What do I wear?
For all new students when first starting classes students may wear comfortable clothing like a t-shirt and leggings/tracksuit bottoms (for ease of movement) and may borrow dance shoes from the borrowing box. We only expect students to wear uniform after their 2 week trial period and this uniform can be ordered through the SQUAD DANCEWEAR website for bespoke uniform. You will receive details for this after your first trial. Casual uniform can be ordered at reception in the studio. We hold stock for most shoes/tshirts and tights and can order in items usually within a couple of weeks if they are not in stock.
What happens after my 2 week trial?
The day after your first trial you will receive a welcome pack containing our terms and conditions, uniform information, prices, performances and more! In your second week, you will receive a sign-up email and will pay a £20 sign up fee; this is an annual membership fee that is due every 1st January. If you sign up from October onwards you wil not have to pay the membership fee in January. After your membership fee is paid, you will then be added to our WhatsApp group chats.
Annual Show Information
Over the past 20 years we’ve put on 12 shows with sell out audiences. We’ve also done lots of charity/ fund raising events/displays for Little Havens’ Children’s Hospice, The Forget Me Not Suite in Basildon Hospital, SANDS (Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Society) and other charity’s.
Every student has the opportunity to dance in our amazing show (every 18 months). We don’t have a show every year as we like to give the students time to prepare for exams, other competitions, displays and charity shows. We also do this to help parents with spreading the costs of doing these wonderful confidence building events.
Each show consists of around 35 dances, with usually 2 dances per class (subject and age group).
At the end of each final show we give awards to the students that have shown dedication, have worked hard/well in the Chameleon team, maybe have overcome or are working hard to overcome struggles in class and of course the most improved (The Kent Rhodes Award)
The Bernard Ringshaw Award is awarded to the most outstanding student in all areas and was named in memory of Miss Louise’s uncle who himself was a successful entrepreneur and had built the building where we had our first studio. The Kent Rhodes Award is awarded to the student who is most improved and was named in memory of Miss Louise’s dear friend.
Dance shows do cost money, however, as we said before, we do our best to spread the costs out and to keep them down as much as possible. Our team travel far and wide to source costumes at the most reasonable prices and also allow parents to pay into a ‘costume club’ from one year to the next. We do try our best to keep the average cost at around £45, however most Primary students come in at around £25. It’s worth noting that the more subjects a student does, then the higher the cost due to an increase in the amount of costumes. Committing to the show costs £45 and this goes to the theatre for the show as a deposit to them. Rehearsals cost £10 each, no matter how long we need on a particular day and are usually held on Sundays. Students commit to doing rehearsals when signing up for the show and are usually expected to do no more than 3 (Primaries/Adults) or 6 (Junior, Intermediate, Senior).
Minimum 3 tickets for shows per performer need to be bought in order to take part in the show.
Do we do exams?
The National Association of Teachers of Dance is the association under which the examinations are taken, and students who pass these exams now earn UCAS points. The structure of these exams means that children aren’t taught just to pass them, but gives them an all round knowledge of the steps and an ability to adapt these steps into different routines and combinations with ease.
Examinations can be taken to achieve higher levels of dance, teaching exams can also be taken once all exams are completed and we have students gaining these accreditation’s every year.
Do we do Performances and Auditions?
All students have the opportunity to participate in events including shows, carnivals, displays, competitions and fetes. We have previously participated in Wickford carnival and festivals, school fetes, ‘Together Against Crime’, ‘Olympic Opening’ displays at the Basildon Sporting Village. And many more. Our Elite Troupe compete in up to 6 competitions per year and have won multiple 1st, 2nd and 3rd place awards in groups, duets and solos! If you want to be a part of our Elite Troupe you must take part in at least ballet, tap and modern classes and will be chosen in September.