Applicable to: All Preparatory, Young Dancer and Advanced Division Students

During Production Week, there are no regular Academy classes as students focus on rehearsals. Attendance is mandatory for all rehearsals and performances during this week. Warm-up classes will be held each day for all YD2, YD3, ADA and ADB dancers. Students in PD1 -3 and YD1 should warm-up on their own either prior to arrival or in their classroom or dressing room.

ARRIVAL AND DISMISSAL TIMES FOR PRODUCTION WEEK

YD and AD dancers who appear in the PD sections of Spring Production should arrive at the Center for Dance on Monday and Tuesday no later than 4:45 pm. A studio will be available beginning at 4:15 pm for you to warm-up on your own if you desire.

AD dancers who appear in the YD sections of Spring Production may opt to join the YD2 – 3 warmup class on Monday and Tuesday at the Center for Dance beginning at 5:00 pm.

For all rehearsals and performances, students should be in the following attire (underneath their street clothes or warm-ups) prior to arrival at the theater:

• Monday – Wednesday, May 12 – 14: Academy uniform unless instructed otherwise by Academy faculty.
• Thursday – Saturday, May 15 – 17:
  • Dancers who wear leotards to class should wear a nude or flesh-colored leotard, pink or flesh-tone footed tights and pink or flesh-tone ballet slippers (or pointe shoes if applicable). The nude or flesh-colored leotard will be worn under their costumes for both rehearsal and performance so please make sure straps are easily concealed and the color is close to the student’s skin tone. Students who don’t already own a nude or flesh-colored leotard may find one at their local dancewear retailer.
  • Dancers who wear dance shirts and leggings to class should wear a white fitted dance shirt (no logos, graphics or text), black leggings or tights, white socks and white ballet shoes.
  • YD and AD Modern Dancers: Please bring any additional attire as directed by your instructor.

Hair and Makeup:

• Unless otherwise instructed, female dancers with hair longer than chin length should have their hair in a medium bun prior to arrival. Please no additional hair accessories other than what is provided by Wardrobe. Female dancers with short hair and male dancers should have their hair well groomed and secured away from their face. We recommend hairspray to keep hair out of their face through the rehearsal and performance.
• Stage make-up (powder, blush, mascara, lipstick) is optional for Preparatory Division students and encouraged for Young Dancer and Advanced Division students. Make-up should be applied prior to arrival at the theater. Our schedule doesn’t allow extra time for hair or make-up needs.

• All jewelry should be left at home. No jewelry is permitted on stage.

During the Monday, May 12 and Tuesday, May 13 rehearsals at the Center for Dance, we are hosting all Preparatory, Young Dancer and Advanced Division students, so we thank you in advance for your patience during student drop off and pick up.

Please allow plenty of time to drive to SCPA’s Corbett Theater for Wednesday, May 15 and Thursday, May 16 rehearsals. The theater is about 10 minutes (without traffic) southwest of our Gilbert Avenue location. Prompt arrival to your call times is incredibly important! Students who have not arrived by their call time for the performance may not be able to perform.

DROP-OFF/PICK-UP PROCEDURES AT THE CENTER FOR DANCE (Monday – Tuesday)

• Drop-off and pick-up at the Center for Dance will follow normal Academy protocols.
• Please note that large groups of students may be arriving and dismissing at the same time, so the driveway may be more heavily impacted than normal.

DROP-OFF PROCEDURES AT SCPA (Wednesday – Saturday)

• The Central Parkway curb in front of the main SCPA entrance will be designated as a quick drop-off zone and will not be available for parking.
• During Theater Week, all students should enter through the main SCPA entrance and sign in.
• Parents are welcome to drop their students off in the quick drop-off zone on Central Parkway, or if they prefer, park and escort their student to check in at the main SCPA entrance. Please note: Cars may not park on Central Parkway directly in front of the main SCPA entrance.
• An Academy staff member or volunteer will be outside the door to safely usher students inside.
• PLEASE NOTE: There are several public events happening near SCPA at Washington Park, Music Hall, Memorial Hall, and in OTR throughout the week and weekend, so make sure to plan ahead when making arrangements for student drop-off/pick-up and parking.

