Q and A - need to know something? just ask!

Unless notified otherwise, all rehearsals will be done in class time, until...

Friday 1st March - Stage Rehearsals at Middleton Hall - 6.30pm start, access from 6.20pm

Firstly a reminder that the following classes will NOT be needed at the Friday stage rehearsals as they are very young, led all the time on stage and it`s in the evening!

NOT NEEDED - 

Monday 6pm (Eastfield Primary School)

Friday 4.30pm (Hessle Minis)

Saturdays 9.00am and 9.45am (Ballet and Tap Minis)

Here are the groupings for the FRIDAY  EVENING rehearsal. This will not be rehearsed in running order, and we will NOT be using all of the dressing rooms (one large room will be available, and two backstage rooms for the seniors) We do not have access until 6.15pm so please don`t arrive earlier than this time!

ALL PERFORMERS MUST BE BROUGHT TO THE STAGE DOOR AND SIGNED IN. SENIOR STUDENTS WILL THEN TAKE THEM TO THE LARGE DRESSING ROOM. 

NO PARENTS WILL BE ALLOWED IN, UNLESS BY PRIOR ARRANGEMENT WITH ME.

Please come in your usual class uniform, bringing your correct dance shoes. If you do multiple classes, choose a comfortable and warm uniform - you will be working hard, but will also have periods of waiting...

Arrival time - 6.20pm for 6.30pm start

Primary Ballet and Tap (Saturday 10.30am)    Collection approx 7.15pm

Fridays 5pm  - Hessle Street and Latino          Collection approx 7.15pm

ALL SENIORS (black ballet uniforms) AND STAFF MEMBERS

Arrival time - 6.50pm for a 7.00pm start

Wednesdays 4.45pm and 5.30pm (Contemporary and Modern Jazz    

Mondays Musical Theatre (both classes)

Collection time for Primary age students no later than 8.30pm (unless they are in SENIOR classes)

Arrival time - 7.20pm for a 7.30pm start

Saturdays 11.30 and 12.30 classes        collection time approx 8.30pm

Nicky`s Monday classes            collection time approx 8.30pm

Any higher grade dancers not already mentioned...

Still needed - Musical Theatre classes

Rehearsals will continue until 9.30pm, hopefully no later, although I can`t guarantee this. I realise that some of our dancers will be there for the full time - please make sure they are aware that we are NOT responsible for any electronic devices they may bring to entertain themselves. also please make them aware that taking photos in the auditorium (theatre) is strictly prohibited. Photos may only be taken in corridors if an adult is present to supervise as we MUST protect the children in our care. anyone found taking photos without permission and an adult present will have their phones removed until they need to go home.

Sunday 3rd March - Dress Rehearsal - Middleton Hall

Access from 1.30pm (1.45pm for all Minis)

Minis finished by 3.30pm (approx)

Others finished by 6pm (could be earlier)

Sunday 10th March

Show 1 - 2pm

Performers arrive 1.30pm / 1.45pm

Minis finish at the interval, and are invite to join family members watching the rest of the show

Other performers finish at 4pm approx

Show 2 - 6pm - access 5.30pm (5.45 for minis)

Minis are finished at the interval and are invited to join family members to watch the rest of the show. 

Final bow, approx 8pm 

Please collect your dancer promptly

Dress Rehearsal - Sunday 3rd March

Middleton Hall

Performers arrive NO EARLIER than 1.30pm. 

Please do not arrive in costume - your dancer must change inside the theatre. 

All performers must sign in at the stage door. All parents/family members who are staying to look after or chaperone the performers must also sign in. Anyone not on our 'expected' list will need to be OK'd by Miss Louise

Once signed in, all performers must go directly to their dressing rooms. Please take all your costumes with you and make sure the Chaperone in charge of the dressing room signs you in. 

Running orders will be on the walls so the performers / chaperones can see immediately which costume is needed when.

A 'runner' will call your performer to the stage at the correct time. The performers need to be escorted to the stage door by no more than 2 chaperones (or student teachers, in the case of the youngest performers) Only chaperones, NOT CARERS are allowed past the stage door. This due to the limited space backstage. There is a chaperone in the green room ( backstage waiting area). Dancers will be escorted back to the stage door afterwards, where the chaperones can collect them

Our youngest performers ( Monday 6pm, Friday 4,30pm, Saturday 9.00am and 9.45am ) will finish after the interval (approximately 3.15) and must be collected from the stage door. All other performers will be finished by approximately 4.30pm, and must be collected from the stage door.

As it will be a full week before we actually perform - please make sure you take ALL costumes, rubbish and personal items away with you. Costumes need to be looked after, kept clean and neatly folded or hung. THEY ARE NOT TOYS AND MUST NOT BE PLAYED IN!

During the rehearsals - drinks are permitted in the dressing rooms - NO FIZZY POP OR MILKY DRINKS. Just squash or water please. 

Snacks are permitted - NO CHOCOLATE OR STICKY SWEETS, as these can ruin costumes.

Make up should be worn by the older students - they appear washed out under the lights without. Our younger students (Minis) can wear make up at your discretion. PLEASE DO NOT SEND THEM WITH MAKE UP TO REAPPLY - IT GETS EVERYWHERE!

Our older students are usually happy to help with make up if you arrange it with them early enough, but they cannot do EVERYONE and are volunteering their services only if they are not too busy!

