Coastal Dance Centre | Frequently Asked Questions

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Here are some answers to frequently asked questions to help parents and students understand the training options at Coastal Dance Centre and Coastal Youth Ballet Theatre.
We hope to help you decide what options a student may take –

What do you offer at Coastal Dance Centre?

· At Coastal Dance Centre (CDC), emphasis is on Classical Ballet, our ballet program includes Baby Ballet, Ballet-Tap Combination Classes, Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) Syllabus Classes and
Open Ballet Technique Classes. Incorporated in the Upper level classes are Pointe Work and Variation Classes.

· Other courses offered are:

· Tap-Kids Tap , Teens Tap and Adult Tap.

· Jazz-Kids Jazz and Teens Jazz, Lyrical

· Modern / Contemporary

· Musical Theater

· Hip Hop

· Yoga

· Pilates.

Aside from attending the classes a student has these options:

· A ballet student has the opportunity to participate in the Nutcracker (By Audition)

· Opportunity to participate in the RAD Examination (Regular attendance is a must)

· All CDC registered students have the opportunity to participate in the Spring Festival of Dance

· For the more serious student, he/she has the opportunity to become a member of the CDC's performing company.

· Opportunity to participate in the Youth America Grand Prix and State Dance Championship Competitions.

What is the Coastal Youth Ballet Theatre?

· It is the performing company of Coastal Dance Centre. Students, age 9 and over, or who may be at the RAD Grade 2 level may be invited/ or audition to join CYBT.

What does membership in Coastal Youth Ballet Theatre offer?

· CYBT Membership offers professionally-staged performance opportunities year-round. It involves a lot of dedication, hard work, discipline and talent.

· CYBT membership involves learning a wide repertoire of popular classical ballets and contemporary pieces within the confines of the studio. Parents are able to save on travel and
accommodation expenses as compared to that of competing outside the home base.

· Students have the opportunity to work with notable and distinguished guest artists – master teachers, choreographers and dancers during the Year-round and Summer Sessions.

What are the requirements to become a Coastal Youth Ballet Theatre Mini / Junior / Senior Member?

· Regular attendance in RAD and Open Ballet Technique Classes and optional courses such as Jazz, Tap, Modern, Musical Theater or Hip Hop.

· Take the RAD Examination

· Pay a Membership Fee

· Attend company classes and rehearsals of “The Nutcracker,” “Spring Festival of Dance,” “An Evening of Ballet” Series.

· Attend Master Classes

· Participate in Outreach/Community Performances

· Parents must sign up with the CYBT Parents Guild

Interested in 2009 -2010 CYBT Membership?

· All interested CDC students (age 9 and over) who wish to participate in more performance opportunities should audition to become members of Coastal Youth Ballet Theatre.

· Pay an Audition Fee of $20.

· Audition – Dates:

Friday, June 19, 2009
Ages 9 – 11
3:00 -4:00 pm

Age 12 and over
4:00 – 5:00 pm

Friday, July 24, 2009
Ages 9 – 11
3:00 -4:00 pm

Age 12 and over
4:00 – 5:00 pm

Venue: CDC Studio

· Once accepted to CYBT membership, parents and students are expected to commit to attendance in classes, rehearsals and performances beginning the 2009 Summer Session.

· Members will perform in the “Nutcracker,” “Spring Festival of Dances” and “An Evening of Ballet” Series, the casting of which is at the discretion of the Artistic Director and Staff.

What are the dates for the 2009 Nutcracker performances?

· The dates for this year’s CYBT Nutcracker are Sunday, December 13, and Monday, December 14, at the Palace Theatre

Are you going to do Open Auditions again this year?

· There will be NO Auditions open to students who attend other area dance schools this year.

· The Young Dancers' performance opportunity in the 2009 Nutcracker is exclusive only for students of CDC.

What are the requirements to become a Young Dancer/Cast member of the Nutcracker?

· Younger CDC dancers wishing to join the Nutcracker performances will need to regularly attend at least one hour of their RAD Ballet level during the Summer Session and be a registered
student in the Fall classes. The emphasis on sound ballet training and discipline at CDC allows for a student to learn the choreography /dances with more ease and understanding of the work
involved in the production.

· Once accepted as a Nutcracker cast member, parents must commit to have their student attend Saturday rehearsals beginning September 12, and if ever necessary, additional Friday
rehearsals in November.

· Parents of younger dancers are expected to assist the production staff in any of the following areas: Promotions /Publicity, Donor Solicitation, Front of House, Fundraising Events, and Costume
Alteration/Repair, Props Execution, Hospitality.

