MSD - JULY 2020 UPDATE

JULY 2020 - SCHOOL UPDATE

We are excited to announce a transition to in-person, combined with on-line lessons beginning July 6th, 2020.   

For July - August lessons (6 weeks) will be offering both in-person and on-line (zoom) classes.  In order to offer in-person classes and accommodate those who are unable or prefer not to attend in-person classes at this time, we are offering a combination of both in-person and on-line learning.

Registration for each level or class includes 2 weekly lessons;

1. One on-line (zoom) class
2. One in-person class (or optional zoom live feed for those unable or who prefer not to attend in person classes)

Dancers are expected to attend both classes and registration includes both lessons.  A weekly live zoom video feed will be offered for those who do not attend the in person lesson.

• Dancers who haven't joined us for on-line classes are welcome to sign up for our combination of in-person and on-line classes for July & August. 
• Beginner & Preschool - Level 1 / 2 Soft shoe is recommended for those who wish to attend our Summer lessons.

Schedule - July & August 2020

We've had to make adjustments to our Summer Schedule in order to allow for the in-person classes.  Classes in June will continue with the current schedule until June 30th, 2020.  As of July 6th, we will transition to the schedule below.

As a result of the schedule changes, ALL dancers will need to re-register for July - August classes in the Student Portal - CLICK HERE

The Summer Schedule will be offered from July 6th - August 12th (6 weeks).  We will be closed for holidays from August 15th - 31st, 2020 and lessons in August will be prorated for the partial month of classes.

 

Temporary Winnipeg Location - 666 Silverstone (South Winnipeg Community Centre)

For July & August we will be using a temporary location at the South Winnipeg Community Centre for in person classes.

SUMMER SESSION - TERMS & CONDITIONS

• Enrolment for the Summer Term is July 1st - August 15th, 2020.  
• Enrolment is for both in-person and on-line lessons, combined.  The option to take one or the other is not permitted.
• Fees are processed monthly, according to the payment schedule selected on your account in the STUDENT PORTAL
• Class fees are calculated based on total class hours charged at 2019 - 2020 Season Rates.  Hourly discounted fees and family discounts will be applied.  August lesson fees will be prorated for the 50% of monthly fees.
• We are not offering Drop In options for on-line classes, all students are asked to register for the entire month regardless of attendance.
• Students may withdrawal at anytime with 7 days notice required for new billing purposes.  There are no withdrawal fees for the Summer Term (standard withdrawal fees will be waived). 
• Monthly fees are non-refundable and once processed, there are no refunds or credits offered.
• Recording of any on-line class is not permitted, under any circumstances.
• MSD & CRN Dance Learning Videos and music are meant for registered student practice only and should not be distributed, copied, or posted on any social media, under any circumstances. 

IRISH DANCE AT HOME 

In addition to our on-line classes, we've put together a great deal of resource information for all Irish dancers at home during the break, including Google Classrooms with practice tips, music information, videos, and teaching tools for all dancers.  

To learn more, please visit our WEBSITE - CLICK HERE

Digital Feis

JUNE 2020

June Digital Feis was the LARGEST on-line competition to date, and the results should be available soon.  Stay tuned to Digital Feis website and we will send out the results to dancers when we receive them.

We are fortunate to be members of an Open Platform Irish Dance organisation (CRN) and we will continue to embrace the opportunity for our dancers to compete in Digital Feis. 

We encourage all of our competitive and non-competitive dancers to consider entering the August 2020 Digital Feis!  This is a great opportunity to compete without travel and stay focused and committed to your Irish dance goals.  More information on June Digital Feis will follow!

UPCOMING DIGITAL FEIS COMPETITIONS

• Digital Feis - August 1st, 2020
• Digital Feis - September 19th, 2020

Best wishes to our 38 dancers who are competing in the June 2020 Digital Feis competition.  We will keep you posted with results when they are announced!

Take care and stay well!

Shayleen McConnell Finucan (ODCRN)

MSD - JUNE 2020 SCHOOL UPDATE

JUNE 2020 - SCHOOL UPDATE

On-line lessons will continue for June 2020 and we will transition to our Summer Schedule (see below) starting June 1st, 2020.  

At this time, there are many uncertainties with the Covid-19 pandemic and reopening of our Province.  With this in mind, we will be looking ahead one month at a time and provide updates with any changes.  We will be following to all Manitoba Health Guideline to insure the health and safety of our dancers and instructors.  On-line classes will continue until it is safe for us to return to the dance studio environment. Due to the nature of Irish dance, we cannot predict when a safe return to the studio will be, but we hope to see our dancers in class again one day soon!

It has been challenging time for our dancers and we commend them on their resilience and commitment to Irish dance.  Our on-line classes have been a great way for us all to stay healthy and connected over the last two months and the dancers have made wonderful progress through virtual classes and at home practice.  We're very proud of your hard work, dedication, and commitment to Irish dance through many obstacles. Keep up the great work and keep dancing!

