We are excited to begin another year of dance with our friends and family! Through this unprecedented time, Leap’s classes have created a much-needed place of community and expression. We head into the fall with many factors still unknown and have made decisions in the best interest of all of our students and faculty. Thus, Leap’s fall dance classes will be held virtually through at least November 1st.
In early October, we will reassess and announce a decision for moving forward. As educators we miss the in-person interactions and absolutely want to be back in the classroom with our dancers. However, Leap feels that the health and safety of our students, faculty, and our families is top priority. At this time that means virtual learning—due to COVID cases rising, DPS announcing schools starting remotely, the large number of children that our faculty teaches every week, and Denver Parks and Recreation not having a firm opening date. We reviewed new studio protocols, such as masks, staying 6 feet apart, sanitizing, etc., but feel these measures are inadequate to keep everyone safe at this time.
We hope that you will continue your enrollment with us this fall. Leap’s teachers have learned many techniques in the past few months of teaching over Zoom to keep the students engaged, happy, and dancing. I believe that the live virtual weekly educational interaction between your young dancer, their teacher, and their classmates is valuable during this isolating time. My own girls look forward to “dance day”—moving their bodies, seeing their dance friends, working on technique, interacting with their teacher, learning a new combination, and maintaining the routine of weekly dance classes in their lives.
We urge you to register for the class and location where you would ultimately like to be, but please know that location doesn't matter if classes are held virtually. There is a wide range of classes offered at various times amongst our five locations. We hope this helps when scheduling. If your child already has a strong connection to a teacher you may want to sign up for their class, regardless of location, in case classes are virtual. The enclosed schedule should stay the same, but there are many unknowns at this point. Please stay patient with us, and we will try our best to accommodate any of your scheduling needs that change due to the uncertainty of in-person vs. virtual classes.
If you are already signed up for fall classes, Leap will plan on seeing your young dancer virtually in September unless we hear from you. Please call with any questions. (720-335-5327)
We wish everyone the very best during this trying time and look forward to dancing together this fall from our home to yours.
Best,
Elizabeth Ellis and the team at Leap
In early October, we will reassess and announce a decision for moving forward. As educators we miss the in-person interactions and absolutely want to be back in the classroom with our dancers. However, Leap feels that the health and safety of our students, faculty, and our families is top priority. At this time that means virtual learning—due to COVID cases rising, DPS announcing schools starting remotely, the large number of children that our faculty teaches every week, and Denver Parks and Recreation not having a firm opening date. We reviewed new studio protocols, such as masks, staying 6 feet apart, sanitizing, etc., but feel these measures are inadequate to keep everyone safe at this time.
We hope that you will continue your enrollment with us this fall. Leap’s teachers have learned many techniques in the past few months of teaching over Zoom to keep the students engaged, happy, and dancing. I believe that the live virtual weekly educational interaction between your young dancer, their teacher, and their classmates is valuable during this isolating time. My own girls look forward to “dance day”—moving their bodies, seeing their dance friends, working on technique, interacting with their teacher, learning a new combination, and maintaining the routine of weekly dance classes in their lives.
We urge you to register for the class and location where you would ultimately like to be, but please know that location doesn't matter if classes are held virtually. There is a wide range of classes offered at various times amongst our five locations. We hope this helps when scheduling. If your child already has a strong connection to a teacher you may want to sign up for their class, regardless of location, in case classes are virtual. The enclosed schedule should stay the same, but there are many unknowns at this point. Please stay patient with us, and we will try our best to accommodate any of your scheduling needs that change due to the uncertainty of in-person vs. virtual classes.
If you are already signed up for fall classes, Leap will plan on seeing your young dancer virtually in September unless we hear from you. Please call with any questions. (720-335-5327)
We wish everyone the very best during this trying time and look forward to dancing together this fall from our home to yours.
Best,
Elizabeth Ellis and the team at Leap
Zoom Tips for Dance Class
Below are some helpful hints for our virtual classes over Zoom. Your child's teacher will explain these items during the first online class and give a refresher during the 2nd class.
- Please do NOT join earlier than 5 minutes before class time, or you will interrupt someone else's class.
- Parents of young children, stay nearby to help your child get settled.
- Be on a computer if possible (vs. a tablet or a phone).
- "Rename" your child on Zoom by scrolling over your picture, clicking the three dots and hitting "Rename." If you are on a tablet, touch the screen and then click the "Participants" button and touch on your name.
- Make sure your child is not backlit, so we can see them.
YES PLEASE, to dancers being frontlit.
NO THANK YOU, to dancers being backlit.
- To "Mute" or "Unmute" yourself, click the microphone icon (bottom left on a computer/top right on a tablet).
- Click "Start Video" or "Stop Video" on the camera icon to reveal or hide your image from others (bottom left on a computer/top right on a tablet).
- "Gallery View"/"Speaker View:" Click "Gallery View" in the top right of your screen or top left on a tablet. This shows all of the dancers at once. Click "Speaker View" in this same location to see a large image of whoever is talking.
- "Pin Video"/"Unpin Video:" Scroll over a dancer's picture, click on the three dots, and hit "Pin Video" to make the image big. To get back to Gallery View click "Unpin Video" in the top left of your screen. On a tablet you can double click on the video you would like to see big or hit "Unpin Video."
- Call Leap's office (720-335-5327) if you are having technical difficulties during business hours (Monday-Friday 10am-5pm).
- Test these features beforehand by having a fun family Zoom call!
- Leap's teachers will teach these instructions during the first class. We all learn differently, so hopefully it helps to have written instructions with images.