· MANDATORY DRESS REHEARSAL: Friday, June 27^th for Big Show dancers ages 5+ (all Pre-Level/Jr. Level and up). Note: there is no dress rehearsal for dancers in Twinkle Babies 2-3, Twinkle Stars 3-4, and Twinkle Stars 4-5 and 5-6 classes.

· Tiffany’s Dance Academy’s Concert Schedule:

o Twinkle Star Showcase #1 – June 28^th 11:30 a.m.

o Twinkle Star Showcase #2 – June 28^th 1:00 p.m.

o Twinkle Star Showcase #3 – June 28^th 2:30 p.m

o Big Show #1 – June 28^th 4:00 p.m.

Where (for dress rehearsal and performances):
Northwood High School, 4515 Portola Pkwy, Irvine, 92620

Dress Rehearsal Info: Big Show Dancers Only (Applicable only to Pre-Level/Jr. Level and up classes ages 5+):

We work very hard to ensure that the dress rehearsal process is enjoyable and stress-free; however, it is always the most difficult part of the show. For our older dancers, this show may still be the first “rehearsal” experience for many children and parents so there are a few things you can do to prepare yourself.

Please read the following to find out what time your dancer needs to be at dress rehearsal. If your child is in only one show, make sure to locate her class day and time to confirm what time to come.

Dancers must arrive 30 minutes prior to their scheduled start time dressed and ready to perform. With the exception of the first group of the afternoon; we need all dancers to remain in the audience until 10 minutes prior to the time for them to be backstage. This will help alleviate congestion and confusion when groups are changing. If you have more than one dance, come dressed in the first costume that will rehearse. We sometimes run ahead of schedule, so don’t be late. Make sure to allow time for traffic to the theater. There is always traffic.

You may leave immediately following the completion of your child’s rehearsal. Due to time constraints imposed by theater crew, we will not wait for late dancers, and we will not re-run dances if a dancer was missing.

*If you are unsure at any time, after reading this entire document, about when, how, where or why; please don’t hesitate to ask us. We are here to help you understand the process, as well as ensure that you are properly informed.

DRESS REHEARSAL SCHEDULE: Go to www.tiffanydance.com or look at the bulletin board in the lobby of the studio to find your dress rehearsal schedule. Please find the name of your child’s dance and the correct day, time and location of your child’s weekly class. You will then find the “Start Dance Time”.

Dress Rehearsal Procedures: All dancers will be required to check-in at the backstage area or wait in the audience until approximately 10 minutes prior to your “Approximate On-Stage Start Time” – see attached Dress Rehearsal schedule. Parents will sign their child in with the appropriate volunteers at their appropriate dressing area and go sit in the audience. Parents who are not volunteers are not allowed backstage at any time during the dress rehearsal and/or the show. If there is a problem with any child, we will go and notify the parent in the audience. Dancers should come dressed and ready to dance. They should bring one bag with any belongings, all labeled with their names. After the dancer dances the parents may come backstage and sign their child out and take them home. They are welcome to videotape and take pictures during the dress rehearsal, although both of those things are prohibited at the show.

The BIG DAY!!! Saturday, June 28, 2008

Twinkle Star Showcase #1: Showtime 11:30 a.m.

All dancers arrive backstage at 11:00 a.m.
Showtime 11:30 a.m. – no intermission

For your convenience, special Tiffany’s Dance Academy Roses with Ballerina Bears will be available prior to each show.

Show Procedures for Twinkle Star Showcase #1: Arrive at the theater 40 minutes prior to your show start time with your dancer dressed and ready to go onstage. Dancers may be dropped off backstage no more than 20 minutes prior to scheduled start time. Dancers go directly to their dressing area when they arrive at the theater. Dancers wait in the dressing area until it is time to perform. Parents sign them in and go wait in line for the house of the theater to open.

Immediately after the dancers perform they will be escorted to the pick up area by TDA Staff. Parents will come to pick up their dancer at the pick up area. Parent and dancer may return to your seat if you wish, or you may leave the theater if you don’t want to watch the rest of the show. If a dancer wants to watch the show, please purchase a discounted dancer ticket for your dancer in order to enter the audience.

