A Virtual JAMM and Recital Info
Second Edition May 1 - June 1
So Proud of You JAMM
This Zoom platform has been such an amazing gift even though at times it has been challenging. I have loved having some connection with our students and seeing their faces and even some pets walk through the screen. I have been so honored to hear how each dancer's day has been. See the things from their homes they are so excited to share with us and to be an ear for them when they have had a challenging day. Our goal from the beginning of this is to offer them as much normalcy to their daily lives and for many a large part of that is JAMM.
I am also very proud of my team. They have developed a new business format nearly overnight. Their ability to adjust and be on board from teaching for hours in their living rooms or from their garages to continue to bring dancers joy is truly astounding.
I have spent the last month observing my teaching staff. I have heard them inspire these dancers each class using this format that would have been lost without it. We have received an overwhelming number of positive texts, emails and phone calls from students and parents on how great the staff has been for them and their dancer. We hope you have observed using this virtual dance platform how much of a family this studio really is. You can see and hear these teachers interact with your dancer and for many of you, you are hearing it for the very first time. When you watch classes from the waiting room at JAMM you can't hear the magic that is being shared in those classes. It is now coming right into your home.
We want to thank all of our parents for the support of the studio and their dancer with this new format as well as during this very uncharted time for JAMM. We understand you are managing so much at home with school and work. We understand this has been a very trying time for all of you. We can not thank you enough for giving this a try and leaping into this format with everything else you are managing right now. Your support is helping JAMM to sustain through this trying time so we can open our doors and welcome dancers in class once again. It is also helping bring joy to your dancer and that is most important right now.
We will continue with our virtual dance lessons on Zoom for the month of May and finish season 14 with everything we've got!
Below you will find information about our recital, costume pick up, dance photos, competitions and you will also see the zoom links for your May classes. It will be beneficial to read the entire newsletter all the way to the bottom.
See you on the big screen JAMM! Keep dancing and stay healthy!
Love,
Ms. Angie
Recital Movie - From Stage to Screen
We are excited to announce a unique recital experience in place of our traditional spring show on stage. We are taking the JAMM kids to the screen! With your help, we will be creating a very unique recital movie. Every classes' dances will be fully featured in the movie. Below are the details for each of our groups at JAMM and our plans to help make this possible.
We are hoping we can play this movie at a local drive-in theater, we are working with a few currently that are very supportive of this idea. As things start to open in Minnesota we will have a better idea of when this can potentially happen. We are shooting for the week of July 13 - 18 right now, which would have been our back up recital date. Of course we have to have an alternate plan for everything we do these days so we also had the idea to have a watch party. Watching the Recital Movie from the safety of our own homes and providing a link to the movie so you can share it with your family and friends!
The recital fee you have already paid will cover your year end award (trophies for years 1, 5, 10 &15 or medallions for years 2,3,4,6,7,8,9,11,12,13,14) , the production of this recital movie as well as a copy of the final product on a DVD for your family to keep and a vimeo link for you to share with family and friends.
Producing a movie of this quality and size is an enormous amount of work. However, we truly feel that we owe our dancers a very special memory and some kind of show for all of their dedication and hard work. We are so proud of them and of their ability to make the best out of what we have to work with right now.
The decision to not be able to hold a traditional recital was difficult. See the bottom of the newsletter some of the things we had to consider when making this decision. We share in your disappointment of not having an onstage recital. We are excited to offer our dancers this fun and unique recital experience. Our staff is doing everything we can to keep our dancers, parents and staff safe and still offer them a recital experience that is high quality and fun.
RECITAL ZOOM SIGN UP AND INSTRUCTIONS
DYNAMIC DIVISION DANCERS
We will be recording each dancer individually through zoom.
STEP 1
Sign up for your individual recording session "Recital Zoom Recording Sign Up" (see below)
STEP 2
Arrive in Full hair and make up on the day and time of the session you choose.
STEP 3
Click on the Recital Zoom Recording Link the day and time of your session.
Please allow for 10-15 minutes each session.
Please sign up a time for each class you are enrolled in. Our tap and jazz or tap ballet combo classes with two costumes are considered one class.
