What: We would like to invite you to the annual ACHEV Christmas Dance at House of Dance in Ventura.  This is a semi-formal event. There are a few things that will be a little different about this dance and will be described more below, but please pay attention that you must:

• Sign up and pay in advance for this dance
• Be on time
• Participate in the dance lesson that begins at 7pm, and most importantly…
• Come prepared to dance the night away with new friends, have a good attitude and do your best!

We will start with a foxtrot  lesson (TBD) from 7-7:30.   Then there will be free dancing from 7:30-9:00.  There will be a variety of Christmas tunes and will include the following dances: East Coast Swing, Single Time Swing, Cha Cha, Foxtrot, Waltz, Night Club Two-Step, the Virginia Reel, and a couple line dances.

When:  Saturday, December 11^th, from 7pm-9pm.

Where: House of Dance: 3007 Bunsen Ave Ste E, Ventura, CA https://www.pmhouseofdance.com/

Cost: $15 per student (paid in advance) and includes a 30 minute dance lesson at the beginning from 7:00-7:30, taught by Patricia Monico.

Who: ACHEV members 6^th Grade and up (or mature and motivated dancers at least 10 years old), ACHEV parents, and ACHEV graduates/alumni are also welcome.  Parents are welcome to join in the dancing.  *Please do not bring younger siblings to this dance.  Babes in arms OK.  We need to be close to having an even number of boys and girls, so if we become too heavy on one side, I will have to start a waitlist.

Guests:  This is a private party for ACHEV only.  If on 11/26, there is still room for more dancers, I will send out a notice to all families who have signed up and reserved their spot, giving them an opportunity to invite guests. Please do not forward this to anyone or invite guests without clearing them through Bonnie Adair first.

Chaperones: Each student must have a parent chaperone.  You may have another parent chaperone in your place.  Chaperones are responsible for the behavior and safety of their children for the duration of the event.

What to Bring: Your own water bottles and your own personal snacks to keep at your table if you desire.  There will be no community snacks served.  We will have water and cups available for refilling your water bottles, or in case someone forgets theirs.  Girls, if you are going to wear heels, please bring a pair of more comfortable shoes in case your feet can’t stand it anymore.  This might be a good idea for boys, too, if they are wearing a new pair of dress shoes.  You will not be allowed to go barefoot or socks only.

How to Sign up and Pay: Due to limited space, please reserve your spot as soon as possible.  You can sign up for this dance on this Google Sheet .  If you prefer, you can sign up via email at bonnieadair@verizon.net with the following information: *First & last name of each dancer, *Age & Gender of each dancer, *Names of chaperones that will be attending (Due to limited space, I need to know how many parent chaperones will be there as well).  *Parent email and cell number *If you are not chaperoning your own children, please let me know who will be chaperoning in your place.  *Let me know how you plan to pay

If you need to cancel due to illness and give me at least 24 hours notice, I will send you a refund.  If you need to cancel for a reason besides illness or emergency, I would appreciate more notice.  Thanks =)

I will be collecting all the money for this dance, and it will all go to House of Dance.  Please send me payment using one of the following methods:

• Paypal at https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/bonniemaeadair?locale.x=en_US
• Mail me a check to: Bonnie Adair 174 Granada Street, Camarillo, CA 93010
• Meet up with me in person and give me cash or check
• Send money via Zelle – if you prefer this method, I will need the email or phone number you use for Zelle, and I will send you a request for $.

Other Rules, but really important/Misc:

• Don’t come if you are sick.  If you have to cancel because of illness, it will be really sad but we appreciate your concern for others.  We hope to have many more dances.
• No lifts or aerial moves.
• No Chewing Gum
• RSVP is required.
• We need to have close to an even amount of boys and girls.  Sign up soon.  If the list is too heavy on one side, I will have to waitlist kids.
• Be on time.  The dances will go much more smoothly and be more fun if everyone is on time for the dance lesson at 7. Do not sign up for this dance if you cannot be on time.
• Please carefully read the dress code and etiquette guidelines below.

Dress Code:

We do not want to have to send anyone home, so please, follow the guidelines.  If you are having trouble, reach out and ask questions or ask to borrow something.

Masks are not required.

Boys:

• Collared shirts (button-up or polo), long sleeve or short sleeved.
• Slacks, NO jeans
• Closed toe shoes: Absolutely no flip flops, socks or bare feet.  Sneakers/running/basketball shoes are not recommended, but you can wear them if you must.  It is hard to dance when your shoes are super sticky/grippy on the dance floor.  If you don’t have dress/dance shoes, Converse/Keds type shoes work well.

Girls:

•  Skirts or dresses knee length or longer. (This means touching the top of the knee, regardless of leggings.) If there is a lace overlay, the skirt underneath (solid fabric) needs to touch the knee.
• Leggings or shorts are required if the skirt rises past the knees while twirling.  It’s a good policy to wear dance pants under your skirts regardless of length.
• No low-cut, strapless, backless, or halter tops. Straps need to be at least one inch wide. No exposed cleavage or bra straps.  If you aren’t sure, wear a cardigan over your dress.
• No pants (other than leggings under your skirt or dress).
• Closed toe shoes: Absolutely no flip flops, socks, or bare feet.  Cross trainers/running/basketball shoes are not recommended, but you can wear them if you must.  It is hard to dance when your shoes are super sticky/grippy on the dance floor.  No sling back shoes.   If you don’t have dress/dance shoes, Converse/Keds type shoes work well.  If the girls want to wear heels, please bring a second pair of shoes that will be more comfortable in case they need/want to remove their heels because you can’t be dancing barefoot.

Basic Dance Etiquette.  Please go over this with your dancers:

For Boys:

• Ask a variety of girls to dance.  They are waiting for you to ask.  Don’t drag your feet in getting around to asking someone, and don’t spend the evening standing around.  It’s not fair to the girls.  The time goes by quickly!
• You may be nervous asking a girl to dance. That is ok. She is probably nervous waiting to be asked.
• Offer her your hand or your arm and escort her onto the dance floor
• When the dance is over, escort her off the floor and thank her for the dance.

For Girls:

• If a boy asks you to dance, graciously accept his offer.
• If you stand with your friends in a closed circle, it is hard and nerve wracking for a boy to ask you to dance. Make yourself available by opening up your circle.
• Please limit the amount of dancing you do with your girl-friends and only do it if there are no boys available to dance with.  The boys don’t dance with each other and when the girls are just goofing around with each other on the dance floor, the boys end up standing around not knowing what to do.

For Both:

• Every dance has first time attendees. Make an effort to reach out to them and include them in your conversations.
• Not everyone knows how to dance…that is ok. Everyone has to begin sometime.
• A Sadie Hawkins dance is when a girl can ask a boy to dance.  The boys are to do the asking unless we announce a Sadie Hawkins dance.
• It is okay to sit out for a dance, but remember, we are here to dance.  This is a special occasion, and there will be time for goofing around, chatting and socializing another time.