What You Need to Know About Being on a Dance Team at Starlight
So your daughter has attended classes at Starlight for a while and has now
been offered a place on a competitive team. They are jumping up and down
with excitement but are you? Here is some information on what is involved
when you are on a competitive team at Starlight.....
Drama:
There will be none! If you have any issues please come to Shelly or Linda
straight away. If we know about an issue, we can fix it.
Affordability:
There are costs involved in being on a competitive team;
Annual Starlight Registration:
This is a fee of €25 to cover insurance, membership and administration
fees. This is paid every September.
Weekly Fees:
The minimum weekly payment for a team Dancer is €40 (youngest team
members) or €50 (all other team members). Classes are €5 per class.
Class fees must be paid in cash in advance on the previous Wednesday,
Thursday or Friday. There is a late payment fee of €10. If fees are not
paid in a timely manner, they will have to be paid monthly in advance
for that Dancer. If payments are not maintained after this, the Dancer
will have to step off the team. These fees need to be paid, regardless of
sickness or in-term holidays (exceptions are hospitalisation, broken bone
or family emergency).
Class fees are non-refundable and cannot be carried to the following
week.
Uniform:
Team Dancers need the Starlight uniform in order to attend competition
events. This can be ordered from Malley Sport (details on our website).
There is a charge of €8/garment to add a name and we strongly
recommend that you consider this. This uniform should also be worn to
class.
Costume Rental:
For each event, Starlight will rent each Dancer the required team
costume at a charge of €10. This will be given to the Dancer prior to the
event and will be returned to Starlight immediately after the event so
that it can be washed.
Competition Fees:
Starlight attend several different competitions and events annually. The
fees vary from event to event. There is usually an event registration fee
and then a fee per dance. There can be optional fun workshops on the
day that are charged separately.
WLDF (World Lyrical Dance Federation) have an initial registration fee of
€15 and then an annual registration fee of €10. This is paid via an online
WLDF app on your phone.
Please do not be put off! Please see below for fundraising suggestions.
Number of annual events:
Each dance team will attend no more than 6 events annually. There will
always be the option to attend more competitions for solos/duos/trios
but this is optional. There will be one or two annual Starlight local
events; a display and/or a showcase and all dancers are expected to
perform at these events.
Chat:
A group chat is set up for each team so that members can communicate
about fund-raising or car-pooling. There is no need for every parent to
attend every event once you all take turns and be fair with each other.
Event Calendar:
This will be posted on the studio wall and in each group chat in
September each year. If a dancer cannot attend a particular
competition, a sub will replace them for that event once you give at
least 6 weeks’ notice.
Travelling:
Throughout the year, there may be competitions that require an
overnight or a weekend stay. When the Dancers’ families get to know
each other, one parent could bring 2 dancers.
Event Fund Raising:
We suggest that each team organise at least one bonus ball event
annually. This is based on the bonus ball for the lotto on an agreed date.
The 47 numbers are divided between the team members and sold to
friends and family at €10 a number. The prize money is agreed in
advance:
e.g. 47 numbers @ €10 each = €470. If the prize for the bonus ball on
the agreed date is €170 then €300 goes into a kitty for the team. This
money can be used to pay for competition fees or team costume rental
or even team pancakes on competition day! One team has already
undertaken this and the money is held in a designated leader’s Revolut
vault. Participating in fundraising is optional, but remember, if you do
not get involved, you will not benefit from the fundraising. If you change
teams, your portion of the team fundraising will move with you to the
next team. If you leave, the money stays with the team. This money
must be used equally and fairly for the team members who did the
fundraising.
Attendance:
Team Dancers must attend the agreed number of classes per week to
include their team class, a strength and flexibility, an acro (gymnastics)
class, a ballet class and Tuesday showcase classes. A Dancer can be
zoomed into any live class if necessary if they are ill.
Multi-Genre:
We have an a-la-carte menu of classes on offer at Starlight and we
encourage team Dancers to embrace more than one style of dance. This
will broaden the Dancers’ horizons and improve their performance
techniques.
We hope this information is of benefit to you and is not too off-putting! We
hope you decide to join the team, but if you feel this is too much at this time,
please continue to attend our recreational classes.
Remember, you can always drop in for a chat. Just drop us a text and we will
arrange a day and time.
Many Thanks
Shelly and Linda
0862646777