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Twinkle Star Showcase #2: Showtime 1:00 p.m.

All dancers arrive backstage at 12:30 p.m.
Showtime 1:00 p.m. – no intermission

Show Procedures for Twinkle Star Showcase #2: Arrive at the theater 40 minutes prior to your show start time with your dancer dressed and ready to go onstage. Dancers may be dropped off backstage no more than 20 minutes prior to scheduled start time. Dancers go directly to their dressing area when they arrive at the theater. Dancers wait in the dressing area until it is time to perform. Parents sign them in and go wait in line for the house of the theater to open.

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Twinkle Star Showcase #3: Showtime 2:30 pm

· All dancers arrive backstage at 2:00 p.m.

· Showtime 2:30 – No Intermission

Show Procedures for Twinkle Star Showcase #3: Arrive at the theater 40 minutes prior to your show start time with your dancer dressed and ready to go onstage. Dancers may be dropped off backstage no more than 20 minutes prior to scheduled start time. Dancers go directly to their dressing area when they arrive at the theater. Dancers wait in the dressing area until it is time to perform. Parents sign them in and go wait in line for the house of the theater to open.

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Big Show #1: Showtime 4:00 p.m.

All dancers arrive backstage at 3:00 p.m.
Showtime 4:00 p.m. – no intermission

Show Procedures for Big Show #1: Dancers go directly to their dressing area when they arrive at the theater. Dancers wait in the dressing area until it is time to perform. Parents sign them in and go wait in line for the house of the theater to open. After the dancers perform they will go directly back to their dressing area and wait until the finale of the show. All dancers will go onstage again for the finale. Parents may only pick up their dancers at the end of the show. Dancers will not be released to parents at any other time for security purposes.

Frequently Asked Questions and General Rules:

1.       Who supervises my child backstage? All classes of dancers ages 8 and under shall be supervised by an adult parent or teacher volunteers during the entire run of the show. The volunteers are responsible for all dancers while they are backstage. All parents must sign their child in and out of the backstage area, where they will remain throughout the entire show.

2.       What does my child do backstage? A closed circuit television is located in the dancers dressing area, so that they can watch the show as it is happening. Dancers will only leave their dressing area to go on-stage. They will come directly back to their dressing area after they perform.

3.       Does my dancer need to stay for the entire show? There are two answers to this question. One for the Twinkle Star Showcases and one for the Big Show:

Twinkle Star Showcase Dancers: After the dancers perform they will be escorted to the lobby area by TDA Staff. Parents will come to pick up their dancer in the lobby. Parent and Dancer may return to your seat if you wish, or you may leave the theater if you don’t want to watch the rest of the show. If a dancer wants to watch the show, please purchase a discounted dancer ticket for your dancer in other to enter the audience.

Big Show Dancers Ages 5+: For security purposes, we recommend that all dancers stay backstage until the very end of the show. All dancers will go back on-stage for the finale of the show, where they will have their name called and take one final bow

4.       Where do I pick up my child?

·        Twinkle Babies & Twinkle Stars Classes: You will pick up your dancer where you dropped them off – backstage.

·        Big Show Classes: You will pick up your dancer where you dropped them off – backstage. Please do not attempt to pick your child up from the stage area. Please do not come back stage before the end of the show, as it is disruptive when audience members leave in the middle of an act. If you would like to see a list of parent volunteers, they are located on the bulletin board in the studio hallway. Following the finale, all dancers can be signed-out at their dressing area.

·        Special Rule: As a request from the backstage volunteers, only one parent may enter the dressing area to drop-off or pick-up their child. No extended family or friends in the dressing area. This is in order to avoid too many people in one place, so that we can best supervise the dancers.

5.       No food or drinks inside theater or stage area.

6.       No running or playing inside any areas of the theater.

7.       For the safety of the performers, NO personal video cameras or       flash photography during the performances. You may take       pictures and video at dress rehearsal!