Dancers in the following classes Tot JAMM, Kidz JAMM B, Kidz JAMM A, Preteen B and Preteen A, will start in TAP costume first and will be asked to change into their second costume during their recorded zoom lesson.
We will then compile the recorded videos of each dancer and place the dancers in a "Brady Bunch Style" with their classmates so they are dancing together on the movie.
COMPETITION DANCERS
STEP 1
Upload any and all footage of stage performances from dress rehearsal or competitions no later than by MAY 15 to the BAND APP.
STEP 2
Any dances we are not able to receive footage from will have their own recording sessions. Look for those as we compile what is sent in.
COMPETITION DANCES NEEDING INDIVIDUAL RECORDINGS AT THIS TIME:
We will record the following groups dances at this time Elevate due to a costume change since rehearsal and Edge due to an injury at rehearsal. Each dancer should sign up using the link below and arrive in full costume and makeup. Click on the Recital Zoom link on the day of your session (below).
ELEVATE TAP
EDGE JAZZ
TSP
MOMENTUM JAZZ
MOMENTUM CONTEMPORARY
SENIOR TRIBUTE AND SR SOLOS
We will have our seniors work with Hannah to create their Senior Tribute and we will ask that each Senior upload a video of the solo they would like showcased in our movie to the BAND APP. Please email your 15-20 pictures and recorded audio (instructions sent out in an email in March) to brianna@jammdanceco.com by May 15th.
RECORDING DAY TIPS
BE PREPARED
Make sure to log in to the time you signed up for on the sign up genius promptly. Once you have logged into zoom, your dancer will be put into a waiting room and it will say, " Your teacher will be with you shortly." Please stay in the waiting room and your teacher will let you in soon. Dancers should show up to their Zoom Recording in their 1st costume (with all accessories on and pinned so they don't fall off), makeup on and hair style completed for that specific dance.
*Hair and Makeup videos are below for your reference for each class.
Make sure your dancer is in a well lit area either in your home or outdoors. Having your dancer facing the light source and you standing against the light source (a window, bright light etc.) this will help make sure your dancer has lots of light on them rather than you recording toward the light source which can shade your dancer and make the video look darker. You can also try turning your light source on while you video them.
FULL FRAME
Make sure your dancer is far enough back from your device so when we are recording that we are able to see them from head to toe.
SPACE
Dancer should have enough room to dance. Make sure objects are moved out of the way and dancer has a decent amount of space to dance.
RECITAL MUSIC and BACKGROUND NOISE
We will be playing the recital music on our end for the recording. You will not need to worry about doing so or about background noise.
TROPHIES AND AWARDS
All JAMM dancers receive awards at the end of each year completed with JAMM. We will have a pick up date when these awards are in. For our 5, 10 and 15 Year award recipients we will have an awards presentation as part of our Recital Movie highlighting your milestone accomplishment.
Below is the Trophy list with how many years your dancer has been dancing at JAMM.
Please look over the document and email dance@jammdanceco.com by May 15th if any changes need to be made.
Dynamic Division (Recreational) Curbside Costume Pick Up!
WEDNESDAY, MAY 13 12:00PM-6:00PM @ JAMM
Drive Thru Directions:
Please enter JAMM at the entrance nearest the JAMM sign and closest to the Steeple Center. We ask that everyone please stay in their car and to pop their trunk. We will place your costumes in the back for you! You will then proceed out of the parking lot at the opposite entrance (the adjacent parking lot to JAMM exit). We ask everyone to please turn right as they exit the parking lot so traffic can move quickly.
Please note: that Hip Hop kidz both Monday and Friday will not receive the additional expense for hip hop shoes as they were returned in an effort to be sensitive to budgets at this time. As well as restrictions of being able to have a proper in person shoe fitting at this time.
Below you will find a list of costume pieces and how each piece should be worn for your video.
Dynamic Divison Costume Alterations
Dance Photos With Lisa Cline Photography
Recital Movie Tee Online Order
ORDER DEADLINE MAY 17
Hair and Make up Tutorials
Hair Tutorials
Let's JAMM -Virtual Studio ZOOM Links
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REMINDER NO DANCE MEMORIAL WEEKEND
NOTE There is no class on Memorial weekend, Thursday, May 21 - Monday, May 25.
