Join us February 26 - March 1 in Pittsburgh, PA.  Take classes in all different genres of dance, watch live professional performances, audition for college and summer study and network with college representatives from all over the country.  We are opening this up to freshman through senior dance majors.  Take advantage of this great opportunity.  Click the link before for more information.

National High School Dance Festival

Please help our Producers' Parent Group.  We need help parking cars October 4-6.  Money from this parking fundraiser goes towards helping fund scholarships for our senior YPAS students.  Please help with this important fundraiser.  Click the link below to sign up.  

Parking Sign Up Genius

Students interested in being inducted into the National Honor Society for Dance Arts during the YPAS Dance Fall Informance on October 1 should have all points submitted to Ms. Ruttan by Tuesday, September 10.  They should also complete the online portion of the induction.  The point form and online induction can be found here: NHSDA Induction Info
Please list all of your earned points on the back of the point sheet.  All non-YPAS activities require a parent signature.  

The YPAS Dance Department will be selling tickets to the Louisville Ballet's production of The Merry Widow on September 13 at 8:00 p.m. and September 14 at 2:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. at the Kentucky Center for the Arts, Whitney Hall.  Tickets are $20.50.  All money should be turned in to Ms. Ruttan by August 29.  Checks should be made out to YPAS Dance.  All freshmen dance majors will be required to see and critique this show.  

​Sign Up or Re-enroll for the Kroger Rewards Program. Every time your swipe your Kroger Plus Card you could be giving money to YPAS Dance.  Kroger will be giving away 3 MILLION DOLLARS to local organizations. Help YPAS DANCE get its share. It’s easy! 

 Simply visit www.kroger.com/communityrewards   

• Sign In or Create A New Account
• Click on Enroll Now
• Add your Kroger Plus Card #  or Alt. ID to your account
• Scroll to the bottom and select: YPAS Dance Department- Number WF566

That’s it! Now anytime you shop at Kroger and swipe your Kroger Plus Card or Alt. ID you’ll be helping YPAS Dance earn a donation from the Kroger Cooperation. Donations received to YPAS Dance will be added to the YPAS Dance general fund and be used to subsidize the annual Festival trip as well as other activities for our student dancer

All Dance Majors: Please join us Thursday, August 22 for a National Honor Society for Dance Arts Meeting.  All freshmen will be assigned an upperclassmen mentor and will find out all about the National Honor Society for Dance Arts from 2:30-3:00 p.m.

All Upperclassmen will elect officers from 3:00-3:30

Please meet in the Annex Canteen 

It is time to sign up for our annual black-box dance concert featuring dances created and danced by students! That's right, Its Young Choreographers' Showcase time!!!! Get hyped! More info below. 

The performance is October 11, 2019 at 10am and 7pm. Open to the public. 

For Dancers:  Sign Ups for those wishing to dance for someone in the Young Choreographers' Showcase are OPEN NOW! It is quicker and easier to pre-register but you can also register at the door.

Things to remember:

• What is Young Choreographers' Showcase? Glad you asked, cause it is awesome, fire?, lit? (whatever the newest term for cool is).  You can find out all you need to know HERE. Or send Ms. Mansilla an email and I'm glad to answer any questions or just ask on the first day of school. 

 

• The Audition is Friday, August 16th from 2:30-3:30p in Annex 2. 

 

• Whether you are new to YPAS or returning, dancing for someone is an EXCELLENT way to get involved and get performance experience right off the bat. All dance majors (especially freshman) are strongly encouraged to come out. 

 

• Our auditions are quick and fun not stressful or crazy competitive. This year Ms. Mansilla will teach the auditions with feedback and help from student choreographers. Expect to learn 1-2 short combinations and perform in small groups. If a choreographers decides to cast you, you will be contacted directly by them via email. 

 

• Rehearsals are 1-2 hours  after school on Tuesday/Thursdays or Wednesdays. Rehearsals do not conflict with pointe or partnering classes,  so you can do both if you wish. You will only be cast within your stated availability. If you are cast you are committing to 8hrs of rehearsal plus the show. So a great way to get a performance with costumes and lighting without a huge or long-term commitment.  See  the various specific rehearsal schedules HERE. 

 

• Yes, you may be BOTH a choreographer and a dancer for someone else. Yes, you can dance for up to 2 different choreographers if it fits your schedule. 

For Choreographers:  Sign ups for those wishing to choreograph a dance for the Young Choreographers Showcase open on Tuesday, August 13, 2019 at NOON.

​Things to remember:

• There is a REQUIRED meeting for all choreographers on Friday, Sept 16th from 3:30-4:30p in Annex 2. We will go over rules/guidelines, discuss piece concepts and casting (for those interested). 

 

• Sign ups are (mostly) first come, first serve and space is limited. 

 

• NEW this year: Priority consideration may be given to choreographers who are able to give performance opportunities to dancers who attend the audition. Working with your besties is great, but opening yourself up to work with new dancers helps keep YCS thriving by giving opportunities to newcomers as well as helping strengthen you as a choreographer. 

 

• Any dance major can sign up to be a choreographer. That means freshman too (though you should probably have some experience choreographing if this is your first year at YPAS.)

 

• Dances presented in YCS will automatically be in the running to be chosen for the New Works 2020 Show. They may also be entered into the PTSA Reflections contest and Festival adjudication if applicable. 

 

• NEW this year:  There is a new 2-week intensive rehearsal option. Rehearses Tuesdays, Wednesday and Thursdays for 2-weeks only. Equals the same amount of rehearsal hours but gets the job done in a shorter time. May be a good option for experienced choreographers,  choreographers creating short solos/duets or those looking to extend a piece created in the Spring.

• Before signing up familiarize yourself with the various rehearsal schedule options HERE. 

We're looking forward to another great year of dance with all of you!  You will not need to dress out for class the first day.  Freshmen dance majors will have their Red 1 class in the Annex 2 dance studio.  All upperclassmen should meet in the 205 studio for Red 3.  All dance majors should read the dance handbook and fill out all required forms.  Bring the following forms to class the first day:
Handbook Acknowledgement Form
Ensemble Contract (For those students enrolled in Ensemble)
JCPS Photo Release
Producers' Membership Form

You can find all of these documents here:

Dance Documents

See you Wednesday!