November 2019 Newsletter

November is a busy month at The Pointe!  We are gearing up for our Holiday Showcase & Parent Observation Week! This newsletter is full of important information.  Please read this and keep it for your reference.


Message from Miss Vanessa:

In my opinion, as soon as Halloween wraps up, it’s the Holiday season.  We have been working behind the scenes on Holiday Showcase choreography and show plans, and now that it’s November, we’re ready to share the excitement and get started teaching the routines in class and planning for the show.  Our instructors will spend about the last 10-15 minutes of class working on these fun Holiday Showcase routines for classes selected to perform after continuing to work on technique and the skills in the curriculum for each class at the beginning.  Performing in this showcase is 100% optional – but we strongly recommend it if you have the date available!  Other important events this month – Parent Observation Week and Thanksgiving Break.  We love opening our classes for parents to observe a full class in the room!  November is one of my favorite months of the year (starting Christmas season and a day for football and pie?! Is there anything better?) – here’s what we have going on at the studio this month.  🙂


Holiday Showcase 2019

Everything families need to know about the Holiday Showcase this year can be found here: www.thepointeschool.com/holiday2019 – see which showtime your dancer’s class will perform in, see the costume, and register to perform!

Our Holiday Showcase is a great informal performance experience that is so much fun for the dancers!  Dance is truly a performing art, and we learn and grow so much by preparing for and participating in a performance.  This is a great practice for our bigger, more formal recital in June – especially for young and new dancers.  Mr. Aaron, our performance coordinator, has prepared awesome choreography and plans for this performance – your dancer won’t want to miss out!  Register your dancer to perform by November 15.


Parent Observation Week – November 18-23

Parents, join us for Parent Observation Week during your dancer’s class the week of November 18-23!  To help keep our classes productive during this special week, we ask that you help us in the following ways:

  • Talk to your dancer about Observation Week ahead of time!  Let them know that you’ll get to come inside the dance room (this is a special week!) and that you’re excited to see them participating in class so you can see what they’ve learned.  Dancers who are prepared and ready to have parents watching do a great job!
  • Observation in the classroom is intended for parents only. Please do not bring in siblings or other kids (they have a hard time quietly watching the class!)
    • Several families divide Observation Week and Participation Week (in February) if they have younger children to watch: one parent will come to the first week, and the other will watch the siblings, and then they switch.  This works really well!
  • Please plan to actively observe – conversations with other parents or on the phone during class make it difficult for students to keep their focus.
  • Please plan to stay in the classroom for the entire class.  If you have dancers in class at the same time, try to divide the classes so you just leave or enter during class one time 🙂
  • Dress comfortably!  You may sit on a chair or on the floor at the front of the room.  Our dance floors are made specifically for dance and can be damaged by street shoes – please remove your shoes before coming into the class.
  • Our instructors LOVE the chance to share what they’re working on in class and the benefits of the activities they do in class each week – know that they’ll be excited to share some of the “why” behind what we do in dance class.
  • Be ready to participate!  Many instructors will want you to participate in one or two activities.  Dancers LOVE getting to teach their parents a little bit!  Wear clothes you can move in, and be open to trying something new 🙂

Dancers in Ballet 5 and Higher Can Audition to Perform with Ballet Quad Cities in The Nutcracker!

View audition details, performance and rehearsal times, and everything you need to know here:
Ballet Quad Cities Performance Audition Form

PSD Families, stay tuned for an opportunity to purchase discounted tickets in our group for the Ballet Quad Cities and Orchestra Iowa Nutcracker – featuring dancers from The Pointe!  We have a great partnership with Ballet Quad Cities and are so honored that they have chosen to invite our students to participate in their Nutcracker performances each December for several years!


Join us for a fun night out on November 15 cheering on our Community Team dancers and the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders!  Please purchase tickets in Section H to be seated near families from The Pointe.  The game begins at 7:05 PM.  See this Facebook Event for more details and to RSVP or share with friends!

Purchase tickets here.  Under “price” choose “the pointe” for our group discounted rate.

Tickets are $10.99. Performers do not need a ticket, but all family members coming to watch do each need a ticket.


Holiday Sales in the Dance Shop!

Check out the Dance Shop for a new special each week!  Here’s a sneak preview of each sale so you can plan your holiday shopping!

  • November 4-9: 20% off all in-stock leotards!

  • November 11-16: 20% off all in-stock stocking stuffers!

  • November 18-23: 20% off all in-stock shorts, leggings, and skirts!

  • December 2-7: 20% off all in-stock PSD gear!

  • December 9-14: Private Lesson package: Buy 4 30-minute private lessons, get 1 free!

  • December 16-20: Gift Card bonuses! Pay $25, get $30, pay $50, get $60, pay $100, get $120.


Student Spotlight

Did you see October’s Dancers of the Month?  Read about these dancers here.


Where to Find What you Need

We’re at the front desk from 4:30 – 7:00 PM Monday through Thursday and 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM on Saturday mornings.  We’re also available via email: [email protected] any time!

For the dress code for all classes: www.thepointeschool.com/dress-code
For all policies and important dates: www.thepointeschool.com/policies
To shop for awesome PSD gear: www.shoppointeschoolofdance.com