What To Expect When You Arrive At The Studio

Welcome back to Positions! 

We are thrilled to kick off another amazing year of dance. We have LOTS of new faces at the studio.  We thought this would be the perfect time to give our newer families a run-down of what to expect when you arrive at the studio. 

We are sharing three tips for new families. We want you and your dancer to feel confident when you arrive at the studio! Check out our tips below to make your first few weeks at Positions as stress-free as possible. 

Tip #1 - Prep the Dance Bag

Make sure to gather your child’s dance items into a bag and put their name on EVERYTHING! If your child leaves a shoe behind or clothing item, we will make sure it gets back to them. This can save you the trouble of needing to purchase another pair of shoes or dance attire.

Packing a few extras can also set your child up for success. Depending on your child’s age and classes, they might want an extra pair of tights, hair ties, a brush, a small towel,  bandaids, or a thereband. 

Once your child is ready for class,  they should place their dance bag on a hook or in a cubby. Dancers in combo classes should bring their dance bags into the studio. 

Tip #2 - Wait for your Teacher Outside the Studio 

Once dancers are ready for class, they should wait outside their studio. Your child’s teacher will greet their students and open the studio door when it’s time for class. Students will enter the studio together.

Practicing preparedness allows our classes to stay on schedule and make things less stressful for you and your child! 

Tip #3 - Think Through the Logistics

Our lobby can get a little tight during busy periods.  Ideally, one adult will bring their child to dance class and return to pick them up.

Please remember to build in a little extra time for parking. Don’t forget your quarter! 

We are so excited to be dancing our way into the fall with our dance families. Thank you in advance for your cooperation in making this an amazing year!  

Please let us know if you have any questions. Never hesitate to reach out, we are more than happy to help.

If your dancer is looking to join us or add a class, it’s not too late. We are still accepting enrollment in classes with availability. See the current schedule and register for classes on our website. 

We’d love to have your dancer join in on the fun!

6 Ways to Celebrate The Holiday Season With Dance

The holidays create such a special spirit among our young dancers and each year we LOVE being a part of their joy. While it’s a tough year for all of us, we are determined to make the most of it and create some holiday magic for our kiddos!

That’s why we’re dedicating this month’s blog post to celebrating the holiday season with DANCE! Dancers create special memories around the holidays. Between hanging a ballerina ornament, seeing the nutcracker, or doing a rockette-inspired kickline at the family party, we all have our own traditions! 

Looking for some extra holiday magic for your dancer this year? Ready to bring dance into your family’s holiday traditions? Check out these 6 Ways to Celebrate the Holiday Season with DANCE!

1. Shop ‘till you drop at our Dancewear Store!

It wouldn’t be the holidays if there weren’t special gifts waiting to be opened! Good thing we’ve got everything your dancer wants and needs right here at our Dance Store. We carry dance class staples, Positions logowear, small stocking stuffers and more! Check it out and hurry to our store today!  

2. Watch our Positions Dancers in their virtual performance of the Nutcracker. 

The Nutcracker is a part of every young dancer’s holiday wonderland! We share this classic tradition every year with our students. This year, our performance went virtual, live on our Positions facebook page. You can watch a playback of the performance HERE and be sure to like us on facebook to see more of our lovely dancers! 

3. Grab a kid’s ballet book for bedtime or join us for a virtual reading!

Storytime can be SO magical for kids! We recently did a virtual reading of Misty Copeland’s new picture book, Bunheads on our Facebook page. It’s our newest book that we carry in our store, so if you LOVE the story as much as we do, grab it as a gift.

Join us on Tuesday, December 22nd for a virtual reading of The Nutcracker! Just days away from Christmas eve, we can’t wait to share the excitement with our dancers!

4. Take advantage of our December Gift Card Special and give the gift of dance this year!

Have you heard about our awesome promotion?! From now through 12/24 when you purchase a gift card valued at $50.00 or more, you get an additional $15.00 gift card for you to keep OR gift! Positions gift cards can be used on class tuition OR in our store. Gifting a child with a new dance class can be the perfect gift for little ones who just can’t get enough dance!