There will be an official photographer at the rehearsal, and for both performances.  Please make sure your dancer is aware of the rules surrounding the use of mobile phones and photographs/social media - NO PICTURES SHOULD BE TAKEN WHERE ANYONE IS GETTING CHANGED. 

NO PHOTOS SHOULD BE UPLOADED TO SOCIAL MEDIA  which show anyone in the background, or the changing area. 

Performers are not allowed to congregate in the corridors - this is a rule set by Middleton Hall. Anyone choosing to ignore it WILL BE ASKED TO LEAVE IMMEDIATELY. The alternative is the whole school being asked to leave.

Please look out for the email which will arrive with all these details on! 

Tickets are available from Middleton Hall Box Office, and will cost £10 each, plus a booking fee. We have done our best to keep costs to a minimum for you, but we are already risking running at a loss, so simply cannot charge any less!

www.ticketsource.co.uk/middleton-hall 

Costumes are hired from us, at a rate of £6 per costume. All of our dancers will need at least 2 costumes, as each day your child attends will have 2 dances (3 for those on pointe) There is a reduction to £5 per costume for those students who attend classes in every style we offer!)

For this fee we supply your performers costumes, clean and properly fitted, then we wash them afterwards - PLEASE don't wash them - any costumes returned to us in such a bad state that we are unable to use them again will incur a charge of at least £10 per costume, depending on the costume, as we have had to buy more than you think, and NONE of the costumes cost as little as you will be paying. Plus many simply can`t be replaced as they are no longer available to buy

Costumes will all be numbered, and we will have a list of who has which costume. Costumes not returned to us by the date shown on your labels will also incur a charge. 

If your performer is one of our Minis - Friday 4.30pm, Saturday 9.00 and 9.45am classes, Monday 6pm - we ask that they are accompanied by a FEMALE family member over 18 years of age. HOWEVER

Please remember - the person your little one MOST wants to dance for is YOU! Please don`t say YOU will look after your child for both performances - you need to be watching at least once! 

We suggest, if you don`t have any female  family except you, that you join forces with another family from the same class, and take turns as we can allow the following ratios of parent carers to mini dancers - 

age 3 & 4 - 1 carer to 2 performers

age 5 & 6 - 1 carer to 3 performers

We MUST know in advance who will be looking after which children and when, as we can only allow expected parents into the building. There will be a google form for you all to fill in to this end. There will be a DBS checked 'matron' in overall charge of the dressing room 

All other performers will be looked after by DBS checked 'matrons' in the dressing rooms. Boys will be in a small backstage dressing room - they CANNOT be in the same dressing room as the girls as we have some performers as young as 8 entering puberty

We will definitely need help backstage - if you want to help and don`t have a current DBS check, please contact me directly - we may be able to arrange one for you. however, we can't justify arranging DBS checks for everyone - there just isn't enough money coming in - the theatre alone will cost us over £3000!

Please let me know by the end of January if you want to be considered for backstage help, and let me know if this would mean including a DBS check

Performers MUST enter by the stage door. They will then be escorted to their dressing rooms by seniors.

ONLY EXPECTED ADULTS MAY ENTER BY THE STAGE DOOR - No, you may not take your dancer to their dressing room unless you are their EXPECTED adult.

All audience members enter through the main doors at the front. 

Performers MUST be collected from the stage door - this is for their safety, as we must know at all times where they are.

Mini performers who are finished at the interval must be collected at the stage door - they can then go into the audience to sit with family members who are watching (the person taking them into the audience must have a valid ticket for that performance) or they can go home - but we know from experience, they LOVE to watch the bigger dancers! Mini performers do NOT need a valid ticket themselves

Only you know if your baby / toddler will actually be able to sit through 2 hours of dance performances without disturbing everyone - but if you feel that yes, they can, or you have no alternative, then I'm afraid that YES they will need a ticket. This is to do with fire regulations and knowing exactly how many people are in the building

Yes - the Arts Cafe will be open in the interval and before the show for you to enjoy drinks and snacks in comfort. Performers will NOT be able to join you in the interval though!

Obviously, mini performers will be in your care from being collected at the stage door in the interval until they are due back at the stage door at 5.45pm

(late arrivals risk not being ready to go on stage - we won't wait!)

High school age performers are welcome to stay at the theatre with us to enjoy a packed 'tea' - no eating in the auditorium or on the stage, they will need to remain in their dressing rooms.

All performers in primary school are to be collected at the end of the first show (approx 4pm) from the stage door and brought back at 5.30pm - a favourite is a trip to Macdonalds... this gives them time away from the dressing rooms and freedom to run and shout! 

High school age children may sign out at the stage door, and sign back in again in time for the 2nd show, but ONLY IF I HAVE WRITTEN PERMISSION FROM THEIR PARENTS TO DO THIS. An email giving this permission is fine, a text is less good, but could be accepted

In an ideal world, we would say NO PHOTOS OR VIDEOS and expect this to be the case. 

However, we can't police this effectively so all we can do is ask that if you do choose to film instead of actually watching your performer (?!) Please do not post anything on social media as permissions given only extend to us, not the general public

Remember each performer's family will receive a memory stick with a recording of the show - this is part of your performers fee

If you stand in front of Middleton Hall, looking at the front doors - the Stage door is on the Right side of the building, part way down. There is a sign over the doorway saying 'Stage door'