SOSD Holiday 2015 Newsletter

Holiday Newsletter

Holiday Closings: We are closed from Wednesday, December 23rd through Sunday, January 3rd.  We will reopen on Monday, January 4th. 

Weather Closings: Join RainedOut for SOSD info and closings.  3 easy ways to join...

• Text EST1992 to 84483
• Visit SOSD on Facebook & click on the RainedOut link
• Visit www.RainedOut.com ...Search Shannon O'Brien School of Dance and follow the sign up instructions

Tuition is made on a monthly basis regardless of cancellations due to holidays, weather or any unforeseen circumstances.  The studio has calculated the yearly cost of providing your dancer with a top notch education.  This amount is then divided over 10 months.  June and September tuition will vary slightly as they include costs of our mandatory summer weeks and picture day sitting fee.

Costume Deposits: All dancers must make deposits on their costumes.  Deposits are due:

1. January 15th
2. February 15th
3. March 15th

Deposits are $10 for every costume, including finale.  Ex. If your child is in 1 routine, they will have 2 costumes including finale.  Your deposit will be $20 on each date.

Candy Sale: The studio will have an optional candy sale in February to help defray the cost of costumes.  The funds from the candy go directly toward your costume bill.  It is an individual fundraiser with no profit to the studio.

***Please put your dancer's name in all dance shoes, coats, and other belongings!***

PLEASE use extreme caution and patience in our parking lot.  We have young dancers and even younger siblings making their way to and from their cars.

SAFETY FIRST!

Revving up for Recital 23...

Are you ready for some dancing?  

Ready or not, we are less than a week away from our 23rd Dance Extravaganza. 

Recital Weekend is just around the corner!!!!

Why are we getting ready to have our recital at this time of the year?  Well, that question has been asked before...Here's the answer!

Here are some highlights from previous years to get you revved up for what's going to be an AMAZING weekend of shows!

It's an amazing sight to see all the groups, from our littlest dancers to our soon to be retired dancers,  come out during finale and share the stage. It's even better to hear them all scream in excitement after the curtain closes at the end of the show.


But, before finale there is so much more to see and experience.

Just before showtime,  the music starts with the curtain down....behind the curtain the dancers for the Show's Opening Number have been stretching and are now bouncing around, shaking out their limbs, and then....the dance that the audience will not see begins.... dancers, teachers, volunteers, and staff are dancing their hearts out to celebrate the start of another show!

During this weekend it is evident that dancers belong to a very special family. They work as a team all year for this day; they support and encourage one another.  Former dancers, some even flying  home from college, give their time to share in the moments the special weekend brings.  SOSD alumni reflect on their own precious memories of their performances as they help create new memories for our young dancers.

From the youngest to the oldest, the dancers are ready.  They've been working for a year on steps, technique, tricks, and routines... and they are going to entertain you with a recital that shows you just how much they've learned in that year. The smiles show just how excited all the dancers are to be performing.  The expressions the audience witnesses from the stage are priceless, but the pride on the dancers faces as they exit the stage into the wings is something difficult to describe.

The boys never disappoint and are known to be a crowd favorite!  Our little men add an engaging  energy to the stage!

Our award winning choreographers along with our amazingly talented dance family are sure to bring the audience through an array of emotions.

It wouldn't be a show without the support of the staff and the numerous volunteers that come out to help each year.  We wouldn't be able to do this without them. We also wouldn't be able to do it without all our dancers and their supportive families.  

We can't wait to see you during our recital weekend...

Don't forget to cherish this time with your dancers.  It goes too fast!

Preparing for Recital 2015

When you hear buzz around the beehive, you know they're making honey in there!

                                                                                          -Terrence Howard

Another recital is around the corner and the studio is buzzing!

Just another day, just another show, just another YEAR-LONG investment of time, education, practice, preparation, and MORE!

Mikayla is busy at the computer ordering, emailing, and verifying accounts....What would we do without her?

The studio may look like it did last year, last month, last week, and yesterday, but behind the scenes, we have lots of things going on to get Recital #23 ready for show time!

Maura Letourneau, Seamstress Extraordinaire,  is busy doing fittings and alterations.

Measurements have been taken and recorded.  Costumes have been ordered and delivered.  Headpieces are being adjusted.  Fittings continue to be completed.  Required tights and shoes have been assigned.  And those are things you may see or hear about.  But what else is going on?

Accessories are ready to go!

Costumes are arriving daily... to be tried on, fitted, and adjusted.

Then costumes are bagged and labeled to be sent home!

Picture Day is around the corner!  And it's the Dress Rehearsal for the Dress Rehearsal.  Do you have your tights and shoes?  How do you do that bun?

Cara Harrold is our resident stylist.  If you missed her demonstration on "how to do a bun" on Monday night, be sure to grab the handout version at the studio.

But you can also find a willing pair of "seasoned" hands if you arrive early!

Tickets for Shamrock Showcase go on sale on Monday, September 28th.  Tickets for the Extravaganza go on sale on Thursday, October 1st.  Notices have gone out with buying information.

The dancers have worked hard all year to make this show the best ever!  Everyday is another chance to practice and perfect their techniques....and every minute counts!

Everything is being checked and rechecked!  It takes a village...

