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Brand New to Dance, Voice, & Acting?
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If most performing arts studios seem to have qualified, friendly teachers, experience teaching children and a big show at the end of the year, aren’t they really all pretty much the same? Does it really matter which place you decide to enroll at? Yes.
There are 5 main things that can make a huge difference in the quality of instruction your child receives, the amount of extra work and hassles the parents must deal with and the overall excitement and satisfaction of being involved with a performing arts program. Here are 5 things that every parent should consider before deciding on a performing arts studio for their child.
- What type of dance floor is used?
Dance is a very physical activity that requires a lot of jumping, which can put stress on bones and joints. Most dance footwear does not provide any cushioning or support, so the shock of many dance movements can place a lot of pressure on the knees and the back of a dancer. The best way to prevent against potential injury is by choosing a studio with a professional “floating floor”. A floating floor is a dance floor that rests on a system of high-density foam, to absorb the shock of jumping. A high-density foam base is superior to a “Sprung” floor and a “tongue and groove” wood floor which usually consists of a wood structure built on the regular floor or concrete.
The top layer of the dance floor is also an important factor. Hardwood maple floors are accepted worldwide as the best surface layer for recreational to professional dance. Wood floors are absolutely essential for tap dancing, breakdancing and all jazz and ballet jumps. Very few studios use professional wood floors because of the expense involved and usually opt for a regular tile floor over concrete and try and pass it off as a dance floor. Our custom designed Maple floating floors reduce the risk of injury and allow our students to dance longer without getting tired.
- What is the size of the classroom and the amount of children in each class?
If the dance class has fewer students in it each child will receive more personalized attention, learn more and have more fun. With younger students it is easier for a teacher to maintain control over the class and make sure each student understands the concepts and instructions. Our smaller class sizes and 2 year level programs make sure that no fundamental concepts are being missed. A smaller class size also allows our teachers and their assistants to ensure that students are not developing bad habits or improper technique.
Our studio has three state of the art studios to accommodate all types of classes. All three studios are 1250 square feet, accommodating up to 30 children in any given dance or acting class. Our Private Voice and Piano Studios are Sunny and Comfortable for student & teacher. Our Visual Arts Studio, used for more stationary classes, is also a sunny and spacious room that perfectly accommodates up to 15 children in any given class.
At Arts YOUniversity, you are given multiple options on how your child would like to take lessons in dance, acting, voice, piano or the visual arts. In addition to our group classes in dance, acting, voice and visual arts, we offer private lessons in ALL our classes, which give students a personalized curriculum to provide any special needs that you and your child may have.
- What are the “extras” required for the year round performances and year end recitals?
Most studios put on a long and boring year end recital in a local theater, with many costumes that require many alterations or extra money to take care of all the details. This can be inconvenient and frustrating for our busy parents who may not know how to sew. At Arts YOUniversity, we order the finest quality of costumes, with little to no alterations needed and our very own Arts YOUniversity seamstress to help with any alterations or adjustments that may need to be made.
For voice and acting students, Arts YOUniversity offers year round performance opportunities in our permanent, 200 seat theater for students to enjoy performing all year round with tickets at only $10 each, including snacks, drinks and free babysitting.
Our Year end recital is only 2.5 hours long, jam packed with each and every student showing the skills that they have gained that year and includes a 20 minute Mini-Musical that features all our Musical Theater classes.
Other studios require you to purchase many costly tickets, programs and DVD’s. Arts Youniversity offers our families a Family Recital Package, that includes 6 tickets for any show of your choice, programs, and a Recital DVD for only $165.
We offer many performance opportunities throughout the year, not just in the late Spring, keeping children invigorated and parents seeing their children’s progress. We take care of all the details….all you need to do is show up!
- Can I get immediate assistance and customer service?
In many studios the teacher or the studio owner conducts all the classes and does all the administration. By trying to do too many jobs at once, the classes suffer and therefore so do the children. At Arts YOUniversity, we feel to have a good experience it is important to choose a studio that can assist you with details like costumes or schedules, even if a teacher is occupied in a class. Our studio has office staff on hand during all regular class times, so you can get immediate assistance. We are also available via email throughout each and every day and answer all emails within 24 hours time, even on Sundays. Our website offers up to the minute updates and details on all programs at Arts YOUniversity, including rehearsal schedules, class times, audition results and school closings.
- How will I know if my child if my child is fully benefiting from an arts education?
At many studios, the space is so small that you simply drop off your child for class and you do not see them again until after class. You eagerly ask, “What did you learn today?”, only to be told “I don’t know”. In many cases, parents are not aware of the skills students are being taught and what work is actually being accomplished in each class.
At Arts YOUniversity, we use observation windows and closed circuit TV, with flat screen monitors, in the Lobby, so that parents may stay and watch the class if they want to. This allows parents to see the superior teacher/student interaction and monitor their own child’s level of participation, growth and development.
We also provide each student with a Spring Recommendation in May of each school year accessing their skill level in their present classes. This recommendation is available after each teacher, along with the school’s directors, makes personal recommendations advising the student what classes would benefit them most in the upcoming school year. This is an unparalled guide for parents to view their child’s progress and aide in choosing classes for the upcoming year.
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