Hi Dance Fam,
Well, here we are again, checking in with you through the power of technology and not in person as we would so love to do. We know we start most emails with “We hope you are well.” Please know this is not said in vain and we genuinely hope our dancing community are safe, healthy, happy and finding little sparks of joy each day in lockdown. Never have we ever had to spend so much time away from our studio and please know, when we say studio we mean the people in it. It’s you we miss so much.
The online classes we have been providing have been a silver lining. Being able to see our smiling students working hard and doing what they love as well as keeping our community connected is what has given us the ability to just keep going. And, of course, your involvement not only means the continued support of our dancer’s physical and emotional wellbeing, but it also supports our small business and will help ensure we will make it to the other side of this pandemic.
Sadly, at this stage we still don’t have a “return to dance” date but we project we will be dancing from home for at least the first 4 weeks of term 4. So, let’s keep zooming on and dance from our lounge rooms once again. Join us for another 4 weeks of online fun and learning starting Thursday, October 8th and Saturday, October 10th.
PLEASE NOTE:
- If you are currently enrolled in our online classes, you will need to re-enrol for this next block of classes
- If you haven’t been participating in our online classes, but would like to give it a go you are more than welcome to. We will be starting fresh routines and may even change the teachers up so no one will feel behind.
WHAT WE’VE LOVED ABOUT TERM 3:
- We have had so many MSF kids, from all age groups get involved. It has been such a positive and energetic atmosphere, even through our screens.
- Our condensed timetable makes it simple and easy for families.
- Having classes on a Saturday has worked well for students who are homeschooling and need a break from screens and learning at the end of the school day.
- Our back to back classes keeps younger students engaged and keep the momentum going.
- Our “package price” means you/your family can take as many classes as you like (within your age group) for the one price.
- See timetable and fees attached.
How it will work
- Classes will once again be delivered online via a program called Zoom
- The MSF teachers will lead the class and students can watch, participate and interact.
- Classes are shorter than our studio classes to suit the at-home format
- The movements and steps will be tailored to a smaller space.
- We will work on some choreography over the course of the term, but we won’t be planning for concert routines at this stage- just practising and enjoying the skill of learning choreography
- We know these can’t replicate the in-person classes you’re used to, but they’re designed to keep you dancing, progressing, thinking and MOVING as much as we can in these imperfect circumstances.
To participate, you will need:
- Some clear, safe floor space to spread out, such as a lounge room. You might need to move furniture out of the way. Choose a “public” area of the house for supervision eg: not their bedroom.
- A computer, tablet or phone, suitable for video calls.
- An HDMI cord is helpful to connect smaller screens to a larger tv screen or monitor.
- Ballet students would benefit from access to a wall, chair or kitchen bench to use as a barre
- Your MSF uniform and a drink bottle – to get you in the right mindset for class.
Timetable and Pricing
- The timetable and pricing is different from our usual in-studio timetable- see attached
- We’ve designed it to enable students to take multiple classes, even if they don’t normally, as we know lots of other activities have been cancelled or scaled back.
- Feel free to enrol in any or all classes for your age group.
- We have made a decision not to offer acrobatics in this format, but we encourage acro students to take a ballet/jazz class to keep progressing their foundation technique
- We have been as generous as we possibly can in discounting fees for Term 4, as we’d love to see as many MSF kids as possible enjoying dance over this time, particularly for families with multiple children.
- We understand that everyone’s circumstances are different, and there is a lot of pressure on families at the moment.
- As a small business, we are experiencing the uncertainty first hand- there is a very real pressure to remain afloat during this time. For this reason, we respectfully ask that you ensure your fees are paid by the due date to confirm your ongoing enrolment.
- If you’re unable to participate during this time we understand! We encourage you to keep utilizing the free practice videos and activities we’ve provided and just dance if and when and however you can.
What Next?
- Classes will commence Thursday, October 8 and Saturday, October 10.
- Enrolment will work the same as it does for our studio classes
- Log on to the parent portal here: https://dancestudio-pro.com/online/mainstfunk
- Enrol in any or all classes for your age group by clicking “Register for Classes”
- We will send you an invoice which is payable via electronic transfer. MSF’s bank details will be listed on the invoice.
- To access your class, log on to the parent portal 5 minutes before class.
- Click the video camera icon underneath “Todays Schedule”
- Students participating in back to back classes will only need to log in once.
- More detailed instructions and a visual guide can be found here: https://mainstfunk.com/2020/04/25/how-to-enrol-and-access-your-online-dance-class/
On the 21st of September, it will mark 6 months since we announced that our doors would close temporarily due to covid-19. With the exception of one week in June when we got to see a handful of online students at the studio, we really had no idea of the huge impact this crisis would have on our dance school. For those who have been following our story on social media, you will know that we, along with majority in the dance education industry, have not qualified for ANY financial assistance from the government while we continue to pay for our beautiful dancing home and all its overheads.
We do remain positive that Main St Funk will open it’s doors again in 2020 and that we will return to a busy, buzzing and happy studio full of our crazy and quirky MSF kids. There is one sure-fire way to show your support and help us make that happen and that’s to enrol in our online classes. Your kids need dance and we need your kids. We are all in this together.
SEE YOU ONLINE!
Of course, if you have any questions or concerns, please get in touch. We LOVE hearing from you.
The MSF Team (Kristie, Carla and Chloe)
Chloe: 0433220973
