A: Dancers are encouraged to take the same number of classes each week as their level.

For example, Ballet II students should take twice per week, Ballet III three times per week, and so on.

This gives each dancer the correct amount of training for their age.

A: We do not perform a typical recital at Tye Chua Dance. Instead we offer numerous opportunities for your child to perform throughout the year, should they chose to join our Company.

Our well-loved annual performance of The Nutcracker takes place in December, followed by Choreography Showcase in February, in which our dancers perform their own works as well as pieces by faculty and guest artists. In the Spring we perform another story ballet. And our summer semester students perform in Summerdance in August.

We feel that offering students the chance to audition and learn repertoire, rather than perform as a class in a recital, creates more opportunities for learning what being a dancer is all about. How to behave in a theatre, how to look after your costumes, how to work with others - these are valuable lessons for a dancer!

A: Tye Chua Dance does not utilize purchased costumes, so there is no additional costume fee outside of the company fee!

Instead we maintain a costume department filled with handmade costumes which are then custom fitted to each dancer for every performance. We believe the experience of wearing and caring for these gorgeous costumes instills a sense of responsibility in our dancers as well as teaching costuming skills they can take with them if they choose to become professionals in the dance world.

A: We do things a little differently here at Tye Chua Dance – our company is unranked, following the model set forth by Robert Joffrey.

Our classes progress from Creative Movement through Advanced/Professional Ballet. Students shoued expect to spend anywhere from 1 to 3 years in each level.

There are several reasons we’ve chosen this path for our dancers. While it can be encouraging for a dancer to progress from corps to principal, we feel that at the student level these rankings are quite unnecessary and can be detrimental to the collaborative environment we seek to promote.

Having an unranked company encourages dancers to develop at their own pace, with their own goals in mind. It also produces dancers who are highly versatile - learning many styles and types of dance. From the perspective of the Artistic Team, it means we can choose exactly the right dancer for each role, rather than giving the “best” roles to the same few dancers every time.

In this way, all dancers are equals – any dancer can audition for any role, and any choreographer may choose any dancer. This opens up opportunities for dancers and choreographers alike!

A: At Tye Chua Dance, we take the transition to pointe work very seriously. Dancers age 12 and over who attend at least three 90 minute classes per week are eligible to be assessed for pointe work. Students will be reviewed for technique, ankle and foot strength, stamina and stability. In addition, they must pass our rigorous Pointe Shoe Exam which entails a written section of ballet terms in French and Italian. Students must also display the ability to transcribe several enchainments in French. This is all done to ensure that the dancer is both physically and mentally prepared for the journey working en pointe involves.

We know that the delay can be frustrating to young dancers who are understandably excited to move on to the next phase of training, but the safety of our dancers is our only objective and we do not allow dancers to wear pointe shoes if they are not ready. Trust us – it’s worth waiting!

A: Developing the skills needed to perform in pointe shoes takes time. Upon passing our Pointe Shoe Exam, we accompany our students and their families to be fitted at a local dancewear shop. At that point dancers will start out training their feet in their pointe shoes at the barre during their regular class time. As their ability increases, so will the amount of time spent en pointe in class. Typically a dancer will require a full year of wearing pointe shoes in class before they are prepared to wear them on stage! We believe this is the best method to avoid unnecessary injury.

Requirements for Dancers on pointe:

If a dancer wishes to wear pointe shoes in class, rehearsal or in performances, they MUST maintain a minimum of 3 - 90 minute classes per week. Should a dancer fall below that threshold, they will not be allowed to wear their pointe shoes until the minimum is met consistently.

Advanced dancers MUST have their pointe shoes on for all classes and rehearsals without being asked, unless excused by the instructor.

Dancers must sew their own ribbons and elastics. For instructions on how to do this, please speak with Aimee, Angi or an Advanced Company Member and they’ll be happy to help! Practice makes perfect and even professional dancers will need to re-sew their ribbons and elastics from time to time to get the fit just right!

We expect pointe shoes to be “pancaked” to take down the shine of the satin. For instructions on how to do this, please speak with Aimee, Angi or an Advanced Company Member!

Dancers MUST break-in their shoes prior to wearing in class or rehearsal. Pointe shoes MUST NOT be broken in by wearing them. Doing this will result in the shoe breaking in the wrong places and will actually shorten the life of the shoe. Breaking the shoe to mold to a dancer’s unique foot structure is critical not only for aesthetic purposes, but for safety as well. Breaking includes, but is not limited to:

• Shank modifications

• Box modifications

• Deadening the box to reduce sound

Pointe shoes are serious tools for a dancer and must be replaced often. The life expectancy of a pointe shoe is roughly 14-16 HOURS of dancing. This varies widely across brands and styles. So an Advanced Company Member should plan on new shoes once every month or so. Consider purchasing two pairs at a time and rotating to extend this timeline.

We understand that the high cost of pointe shoes can be a burden. However, the safety of your dancer must take precedence. If you need assistance with the costs associated with the regular purchase of pointe shoes, please speak with one of the Directors.

If you have any pointe shoe related questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out so we can reply thoughtfully!

A: We believe ballet is more than just a series of steps - it’s an art form - a complex discipline passed down from dancer to dancer over hundreds of years. While videos can be exciting to watch and try to emulate, they do not provide proper training or instruction. The rich history of the steps and movements simply cannot be conveyed by watching your favorite dancer on YouTube. Our Artistic Team are uniquely qualified as répétiteurs - those with the knowledge of choreography - to pass down the intricacies of technique, repertoire, performance and, most importantly, history!