Dance Alive

Dance Alive is an intensive program that offers a venue for serious students to perform several times during the year and to be challenged with choreography equal to and above their level of dance. Past venues include Charity Competitions, Festivals, Spruce Meadows, Calaway Park, Lilac Festival and even Disney World!

To be accepted by audition, Dancers must be aged 6 and up with a minimum of one-year dance experience. During their time in Dance Alive, students must study both ballet and jazz as a minimum. Students that train in other weekly classes in other styles may study these genres in Dance Alive as well. Dance Alive rehearses every Friday night and/or Saturday daytime, please see our attendance commitment. Participation in the program is restricted to dancers who are ready to make achieving their personal best a priority.

Please note our Mini Team (ages 6-8) perform in one piece only and have a gentler rehearsal and performance schedule.

Check out what we've been up to for our latest season! https://sites.google.com/view/dance-alive/home

Is This Program Right For You?

The first step to becoming a successful dancer is making a solid commitment to your classes, rehearsals, and performances. Strong technique is a key ingredient and class is where you develop that technique. Come to each class prepared to learn and without personal distractions. Class time is your chance to focus on yourself, so try to leave your concerns or worries at the studio door. True progress is made when you look at each class, rehearsal, or performance as an opportunity to become better at what you love to do. Dance full-out, stretch a little further, become more aware of your technique, and make the most of every class.

The Dance Alive program is a privilege that dancers and their parents must appreciate and respect. Participation in the program is restricted to dancers who are ready to make achieving their personal best a priority. There will be times when classes, rehearsals, or performances will be scheduled when your non-dance friends or family may be headed to the mall or the movies.

It is our goal to create a fun atmosphere where the group builds strong friendships, camaraderie, and respect for one another. This, combined with dedication, hard work and proper conduct by the student creates a positive and productive dancing environment.

Students are expected to be at EVERY class. Choreography is difficult to learn without full attendance. Anything less is not fair to the rest of the group. Dance Alive must take priority over school dances, birthday parties, etc. and outside dance commitments must be communicated and approved before the year begins. Missing more than one class prior to Christmas and more than two after Christmas will result in the student being suspended from Dance Alive for the following term. Unexcused absence from run-throughs, dress rehearsals, shows or recitals will result also result in suspension from Dance Alive.

We encourage dancers to be as dedicated to their academic studies as they are to their dance training. If your participation in this program affects your grades or the expectations and goals set by your parents, we cannot allow you to continue in the program.

Reasons why this program might not be a good fit for you:

• You're involved in extracurricular activities that could interfere with your class, rehearsal, or performance commitments.
• You're doing it because you want to keep up with your friends, but you are not passionate about dance nor the commitment.
• You're doing it because your parent(s) want you to.
• You're not fully committed to attending all classes and rehearsals.

Program Benefits

Only a small percentage of the dancers in our Dance Alive Program will move on to professional dance careers; therefore, the program focuses on educating young people to strive for their personal best in anything they want to accomplish. We achieve our goals for the program by offering young people the chance to:

• gain a sense of balance in life by managing their commitments to both dance and academics;
• participate in a physical activity that enhances understanding of the value of a healthy body;
• develop a sense of confidence when speaking or making a presentation in a public setting, which is also a great benefit in college or job interviews;
• work with mentors who are focused on the students' success inside and outside of the classroom;
• enjoy friendships that could last a lifetime and a sense of belonging to an extended family of fellow dancers, teachers, and parents;
• discover the results of hard work and determination; and
• develop a lifelong appreciation for the performing arts.

Calgary Dance Alive

A parent-run association called Calgary Dance Alive drives the fundraising and extracurricular portion of the Dance Alive program.Parents of Dance Alive students are automatic members and obligated to be part of the association. The purpose of Calgary Dance Alive is to provide experiences for the students that both further immerse their exposure to the arts, as well as finding opportunities for them to become active members of the community. In the past, activities for the students have included conventions, viewing various productions in the city and attending dance tours to places like New York and Disney World.

The association strives to provide access for all Dance Alive students to the program through fundraising goals throughout the year.The fundraising activities from year to year have included several bottle drives, selling flowers and a silent auction at the yearly showcase.In the past the fundraising efforts have been enough to subsidize a good portion of everyone's final deposit of festival fees.

The Association meets 3 times a year, from September to June and the parent's commitment to attend these meetings is mandatory. While these commitments are not time consuming, they do require each member to take on volunteer duties and be willing to work together as a team to benefit the students in this performing program.