When is the Young Dancers’ Audition date?

· “The Nutcracker” Young Dancers’ Audition date is on Saturday, August 22, 2009.

· Time: 10:00 - 11:30 am

· There is an Audition Fee of $20.

Available at the School by June: CYBT Audition Form and the CYBT “Nutcracker” Young Dancers' Audition Form.

Do you do competitions?

· We do join competitions - we remind our students to keep the focus on the training, emphasize good sportsmanship, enjoy and learn from the competition experience.

What competitions do you go to?

· On the competition side of the dance training at Coastal Dance Centre, we have attended the locally held competition, State Dance Championship and the Regional and Final round of
competitions of the Youth America Grand Prix.

· The local competition presents an opportunity to a bigger number of Coastal Dance Centre students to join a competition and there is less expense involved on the part of the parents, what
with no hotel accommodation and travel expenses to pay for.

What is the Youth America Grand Prix?

· The Youth America Grand Prix is an international ballet and contemporary competition open to students from ages 9 to 19 and features three divisions: Pre-Competitive (9-11 years), Junior for
men and women (12 – 14 years) and Senior for Men and Women (15 – 19 years).The Pre-Competitive division gives students a taste of the process of preparation for the competition. Some
students at this age may not be doing pointe work yet but it gets their feet wet. YAGP offers the youngest age category among international competitions. YAGP provides exposure to
international schools and company directors and builds awareness of international dance education opportunities. They provide scholarships to some of the world’s best training schools.

Can a student join a group/ensemble entry to the YAGP competition?

· A CDC student may join YAGP not necessarily as a solo competitor but as an ensemble participant.

Where does the YAGP Regional and Final Round of competitions take place?

· YAGP 2010 CDC Competitors will attend the Columbia, SC regional competition and should a student qualify for the finals, competitors will go to New York City.

How do you know if a student is ready for competition?

· At Coastal Dance Centre, we do not just look at the technical proficiency of a student who may wish to do a competition like the Youth America Grand Prix. Just because someone is a good
ballet dancer does not necessarily mean that he or she is ready for the pressures of competition. We also look at the student’s temperament - one must be mentally ready as the process of
preparing for it is demanding and rigorous. It builds character in a student and opens the opportunity of seeing what one wants to potentially develop into in the future. As we always
emphasize, not everyone will become professional dancers – they may have other careers, but they will become the future audiences for dance and will make sure that the passion for this art
form goes on to the next generation of dancers.

How do you prepare a student for the competition?

· A student’s participation at YAGP is at the discretion of the Artistic Director.

· We start with a private coaching sessions that start in the summer and / fall beginning with once a week sessions which becomes daily rehearsals as the competition draws near and the
strength and stamina increase. We make it clear that to embark on this journey requires 100 percent of dedication and focus and there is no better way to get it across than for the CDC
Artistic Director and faculty to show the example of the work we do with a student who goes to the competition. We give of what is in our power and capacity as we can and we fully expect
the same in return from the student.

As a parent of a YAGP participant, parents are asked to take note of the following:

· For parents, a good understanding of the process involved in the training of a serious dancer, giving of one’s time, patience, and financial capability to cover for all the expenses involved are
essential.

· Ballet training being undeniably expensive, solo costumes for the variations cost a lot, particularly the professional classical tutus.

· Parents of competing students at the regional level and / Finals are obliged to pay for the Teacher’s/Coach’s travel, accommodation, and miscellaneous expenses.

· An itinerary based on the director’s consideration of the YAGP schedule is the focus and priority over any other activity outside of the competition proceedings.

· Ultimately, the most promising students around the globe get the awesome opportunity to avail of scholarships at the most prestigious dance schools in the world. However, it takes a lot of
hard work, discipline, and of course, amazing talent to get to the top. We should always remember that each individual is unique (i.e., the individual’s physical attribute, emotional well-being
and giftedness) and as such, not every one is suited for individual competition.

· Not every competitor at YAGP gets to bring home a trophy. Parents should be aware that in this type of competition there are only the Top Four winners, chosen from the Top Twelve
dancers in each division (Pre-Competitive, Junior and Senior). Winning or losing is a test of one’s character – being able to practice good sportsmanship and moving on.

· Participation in the YAGP is a big undertaking and to newcomers, it can be overwhelming and daunting as well. Parents and students new to this type of competition are encouraged to direct
their inquiries to the Artistic Director /Staff.