. Pictures are scheduled for Friday, Nov 6^th. Group times will be sent 2 weeks prior but our session will begin at 4:00 and will wrap up by 7:00pm so clear your calendar now. Photo order forms will also be available 2 weeks prior to the photo session.

Every rehearsal counts! Dancers are strongly encouraged to give 100% attendance but we realize this is not always possible. Dancers are allowed only 3 absences. Please notify the production manager in advance of any absences you are aware of. There are however, mandatory dates that may not be missed. Dec. 1^st-5^th are mandatory!!! Dec 1^st is tech rehearsal, Dec 2^nd is dress rehearsal and Dec3rd, 4^th & 5^th are performances. This is the week we have been working for all season so please DO NOT miss these dates. Dancers will be required to be at the performance venue (Elk Ridge Middle School) by 5:00pm and must be ready to dance. Please leave yourself plenty of time to park, come into the building and get situated in the dressing room before rehearsal begins at 5:00 on the 1^st & 2^nd. Call times will be posted for performance evenings 2 weeks prior to the show. Again, only 3 rehearsals may be missed. Any dancers missing more than that will be removed from the production (fees are non-refundable).

TBA Rehearsals:

There are some dates on the rehearsal schedule listed as TBA. These are dates the director has set aside for cleaning and perfecting dance numbers. Please keep these dates open as the groups needing to attend will be chosen on a need-to-see basis. These dates include: Fri. Oct 23^rd, Fri. Nov 6^th and the week of Nov 13^th-21^st. Complete production run-throughs will be held on Sat, Nov 7^th & Sat, Nov 28^th. It is STRONGLY advised that these rehearsals not be missed!!! There will not be rehearsals held on Oct 16^th, 17^th or 31^st to allow families to enjoy UEA and Halloween together.

Rehearsal Group Clarifications:

Party Scene = Party girls, party boys & party parents

Fight Scene = Soldiers, Mice, Clara & Nutcracker Prince

We are still looking for parent volunteers to fill the role of party parents in the production (both men & women). Please notify Paige Miller if you are able to fill this role. It is in the beginning of the first act and requires very little dance experience but basic rhythm and coordination is a plus. If you have questions about this please contact Paige (contact info below). Thanks!

Fees Due ASAP:

The $65 rental/performance fee is DUE NOW! Please make checks payable to South Pointe Ballet. It takes a lot of funding to put on a ballet at this level. As a company we have deposit deadlines to meet to secure the theater, costumes, scenery and publicity to fund as well. The absolute last day payment will be accepted is Oct 24^th. Dancers who have not paid by this date will not be allowed to perform. For those of you who have participated in the past there has been a requirement to sell ad space in the program. That will not be done this year. We are instead requiring each dancer to display at least one production poster in a public area to assist in advertising the show (library, rec center, grocery store, school, etc.)

TICKETS:

Each dancer will receive 2 complimentary tickets to the production. These are to be used at your discretion for any one performance. You may use them yourself or give them to family or friends. These will be given out at dress rehearsal and are the only free tickets the dancers will receive. If parents want to watch more than one performance they will need to purchase additional tickets.

Group tickets will be sold at a discounted rate for the dress rehearsal only. If you know of a church group or special interest group that would like to attend our dress rehearsal, their tickets can be purchased for $1 per person. Please inform them that as a dress rehearsal the performance may be stopped intermittently for corrections or technical issues and will likely not run from start to finish uninterrupted.

Cast Party:

After putting in so much effort and work into the production we should definitely celebrate after closing night. We’d like to get your opinion on what kind of cast party you would be interested in having. In the past the cast and their parents have been invited to gather at the local Village Inn and pay their own bills allowing everyone to decide on their own whether to participate/eat. Another option we’d like to suggest this year is to possibly gather somewhere and have an actual buffet set up for the cast and parents to enjoy. This, of course, would incur some cost and so food tickets would be offered for a small fee that would need to be paid in advance but would be optional. Or a potluck-style dessert buffet would be another option that would not require addition fees.

You may voice your opinion on a party option by emailing southpointeballet@gmail.com with cast party in the subject line. Thank you for your input. We want to make this a fun and memorable experience for everyone.

Thank you again for all your support. We are excited to continue the grand tradition of The Nutcracker. With your help it will be an event to remember!

Please contact Paige Miller with any questions, concerns or suggestions.

Texting is best as I can usually reply to you more rapidly. If I do not have an answer for you immediately please know I will do my best to get information to you as quickly as possible. Thanks

Paige Miller

(801)577-1564

southpointeballet@gmail.com (please put Nutcracker or NC in the subject line)