Audio Transcript
Hey everybody!
It’s Ruth and I’m here at our Silver Creek Clogging Dance and Movement Center in Silverton, Oregon, and this is What’s Happening at Silver Creek Clogging for the week of September 21st.
And super exciting this week, yay, we’ve been waiting for this week since June, is our theater recital. And, if you remember back, clear back to June (which seems quite a long time ago), we were supposed to have a recital in the theater, the first weekend in June that, due to COVID, was postponed. And, here it is, this Saturday! Woohoo!
Before we get into the details and information about that, I do want to share a little thought for the week (inspiration, if you will).
I didn’t include this in your email, but I did post it on the social media and I just want to give you a little update, because the quote of the week for inspiration is by Lynda Barr and she says that,
“Any kind of dancing is better than no dancing at all.”
And, I wanted to share this quote with you because I have heard and I’m sure you have also been told that, “If you’re not this, don’t do this style of dance or that style of dance, you’re not a real dancer.”
“This is the foundation of all dance, or that’s, you know, how you’re going to be a good dancer if you do that style of dance.”
Listen, I’ve been told that. I’m sure you’ve been told that, but I’m going to tell you, “Don’t believe it.”
Now with that said, if you want to be a certain kind of dancer, like, dance on Broadway or something, then there are certain prerequisites to that.
But, if what you’re wanting to do is be a dancer from your soul and joy, and do the kind of dancing that brings you joy, don’t let those things deflate you. Because, I have let those things deflate me.
I have heard you know, “I’m never going to be a real dancer because I didn’t do this style of dance or I didn’t do that style of dance,” and, listen, I’ve tried different styles of dances, different styles of dance; but I always come back to clogging, because clogging is the dance that really speaks to me. It really does get to the very core of who I am. It helps me be more in touch with the core of who I am than any other style of dance that I have ever tried and, believe me even tap dancing, I’ve tried tap dancing and, while I like tap dancing, it doesn’t get to the core of who I am. So, that is why I always come back to clogging.
And don’t let anybody tell you that you are not a real dancer, if you don’t do whatever they say is the correct style of dance.
You do you. You do the style of dance that brings you joy.
There’s one thing that I firmly believe is that joy is, without a doubt, the foundation, the heart, the very core of dance; and it’s with that joy that we really become and know who we are.
And that’s what I want for you – is to become and know who you are and be confident in yourself.
So, do the style of dance that brings you joy.
Do the style of dance that brings you joy.
Okay, now on to the announcements for the week.
Our Recital! So, tickets are on sale now. Online ticket sales do close September 25th, that is Friday, so be sure to get your online tickets by Friday. I will tell you that, any tickets that are purchased at the door, assuming there is space available, are going to be a higher cost than tickets that you purchase online. So, if you want the lowest cost for tickets, if you want your free tickets that are included with your tuition, make sure you do that online. We won’t be doing free tickets or low cost tickets at the door. There will only be tickets for purchase at the door and those will be a higher cost. So, so be sure that you get those.
Also, really know that we are following COVID protocols as best as we possibly can. We are limiting groups, this is per the state guidance, we’re limiting groups to no more than 10 people. So, if you purchase, fifteen tickets we’re gonna break you out into two groups and socially distance you and you will be needing to remain in your assigned, your, I don’t know, seat assignments, I guess, and not kind of go back and forth between groups. So, that is just so you know.
Also, if you want to be sure to sit by somebody make sure that you purchase all of those tickets in one order, because each ticket order is going to be treated as a separate group for purposes of seating, with social distancing. So, you’re going to just purchase, you know, the number of tickets that you want to purchase and then seat assignments will be made and you will get your tickets with your seat assignments a little closer to the show. So, just know that.
The schedule is in your email. The recital’s at the Historic Grand Theatre in Salem and we’re going to have our dress rehearsal and our portraits in the morning. Then, we’ll have a break for a few hours; where you can relax, get some lunch, regroup, and then come back to the theater. Dancers will arrive about 2:30, maybe just a titch before 2:30, and then we’ll open the doors for audience members soon after that.
