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Keeping In Step With Tradition |
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McMahon School of Irish Dance rev. 8/24/11 It is the McMahon School’s goal to keep Irish culture alive through music and dance and to pass it on to new generations of dancers. The atmosphere in the McMahon School is one in which students are encouraged to develop their own individual talents as well as learn to work well with others. This is best accomplished when the student and teacher share a common goal: to learn as much as possible from each other and to have fun while doing so. The McMahon School gives the opportunity to dance recreationally or competitively while developing a sense of self worth and accomplishment. We are dedicated to teaching students as individuals, instilling a positive self-confidence and helping them to achieve their highest level of Irish dance. We strive to instill a sense of unity and friendship among the dancers and their families through a variety of Irish cultural events and opportunities at McMahon School of Irish Dance. Registration Info:Registration is open to dancers ages 4 and up. Registration must be received prior to the first class. After Registering, dancers will receive a Calendar of Events, 'Members Only' access, Payment Coupons, and copy of The McMahon School Handbook. Printable Registration Form or Register Online Location & Class Times can be found on the "Class Schedule" page of this website. Fees: Brand New beginner fees are $40 per month. Please contact Moira McMahon to discuss lesson fees for Advanced dancers, and Transfer students. There are also Quarterly, Semi-Annually, and Annual discounted rates available. After enrolling more than two students of the same immediate family, family rates are available. Paying the monthly price is expected at the beginning of that month. There are not weekly fees so students are encouraged to not miss classes. If they are unable to attend a class they are more than welcome to attend a class at another location. There is also a $25 Registration fee at enrollment, Family Max $40. At enrollment you will receive payment coupons; payments are to be mailed by the 5th of each month. Payments will incur late fees if not received by the 5th. When paying by check please put the students name and the month the payment is for on the memo line. Paying by credit card/bank transfer through PayPal is also available. No credit or make ups will be given for missed classes. When a child misses a lesson, additional individual time is given at the next lesson to catch up or, again, they are encouraged to attend another location. Credit will only be given for extended medical reasons only with doctors note. Extra Classes: Students are more than welcome to attend another location if extra practice is needed. There is no fee for attending another location. Please contact Moira before attending. Any students that have unpaid balances will be unable to attend classes, performances, or Feiseanna. Attending classes are mandatory in order to attend such performances or Feiseanna. There is a $25 service charge for NSF checks. If two (2) NSF checks are received within one school year, all fees to the School will become due and payable immediately via cash or certified check only. Special offers are also available when signing up a friend. When recommending another student, you will receive one month of lessons for free after that student has been enrolled one month. Again, any unpaid balances will not be entitled to such discount.
Classes & What You Will Need:Lesson FormatFormal lessons generally follow the academic calendar, beginning in September and ending in June. However do to high interest, classes will be running through the summer taking a two-three week break in August/September. New students may be accepted at any time during the year at an agreed fee schedule. Parents should not expect to remain in the same room while lessons are in progress. Like an academic setting, the teacher needs to be in control of the class and have the full attention of the students. However, the teacher may open certain lessons for parents to observe and question. These nights may be beneficial to the parent keeping abreast of the child's development thus being able to more closely monitor his/her practice at home. Lessons are approximately 45 minutes to one hour for ages 4-7 or new beginners, one evening each week. Returning students will run for 1-2 hours 1-2 evenings each week. Additionally, the teacher may call for extra lessons, especially before an important performance or competition. These lessons may or may not require additional lesson fees depending on the circumstances. This does not happen usually but if such practice is needed, plenty of notice will be offered. Shoes & Attire: Please please please do not run right out to the store or purchase anything online until your dancer has decided he or she really wants to stick with Irish dance! In most dance classes advance purchases must be made before your child has even been to a class. We feel giving classes a try for at least a month will be enough time to make that decision. Dance shoes (soft shoes) will cost about $40 a pair and can be purchased from Rutherford's. Hard shoes, when required, will run between $70 - $145, depending on its quality. Often you can find these shoes used and less expensive on the “For Sale” page of the McMahon website. Dancers are not expected to purchase soft or hard shoes unless they are going to be performing publicly. Although a form of shoe is required, a simple ballet slipper (that can be purchased at any local Payless or department store) will be acceptable. Non-skid socks, ex Totes, are also acceptable. Dancers are to wear t-shirts/tank tops that cover their midriff, shorts/skorts, absolutely no jeans are acceptable. Sweatpants can be worn the 1st 10 minutes of class while stretching and warming up. A special kind of Irish dance sock (called Poodle socks) are to be worn by the girls. Those can be purchased after the 1st month of classes. At this time, you do not need to purchase any specific dancewear. The instructor will let you know when your child is “performance ready”. This is usually within the first 3 months of instruction.