SUMMER CLASS SCHEDULE  

The Summer Schedule will be offered for June, July, and August 2020.  We will be closed for holidays from August 15th - 31st, 2020. 

All dancers will need to register for Summer Session classes in the Student Portal - CLICK HERE

*Please note, Performance Division dancers no not need to register for Performance Division as this is full season class.  Dancers will need to register for all other Summer Session classes.

ON-LINE CLASSES

On-line classes are held through ZOOM, a meeting conference service available for all home computers, cell phones, and tablets.  In addition to on-line classes, we've created Google Classrooms for each level with helpful at home practice resources including downloadable practice music, dance instructional videos, practice assignments, and more!

ON-LINE CLASS UPDATES FOR SUMMER SESSION

• Summer on-line classes will not include the 15 minute sign in.  Dancers are now asked to sign in when the class starts.  We will allow a 5 minute waiting period at the beginning of each class to allow for dancers to sign in and stretch, while we take class attendance.  
• Additional Technique time added for each class.  We'e added time on to each class to include additional work on technique, without dancers having to attend extra lessons.

PRIVATE LESSONS 

To assist with on-line learning for dancers, we've added weekly options for on-line private and semi-private lesson (2 - 3 dancers).  This is a great way for dancers to have one on one learning time and instructor feedback.  For dancers struggling to learn in the on-line environment, private lesson are highly recommended.  Sign up is available in the STUDENT PORTAL  - CLICK HERE

Recreational Division - Recreational dancers are welcome to sign up for any classes listed for their Recreational Division level (please see schedule).  This is a great opportunity to learn new dances and we encourage students to enrol in multiple levels to encompass material they currently know as well as more advanced levels. 

Competitive Division - Competitive dancers should enrol in every level they are currently competing in dances with.  We've separated most levels into soft shoe and hard shoe classes in order to make it convenient for dancers with spanning multiple levels. 

Performance Division - Performance Division will continue with weekly classes and dancers are asked to continue their enrolment in competitive classes for all levels they are currently competing with.

If you're uncertain of which class or classes are best for you, please email info@mcconnelldancers.com and we will assist.

ON-LINE CLASS - TERMS & CONDITIONS

• Enrolment for the Summer Term is June 1st - August 15th, 2020.  
• Fees are processed monthly, according to the payment schedule selected on your account in the STUDENT PORTAL
• Class fees are calculated based on total class hours charged at 2019 - 2020 Season Rates.  Hourly discounted fees and family discounts will be applied.  August lesson fees will be prorated for the 50% of monthly fees.
• We are not offering Drop In options for on-line classes, all students are asked to register for the entire month regardless of attendance.
• Students may withdrawal at anytime with 7 days notice required for new billing purposes.  There are no withdrawal fees for the Summer Term (standard withdrawal fees will be waived). 
• Monthly fees are non-refundable and once processed, there are no refunds or credits offered.
• Recording of any on-line class is not permitted, under any circumstances.
• MSD & CRN Dance Learning Videos and music are meant for registered student practice only and should not be distributed, copied, or posted on any social media, under any circumstances. 

IRISH DANCE AT HOME 

In addition to our on-line classes, we've put together a great deal of resource information for all Irish dancers at home during the break, including Google Classrooms with practice tips, music information, videos, and teaching tools for all dancers.  

To learn more, please visit our WEBSITE - CLICK HERE

SUMMER CAMP

July 13th - 17th, 2020

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, it is unlikely our Irish Dance Summer Camp will take place as planned.  Travel restrictions will prevent our instructors from Ireland from attending and limitations with physical distancing restrictions will not allow us to proceed with an "in class" Irish dance camp.

We understand this is a disappointment for our dancers and we would like to fill the gap during the week of camp, if we can.  We will look at the possibility of an outdoor event or events during the week of summer camp.

We will provide more details when we are able as much depends on Manitoba Health Guidelines for re-opening the province.

DIGITAL FEIS 

JUNE 2020

April Digital Feis was the LARGEST on-line competition to date, and the upcoming June Digital Feis is likely to exceed expectations as many Irish dancers are now realising the benefit of on-line Irish dance competitions!  We are delighted to hear many of the CRN USA schools will be entering the June Digital Feis, including their Ardghrád and Craobhghrád dancers. 

We are fortunate to be members of an Open Platform Irish Dance organisation (CRN) and we will continue to embrace the opportunity for our dancers to compete in Digital Feis. 

We encourage all of our competitive and non-competitive dancers to consider entering the August 2020 Digital Feis!  This is a great opportunity to compete without travel and stay focused and committed to your Irish dance goals.  More information on June Digital Feis will follow!

