Guidance for New Joiners on starting classes before June 17th

Hello! If you're a New Joiner thinking about starting classes before June 17th, please read our advice below on what classes to join, when.

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The following classes will NOT be doing show routines and are therefore PERFECT to join any time!

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-Day-time Contemporary (alternating Tuesdays)

-Ballet Barre Fitness (Mon/Tue/Wed)

-Beg/Int Commercial Latin (Wed @ 7pm)

-Beg/Int Burlesque (Wed @ 8.05pm)

-Total Beginners Tap course (Thu @ 6pm)

-Friday Lyrical Contemporary (Fri @ 5pm)

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All other classes are doing show pieces. That doesn't mean you can't book on and join! It just means the session will have more of a rehearsal feel than a regular dance class. If you'd like to come try we'd recommend the following:

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Monday MT, Tap, LC, Jazz - come along any time up until 28 April

Tuesday MT, LB, LC, Jazz - come along any time until 6 May

Wednesday 6pm Burlesque, Ballet, Commercial, 8.05pm Commercial Latin - come along any time 6 May

Thu Comm, LC, Jazz, Heels - come along any time 28 April

Thu Tap - come along any time until 6 May

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If you do join a class and want to join for the show we'd LOVE that! And can send you little recordings of bits that have already been taught so you can catch up at home.

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If you'd rather wait until after the show, we will be starting a new term on July 3rd. If you're not sure about any of the above feel free to email us anytime! 

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What is our Summer Showcase 2023?

Every 18 months we put on A BIG DANCE SHOW. As in fancy theatre, flashing lights, huge audience, FULL-ON DANCE SPECTACULAR. You may have experienced the Spring Fling or SLEIGH! already – they’re our sort of ‘mini dance shows’. But on June 17th, we’re GOING LARGE with 2 full-out performances (one matinee + one evening show) featuring 150 dancers and 800 audience members. Plus a big old after-party to boot. Here's a throwback to our 2021 show - just to give you a taste of what to expect!

 

When/where is the showcase?

The showcase will be at the gorgeous new theatre in Trinity Academy Bristol (Lockleaze) on 17th June. The two performances will likely be about 2pm and 6pm (it’s the same performance both times). And all dancers will be required from 11am-ish. After the second show we’ll have a big after-party at a separate venue until midnight. 

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What's the plan for shoddy?

• 11am: All dancers arrive for rehearsals and the tech run.

• 14:15-16:15: Performance 1

• 16:15-18:15: THE BIG PICNIC! All dancers + guests (optional) gather to enjoy their lunch in the gorgeous outdoor auditorium (at show venue). 

• 18:15-20:15: Performance 2

• 20:15-21:15: THE BIG CHEER(S)! Bevs and catering to celebrate the performances in the Atrium (at show venue)! Think big bar + tasty curry. Everyone invited!

• 21:30-00:00: ROCKLEAZE! Big After-Party, just up the road from the show venue. Live band, cheap drinks, rowdy behaviour. All dancers invited + a few extra tickets for guests.

 

Do all classes participate in the showcase?

All classes will perform a piece in the showcase except for Ballet Barre Fit and Friday Lyrical Contemporary (as we have to keep some classes footloose and commitment-free in the lead up to the show!).

 

When will I learn my routines?

Most classes will learn their routines in Term 3 – that’s April 17th to June 17th. The Monday groups, however, will start them toward the end of March (as there are 3 bank holiday Mondays in Term 3!). And it’s likely that other classes will start playing around with ideas in Feb/Mar too (though all will be recapped in Term 3).

 

Bar June 17th, are there any other dates I need to be around for?

YES! While you will learn your routines in class, there are 2 additional IMPORTANT dates that you need to put in your diary now. 

 

June 4th – Big Rehearsal Day (9am-2pm). This is where all performers meet at The Big Act and have stage-based rehearsals. The day normally runs 9am-2pm but you will only need to be present for certain periods (we’ll confirm when early May).

June 15th – Tech Day (6pm-10pm). This is where we all meet at the venue and practise our routines in the theatre for the first time (with lights, in costume and with the professional photographer!)

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How do I sign up to perform in the show?

In April we’ll contact all dancers asking if they’d like to perform in the show and which routines they’ll be doing. There will be a Google Doc to fill out (of course!). And each dancer will need to pay a one-off fee of £7.50 to cover to costs of the extra rehearsals (that’s £7.50 per person, not per routine).

 

Can friends and family come and watch the show?

YES PLEASE! INVITE EVERYONE! For our Summer 2023 Showcase we have 800 tickets to sell! That’s about 6 tickets per dancer. SHUT UP I KNOW! So we need you to invite EVERYONE! Start putting in your Whatsapp groups NOW. And let people know that tickets will go on sale in April AND all ticket holders also get access to the after-party which I think we all know is a guaranteed ROWDY TIME! Tickets will probably be £12-£14 per person.

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What if I want to come to class but can’t participate in the show?

YOU ARE OUR BEST FRIEND! Let me explain why…

 

Firstly, class will run much like normal for most of April/May – we’ll just spend longer on specific routines, and be most focused on nailing the details. As we get closer to the show we will start putting things into formation. And this is when people who can’t perform but want to come to class BECOME THE STARS because we’ll put you in formation to fill gaps of missing people. And when I say this is invaluable…ah, honestly it is a HUGE help to us teachers and your dance class mates. AND it’s a fun challenge for you too as you still get to do the routine you’ve been learning but with the added task of trying it ‘as a different role’ each week. Very good for the brain that!

 

What happens if I miss a class in the lead up to the showcase?

With just 2 months to prepare the show, in Term 3, it’s really important that you’re able to attend all your classes. However, we do understand that things are going to come up. And there may be a week you can’t make it to class. For that week we ask that you email us (hello@aedancefitness.com) so we can give you teacher a heads up. And we ask that you catch up on anything you miss via videos in the group or by asking a friend to help.

 

For the smaller shows, us teachers often record mini tutorials of ourselves doing the routines. We can’t guarantee that we’ll have time for that in Term 3 as show term gets VERY busy for us. So what we suggest is each group really works as a team to make sure everyone’s feeling confident and comfortable with the choreo. That may means filming mini tutorials for each other, asking someone to meet with you before class to run over a section and practising between classes in your own time, to make sure the choreo sticks in your head week-on-week.

 

Will there be costumes for the show?

Yes! Each group will be in costume. For some groups you’ll be asked to source things you already have at home, based on a theme (i.e. black/sexy with a pop of red). For other groups, AE Dance may buy you a specific costume (to be used for this show and then returned to us). Whatever route we go down we’ll make sure everyone is comfortable in what they’re wearing, as we know that (e.g.) skin-tight, skin-coloured one-pieces isn’t everyone’s cup of tea (not a chance mate).

 

We’re also aiming to keep costumes as environmentally and economically friendly as possible, hence why the business is going to buy some costumes (so we can recycle them relentlessly for the next 20 years!).

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