Thank you to everyone who turned in their ARK hearts!  We will be picking our special prize winners this week and doing our random prize drawing.  Winners will be announced after spring break.  Thanks again -- you are all awesome!! Spring Break:  March 15-20  No regular classes will be held during this time.  There will be a few make up classes and competition rehearsals at various times, but those affected will be contacted separately.  Have a great break and travel safely if you are going on a trip!!  Please click on the Recital Info tab to the left of this page.  You will find Recital Assignments and Dress Rehearsal Schedules as well as Recital Pictures Schedules.  These have also been posted at the studio.  We are still tweaking Costume Week schedule and Block Rehearsals Schedule and hope to have those posted in the next day or two as well.  Please keep checking back for more info!  Recital music practice CDs will also be available for most classes this week.  Please check the signs posted near the exit doors of both studios to see if your child's class(es) are ready.  The CDs are $2 and include the edited/cut versions of recital dances for your child's class.  These are not mandatory but they are extremely important tools for home practice so we encourage everyone to get one for their child. Please remember tuition was due March 1st.  Late fees will be assessed after March 15th.  Thank you for your timely payments.   Costumes have started to arrive -- so exciting!!!  Please make sure all accounts are paid in full, or payment arrangements have been made, so costumes can be sent home with students.  Kristin will email classes when a costume will be coming home so the parent can plan to attend the last few minutes of class to pick up the costume.  Student teachers are not allowed to hand out costumes so if your child misses class, he/she will need to wait until the following week to pick up their costume.  Now is also a great time to make sure we have your correct email(s) on file so you don't miss any important communication.  At fall attire/registration days we let you know that it was fine for your child to use whatever color and style of dance shoes they had for classes but by recital time they would need to purchase the correct color and style for their classes.  Now is that time. :)  Companies will start to get backordered with all the dance studios placing their recital shoe orders so please make sure to have your child fitted and shoes ordered by the end of February so they will arrive by picture weekend.  Hip Hop classes are the only classes that do not have a specific shoe decided yet as we tend to wait until we see the costume on the child to determine what style will look best before we purchase anything.  All other classes have the shoes chosen already and student teachers will be happy to size your child and place the order.  Thank you!   ***UPDATE:  We have already been notified of some types/sizes of shoes being backordered until June!  This is why it is SO important to be sized for the correct shoes now!! All classes are working hard on their recital routines so it is very important that your child attend all lessons from now until the recital so he/she doesn't miss all the new choreography being taught.  If your child does need to miss, please have them attend another class of the same level if possible.  For students in Adv. 2 and higher, it is their responsibility to meet with another classmate prior to the next class to learn what was missed.  Thank you for supporting your child and your child's class with this!      INCLEMENT WEATHER :  Ankeny Dance does not necessarily follow school closings so please be sure to check this updates page of the website and/or call the studio (964-5048) and listen to the message to see if your child's class will be held BEFORE you come.  Often times we will hold some of the classes but have to cancel others because road conditions worsen as night falls.  If you do not see something posted on this page and/or the voicemail does not have changes you are correct in assuming there will be classes held.  We will only post updates if there are classes cancelled.  We try to hold classes if at all possible but we certainly respect your right as a parent to decide to keep your child home if you do not want to drive.  Classes cancelled due to weather may be made up by the student in a class of the same level if available.  No separate make up classes will be held.  Thank you and always drive carefully! Have you had a great experience with an Ankeny Dance staff member?  Please send an email or drop a note in Sarah or Mark's mailslot on the front desk to tell them about it!  We love to recognize the hard work of our employees and a simple word of appreciation means so much.  This can include instructors, student teachers, office staff -- everyone you see working hard to make Ankeny Dance a great place to be!  Thank you so much!!    FREE...Adult Fitness Classes!  Our gift to you... Join us each week on Wednesday from 8:30-9:30 PM in Studio 2 for a great workout!  A huge thank you to Ms. Gina for volunteering her time and talents to teach this great class!   If you are new and looking for a fun, positive environment for your child to learn to love dance, we would love to have you at Ankeny Dance!  There are several ways you can receive information on our classes: *Fill out the online request form located on the "Contact Us" page of this website *Call the studio at 964-5048 *Email the studio at ankenydance@msn.com We hope to see YOU at Ankeny Dance! Tuition Reminder:  Tuition payments are due on the 1st of each month.  We do allow a 15-day grace period (meaning if you wait until the 16th your payment would be 15 days late, not 1 day late) but on the 16th all accounts not paid in full will have a late fee automatically added.  No exceptions will be made.  If your child misses class and/or a class is cancelled due to inclement weather, instructor illness, etc. you may drop off your payment in the black mailbox outside the studio by the front door.  Or you may mail your payment to the studio:       Ankeny Dance, 2210 W. 1st Street, Ankeny, Iowa  50023 We appreciate your timely payments, thank you!  Typically in the evening hours we do not have a front office staff person at the desk so if you need assistance, please ask a student teacher in either studio.  During tuition due times (the 1st of each month), please place your check in the silver payment box on the wall by the front door or mail it to the studio.  If you are paying by cash, do not put that in the tuition box, instead ask a student teacher to assist you.  Student teachers can also assist you in taking credit card payments. You are always welcome to leave a message for Lisa Damman or Kristin Melcher if you need assistance in other areas.  Please let them know the best way to contact you -- daytime phone number, email address, etc.  Although they typically get back to you the next day, please allow 48 hours for them to contact you as sometimes even they take a day off!  (it's rare, but it does happen!)  These ladies are both fabulous and love to help in any way they can to make sure your experience at Ankeny Dance is fabulous too! Some of you might have noticed the reading materials on the table in our front waiting room include brochures on all the latest Cadllac, Lexus, Land Rover, Jaguar, Volvo, Infiniti, and Hummer vehicles.  For those of you not aware of it, Mark also works as a sales and leasing consultant at Willis Auto Campus, and he would love the opportunity to assist any Ankeny Dance parent, grandparent, or student who is in the market for a beautiful new or pre-owned vehicle. Feel free to take any brochure on a vehicle you're interested in home with you, and don't forget to ask for Mark and mention that you're with Ankeny Dance when you call or stop in to see him! If you have any questions about fall registration or classes, updates to your contact information or any other general questions, please e-mail our Studio Coordinator, Kristin Melcher, at ankenydance@msn.com or simply call the studio at 964-5048.  For any questions regarding billing, you may email our Accounts Receivable Manager, Lisa Damman at  ankenydanceaccounting@msn.com or call the studio and leave her a message. Our website is full of all kinds of useful information for students and parents. Check out all of our links on the left side and the bottom of each page!  Be sure to look here every Monday for the latest updates about Ankeny Dance!

Star Dancers  Extra Ballet Program  Triple Threat  Recital Information