Melanie Dyson and Mikayla Kolb review the Finale groups with Laurel Barbosa's extra eyes! 

We hope you get to sit back and enjoy the show... and your smiles and applause will make all the work worth it!

"Sometimes looking into a classroom is a bit like looking into a beehive: the uninformed visitor might see lots of bees moving in many directions with no apparent logic, but the beekeeper knows what each bee is doing and how the activity fits within the overall pattern.”

                                                                                              -Author Unknown

2015 Nationals in Hollywood Beach, Florida

Whatever you do, do it well.  Do it so well that when people see you do it, they will want to come back and see you do it again and they will bring others and show them how well you do what you do.

-Walt Disney

It was truly an interNATIONAL competition with dancers from the United States, Canada, South Africa, and Ecuador participating in American Dance Awards National Championships.  After months of rehearsals, all of our company dancers ages 7-19 years were excited for a week of competitions, classes, performances, and awards.

The Petite Company's "Rescue Me" and "Sweet Escape" placed Overall 2nd and 3rd respectfully.  They continued to inspire the older members of their dance family by having ALL of their group dances (The Clapping Song, Sweet Escape, My Own Two Hands, Freeze Frame and Rescue Me) make it to the 9 and Under Dance Off!  Payton Bourassa received a Special Costume Award in the 12 and Under Category.  "Rescue Me" continued to deliver by receiving a Special Award for "Outstanding Acro."

The Petite Company used their excitement and energy by the ocean to Leap for Linda

The Mini Company', "Men of Snow" placed 6th place high score in the 10-12 year large group category, while "Over the Rainbow" placed 9th in the 10-12 year duo/trio category,   "Swing the Mood" placed 1st in the 10-12 year class category and was invited to perform in the 12 and Under Dance off, along with "Ants Marching" and the Junior Company's "Alice."  

Posing with hand hearts for Shannon, these Ants marched right to the Dance Off!

Andrew McKenzie had an awesome week, participating in the Junior Dancer of the Year Title Competition.  We were all so proud of him!  .. he was followed by his "groupies" from Petites to Seniors!  

Andrew's team came to support him, along with staff and seniors!

That smile says it all... GREAT JOB!

The Teen Company continued the sparkle with High Scores for "How" placing 8th and "Everything at Once" placing 9th, both in the Large Group Category.  

12 and Under Gala

Following in their fellow company dancers' footsteps, the Junior Company's "Bridge Over Troubled Water" placed 3rd in the Extended Category and was invited to compete in the 13 and Over Dance off, along with "Dare You to Move."  "Las Chicas Fabulosas" also placed 8th in the Duo/Trio Category. Juniors Ellen Marshall, Jenna Dunphy and Victoria Rego placed 4th, 5th, and 6th for Overall High Scores in the Teen Solo Category. Ellen Marshall also received the Best Costume Award in the 13 and Over Category, as well as a Special Award "Making Something Big Out of Something Small."  "Bridge Over Troubled Water" received a Special Award for "Light as a Feather/Precision Tumbling," while the Trio "One and Only" received one for being "Dare Devils."  "Las Chicas Fabulosas" received a Special Award for "Academy Award: Best Actress in Musical Theater." 

Pause

The Senior Company placed high scores in Duo/Trio with 4th Place for "Pause," in Small Group with 5th Place for "M'adorer," in Large Group with 5th Place for "Blue Ocean Floor" and in Production with 1st Place for "Black Parade."  Senior Elyssa Sena placed 6th for Overall High Score in the Teen Solo Category, while her teammate, Devon Larcher placed 2nd for Overall High Score Solo.

"Forget Me Not" 

Devon was also acknowledged for his choreography in "Forget Me Not" with a Special Award for "Great Choreography & Storytelling and Great use of Foreshadowing."  

Invites for the 13 and Over Dance Off went out to Pause, M'adorer, Blue Ocean Floor, Forget Me Not, Black Parade and Devon Larcher for his Solo.

13 and Over Gala

Devon Larcher competed in the Male Dancer of the Year Competition and won the Jazz Class Award, Modern Class Award, and Ballet Class Award.....as well as being named ADA's 2015 MALE DANCER OF THE YEAR!!!!!!!!  We couldn't be prouder of the way he represented the studio on and off the stage...

Best of luck to Devon in his next adventure...as part of the Dance Company performing on Royal Caribbean International's Legend of the Seas!

It came down to the final award of the evening....in the Production Category... and First Place went to "Black Parade!!!"  What a way to end our week!

Oh, what a night!  Oh, what a week!

It was a week of dancing, hard work, celebrations, and FUN...here are some dance memories being made:

Little dancers, BIG fun!

Fireworks on the beach...Happy 4th of July!

Celebrating with friends!

All dressed up and having some fun!

Showing our GREEN spirit.

Especially when the teachers join in...

Posing with Scott Fowler!

And you're NEVER too old to join the fun...

Best of luck to our graduating SENIORS...you'll forever be shamrocks!  Ivy Gowans, Sarah Carter, Brette Chartier, Kayla Colson and Sloan Kinney...........

A special THANK YOU to Mitch Gowans and Melanie Plante for transporting our props to and from Hollywood Beach, Florida!