Communication

Good communication is important to the success of this season. Your comments and questions are important to me. Please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns you may have throughout the year. I have made my class schedule so that there is a small break in between my younger dancers’ classes. If your comment or question will need more time please call or let me know and we can set up a time to talk. You can reach me at 402-276-1495 or columbus_ne@justforkix.com.

Custom Wear

We will be offering custom wear again this year. All colors have stayed the same so if you bought them last year you will still match the team.
Warm Ups- Pants $25, Jacket $41: Jacket will be embroidered on the left chest with the Just for Kix logo, Columbus on top of that and Dancer on the bottom. Jacket and pants will be navy with a white stripe down the sides.
T-Shirt- $16 (XXL $18): T-Shirt will be navy with white ink. Columbus will be written down the sleeve and the front will say Just for Kix Dancer or Parent.
*NEW*
Custom Sweatshirt- $50: Black hodded sweatshirts with Columbus in Maroon sequins and the Just for Kix logo embroidered below it.
**Order Deadline is Thursday October 16, 2008. This is a strong deadline and NO late orders will be accepted. Please give orders directly to Julie. Do not mail the orders to the JFK Home Office and Do not combine the payment with any other payments. Please see Julie for order forms.

Dance Class Attire

Please have your dancer arrive in dance or active wear. Jazz pants, leggings, shorts, bikers, leotards and T-shirts are acceptable. NO JEANS, DENIM, DRESSES or SKIRTS will be allowed. In order to be a dancer, you must dress like a dancer. Ballet, Jazz or Tennis shoes are required footwear. (No stocking feet please). I would recommend that dancers (especially Tiny Kix and Wee Petites) wear ballet or jazz shoes to class so that they get used to the way they feel and are ready for them at performances. Sandals, boots, dress or shoes with a chunky sole will not be allowed. If you have long hair, please have it pulled back into a ponytail. Do not wear any jewelry to class. Please remember no gum, food or candy is allowed.

Uniforms

Please make sure that your dancer has been sized for a uniform. All uniform payments must be returned to me by September 30. Uniforms take 8-10 weeks to manufacture. If uniform orders are not in by that date, we cannot guarantee them for the first performance. Full payment is required to order your dancer’s uniform. Once you receive your uniform, try it on. We can only accept exchanges if the uniform has not been worn. Tights may not be returned once the packaging has been opened, so check the size on the package prior to opening. If an exchange is needed, please return the uniform right away as it may take several weeks to process. We are very picky about how our dancers come to performances. Proper dance shoes must be worn and they must be CLEAN. Nylons/tights or socks must be the correct color. We will designate hairstyles to each group in an upcoming calendar. If your dancers pants are longer than floor length, please hem them before her first performance so she doesn’t slip and slide (and possibly hurt herself).
***This year all hair will be required to be done the same at performances.  If you are a returning dancer, you will need to get the hair piece that coordinates with your uniform.  Hair pieces are no more than $6.  Having the same hair makes performances look much sharper and the team more uniform.  Please check the Class Info page for details on the uniforms including hair pieces. 

Cancellations

The calendar will provide you with a class schedule for the season. Occasionally, we may run into a circumstance where an unscheduled cancellation needs to be made. This is very rare but should it happen, you will receive a note or a phone call. Any classes that are cancelled will be made-up. Watch for make-up dates on future calendars. Please note: if school has closed early or is cancelled due to weather, there will be NO Just For Kix classes that evening. I will typically follow the recommendation of the school’s policies given to after school activities as a guideline for canceling classes. Announcements will be made on our page on the JFK website.

No Distraction Environment

We have found through the years that the most productive way to run classes is without the distraction of parents and siblings. We want to offer the best quality class we can. Since we only have a short time per week together, every minute is important. Therefore, I will have a “no distraction environment”. No spectators will be allowed during class time. However, I will allow spectators in the last 10 minutes of the last class of each month. This way you will be able to see the progress we are making. Because classes are in the Columbus Middle School cafeteria and there is no waiting area, I would suggest that you plan accordingly to follow this policy.

Props

At some point during the year, your dancer may do a prop routine. Some props are rented from the Home Office, while others are purchased. All will require a minimal fee ($1.00 to $6.00).

Facility

Our facility is VERY important to us. There is no yelling, running, or gymnastics allowed while you’re at the school (inside or outside). There are other people using the school, and we need to always respect the facility and the other people in it. This is also for your safety. Dancers are to enter directly in the cafeteria door, right off of 16th Street. Jackets, backpacks, etc. can be placed on the tables furthest from the stage. If another class is going on when a dancer gets there it is important to sit quietly at the back tables until their instructor comes to get them. If the previous class is over, then dancers can come to the front by the stage and start stretching. Dancers should be picked up immediately after their class is finished, as there is no supervision outside of class time.

Performances

I will try to offer as many performances as possible. I am always looking for new opportunities; please feel free to contact me with any ideas. Please note… you may have to pay admission into some performances, for example: basketball games, football games or shows. Please understand that Just For Kix has no control over admission fees and we try to offer free performances also.

Dance Season

Our dance season is broken into different parts. We utilize our fall classes to build up our skills, learn our first routines, get uniforms ordered and prepare for performance season. Our performance season begins in the end of November or early December. By this time we have learned our first routines and have built some of our skills. We utilize this performance season to polish our routines, work on facial expressions and confidence. We may perform routines multiple times to allow us to polish and build self-confidence while we perform. You will notice that each time we perform a routine, the facial expressions and confidence should improve as we become more comfortable with the routine. We will also continue to introduce new routines throughout the performance season. Following the Holidays our 4th-12th grade classes will also begin competing. We finish our year with a Spring Show.

At Home Practice

Often parents ask how to help their dancers practice at home. The most important thing dancers can do is stretch on a regular basis at home. Dancers should do some activity to warm muscles and then stretch as many times a week as possible. Stretching technique is covered at class. Dancers who miss class should try to arrange to get together with one of their teammates to learn what was missed. Note: For Tiny Kix and Wee Petite dancers, at home practice should not be forced. Our goal is for them to enjoy the experience.