What To Expect:Benefits of Irish Dance· Increased Physical Skills... Developing body control and coordination, great exercise.· Increased Mental Skills... Listening, following directions, increasing attention span, memorizing steps. · A Healthy Competitive Spirit... Increasing the child's desire to do well and to the best of his/her ability. · Self-Esteem... Increasing the child's confidence, developing "stage presence". · Lasting Friendships... Not only with classmates, but also through performing and competing, meeting children from all parts of the city, state, and country. · Promoting Irish Culture... A revival of Irish identity and tradition began in the 1960s. While a young dancer may not comprehend this particular benefit while training, this revival continues! Performances: Throughout the year, various organizations and/or individuals contact the School requesting dancers for a show at a variety of functions and occasions (church fairs, weddings, community festivals, parades, nursing homes, etc). Participating in performances is a great way to show others what all the practice and hard work has produced. For those dancers who compete, shows give them an opportunity to perform in a more relaxing environment. For all dancers, it is mostly just about having fun and sharing your talent! The eligibility of dancers to participate in the performances is determined by the proficiency required for the show, the type of show, venue, and the number of dancers needed. All dancers for any particular show are selected by the teachers. Dancers chosen to do performances are chosen for their overall capability to remember dances, having appropriate costumes, and cheerful but precise execution of the dances. When asked to perform for a particular performance, your quick response is necessary. Dances have to be arranged early by the teachers so please do not hesitate with your reply. It is important that you attend as many performances as possible. This is how we earn money for our School’s fund. Once you have acquired the ability to perform, it is your responsibility to do so. Dance Competitions: The Feis Many of our dancers participate in dance competitions, but there is no obligation to do so. Dancers are eligible for competitive dancing as soon as they learn their first dance (usually a reel) to music. Any questions regarding whether a student is ready to compete, and in what dances, should be discussed with the teacher. If a dancer does wish to enter into competitive dancing, such competitions take place at what is called a FEIS (pronounced ‘fesh’), the Irish word for festival. In addition to providing the dancer an opportunity to compete in the various solo dances and teams, a Feis is very family oriented and brings together countless dancers from throughout the United States and Canada. Feiseanna (plural of Feis) are scheduled all over the United States and Canada on weekends throughout the year. A complete listing can be found on the Links page of this site. These competitions are a great way to help improve the dancer’s skills and have fun meeting other dancers from around the country. Non-competitive/non performance studentsSome parents may wish to enroll their child in Irish dance lessons and that's it! They do not want the child in public performances and/or they do not want the child in competitions. This should not be a problem for either but you should discuss these intentions with the teacher at enrollment (and continuing reminders will not hurt, either) because, understandably, as your dancer's skills develop, the teacher will want the child to be part of team dances. Who knows? You may change your mind regarding your original intentions as your dancer becomes more and more involved. Nevertheless, your wishes (to not compete nor dance in public) will be respected by the teacher. The Costume Beginner costumes for 1st year dancers consist of McMahon T-shirt, Black skirt/skort, poodle socks & ghillies. We also have the option to purchase a "Beginner costume" which consists of a Vest, Leotard, Shawl worn with a black skirt/skort. These items new cost less than $100. Used costumes can be found on the "For Sale" page of the website or can be custom made by parents in our school. It is asked that no parents order "Beginner Costumes" until it is discussed with Moira that your child is ready.
School Policies & Rules of the Class: Rules of the Class: 1. Be on time 2. Be prepared with shoes and appropriate attire. 3. When the instructor is talking be quiet and listen 4. No jeans. Sweatpants are allowed for the 1st 10 min. of class 5. No hats 6. No cell phones 7. Water bottles are allowed but No food/snacks 8. Respect your classmates 9. No gum chewing 10. Hair pulled back 11. Respect the facility 12. Ask permission to leave for bathroom or fountain breaks 13. No leaving the dance hall until dismissed 14. Parents are not to approach the instructor during class Rules of the School: 1. All dancers and parents will promote a positive team spirit supporting our dancers in class and in the community at all times. 2. All dancers must be ready to dance on time for their scheduled class or performance. 3. Parents will not be allowed to sit and watch the classes. There are several events throughout the year that new dancers are invited to participate in. These events are an opportunity for the students to “show off” their talents to family and friends. 4. When at performances or Feiseanna, our school will be represented with a positive respectful team that acts in a way that promotes our schools integrity. 5. All dancers will remain respectful to their instructor at all times 6. All dancers will attend class with proper attire. (Shorts, t-shirt/tank, poodle socks, dance shoes) 7. Students are expected to call or email if they are not attending class. 8. Absolutely NO GOSSIP or NEGATIVITY among dancers or parents. If a student or parent has any questions regarding the school, speak to the instructor with your concerns rather than speaking to others as negativity spreads fast! The McMahon School Parent GroupThe McMahon School of Irish Dance has a non-profit parents committee to help organize fundraisers and coordinate donations:
The mission of the McMahon School of Irish Dance Parent Group is to enhance the promotion of the history and heritage of the Irish culture by the McMahon School of Irish Dance. We will accomplish our mission by securing funding and support for the purpose of promoting Irish dance, Irish culture, language, music, and traditions throughout the community. Sources of funding and support:
Help needed:
Funds raised by the Parent Organization are used for equipment for shows, fabric for costumes, flags, banners, hats, gloves, music, and other items necessary for the students’ performances. The Parent Organization also funds travel expenses and competition fees as the opportunities arise. All McMahon parents are welcome to attend Parent Organization meetings, which are announced via email and McMahon Message Board. All McMahon parents will be sent meeting minutes via email following the meetings. All McMahon parents are welcome to view Financial Statements pertaining to the Parent Organization as a whole and to their individual dancer. Printable Registration Form or Register Online
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McMahon School of Irish Dance |