PICK-UP PROCEDURES AT SCPA (Wednesday – Saturday)

• After the rehearsals on Wednesday and Thursday evenings, Preparatory and Young Dancer Division students should be picked up from their classrooms in the SCPA first floor hallway. One adult should enter SCPA through the main entrance and proceed down the classroom hallway to meet and sign-out their student.
• After the performances on Friday and Saturday evenings have fully concluded, Preparatory and Young Dancer Division students should be picked up from their classrooms in the SCPA first floor hallway. For those not attending the performance, please enter SCPA through the main entrance. One adult should proceed down the classroom hallway to meet and sign-out their student.
• Advanced Division students may sign themselves out. If a student in Advanced Division fails to sign out, their parents will receive a phone call to verify their safe departure.

Please Note:

• Parents are NOT permitted backstage for any reason unless they are on the official Parent Volunteer list. Only students, staff, and volunteers will be allowed backstage.
• Students may not be picked up during the show or at intermission. Parents must wait until the end of the show to pick up their students. Thank you in advance for your cooperation!
• To avoid congestion and confusion, please send only one adult per student to the classroom hallway at the end of the performance. We appreciate your patience as we work to safely dismiss students.

As staff will be in the theater quite a bit over the course of the week and especially on performance days, our ability to answer incoming calls to our Administrative Office will be extremely limited. To report an absence or a late arrival to a rehearsal or performance, or for any other urgent communication related to Spring Production, please use our Absence Notification Line (513.562.1111 Option 1) to leave a message for our team.

Please discuss the expectations below with your student prior to their arrival at the first theater rehearsal:

• All students must remain in their designated studio/classroom. Parent Volunteers are assigned to each studio/classroom.
• Students may not eat in and around costumes. Costumes are the property of Cincinnati Ballet and are often used by the Company. It’s really important we keep them in quality condition.
• Absolutely no running or yelling in the theater or backstage area at any time.
• Due to union policies, ONLY Wardrobe personnel are able to dress your student in costume.

What to bring for the Dress Rehearsal and Performances:
☐ An extra pair of tights
☐ Ballet shoes including pointe shoes if dancing on pointe
☐ Additional required attire for YD Modern and AD Modern (as directed by instructor)
☐ Extra bobby pins, elastics, hairnets and hairspray
☐ A blanket, towel or yoga mat to sit on
☐ A small “clean” snack. Clean snack examples: pretzels, animal crackers, veggie sticks, crackers, string cheese. PLEASE: No nuts or anything that could discolor hands.
☐ Water in a closed container (please label your student’s water bottle). PLEASE: No liquids other than water.
☐ Books or a quiet game/activity are permitted as there will be some breaks

What to leave at home:
☒ Messy or sticky food
☒ Beverages other than water
☒ Noisy games, video games, electronic devices, cameras, tablets, laptops
☒ Make-up
☒ Jewelry and valuables

Please make sure all your student’s belongings are clearly labeled. The Academy is not responsible for lost or stolen items.

Female dancers with hair longer than chin length should arrive at the theater with their hair in a medium bun unless otherwise instructed. For guidance in making the perfect bun, below are a few helpful tips.

1. Start by making a good ponytail: When pulling hair into a ponytail, it is helpful for hair to be slightly damp or sprayed gently with hairspray. A good ponytail is slicked tight to the head without wispies (those little stray hairs hanging down). You can usually get rid of stray hairs by using a bristle brush to smooth them back once you have made your ponytail. The height of your ponytail should be in line with the type of bun you want. Unless otherwise instructed by your teacher, all students should have a medium bun.
2. Pull the ponytail straight out and twist it into a tight rope. Then coil the hair around the ponytail holder. It should look similar to a cinnamon roll! You may need to secure it with bobby pins as you go around if the ponytail is very long. Once the whole rope is coiled, tuck the tail under the edge of the coil and secure all the edges with bobby pins.
3. Use a hairnet that matches the color of your hair and loop it over the bun. Pull the net tight across the bun and twist the net. Keep looping it over the bun and twisting it until all the net is used. Tuck any extra under the edge of the bun. Secure with a few extra bobby pins.
4. Finish everything by spraying hair with a strong-hold hairspray. If you have very curly or wavy hair, you may need to use hair gel or “hair glue.”

All bun supplies may be purchased at your local drugstore in the hair styling section.

Our colleagues at Houston Ballet Academy have also created this video with examples of various hair textures: