AMBITION PERFORMING ARTS
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What We Believe - APA Dance Company Teams
Here are Ambition Performing Arts, we believe in growth. We don’t believe in regrets. Just do better next time. We believe in being real. We are all awesome. We believe in obsession. We don’t believe in dreaming unless you back it up with a crazy amount of doing. We believe in impact. You do make a difference! Make it positive. You are here to be great. You are here to be great. You are here to be great. You are here to be great. You are here to be great. If you want it, earn it. Your success is your choice. Own it. We believe in actions, step up or step aside. We don’t believe in gramming, better is always possible. We believe in accountability, we don’t believe in excuses. Do it whether you feel like it or not. We believe in courage especially when we are scared to death. We believe in excellence. We believe in excellence. We believe in excellence. We don’t believe in talent, only training and preparation. It doesn’t just happen, reaching goals isn’t an accident. It requires real work and real heart. Ambitions grown here.
Performing Arts Pathway
Welcome to our APA performing arts community. Our goal is to teach every student new skills, not just in dance theatre or music, but in life to help them reach their potential. We know that every family who joins our school will be with us for many years as learning the arts takes commitment. We want our relationships with you to be filled with lasting memories. The Upcoming year or years will be filled with healthy challenges. This is needed for personal and artistic growth. However, if a challenge ever reaches a point of frustration for you or your child, please let us know. We have many years of experience teaching children successfully in the arts. And we always have suggestions and solutions available. The throw of the new season begins with registration, new dance attire, music books, and supplies for class for a wonderful start to a new season. The first day of class comes with some jitters and he building of new friendships and saying hello to old friends too. Once the season is underway and the hard work begins, sometimes the excitement can start to fade. This can happen as expectations in the classroom build and the skills needed for success are being taught. After the Christmas break, the weather gets colder and the days are shorter. It can sometimes be hard to get motivated to leave the house. This is a normal response to this time of year. We encourage you to push through those tough couple of weeks because on the other side of this healthy challenge is the reason you enrolled. New skills and success in the classes you have chosen. In early spring, we begin to work on preparations for the year end show. And more excitement continues to grow. New costumes begin to arrive, music is selected, lines are being written, choreography and staging is beginning to take shape. The weather begins to warm up and costumes begin to go home. Photo day is here and dress rehearsal is right around the corner. And we have made it our year end shows. Students have the opportunity to perform in their chosen art and feel proud of their accomplishments. Parents see the full value of their investment as we head into a wonderful summer and get ready to do it all over again. Welcome to the APA family. Parents see the full value of their investment as we head into a wonderful summer and get ready to do it all over again. Welcome to the APA family. You can also explore Your Child’s Performing Arts Journey to see how students can grow through the different stages of their APA experience.
If You Let Me Dance
I’ll learn how to be persistent when I am facing a challenge. I’ll be more likely to get A’s in school and got to university. I’ll learn how to cooperate and collaborate with my team mates. I’ll be less likely to drop out of school. I’ll be three times more likely to earn a university degree. I’ll learn to create and express my own ideas, not just copy others. My knowledge retention will be significantly improved. I’ll be far less likely to skip my high school classes. I’ll be more likely to score well on standardized achievement tests. I’ll be more likely to go to university or college. I’ll be more likely to attend a higher ranked university. I’ll score higher in my math and science. I’ll learn how to say focused on my tasks. I’ll be more likely to learn calculus. I’ll be more community minded as a grown up. I’ll be five times more likely to graduate high school. I’ll get higher grades in high school. I’ll become more responsible for my education. I’ll develop more confidence and self esteem.
Plant the Seed
The world is opening up and you have to give it all you’ve got. Everyone grows differently and every journey is unique. Inside every single one of us is a special talent waiting to come out. The trick is finding it. With our personalized programs and training, our expert staff nurture each individual. We help them set and reach goals while always encouraging them to be yourself. We have created a safe and very special place for students to build confidence and learn skills for a life time. This fall Ambition Performing Arts is inviting you to experience the triumph of the dream that changes everyone it touches. Our enrollment is now open and our staff are ready to help you plant the seed. Learn more about the values, community and student experience that make APA different on our Why Choose APA page.
Here’s to the Creative Ones
Here is to the ones who rise up. The ones who wear their passionate heart on their sleeve like a badge of honor. They’re not fond of negativity or people who don’t give 110%. They value zeal, vulnerability, good character, confidence, serving others, strong work ethic, and humans behind the art. You can admire them for their braze and zest for life or envy them because they seemed to crack the code of living with self worth, intention and purpose. But one thing you can’t do is ignore them because they live what they love. And fiercely believe in their life’s mission. While some may see them as centric, unprecedented, or emotionally driven, we see them as keepers of the flame. They are the leaders, teachers, athletes, and artists that fuel the cycle of self empowerment. They are not afraid to try and fail, to be themselves, to put their whole being mind, body spirit and soul into their work. Because the ones who rise up think they can ignite the spark of inspiration in the world by sharing their gifts and their hearts. They are the ones who do. And their ambitions grow here.
Airdrie Dance Classes
We are Ambition Performing Arts and we are dancing for YPAD. YPAD is youth protection advocates in dance. YPAD taught us that dance is for everybody and every body. YPAD taught us how to be empowered dancers. YPAD taught us how to stand up to bullies. YPAD taught us how to find our spirits. YPAD taught us how to put the dancer before the dance. Go YPAD!
Why Is the APA Lobby So busy During my Child’s Class
We’re back with Ask Miss Tara. Today’s question is why is the APA lobby so busy during my child’s class? You may have noticed that APA’s lobby can get super-busy at times. It happens often during weekday evenings and Saturday mornings when our most popular classes take place. We realize that a bustling lobby can be a challenge, so thank you for your patience with us (and with each other) when things get busy! Our lobby is small because during the construction of APA, I made the decision to maximize all of our classroom spaces to create the best learning environment possible. Since the lobby is a secondary space, less square footage was allocated there. With parents investing in their children’s arts education each month, I decided that prioritizing classroom space would be very important to ensure the best value for each student’s experience. We considered staggering class times to ease lobby congestion, but the benefits didn’t outweigh the consequences. A majority of our students participate in back-to-back classes, staggered class times would have had a ripple effect of unnecessary wait times and the loss of some classes from the schedule. If you have a child who takes class during one of our peak times, we encourage you to take advantage of that time to yourself! There are some parents who prefer to use that time to drop off their dry cleaning, pick up a few grocery items, or grab a cup of coffee with a friend at Tim Hortons. We always have your phone number should the need arise for you to hurry back to APA. We appreciate your sensitivity to all of these important factors when it comes to our lobby! We’re grateful to serve our studio families who are so understanding and value an arts education.
How To Better Understand My Child’s Class Placements
We’re back with ask Miss Tara. Today’s question is how to better understand my child’s class placements. Every year, APA sends out class placement recommendations in March for pre-registration of the next season. To help you better understand your child’s class placement, we want to help you make sense of all the lingo and make the pre-registration process as easy as possible!
Class placements are intended to be your guide to the classes best suited for your child, according to his or her teacher. Sometimes a teacher might recommend a new style of class, a new level, or a unique opportunity, such as a company. This is an excellent time to talk with your child about his or her favorite classes, or find out if there is a new style they’ve been itching to try.
You are not obligated to follow through on class recommendations right away; however, pre-registration does offer you priority when it comes to signing up for next season’s classes. Because we have many families who take advantage of pre-registration, sometimes classes do become full early on.
Remember that class placements are not made lightly. Our teachers at APA spend hours upon hours reflecting on their students’ report cards and overall progress in order to make the most constructive and favorable decisions. Your goal and our goal are the same—we want your child to thrive! We only recommend classes that will set your child up for success.
If you ever feel unsure about which classes to register your child for, or if there is something you don’t quite understand about your child’s placement, please ask. We are always willing to help you through the class selection or pre-registration process!
How Do I care for my childs Costume
We’re back with another episode of ask Miss Tara. Today’s question is how do I care for my child’s classroom. There’s nothing else quite like a stage costume, it carries the excitement of performances yet to come, and of course, there are all those sparkles! For many children, wearing a costume brings out the confidence and poise they’ve been working so hard on in class, and it is one of their most favorite parts about performing on stage. Taking good care of a costume is key to keeping it in tip-top shape for such an important task.
Because most costumes are made from specialty fabrics, they can’t be treated like regular clothes. From stretchy lycra-blended leotards to the embellishments of sequins and beading, costumes are made from finicky materials that require a little extra attention. Taking care of your child’s costume is simple if you keep these three guidelines in mind:
Always store a costume on its hanger (inside the garment bag) unless otherwise specified by your child’s teacher.
Make sure your child doesn’t eat or drink while wearing a costume. This helps prevent irreversible damage that can be caused by the dyes and enzymes in food and drink.
If possible, do not wash your child’s costume. Most costume fabrics do not wash well! If you must wash or spot-clean a costume, use cold water and wash it by hand with a gentle detergent. Never use bleach because it will damage the fabric’s dye and elasticity. Hang the costume to dry (never put it in the dryer).
We also recommend that you remind your child not to wear their costume at home before the performances. While it may be tempting to practice around the living room in all that fanciness, there is also the risk that the costume will catch on something and rip, or that food or drink could accidentally spill on it. Save the dress-up until after all of the performances are complete!
If you ever have a question about the best way to store or care for a specific costume, don’t hesitate to ask your child’s teacher or Miss Tara. We are always happy to help!
Why Does APA Offer Report Cards
We’re back with ask Miss Tara and today’s question is why does APA offer report cards? “Little by little, a little becomes a lot.” Have you ever heard this Tanzanian proverb? It’s all about how the compound effect works, meaning that small steps of progress over a long period of time can become transformative in someone’s life.
This may seem like a pretty big concept, but it is one of the most important reasons APA offers report cards! We believe that tracking each student’s development in their classes can lead to big progress over time—progress in skills, progress in technique, and progress in confidence! Through our report card evaluations, we can continue building each student’s strengths and help develop the skills that need improvement.
Completing report cards each December and June allows us to objectively measure each child’s achievement and share that information with parents. As you’ve seen from your child’s most recent report card, we base those measurements on each class’s syllabus of skills. At no time do we consider a child to be “failing” in a class; rather, we assess skills according to a 1 through 4 grading scale. We consider a grade of 1 to be a starting point where students are learning the fundamentals, while a 2 reflects proficiency with skills but attention needed to execution. A grade of 3 demonstrates strong skills and minimal corrections needed, and a 4 shows an aptitude consistent with the next class level.
It is expected that your child will progress gradually with his or her grades and will be promoted to the next level after reaching 4’s in all skills. Most students are in the same class level for two years so there is ample time to learn, grow, and master the class material.
We caution you and your child not to compare report cards with their friends. No two students will achieve the exact same grades, even though they may be taught the same syllabus by the same teacher. We want report cards to prompt celebration and growth, not comparison to others.
The best way to see progress is to track the work being done. We teach goal setting to help our students see that hard work pays off.
How to Get the Most out of my Parent/Teacher Interview
We’re back with another ask Miss Tara. Today’s question is, how do I make the most of my parent/teacher interview. Parent/teacher interviews are being scheduled and will take place soon, we encourage you to sign up for a time slot. We look forward to this point in the year when we have the chance to personally interact with our students’ parents.
Once your parent/teacher interview time is on the calendar you might be wondering, “How can I make the most out of this time with my child’s teacher?” Here are few tips for having a successful parent/teacher interview at APA:
Arrive early: In order to be respectful of everyone’s time, parent/teacher interviews are conducted on a strict timetable. We recommend arriving five minutes early, which helps us keep the day running smoothly for all involved.
Bring your child’s report card: Having your child’s report card handy will be an excellent reference point during your conference. You may have a question about one of the skills, or perhaps you want to ask the teacher about one of the comments.
Have your questions ready: We recommend preparing a short list of questions prior to your interview. Knowing in advance what you hope to gain from the discussion will help keep the conversation on track with your expectations.
Plan to take notes: It’s easy to think you’ll remember everything you talked about with your child’s teacher, but taking notes is a much safer bet! Although it is a short amount of time, you may be surprised at how much you are able to discuss.
Having this opportunity to connect with you means a lot to all of us at APA, and we appreciate you taking the time out of your busy day for your parent/teacher interview. We thank you for choosing APA for your child’s arts education!
How Does Letting Go Help My Child?
We are back with ask Miss Tara and today’s question is, how does letting go help my child? At APA, one of the most frequently asked questions from parents of our young students is, “I’ve heard that I cannot stay in the classroom with my child, is that true?”
The answer is yes, it’s true, and for reasons we hope you’ll see are very beneficial for your child!
Over the past 20 years at APA, we have taught thousands of students and learned that children, even the very young ones—do their best when they are allowed to stand on their own. When mom or dad is there to hold their hand or wipe their tears, children are comforted in the moment but lack the opportunity to build independence. Growth comes from those moments of insecurity or shyness, because children quickly overcome them by themselves, or with a little guidance from their teacher. They discover how fun the class is and want to join in! We find that when parents let go, their children soar.
We ask you to trust our expertise in the classroom and understand that we want the best for you child, just as you do. With your trust in place, your child will build trust with us too.
So while the answer is yes, it’s true that parents don’t stay in the room with their children during class, the bigger picture also shows us that children thrive because of this independence. They realize how strong they are, and how capable! Each child is able to spread their wings and fly.
How to Take a Correction
We are back with another ask Miss Tara. Today’s question is about getting corrections in class, what do they mean, and how do I apply them? You have felt it before: your teacher’s eyes are on you during the combination, and you know she’s going to comment on something you can do better. Part of you can’t help but think, “Why is she picking on me?”
When your teacher gives you a comment in class—commonly known as getting a correction, it’s not meant to make you feel bad, or that you are picked on. It’s actually quite the opposite: getting corrected is a good thing because it means your teacher sees your hard work and wants to make sure you get the step, position, quality, or musicality just right.
In class, you want to get corrections. Having your teacher correct you and comment to you means they are paying attention to your effort and know you can make progress. While teachers may not personally correct every student with every single exercise, they will make an effort to correct students whenever possible. Sometimes you’ll find that a correction given to a classmate is also helpful to you, so it’s important to keep your ears on alert!
When given a correction, it’s important that you accept it with respect for your teacher. That means nodding or saying thank you, and making the effort to apply the correction in the moment and anytime you encounter the same step or position again in future classes. Your teacher will notice your hard work and will continue helping you become the best performer you can be.
Dance Bag Hacks
We’re back with another episode of ask Miss Tara and today is all about dance bag hacks! Dancers, do you ever look into your dance bag and think it needs some help? Your shoes are all jumbled together, there’s a layer of hair elastics and bobby pins at the bottom, and random leg warmers surface when you’re digging around, trying to find your phone. (And then there’s that smell … that special “eau de sweaty socks and hairspray” that makes your mom cough and run the other direction.)
Here’s your chance to hack that dance bag and actually enjoy carrying it around! No more wasting time trying to find stuff; no more scaring away your mom. Try any or all of these tricks to make your dance bag the freshest new thing around:
Does your bag have compartments?
If the answer is yes, label those compartments for specific items: clothes go here, snacks in this one, hair products over there, phone stored safely.
If the answer is no, ask mom or dad to help you find a travel “carry-on” bag to use instead. The bag will have several sections, perfect for separating your things and making it easier to find them.
Get organized with your hair products! Use a carabiner to hold extra hair elastics, and store your bobby pins in an empty mint tin (like the one for Altoids). You can even add a magnet to the tin to help your bobby pins stay put.
For any pair of shoes you wear often (and especially pointe shoes) use a mesh drawstring bag to store those shoes between classes. Tie it to the outside of your dance bag to allow the shoes time to air out.
Keep your dance bag from getting smelly by giving it a good old-fashioned wipedown a couple times a month, using a disinfecting wipe or damp microfiber cloth. Toss in a dryer sheet or two afterward, and replace it once a week, it will help absorb odors.
Have you found a different dance bag hack that works really well? Spread the word! We can’t wait to see everyone’s clean and organized dance bags around the studio.
What is a Body Positive Culture
We are back with another ask Miss Tara question, and today is what is a body positive culture? At APA, we are committed to promoting a “body positive” culture, but what does that mean exactly, and why is it so important?
It means that we believe dance and the arts are for every BODY, no matter their size or shape. It means that we are sure we can affect positive change to every child’s body image; that every student of ours can hear that their body can be strong, capable, healthy, and yes—beautiful.
All of our APA teachers are committed to:
Using body positive exercises in every class
Using appropriate terminology to describe and correct movements
Encouraging each student to appreciate their body’s abilities, no matter their skill level
Our teachers will never comment on a student’s body-positive or negative—or draw attention to it in any way that is not curriculum-focused. We request that you, as parents and guardians, help us on this mission by also pledging not to comment on your child’s body, and to avoid making comments about other people’s bodies as well (including your own!).
When children hear comments about their bodies or someone else’s, it can plant a seed that makes them think their body isn’t “right” and that they need to change—and nothing could be further from the truth.
In providing an environment where every child learns to love their body, APA can help drive change in our culture. We believe it takes a village to raise a child, and we are grateful to be a part of your village!
Why Are There No Trophies Displayed at APA?
We are back with another episode of ask Miss Tara. Today’s question is, why are there no trophies in APA’s lobby? You may have noticed that APA’s lobby looks a bit different from other studios, since we do not have any competition trophies on display. It’s not that we don’t win trophies, or that we aren’t proud of our students for earning them; it’s that we want to emphasize our value in the whole performer—not just the accomplishments of one competition day.
By not displaying the trophies, Miss Tara can ensure that APA’s key message is loud and clear: We love and celebrate ALL of our students, regardless of their skill level or ability. Whether they take class for thirty minutes a week or thirteen hours, we praise every student’s effort and encourage them to be proud of themselves.
APA staff members know that a child’s value and worth is in their character, work ethic, and kindness to others—not in their talents, skills, or popularity. The arts are for everybody and every BODY. We’re here to lift up our students and empower them to be their best selves. There’s no trophy in the world that can do that!
Why is Age Appropriate Movement Important
Welcome to ask Miss Tara. This is where I answer questions that have come across my desk. Today’s question is why is age appropriate movement important? Well, age appropriate movement is important because your child’s safety depends on it!
Safe movements for young students are dependent on their ages and rate of physical growth. For example, a five-year-old needs a different approach to movement than a fifteen-year-old, even if they both have experience.
Our staff members take great care in their teacher education to learn about how to help children of all ages build a strong physical foundation in the arts. Our curricula allow us to ensure the pace of learning is just right at each level.
Here are just a few examples you may notice from your child’s class:
With little students, we focus on basic weight-shifting, gross motor skill movements, not intricate technique
Since the muscles that support a child’s hip joints are still developing, we never force a child’s “turnout” (the rotated position many dance steps are performed from)
We ensure our students of all ages know to never overstretch their muscles, either in class or when they stretch on their own time
Your child’s safe physical development in the arts is a top priority in our classrooms. We appreciate your trust in us as we help your child progress, step by step!
How Do You Select Recital Costumes
Welcome back to ask Miss Tara. Today’s question is how to APA staff members choose recital costumes. Recital costumes …. they conjure up fanciful images of bright-colored tutus, sparkly fabric, bold accessories, whimsical characters and of course, LOTS of sequins!
Have you ever wondered how we decide which costumes will be worn by which classes, and with which music, scripting and choreography? Here’s a little peek at how that process works!
Before the costume selection begins, we check to see that the manufacturer is reputable and has excellent customer service. We also want to make sure that the quality of costumes and value for the cost are the best they can be (cheapest doesn’t mean best!) because we respect our customers’ investment in costumes.
Miss Tara and the APA staff spend many hours behind the scenes every fall considering several factors for choosing the right costumes. Here are four questions we ask ourselves when making selections:
Is this costume age-appropriate for this particular class?
Is this costume going to be flattering on all the different students in this class?
Will this costume go well with the music or concept we’re considering?
Will this costume coordinate with the choreography or staging we have in mind for this class?
We have to get a strong YES from each question in order to choose that costume, so suffice it to say that making selections is not an easy task! Although it is time-consuming and overwhelming at times, it is worth all of the work to ensure that our APA students look and feel their very best onstage at recital.
What is More Than Just Great Dancing?
We are back with another session of ask Miss Tara. Today’s session is what is more than just great dancing. The More Than Just Great Dancing logo can be found just about everywhere at APA! Did you know that MTJGD is an exclusive, licensed affiliation of dance studios? APA was accepted as a member in July of 2014. There are other member studios in Canada, as well as members in the U.S. and even a few in faraway places such as the UK, Australia, Aruba and Dubai. Being a More Than Just Great Dancing studio means that APA subscribes to a higher standard of programming, staff development, and management principles. In other words, we want to do everything in our power to serve YOU our very best effort! APA’s mission to offer a safe, innovative, and enriching performing arts education aligns perfectly with MTJGD’s mission to be “more” in the industry and introduce studio best practices. We are proud to develop friendships and community here at APA, and to put family first — all things that demonstrate that we wholeheartedly believe in More Than Just Great Dancing!
What is YPAD?
We are back with another session of ask Miss Tara. Today’s question is what is YPAD certification? By now you’ve probably heard that APA is the first Canadian performing arts studio to become certified by YPAD (Youth Protection Advocates in Dance). It is a distinction we are incredibly proud of! But as a parent you might be wondering, what does that mean for me and my child? This is an excellent question, and the answer is twofold:
Your student is always in the care of skilled and knowledgeable adults
As you know, APA is devoted to hiring staff members who can serve as positive role models for our students. Being YPAD certified also means that APA staff are:
Background-checked and CPR certified
Trained in physical safety measures and injury prevention
Trained in the study of a student’s emotional and psychological health
Committed to safe social media practices
Your child will always have age-appropriate music, movement, and costumes
YPAD certification reinforces our commitment to ensure that every student in every class has music, movement, and costuming that is fun AND family-friendly. Although these things have always been a priority at APA, we are pleased to now have YPAD’s stamp of approval, as well as access to their library of tools and resources.
As an industry leader, APA is proudly demonstrating just how important it is to have arts classrooms that are happy, healthy, and safe. We invite you to learn more about YPAD by visiting their website: www.ypad4change.org or by chatting with Miss Tara in the hallway next time you see her!
Why Dance?
We are back with our session of ask Miss Tara. Today’s question is why does dance help my child? It’s really a loaded question, but an awesome one. Dance is a great activity to help your child be able to work as a team, make friends and at the same time they learn how to understand structure. I think that the biggest tool that dance teaches your child is to step outside of their comfort zone and do something that pushes them towards greatness. Just imagine a 3-year-old who can dance on stage in front of a large audience is going to be able to grow up and be confident as a 30-year-old that can stand in front of a boardroom, or a classroom or any type of business situation and hold themselves with a level of confidence that not a lot of other activities can provide.
Dance teaches so many life skills: Grit – how to dig deep when the reward is not instant and keep working towards a goal Collaboration – working with your team to create something from nothing and presenting your work on stage at the end of the year. Making everyone feel that their contribution is valuable and worthy along the way. Growth Mindset – Feedback and criticism are constructive, trying new things, challenges are growth opportunities, being inspired by classmates, failure is an opportunity to grow, effort and attitude determine my outcomes.
So, when I get asked the question of ‘Why dance?’, I say ‘Why not?’ Dance is a great opportunity for you to invest in your child, and it’s an investment that gives you a great return. If you had to think of an activity that would make your child not just a better kid, but an awesome adult, dance is the number one thing that comes to my mind. You can learn more about APA’s dance programs, teachers, community and performance opportunities on our Airdrie’s Top Dance Academy page.