CELEBRATING 40 YEARS OF DANCE! | | |
Cecil Dancenter Newsletter
August 2025
| | EVERYTHING OLD IS NEW AGAIN! | | |
STUDIO CALENDAR
SUMMER SESSION:
Monday, July 7 - Saturday, August 23
2025-2026
SESSION ONE:
Friday, September 5 - Thursday, October 23
FALL CDT FUNDRAISER:
Friday, September 19 - Friday, October 10
PARENT OBSERVATION WEEK:
Friday, October 17 - Thursday, October 23
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CELEBRATING 40 YEARS OF DANCE!
We are so excited to announce that we are celebrating our 40th anniversary this year and we can’t thank our families enough for the trust, faith, and support you have given to us over the last four decades. We would not be where we are without you and we can’t wait to see what this year has in store for us! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!
2025 - 2026 DANCE YEAR INFORMATION
We are excited to announce that our fall classes will begin on Friday, September 5. There will be five 7-week dance sessions with classes culminating in recital performances in June 2026. The first session will be held Friday, September 5 through Thursday, October 23.
- Don’t forget to mark your calendar for our parent observation week running Friday, Oct 17 – Thursday, Oct 23 (parents may watch the last 15 minutes of class).
Click here for the 2025-2026 class schedule.
RECITAL DATES - MARK YOUR CALENDAR!
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Studio Recitals: Creative Dance and Dance Basics classes will have their recitals at our studio Saturday, May 30 – Wednesday, June 3.
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Elkton High School Recitals (Dance Fundamentals classes & up): Please mark your calendars for June 6 and 7 for these recitals... and we are excited that Dad's will have Father's Day off again from dance! Classes will also have a stage and dress rehearsal the week leading up to the recitals (June 1 - 5), so plan accordingly for attendance at these rehearsals.
LEVEL PLACEMENTS
New students to our studio who are age 9+ may need to contact the office for proper placement but students enrolled with us for the 2024-2025 dance year, or summer classes, should have received their highlighted level placement in the mail for the fall. Our staff evaluates each child independently and places them in a level that will best serve their individual needs. This evaluation takes into consideration their efforts in developing technique, the ability to maintain consistency in skills, sense of musicality, the ability to assimilate corrections, and their ability to pick up material. Please understand that there are a variety of factors taken into consideration and level placement should not be compared to other dancers that your child may have taken class with in the past. If a child shows significant improvement during the school year, rest assured that you will be asked if they would be interested in changing classes. Likewise, if a child seems to be struggling with class material, it would be prudent to address these issues either by switching classes or adding a class. We are always looking out for the best interest of your child in order to maintain their confidence and interest in the art of dance!
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THREE WAYS TO REGISTER:
1. On-line via our website: If you are a returning family with an existing account, just log in as usual as our system automatically keeps you on file. If you would like assistance in creating an account via our on-line system, please contact our office at info@cecildancenter.com or call 410-287-3546.
2. Download a registration sheet from our website and put it and your payment in one of our lobby drop boxes or mail it to 25 Flint Drive, North East, MD 21901.
3. Stop by our office to register in-person. Call before dropping by to make sure we are open – 410-287-3546.
SAVE ON TUITION!!
Want to earn credit towards your dance tuition? Simply create an online account via the link below for “Poppin’ Popcorn” or pick up an order form from the lobby table (available in a few weeks) and 20% of your sales will be applied as credit to your account! Your friends & family may make purchases, choosing from an array of popcorn flavors/items! An additional 20% of sales will help Cecil Dance Theatre meet production expenses for their holiday performance of The Nutcracker! Sales run September 19 – October 10 with either home delivery (charges apply) or delivery to the studio in late October/early November.
MONTHLY PAYMENT PLAN
Take advantage of our budget billing! Contact our office if you would like your yearly payments broken into 10 monthly payments. The first payment is taken at registration and then the remaining payments will be due on the 15th of each month from September - May. If you join on or after September 15 then TWO payments will be due initially. In order to be on the monthly plan, you’ll need to have a credit/debit card on file with us. Our monthly payment option CANNOT be set up via our online system. You must call the office to select this payment option and we will manually override the system. Please note that there is a 3% processing fee for credit card transactions (see below).
CREDIT CARD PROCESSING & LATE FEES
We are happy to process your Visa, Mastercard or Discover for payments but it will include a 3% processing fee for all credit card transactions made online and in person. You are welcome to make a payment via check or cash to avoid this 3% fee. Payments MUST be made on time or in advance to avoid late fees. A late fee of $15 is assessed on ALL accounts two weeks or more in arrears.
| | CLASS REMINDERS & REMAINING SUMMER OPPORTUNITIES | | |
SPECIALTY CLASSES
Did you know we offer the following classes … adult classes, teen classes, boys only classes (ages 4-7), and toddler classes for ages 18 months – 35 months? Pilates classes are also available (a separate rate structure applies to our fitness program). Click here for our fall schedule or contact us for more information.
WEDNESDAY PRINCESS WORKSHOP & WEEKLY PRINCESS CAMP - LAST CHANCE TO BE A PRINCESS
Our summer themed workshops and camps have been a big hit! Don’t miss your little one’s final chance to enjoy creative improvisation, movement games, drama, and of course dancing in costumes… along with fun and magical memories full of adventure and creativity! We have the following opportunities remaining:
- Wednesday Princess Workshop: ages 4-8, held 5:00pm-7:00pm and is $39/dancer
- Princess & The Frog – Wednesday, August 20
- Weekly Camp: ages 4-8, held 9am-12pm daily and is $185/dancer
- Fairytale Princess Camp – August 18 – 22
Click here to register online.