UPCOMING DIGITAL FEIS COMPETITIONS

• Digital Feis - June 6th, 2020
• Digital Feis - August 1st, 2020
• Digital Feis - September 19th, 2020

Best wishes to our 38 dancers who are competing in the June 2020 Digital Feis competition.  We will keep you posted with results when they are announced.

WE'VE MOVED - NEW LOCATION COMING!

We've been holding classes at 32 Barberry Road for over 10 years and the space has served us very well, with many good memories made.  Over the last year we've come realise we have outgrown the space and it's time for a change! 

It's been a very busy month as we packed up the studio and Folklorama storage container. We are looking forward to finding a new home for our dancers when the Covid-19 pandemic permits.  We will keep everyone updated with location details as soon as we are able.

Take care and stay well!

Shayleen McConnell Finucan (ODCRN)

CANADA FEILE 2020 - UPDATE & CANCELLATI

 CANADA FEILE 2020

We wish to inform dancers of the cancellation of our CRN Canada Feile 2020 competition on May 24th, 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Although we are saddened by the cancellation, we feel this is the best decision to insure the safety of our dancers, instructors, adjudicators, and patrons.

We will be offering all dancers the option for Digital Feis competitions in April, June, August, September, and November and plans are currently underway for the Canadian Open Championship & Qualifiers (3 adjudicators) scheduled for Sunday, December 13th, 2020.

We will continue to keep our dance families updated with any changes as soon as we are able. 

Please stay safe and well.

Shayleen McConnell Finucan (ODCRN)

Digital Feis - April 2020

DIGITAL FEIS - APRIL 2020

A great option for Irish dancers at home!

April Digital Feis will be popular with so many Irish dancers at home.  If you haven't yet tried Digital Feis, this is a great opportunity and something positive to keep Irish dancers motivated and focused while we're not at the studio. For April 2020 Digital Feis, dancers may send videos in from home!

• Recreational levels from  Beginner - Advanced and Adult
• Competitive from Bunghrád to Craobhghrád 

This is a great opportunity for written adjudicator feedback for solo dances, set dances, and treble reels.  Entries are likely to be high in most age categories which increases opportunity for CRN qualifying "move ups"

If you're interested in signing up for April 2020 Digital Feis, please click below.   

Deadline for registration - Friday, April 3rd, 2020 

• Registration is done through the Student Portal

SIGN UP FOR DIGITAL FEIS

WHICH LEVEL, WHICH DANCES?

Digital Feis only permits dancers compete in 1 level, however don't let this stop you from competing with all of your current dances.  Digital Feis does not follow CRN repertoire so in many cases dances from other CRN level can be used for Digital Feis competitions.  If you're uncertain of which dances are best, please don't hesitate to email info@mcconnelldancers.com 

VIDEO SUBMISSION

Due to physical distancing, we are unable to video tape dancers at the studio, however dancers can video tape their dances at home and send them to us for submission.

Deadline for Video Submission - Sunday, April 5th 

Videos can be sent via Dropbox, Google Drive, or emailed to info@mcconnelldancers.com

Video Taping Recommendations

• Submit your 1 best video for each dance you are competing with.  Please do not submit multiple versions of the same dance.  
• Please include the 8 bar music introduction in your video.
• Record horizontally. Please do not take vertical video or switch between vertical and horizontal in the middle of the dance.
• The cameraperson or tripod should stand in for the judge. Dancers should face this position when lining up as they would at a feis.  If you have to video tape yourself, it's fine, just trim the video to the shortest length possible. 
• Adjudicators must be able to hear the music and hardshoes. While silent film would be an interesting artistic choice, it makes timing difficult to judge! 

DIGITAL FEIS INFORMATION

Digital Feis is an on-line organisation offering dancers the opportunity to compete and advance levels without the burden of travel. Videos are submitted by the school and dancers register for private video taping sessions where solo dances are rehearsed, taped, and submitted for adjudication. Digital Feis provides feedback, placement, and medals to competing dancers and all results count towards their CRN Levels or just for fun! 

Digital Feis is open to all dancers, in Recreational, Competitive, and Performance Divisions.  

DIGITAL FEIS - UPCOMING COMPETITION DATES

• March Digital Feis — April 4, 2020 
• May Digital Feis — June 4, 2020 

DIGITAL FEIS FEES

• $25 Entry Fee / family
• Solo Dance Entry - $10 with medal (USD) / per dance 

MORE ON DIGITAL FEIS 

If you have any questions about Digital Feis, please don't hesitate to contact us.

Thank you,

Shayleen McConnell Finucan (ODCRN)

McConnell School of Dance

MSD UPDATE - APRIL 2020

APRIL 2020 - LESSON UPDATE

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, we will continue with on-line classes through the month of April and until it is safe for us to return to the studio.  We recognise dancers are looking for activities to keep them active and physical during this time so we have scheduled on-line classes through Spring Break (this week).

