
2024 Picture Day Information
Dear Parents,
Our picture days this year are Saturday March 16th and Sunday March 17th. CLICK HERE to see the full schedule for the weekend. There are no classes on 3/16. Please be on time. If you cannot be there, there is not a “make up” date, unfortunately. We will be using Donner Photographic, a dance photographer, to take our pictures. Group pictures are not mandatory except for our competition team kids, but they will be in the program book so we ask that everyone attend so your child is included! Any students who cannot attend will be listed in the program as “camera shy. If you do not wish to have your child photographed individually please let us know. You are under no obligation to take or buy any individual photos. There is no deposit required. Upon arriving, please spread out in the 2 studios on the west side (#1 & #3) and wait for your child’s class to be called. The children will then proceed into the studio on the east side (#2) to be photographed. The photographer will do his best to stay in order that the child arrives but he might need to go out of order for any number of reasons. Sometimes with smaller children, they may try to finish up with the ones who are upset or crying first.
Please also keep in mind that, though we do our best to stay on schedule, it is possible run a little late or a little early at different points in the day. We do usually end up getting back on track and for this reason, we suggest that you do not try to leave and come back later. There’s no way to predict how it will go as there are many factors that determine that, and in the past, we have unfortunately had students miss their group photo because they decided to leave the studio. Being even a minute or two late could mean your child misses the group photo.
We ask that you not bring siblings, other family members or friends with you to the studio on Picture Day – Mom and dancer only. We also do not allow any non-performing males, parents or otherwise, in the studio on that day because it serves as our dressing room. Male dancers will arrive dressed in costume and stay in the front waiting area until their class is ready to be photographed. Male dancers may change in the back faculty restroom accompanied by a parent.
Here are some reminders to help the day run smoothly. Please review this information carefully and let us know as soon as possible if you have any questions. Our staff cannot field phone calls on Picture Day itself, so you’ll want to ask any questions you may have in advance.
* Rooms 1 and 3 will be used for changing.
* Dress your child in their costumes with the tights we will provide you and please do their hair and make-up at home.
* Make-up need not be as heavy as for the stage. We’ll send out a “how to” video before the show.
* Please tuck in or cut any strings on their ballet shoes.
• NO BANGS PLEASE! Buns must be slicked back (start with wet hair) and low enough on the head so they are not visible from the front, with no fuzzy flyaway hair. Do not add any extra bun covers, barrettes or any other adornments to your child’s hair. They must look uniform as a class.
• If your child is upset or crying we will bring them to you. Please calm them down outside the room, as not to upset others.
• DANCERS ONLY ARE PERMITTED INSIDE THE STUDIO DURING THE PHOTOGRAPHY SESSION. Donner Photographic is very good at what they do. Please do not interfere. If you have special requests such as sibling photos, please let us know and we will pass on the request. Please have the younger sibling come to the older sibling’s class time appointment.
• We will do our best to stay on time. Depending on the size, and their mood, a class can take up to two hours to be photographed in each costume. If you happen to hear from a friend that we are running ahead or behind, please do not change your arrival time! Timing can change either way for a variety of reasons. Unfortunately, we cannot wait for any dancer who is not there when it is time to take the group photo.
• Please do not add any additional jewelry, bun covers, barrettes or accessories and please do not put underwear under their tights. If the costume has tights, the tights ARE the underwear. If the costume does not require tights, then please wear something underneath that will not show any lines.
• Wednesday 4:00 & Thursday 4:00 and Saturday 10:00 (Miss Isabel) will be photographed in their ballet costume first so you may layer your pink tights on top of your tan tights for easier changing. Saturday 9:00 (Miss Gigi) will be photographed in their tap costume first. Tuesday 5:00 will be photographed in their jazz costume first. Friday acro/hip hop combos will be photographed in their hip hop costume first. This is not always the order for recital!
With everyone’s help, this can be a productive, stress free day. We truly appreciate your cooperation in complying with all we’ve asked. Though the day is long, the result is our souvenir program which serves as our studio yearbook and is a memento that can be treasured for years to come.
Pictures will be available for viewing and purchase at the studio on Saturday, April 6th by appointment only. After 3/17, you will be emailed a link to choose an appointment time. At this time, you may also purchase space in our recital program for your child’s individual photo as well as place your recital ticket order. Please reserve your program space that day OR EARLIER! Organizing the recital program takes quite a while so we appreciate the early notice. Photos, text for your ad and business cards that are turned in late (after April 6th) risk getting lost or omitted. We make every effort to have no errors in our program so turning things in all together and on time is very helpful to us. We thank you for that and we thank you for supporting the program. April 6th is also the day the digital video/livestream fee will be charged to your account.
If you put your child’s individual photo in the program you receive a FREE business ad in the back section, making this a tax-deductible advertising expense. Placing these individual photos helps defray the cost of the printing of the program. We are very grateful for your support in this area – we want to be able to continue to provide these lovely souvenir program/yearbooks to each one of your guests on recital day, free of charge. To maintain a uniform appearance, we can only accept photos taken by Donner Photographic. You can still purchase your photos if you cannot attend on April 1st, however, it is done through special email arrangements with the photographer. We suggest that if you cannot make it, is to send a trusted friend or relative to choose and purchase your photos that day.
Fee schedule for individual space in the program is:
¼ page $75
½ page $120
Full page $225
Please think about what you’d like to write under your child’s photo so you can give that to us on the 6th. (Try to be creative!) Thank you!!!