Make sure that you give yourself enough time to come to the theater, get your tickets scanned, get your seats, and allow all that with the social distancing protocols that will be in place. So, you know we’ve got to have the six feet distance between every group and so one group will enter at a time, you’ll find your seats, all of that. So it’s going to take just a little bit more time than usual to kind of get in the door. So just make sure you allow yourselves enough time to get there in time to get seated before the doors close, because the doors will close 10 minutes before the show starts.
Okay, let’s see, I think that’s it.
There are some additional COVID protocols.
One, everybody’s got to have a mask; dancers/audience members, if you’re five and older you are required to wear a mask the whole time that you’re in the building.
Everybody will go directly to their seats, they’ll stay at their seats for the whole time, unless you are actively using the restroom or actively purchasing concessions, we’re just not going to mill about the theater. Just going to stay in our seats and maintain appropriate physical distance and that is that.
And, at the end, we’re gonna release everybody in a little bit of a staggered way, so that we can also maintain distance.
It’s not what we’re used to and, in some ways, it’s a little bit sad that our interactions are so physically distant. But, it’s what we’re doing to help keep you all safe and healthy and do what we can to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.
So, that is the theater recital, this Saturday. Yay! I’m so excited for this! I just can’t wait. It’s gonna be really fun to be in the theater and, yeah, that’s that is that.
More information and announcements.
Please let your friends and family know how much you love dancing with us at Silver Creek Clogging. If there’s one thing I know, is that when you are able to share your love for us, and what a great education you are receiving here, or your child is receiving here, what a wonderful community we have here, that your word is gonna count for awesome things. So, if you know somebody who wants to participate in, and be a member, of a super joyful, supportive, amazing dance studio environment, let them know that this is the place; Silver Creek Clogging, this is the most joyful community around.
And, enrollment is continuing this week.
We are participating in the community trunk-or-treat that’s going to happen on October 31st. So, we would love to have a couple more people, students, participate in decorating and/or handing out non-food treats to the kids in our town this Halloween. I think we all could use a little extra joy this year. So, that will be a fun thing to do.
Also, Autumnfest registration is coming right up, so registration forms will be sent home this week, and this is for solo, well, individual and duet events only, so this would be freestyle, it would be acapella, it would be any of the solos, it would be any duets of the duet categories.
So, I will send those home with students this week.
Normally, what we would do for the Autumnfest is we would, you know, try to do some carpooling together. Kind of head to the Salt Lake City together, have lodging together; this year is just different because of COVID.
So, each dancer will need to find their own way, with their own family, there and hopefully next year we will be cleared to travel a little bit differently; but, for this year, just know that, that you just need to get your own transportation and arrange for your own lodging and then next year it’ll be a little bit different.
Let’s see, what else is coming up?
We have… Oh, next week, next week we’re gonna wear our brand-new red studio t-shirts to class with our crazy socks. It’s going to be so fun.
And, also next week, October 2nd, first Friday, we’re having a Thriller workshop with our friends from Junior Cloggers, in Hillsboro, and High Impact Dance in Lacey, and we’re gonna, yeah, just learn a fun Halloween routine to Thriller; a version of Thriller, that was taught by Andy Howard. It’s going to be fun.
And, let’s see, in October again, the last week of October, we’ll wear our costumes, our non-scary Halloween costumes, to class. I love that!
And then we’ll have our trunk-or-treat that we’ll participate in on the 31st.
And then, we also have Autumnfest, November 7th, the first weekend in November.
And then, the week of Thanksgiving, just a reminder that we don’t have any classes scheduled that week. The whole week we’re off, due to Thanksgiving break.
And that is what’s happening at Silver Creek Clogging.
Remember that you are amazing just the way you are.
And, that’s what I have to say.
And, of course, I wish you happy dancing!