We encourage all dancers to enrol in our on-line classes, whether your are a Recreational, Performance, or Competitive student, there are options for all. The goal is to keep our Irish dancers dancing as much as we can during this time and we look forward to seeing as many of you on-line as possible!

• On-line classes are held through ZOOM, a meeting conference service available for all home computers, cell phones, and tablets. 
• In addition to on-line classes, we've created Google Classrooms for each level with helpful at home practice resources including downloadable practice music, dance instructional videos, practice assignments, and more!

We understand on-line classes may not be feasible for all dancers at this time and therefore we will not apply the regular monthly lesson fees for the 2019 - 2020 Fall - Spring Term.  

• All on-line class fees will include the hourly discount rate and multiple family discounts (if applicable).

Dancers who do not register for on-line classes will remain on our circulation list and will continue to have access to the website and all practice resources for the remainder of the season.  We very much hope to see you all back at the studio for regular classes, whenever it is safe for us to do so!

All dancers will need to enrol in on-line classes. Sign up can be done through the STUDENT PORTAL - CLICK HERE

Once enrolled through the STUDENT PORTAL, you will receive an email with login details for your class.

Recreational Division

Recreational dancers are welcome to sign up for any classes listed for their Recreational Division level (please see schedule).  This is a great opportunity to learn new dances and we encourage students to enrol in multiple levels to encompass material they currently know as well as more advanced levels.  We highly recommend Hard Shoe Technique & Traditional Sets for anyone who's interested in more hard shoe dancing!

Competitive Division

Competitive dancers should enrol in every level they are currently competing in dances with.  We've separated most levels into soft shoe and hard shoe classes in order to make it convenient for dancers with spanning multiple levels. 

Performance Division

Performance Division will continue with weekly performance classes and dancers are asked to continue their enrolment in competitive classes for all levels they are currently competing with.

If you're uncertain of which class or classes are best for you, please email info@mcconnelldancers.com and we will assist.

IRISH DANCE AT HOME 

In addition to our on-line classes, we've put together a great deal of resource information for all Irish dancers at home during the break, including practice tips, music information, videos, and teaching tools for younger dancers.  

To learn more, please visit our WEBSITE - CLICK HERE

ON-LINE CLASSES BEGIN!

ON-LINE CLASSES BEGIN

We are please to announce our on-line classes will begin tomorrow!

We have set up an on-line class & private lesson schedule for March 23 - 29th. 2020.  As these are rather uncertain times, we are taking one week at a time.  We encourage all our dancers to join us for on-line classes, whether your are a recreational, performance, or competitive student, there are options for all.   Dancers are encouraged to sign up for as many classes as you are able.  The goal is to keep our Irish dancers dancing as much as we can during these difficult times and we want to see as many of you on-line as possible next week!

• On-line classes will be held using ZOOM, a meeting conference service available for all home computers, cell phones, and tablets. 
• After signing up for the on-line class in the student portal you will receive an email with a URL link to the class "meeting" and password.   You will receive a unique URL & Password for each class you sign up for.  

Sign up can be done through the STUDENT PORTAL - CLICK HERE

If you're uncertain of which class or classes are best for you, please email us and we will assist.

  

IRISH DANCE AT HOME 

In addition to our on-line classes, we've put together a great deal of resource information for all Irish dancers at home during the break, including practice tips, music information, videos, and teaching tools for younger dancers.  

To learn more or sign up for our on-line classes, please visit our WEBSITE - CLICK HERE

DIGITAL FEIS - APRIL 2020

The next Digital Feis deadline is April 4th, 2020 and encourage dancers to send us their videos from home.  As there are a lot of Irish dancers at home right now, April Digital Feis is expected to be very popular.  If you haven't yet tried Digital Feis, this might be a great time and good motivation for all our Irish dancers right now.  We'll be sending more information out next week! 

We hope our all our McConnell Irish Dancers and their families are staying safe and keeping well. 

Our teachers and assistants missing seeing all of you in class and we are looking forward to the day when we can get back to the studio again.  In the meantime, please keep practising at home and we'll look forward to seeing you on-line next week! 

Take care 

Shayleen McConnell Finucan (TMCRN)

ST PATRICKS FEST 2020 - UPDATE

ST PATRICK'S FEST 2020 - UPDATE

Due to the current situation with Covid-19, we are saddened announce the cancellation of this year's St. Patrick's Fest Fundraiser on Tuesday, March 17th, 2020 at CCFM.

At this time, given the information available, we feel no other option available to insure safety for our dancers, their families, and all of the patrons who support our fundraising event.  

We will be making public announcement very soon with more details. In the meantime we would like our dancers and families to be the first to know St. Patricks' Fest 2020 has been cancelled.

Thank you,

McConnell School of Dance & MSDSA