How much does it cost?

That depends on where you are and your answers to many of the questions below, such as: How many sessions per day? If your school is beyond daily driving distance, one total fee will be given to include program fee, hotel, travel and meals. If inquiring by email or leaving a recorded message, please be sure to identify who you are (name and title), name of your school, phone number and best time of day or evening to reach you. Read all the FAQS below to help determine your needs. When we speak, we’ll be able to figure your rate based on your answers to many of these questions. We look forward to helping you, and we’ll try to accommodate your particular needs.

How do schools fund the program?

Everything happens! SITE based (general), PTO/PTA funds, GATE, fund-raising, business underwriting. Some schools combine funding sources. Special state and federal categorical funds or grants may be used as the program addresses multi-cultural issues. Think creatively!

What kind of space is needed?   Where do you hold the classes?

Classes are usually held in the multi-purpose room/cafeteria but may be held in a smaller, empty room if there will be only one class per session and if that room can accommodate a circle. Imagine your largest class making a circle (might end up being an oval). A smooth floor rather than carpet is preferred. For middle and high school, the classes may be taught in the gym as part of P. E.

What grades will you work with?

The program is effective and important at ALL levels, from K through high school. Please call to discuss what is best for your needs.

What is a typical dance week schedule?

The same classes attend each day, in order to build on what they learn. The week consists of daily sessions (Mon.-Thurs.) with a performance on Friday morning by all the students who participated, or normal Friday classes with a “Barn Dance” on Friday evening from approximately 6 – 8 p.m. (times are flexible). Our office and your school liason (principal or teacher) will determine what grade(s) will participate. Hiring extra band musicians is an exciting option for the barn dance.

What is the maximum number of classes/students per session?

The preferred maximum is around 70 students per session or 3 classes for grades 3 – 12. For K – 2nd grade, 2 classes or 45 students aproximately. Some schools insist on 1 class per session to achieve the highest quality, maximum exposure and increased opportunity for activities. Generally, two classes per session is a comfortable number.

How long is a session?

For grades K – 2, 30 – 40 minutes is common.

For 3rd – 12th grades, 45 – 60 minutes is common.

How many sessions can you teach each day?

A common arrangement is 3 sessions between 8:30 a.m. (or the start of your day) and 11:00 a.m. (or whenever the custodian needs to prep for lunch, assuming we use the multi-purpose room/cafeteria). If any of K – 2nd grade is included, two 30 minute sessions count as one. Other common arrangements: 4-6 sessions each day (includes morning and afternoon sessions). If conditions permit, students eat lunch outside or in their classrooms to maximize dance usage in the multi-purpose room.

How many students can you work with during the week?

That depends on how many sessions are contracted. Very large schools often book multiple weeks to cover the entire student body. Other schools prefer to serve certain grades only (each year) so it is established that fourth and fifth or K-3 (for example) will receive this experience. Can you accommodate special day? With the current system of inclusion, high-functioning students can usually handle the activities. For other students, we can discuss your expectations and wishes, in advance, and, if necessary, schedule a separate class. You can divide the special day students into the other classes so the ratios will accommodate the learning pace. If you keep a large special day class together it may important to have them work with a lower grade level in order to accommodate the learning pace. The dances definitely get more complicated as the week progresses.

Can we hold the performance or barn dance outdoors on Friday?

If space or scheduling is a problem (weather permitting), the Friday performance and/or barn dance can be held on a blacktop outdoors with students bringing their chairs to watch, but indoors is preferred.

Can we invite parents to watch the Friday performance during the day?

Yes! They will be encouraged to join in some of the dances.

We can’t fit both the student body and the parents into the multi-purpose room! Can we hold the barn dance outdoors on Friday night?

This has been done very successfully (weather permitting). We’ll need a sound system whether inside our outside and possibly lighting, depending on the time of year.

Do you need a microphone?

Unless the residency is limited to one class per session, a sound system with mic cable, mic, and mic stand is usually required for all the classes, Friday’s performance and the Friday night barn dance.

Our multi-purpose room is too small to accommodate the entire student body for the Friday performance. Who should get to watch?

If you choose 4th grade, for example, the Friday performance could be for the 3rd graders to expose them to what they will learn if you have the program again. Grade levels or classes can perform for each other (if no nonparticipating classes are in attendance). If you have a smaller school, and I work with the entire student body, we perform for ourselves. For middle and high schools, a Friday performance may not be necessary. The Friday barn dance is most common at the elementary level.

How can we continue the dances after the dance week is over?

An instruction book with a CD of the music is available for $25. If it is not made available during the dance week, please contact us and ask about it.

Can anyone come to the Barn Dance?

I strongly recommend that you limit the invitation to include only the students who participated in the program. Do include parents and students who participated in past years. A problem arises when younger siblings attend and try to do the dances that they never learned. Often students go home during the residency and teach the dances to their families, so if informed family or friends attend, that may work, but best to invite only the classes who have worked all week in the program. It’s hard for students to learn the dances adequately on the night of the barn dance if they did not attend all week, and it is disruptive to those students who did attend.

Is this program available outside of California?

Yes! Please call for details.