It's our last dance class of the year. What a strange way to end. I trust you all received the email from our main JFK office in regard to all of the happenings from there. It is quite a time. It is definitely not the way I planned to end my time as the director in Garrison after 5 years of coaching your amazing kids. THANK YOU for sticking with it and supporting me these years, and particularly in these times since COVID-19! Your dancers joining on Zoom have been a blessing to me, in connecting with kids that I miss so dearly with the social isolation and distancing required to try to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
Here is the plan for tomorrow: ALL groups join in Zoom at 4:30 wearing uniforms. We will have each group perform their song like a show (we will turn the video off of the other dancers to highlight just those who are dancing and watch the performance of each). Then we will all learn a fun song in celebration of our year and then dance it together to end our session. I will record this as usual and send it out on Band for you to have. (If you haven't joined your group's Band, you still can. Just let me know and I can send you the info.) Again, I thank you all so much for trusting me with your children for these past 5 years as director of Garrison's Just For Kix. I will miss it so much. They are actively looking for a new director, so if any of you are interested or know someone who would be great, it is an AMAZING company to work for, with great supports, and I'd love to visit with you about it any time. (Reminder that Zoom codes were sent via email for student privacy.)
Hello! This week's dance classes will be together via Zoom. Our community usually has a special dance for our kids to dress up and enjoy a special night, like a children's prom, and was to be called "Ties & Tiaras" this year, and scheduled to be held April 19. We were going to work around it in our dance schedule and not have dance but have it a different day, but now here we are in different circumstances! So I thought perhaps we could do both a little differently!
Here is my idea:
Have your daughter or son dress up in his/her finest dress or suit. Find a partner in your home who would typically have accompanied them to such a community event and dance with them to also dress up (to their comfort level) and join in for our dance time! This can be a mom, dad, grandparent, sibling, whoever is willing to dance with your child! My daughter Kenzie will be joining me to dance and we will teach you a fun partner dance (don't worry, it is simple and fun) to the song "Jail House Rock" and then we will play some fun songs to dance together, both fast and slow. I hope you will join us! It is sure to be fun! It will also be recorded and posted to our Band groups for play afterward if you cannot join in live.
I'd suggest you have a fancy dinner after our class as you might work up an appetite! Your whole family is certainly welcome to join in. I hope you can make it! Thanks for staying with us for dance through these strange times. Dancing with your children makes my heart sing. Take care, stay safe, and see you next week!
*Zoom Login Info Emailed To Individual Dance Families*
Upcoming Dance Events:
Monday, April 13: 5:00 Zoom Easter Theme Online Class PreK-Grade 1; 6:00 Easter Theme Online Class Grade 2-6; Login info sent via email and Band
Sunday, April 19: 5:00 Zoom Ties & Tiaras Theme Online Class; I need your input if you'd like this to be all together so we could mimic a partner dance like we would have been able to have in our community (dress up, go to a fancy dance with a significant adult in your life, etc.), or do separately for 1/2 hour times like Easter Monday times.
Sunday, April 26: 4:30 Show Time: ALL Dancers at the same Zoom Time in Uniform to Show their dances to each other. This could be interesting and fun! This would have been our Spring Show date and time! We can make it happen virtually, right?
Please let me know what you think about April 19 Ties & Tiaras, and I will set Zoom times and login info to send out to you. Thank you for your flexibility in these strange times! Speaking of flexibility, have you stretched today?
In-Person Classes are suspended indefinitely due to the announcement from NDHSAA, the ND Dept of Health, Governor's Office, and the ND Department of Public Instruction suspending all activities at this time. Our group is not able to hold practices in our facility. I will look at creative options for dance, such as practice at home with routines I can send you via technology, as well as making up classes when we can. NO CLASSES MONDAY. Please check emails for more info soon. Stay safe, stay home if you are sick, wash your hands A LOT, stay calm, and breathe. Love you all! ~Mrs. Fuller
Hello! The Benedictine Living Center's St. Patrick's Day event scheduled for Sunday, March 15, has been POSTPONED to a date yet to be determined. Our JFK Home Office has advised us to not hold community performances this weekend due to CDC guidelines to avoid crowds for social distancing, so we are glad that this event is postponed and not cancelled altogether. When it is rescheduled, we will be included in the agenda and I will let you know as soon as I know the date and time for the event and our performance times.
At this time, we plan to hold classes as scheduled on MONDAY. We will NOT be using the drinking fountains as our home office has stated all dancers should bring their own water bottles. I will have hand sanitizer and we will not be holding hands for any part of any routine or warm ups. We will still "hook" as we do for our routines. If your child has been sick, or is feeling sick, PLEASE do not send them to class. They do not enjoy dancing if they are ill and it risks everyone else who is there as well. This is not just a Coronavirus issue; it applies to influenza, the stomach flu, and even a common cold. This virus is new and has heightened everyone's awareness of hygiene practices, and we all know that little children have not learned these good healthy habits yet. Please use your best judgment in sending your dancer to class.
We will take this day to day, and at this point, some TWD competitions have been postponed. Valley City competition has NOT been postponed yet. I'd like to know from Mini Kix families what your thoughts are at this point.
I will keep you posted with information as I know it via Remind, email, Facebook, and our website. If you haven't joined our Remind, you can do so by texting @fullerjfk to 81010. You can always call or text me at 701-337-6132 as well. Thank you for everything. Stay healthy and safe! ~Mrs. Shelly Fuller