5. Host a virtual watch party of a dance movie on Netflix.

There are dance movies GALORE on all the streaming services nowadays. One of our favorite holiday dance classics is White Christmas which is available on Netflix! This year, we are SO excited to watch Dance Dreams: Hot Chocolate Nutcracker, a documentary of Debbie Allen’s groundbreaking production! Debbie Allen is a dance legend.

Did you know you can host a virtual watch party on Netflix? Check out this informational page. Viewers can chat virtually while watching at the same time. This would be great for family and dance friends to watch together, but from afar this year! 

6. Get crafty with some holiday ballerina decorations!

For those of us that enjoy a craft day with the kiddos, dancers love using their creative side! Check out these adorable ballerina crafts with snowflake tutus.

We hope this list helps you and your little dancers get into the holiday spirit! Pick one thing and roll with it… we promise it will create a treasured memory for your dancer.

From all of us here at Positions Dance Studio, Happy Holidays! We hope that amidst this difficult year, you can all find time to feel joyful with loved ones near and far. We are forever thankful for you, and we love seeing the holiday magic around our studio each year!

3 Tips To Get The Most Out Of Your Free Trial

We know there are so many great dance studios in the area and choosing the best one for you can be a tough decision. This is why at Positions Dance Studio, we offer free trials to new customers. Today on the blog we wanted to talk about a few tips to get the most out of your free trial and share with you what you can learn by taking advantage of them.

BONUS ALERT: Check out our demo at the bottom of this post showing exactly how to schedule your free trial today!

You can start learning about a dance studio the second you sign up for a trial. We recommend taking a moment to reflect after contacting the studio. How easy or difficult was it to sign up? If you spoke to someone on the phone or via email, how was the studio’s communication?

This very first interaction can be a glimpse into how the customer service is at a studio. At Positions, we strive to create a very positive experience from the beginning of our customer’s dance journey. Our new customers can schedule their free trial online or by calling/emailing the studio. Our website and parent portal are always up to date with the most current information so our customers are always informed.

As you arrive at the studio, take a moment to observe. How are the students and teachers interacting? Do the students look happy? How do you feel about the lobby? You will know you are at the right studio when you feel good upon walking in. One of the biggest priorities at Positions is to make everyone feel welcomed. We firmly believe that dance is for everybody! During your free trial, you should be able to feel that energy right as you enter our studio.

The most obvious advantage of doing a free trial is seeing if your child LIKES the class and enjoys their teacher. Signing up for a session of dance is a big commitment. By having your child do a trial class, you won't have to guess if they are going to have fun and learn something new. You will know!

Our teachers at Positions strive to create a positive environment in the classroom that fosters student growth both in their technique and in their self-esteem. A trial will give you the confidence to know your child is in the right place.

As you can see, a trial class is an important step in finding the right dance studio. We offer free trials to new customers all year long. If you would like to get a first-hand look at what Positions Dance Studio is all about, schedule your free trial today!

Below we have made a free trial demo so you can feel confident in booking yours.

Uploaded by Resourceful Dance, LLC on 2018-07-13.

Top 4 Reasons To Dance This Summer!

Can you believe summer is right around the corner?? We are just as shocked as you but it is that time of year again! Many families start planning their summer fun right around this time of year and we are so excited to share with you all that Positions has to offer. This summer we have an amazing line up including a 6-week session AND 6 awesome camps to choose from! We are POSITIVE your child will have a blast but if you need a bit more convincing, check out our TOP 4 reasons to dance this summer!

1. Summer is the PERFECT time to try something new! With a short 6 week session, it is a great time to try a new style of dance without having to commit to a longer session. If your child has shown an interest in trying dance for the first time or maybe adding another class to their line up, summer is the best time to see if they are ready!

2. Improving technique is a BREEZE in the summer! Ok, maybe not a breeze hehe. Dancers still have to put in the work but they can do it without all the distractions that the school year brings. We have found that the dancers who commit to our summer sessions improve SO much in such a short amount of time and it is all because of the focus they bring to the table. If your dancer is hoping to improve this year or perhaps move up a level, taking class during the summer should definitely be a priority!