Classes will resume on Tuesday, May 26
Tot Classes
Tap & Jazz Classes
Ballet & Pointe Classes
Hip Hop Classes
Acro
Move Companie
Drive Companie
push Companie
Elevate Companie
Edge Companie
Momentum companie
Hip Hop Companies
Small Group Companies
Weekend Technique Classes
Zoom Private lessons
JAMM Virtual Study Hall
Wednesdays 12:30pm - 1:00pm Middle/ High School
Bring your homework, ask questions or just eat lunch with us!
Competition Dancer Updates
Our competition dancers are expected to have 2 opportunities to compete this Summer that are still scheduled.
HALL OF FAME
JUNE 21-25, 2020 @ ROY WILKINS AUDITORIUM
JULY 19 - 26 @ Ames Center
The competition directors are already trying to work out a plan for the proper PPE, ways they can to try to social distance by limiting audience members, spreading out the schedule and only allowing certain age groups in at a time or only 1 studio at a time in the venue, etc. While these are currently on the calendar we have to wait and see what our state determines as those months approach for holding these types of events. We are working hard to make sure our dancers have a competition opportunity this summer.
WHAT DOES THE REST OF THE SEASON LOOK LIKE?
MAY
Finish out May classes on Zoom. Bring in guest teachers in an effort to continue to inspire and engage our students on this platform. Note: Momentum has an adjusted schedule for May.
JUNE
Optional technique classes for all competition students. In studio rehearsals for Hall of Fame and Masquerade at a reduced rehearsal schedule TBD based on our restrictions.
JULY
A few studio rehearsals leading up to Masquerade.
AUGUST
JAMM the Intensive auditions and 4 weeks of optional summer class.
The Decision Regarding Not Holding A Traditional Recital
With the inability to offer a typical recital option based on the restrictions in place for large group gatherings in Minnesota, we have made the difficult decision to forgo the traditional onstage recital experience. There are many factors to our decision that were taken into consideration (see below). We share your deep disappointment with JAMM being forced to make this decision. We feel that we have to make this decision first and foremost for the safety of our dancers, parents and staff but also due to the restrictions regulated by the State on our business due to COVID- 19.
It is difficult to come to terms with not being able to offer our students the magic of an in person JAMM recital. However, we know that this is completely out of our control - it was still one of the hardest decisions I have had to make in 14 years as the owner and director of JAMM. Our dancers work for 9 months with the end reward of sharing their love of dance on the stage. While we know a recital movie is not the same as an onstage experience we have to just understand that we are not the only one effected by this. Broadway is closed currently.
THINGS WE CONSIDERED REGARDING THIS DECISION
1.)We are unable to safely social distance with a studio/group of this size as well as the size of our typical recital audience of 1,200.
2.) We considered an outdoor venue but the stage size required for social distancing isn't available in the state and it would need to be rented and transported at a very large expense. And then there are weather factors, insurance issues, permits, parking, audience space and dressing room space challenges.
3.) If we were able to have an in-venue recital if some of these restrictions were lifted; we considered the low number of dancers and audience members that would participate. We expect that our typical audience size would be significantly decreased based on their personal concerns with safety to their dancer and loved ones. This really limits the studios ability to provide a recital venue with limited ticket sales.
4.)The time frame in which any in-venue recital event may be able to take place could potentially bring us into the late fall and winter months. Many families have only committed to this season for a 9 month program, with their last month being May. We find many families would not be able to afford or want to continue taking zoom classes when there is a possibility at the end of each month we still may not be able to produce a recital on stage.
5.) Costumes can not be returned as they were ordered in November and many have already undergone alterations for the perfect fit to your dancer. We are unable to use the same costumes next season as we are not always able to get the same costumes each year and many will not fit next year. It also limits the number of new students we are able to admit into a class if we are not able to get the same costume for them. Then there is the issue with the dancers being burnt out on what they have already been working on the last 8 months. We can not ask them to work on the same dances next season.
JAMM Dance Companie
Email: dance@jammdanceco.com
Website: jammdanceco.com
Location: 14390 South Robert Trail, Rosemount, MN, USA
Phone: 651-423-9109