ONE-DAY SUMMER INTENSIVE WITH MISS ABBY PINKERTON
Students in 2025 Levels 5-Advanced may enroll in a one-day intensive (level breakout below) where they will strengthen technique and develop artistry with ballet, lyrical, conditioning, and repertory classes. You may register online via the parent portal (click here) or call the office to enroll. The intensives will be held in Studio C from 9am - 3pm. $46/dancer. Please bring plenty of water, a lunch and a snack.
- Tuesday, August 19 - Levels 8-10
- Wednesday, August 20 - Levels 5-7
| | STAFF NEWS & OTHER REMINDERS | | |
STAFF UPDATES
We are thrilled to have many instructors returning for another amazing year and we are excited to have them share their knowledge and passion for the arts with your dancer. We welcome the following two instructors below to our staff for this year. Click here for our instructor bio page.
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Skylar Baeder began dancing at Cecil Dancenter at the age of 2 and has trained in a variety of styles. She has also performed in multiple shows with CJDT and CDT, most recently in Sleeping Beauty as Maleficent this past Spring. She enjoys helping young dancers grow in their art and she is grateful to share her love of dance!
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Holly Van Voorhis is a graduate of West Virginia University with a major in Dance and two minors (Marketing and Arts Administration). She was a member of CDT for four years and you may remember her as the Evil Queen in Snow White (2019), Vivaldi Soloist in Holiday Enchantment (2018), and Dew Drop Fairy/Snow Queen in Nutcracker (2017). Holly spent one year as a Baltimore Blast Cheerleader for the 2023-2024 season and she is in her second year with the NFL as a Baltimore Ravens Cheerleader. She is excited for her first full season teaching at Cecil Dancenter!
Also, you can catch Miss Abby Pinkerton perform with MADE Dance Collective at their company showcase, "What are we MADE of?", on Saturday, August 16th. Performances are at 2pm and 5pm at The Warehouse Theater at E-Street in Edgewood, MD. Don't miss this inspiring show with choreography by Maggie DeFrees featuring professional dance artists in the area! Tickets can be purchased at the link below:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/what-are-we-made-of-made-dance-showcase-tickets-1474444797079?aff=ebdssbdestsearch
CHRISTMAS IS COMING – GET IN THE HOLIDAY SPIRIT TODAY!
Tickets are on sale now to Cecil Dance Theatre’s production of The Nutcracker to be held on Saturday, December 20 and Sunday, December 21 at Cecil College! Great seats are available now and they make a great gift! Young audience members may join us to dance on stage with some of our cast members in our fabulous pre-show event! The Nutcracker is a seasonal classic the whole family will love... for tickets visit our website at www.cecildancenter.com or call the college box office at 410-287-1037. Get your tickets today for the best seating!
2025 RECITAL
- If you did not receive your trophy at the recital, you may stop by the office to pick one up. If your child participated in the final session but was not able to be in the recital, he/she is still eligible to receive a trophy.
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If you pre-ordered an Elkton High School recital DVD, it is available for pickup. To order a DVD, call the office or complete an order form from the lobby or click here.
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To order photos from the EHS dress rehearsal, visit: http://amorinphotography.com and click on the dance gallery. If you had recital pictures taken in our studio by Amorin Photography, an email was sent out with ordering information.
| | GENERAL REMINDERS & STUDIO INFO | | |
STUDIO NOTES
- “Ballet Tech” means the class will focus on technique for the entire year and will not perform in the recital.
- Each lobby has a locked deposit box for you to drop off payments and/or paperwork when the office is closed. Please feel free to use this secure method to keep your account current and to return registration information.
- We have a lost and found bin at each studio location for items that get left behind; however, this bin is emptied several times a year with unclaimed items donated to Goodwill or discarded. So don’t delay… look today for lost items!
DRESS CODE
Please click here for information regarding our dress code for each of our dance styles. It is important that you dress appropriately so that the instructor can make sure your technique and form are correct. For classes requiring dance shoes we recommend purchasing those shoes at The Dance Station. Slippers found at Walmart or discount stores are not recommended as it's hard for the instructor to see if the foot is properly pointed.
NOTES ON ATTIRE: Although it is becoming more common to see professionals in the dance industry wearing crop tops, halters and sports bras, our studio requires dancers come to class dressed modestly with their torsos covered. We strive to promote a level of confidence that focuses on dance and not body image; therefore, students will be asked to change if they come to class exposing their torso. If you have any questions or concerns about this, please contact the office. Thank you for helping us to provide a family friendly atmosphere at Cecil Dancenter.
BALLET SLIPPER TIP
Please tuck your dancers ballet slipper laces underneath the top of the shoe. The lace may be cut shorter so it's more comfortable for your child (just make sure to double knot the lace). This provides a more aesthetic look for the mature dancer and for our younger dancers it helps the child/teacher to spend time on instruction rather than tying shoe laces.
PRIVATE LESSONS
Private lessons are a great way for students to get personalized attention and individualized corrections. If you are interested in private lessons, please contact our office.
| | NEIGHBOR & COMMUNITY NEWS | | |
The Dance Station
The Dance Station located next to studio C has all your dancewear needs. The August special is 20% off bags. They will be hosting a one-day anniversary sale on Saturday, August 16 from 9am – 3pm with 10% off shoes and leotards, 20% off bags and skirts (plus it’s MD no sales tax day!). Contact The Dance Station via www.thedancestationllc.com or call 443-674-8075.
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