3. Making new friends comes easily in our classes! We strongly believe that dance is for EVERYONE and with that comes our commitment to provide an all-inclusive, positive, family-friendly environment. Whether your child has friends at the studio or is brand new to Positions, we know they will leave their first summer class with a handful of new friends!

4. Our summer classes and camps are FUN! We are a bit biased but we just LOVE spending the summer at Positions. We have a blast seeing our dancers achieve goals, make new friends, and get out of their comfort zones. Combine that with some great music, fun combos, and silly activities and we couldn’t be any more thrilled to get this summer rolling!   

There is one more thing we would like to mention that will get you PUMPED for summer! If you register before April 30, 2018 you will get 10% OFF your summer tuition! We recommend registering early as our classes do fill quickly.

We can’t wait to spend the summer with your family!

What Makes Positions Dance Studio Different

We know there are so many great dance studios to choose from in the Long Island area. When deciding where your child is going to dance, there are so many different factors to consider and we totally understand that. What are the teachers like? How well maintained is the facility? What is the classroom dynamic? A dance studio often becomes like a second home for young dancers and their families. That is why it is SO important to find one that you and your dancer connect with.

We feel great about all the things that make Positions Dance Studio different from all the other studios in the area. We pride ourselves in cultivating an environment where our students come out of dance class learning not only dance steps but more importantly, life skills. We are very confident that you will feel just as great knowing that your dancer’s second home is at our studio. “For Your Island,” a local show concentrating on the arts, culture, and entertainment in Long Island,  featured our studio. In the episode, you will get to know the studio owner and director, Kelly Peckholdt, see the space, and get a glimpse into our classes. It is the perfect first step in getting to know our studio and its values.

As you can see, at Positions Dance Studio we truly care about each and every student. It is one of our top priorities to make long lasting, positive relationships with all of our students and their families. We have classes for students no matter what stage in their dance journey they are in. Our family-friendly environment helps our students gain self-confidence, self-esteem, and discipline all while maintaining age and developmentally appropriate classes. Using age appropriate music and costumes in class and for performances will always be our policy. We want your kids, to be kids!

Our experienced and qualified teachers keep our students busy learning proper terminology and technique while teaching them important life skills such as discipline, focus, and grace that they will carry well beyond their dance years. We are beyond passionate about dance along with creating an all-inclusive, positive environment for our students.

Like we said, we know there are a ton of great studios out there and we are SO honored that our students have chosen our studio as their home away from home.

If you would like to learn more about what sets Positions Dance Studio apart contact us today or stop in during one of our Open House Events (6/25 4:30-6:30, 6/26 4-6, and 6/27 6-8). We are now accepting enrollment for our Fall 2018/2019 session and would love to see you there!

Is Your Child Ready For Dance Class?

Knowing when your child is ready for dance class can be tough! Whether you have a toddler, preschooler, or a child in elementary school, making the decision to sign your child up for dance classes may be nerve wracking. Every kid is unique and of course, you know your child best! To make the choice just a tad easier, we thought we would share a few tell tale signs that your little dancer is ready to jump right in!

• They LOVE music and movement! Does your dancer demand their favorite songs in the car? Do they start wiggling when a song comes on? Have they ever put on a “show” for you in the living room? If yes, then they will love dance class!

• They are ready to take class independently. We DO offer classes for children 18-36 months accompanied with a parent ( called “Dance With Me”) but if your child is older than 3, they will have to be emotionally ready to take class without a parent in the room. Sometimes the adjustment takes a couple weeks and that is OK. We do have viewing windows in our studios so you can be sure to peek in.

• They can follow simple instructions. We realize we are talking about little ones so we DO NOT expect perfection but your child should be able to follow simple instructions most of the time. Some examples of what we ask in class are: imitating the teacher’s movement, taking turns, and making a circle with their new dance friends.

Like we mentioned, each child is different and we love that! We hope this list gives you a little more confidence knowing your child is ready to have a blast with us in class. If you are still not sure, give us a call or contact us here to schedule a free trial class! Getting a tour of the space and meeting the director before the start of a new class can make the transition so much easier for both you and your child, so what are you waiting for??