8.       No flash photography.

9.       Out of respect for the performers, please refrain from entering or exiting the theater during a performance.

10.   Absolutely no dancers in costumes or tap shoes allowed in the audience during the shows.

11.   Only certified volunteers may be backstage during the performances and dress rehearsal.

12.   All dancers can be signed out after the finale in the “Dressing Area” only. Please do not try to pick them up from onstage to avoid mass chaos!

Professional Recital Video and Professional Action Photos: We at TDA understand precisely how important it is for each family to preserve their dancer’s recital memories via video and still photos. We do not allow video cameras or personal cameras into the theater during the actual performance for the following reasons: 1) People taking video or shooting pictures of their child on stage block the view of and distract audience members seated behind and to the sides. 2) A video taken from the audience with a non-professional camera rarely turns out to look very good due to the challenging lighting, shakiness, and heads of audience members that block the view of the camera. 3) Flashes from cameras are distracting and dangerous to the dancers on stage.

No personal video cameras are allowed at the shows; however, they are allowed at the dress rehearsal. Each Big Show performance is professionally photographed, videotaped and edited with high end equipment. Our professional photographers and videographers do a wonderful job and are highly experienced in shooting and filming dance performances at conventions, competitions, and recitals. They produce excellent quality high definition videos. TDA does not prohibit video cameras and cameras so that we can earn extra money selling videotapes and pictures. In fact, 100% of the proceeds from video and picture sales are donated to Bay Area Dance Company. We prohibit these items exclusively for the reasons listed above and since we prohibit them, we have provided a solution for each dancer’s family to preserve their memories on video or still photos. You may order a video on tiffanydance.com. They are truly precious keepsakes for the years to come.

Picture Day: Sunday, June 8^th: Please see picture schedule (online) to see what time your group is scheduled. Arrive no more than 10 minutes before and no less than five minutes before your group’s photo time. All dancers need to have full hair and make-up. Pictures are optional, but even if you don’t purchase a package we would like you to be there to be in your class picture that will be displayed on the studio walls for years to come.

**Picture order forms will be handed out in class and available in the office 2 weeks prior to picture days. Try to have your packet completed before you arrive for your picture time to help reduce the chaos! All payments are due in full at the time of the group picture. Have dancers “picture” ready (costume, hair, make-up perfect) when they arrive.

There will be NO room to dress or do hair and make-up.

Note: Pictures will be available to pick up at the Costa Mesa TDA approximately 3-4 weeks after picture day.

Dancers without a costume may not participate in the group photo for their class. Dancers who are not participating in the recital or have a late order costume may arrive at any time and take an individual picture in their dance class attire (or whatever attire they desire).

Parents – refrain from entering the photo shoot areas and rooms while your child is being photographed.

Do not take photographs or snapshots of dancers in photo shoot rooms or areas.

Directions to Northwood High School Theater from Tiffany’s Dance Academy of Costa Mesa.

Directions			Distance
Total Est. Time: 21 minutes Total Est. Distance: 14.90 miles
	1:	Start out going NORTHWEST on E 17TH ST towath RAYMOND AVE.	0.7 miles
	2:	Turn RIGHT onto NEWPORT BLVD / CA-55 N. Continue to follow CA-55 N.	4.1 miles
	3:	Merge onto I-405 S via EXIT 6A towath SAN DIEGO.	1.8 miles
	4:	Take the JAMBOREE ROAD exit- EXIT 7.	0.3 miles
	5:	Turn LEFT onto JAMBOREE TH.	3.6 miles
	6:	Stay STRAIGHT to go onto CA-261 N (Portions toll).	2.7 miles
	7:	Take the PORTOLA PKWY exit.	0.2 miles
	8:	Turn RIGHT onto PORTOLA PKWY.	1.2 miles
	9:	Make a U-TURN at YALE AVE onto PORTOLA PKWY.	<0.1 miles
	10:	End at 4515 Portola Pkwy Irvine, CA 92620-2200, US
Total Est. Time: 21 minutes Total Est. Distance: 14.90 miles

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