Dress rehearsal & Showtime instructions below!
Don’t forget to sign up here to volunteer backstage with your dancer’s class!
D R E S S R E H E A R S A L
where is the dress rehearsal?
Ages 3yr - 5th Grade: All rehearsals are held onstage at EAST Forsyth Performing Arts Center where the shows will be held. 8910 Jot Em Down Road, Gainesville, GA 30506 (Forsyth County). 6th grade and above level classes are held in-studio.
WHAT TIME IS MY DRESS REHEARSAL?
Your show day & time as well as your onstage dress rehearsal time is listed on the Performance Directory for your group. Our rehearsals run exactly on time and we will not hold a rehearsal for late arrivals.
Dancers should be dressed and ready, sitting in the theater a minimum or 15 minutes prior to their onstage rehearsal time.
If your dress rehearsal is right after a previous show is letting out, please be respectful of those patrons leaving.
am i allowed to take photos and video during the dress rehearsal?
Cameras & Video Recorders are allowed at Dress Rehearsal ONLY! Please use this time to take pictures and video your dancer. Professional recordings from Velocity Production are are available from our performances so that you can sit back and enjoy the show! Professional live action, onstage photographs are available from Stephanie Sumner Photography. Videography and flash photography is not allowed during the show and can result in removal from the theater.
Professional Photography & Videography is available for you!
We know you want to take photos and videos.
We will have plenty online for you! Sit back and allow yourself (and your neighbor) to enjoy the show without the disruption of your phone.
how do i know what my dancer needs for The costume?
Click here to review the tights and shoe color required for performing onstage. All tights must be purchased through CDA. You can shop tights online here. You can also consult with your child’s instructor prior to show week for any questions you may have. In addition, we have CDA Staff on hand at the theater to assist you with any questions you may have.
Label all dance attire, shoes, tights, costumes, etc. Everyone will have the same, this helps keep your items safe and secure. Safety pin all costumes as a precaution.
No additional colored barrettes or bows in the hair. No glitter spray on hair or costumes.
All ballet shoes must have strings tucked neatly inside.
All dancers need stage make up! The lights will wash them out without color. Red lipstick and blush are mandatory. Additional make up is optional and CDA sells a Stage Ready Make Up Kit for only $12.00 to simplify your dancer’s make up needs. Shop CDA online here to purchase your stage ready make kit!
If your dress rehearsal is right after a previous show is letting out, please be respectful of those patrons leaving.
The dress rehearsal & performance is not a one-day activity. Gather all costumes, tights, shoes, accessories and makeup several days in advance so you'll know if something is missing or isn't right. Make a checklist of your child's routines, listing the costume, tights, shoes, and any accessories, and refer to it to make sure you have all your supplies before going to the theater.
S H O W T I M E
HOW EARLY CAN I DROP MY DANCER OFF AT THE THEATER?
Dancers should be dropped off 45 min. prior to showtime at the Dancer Drop Off Security Table which will be clearly notated with signs. Dancers should be dressed in their first costume of the show. You will be given a security card for your dancer which you will need to present after the show.
Backstage Volunteers:
Backstage Volunteers may pass the line on the left in the drop off and check in 1 hour prior to showtime. (Backstage Volunteer detailed information will be sent out separately.)
costumes:
Click here for details on tights and shoe requirement for onstage performances.
Layer tights if your dancer has different costume colors and changes backstage. The top layer of tights will be the first color/performance of the show. The bottom layer will be the second number of the show. If you are unsure, check in with our office to see which dance will be performed first in the show.
Remove all jewelry, hair accessories, and/or nail polish. They are not permitted onstage and will be removed backstage.
Our Backstage Volunteers will touch up makeup backstage, as needed. Please let the Backstage Coordinator know if there are any allergies we should be aware of. Also, notify us if there are any food allergies or health concerns.
what time can i come in to the theater to sit and watch the show?
The doors to the theater will open approx. 20 minutes prior to the stated showtime.
dO I NEED A TICKET TO SEE THE SHOW?
Yes, every patron must have a ticket to enter the theater. Children 3 and under may enter for free but must sit on a lap for the duration of the show. We also ask if any children are crying or disruptive, they are taken out of the theater immediately. You can find ticket information on our performer page here.
Each patron must present a ticket at the door to be scanned for entrance. No ticket—No entrance.
note:
dancers are not allowed to be picked up until the end of the final curtain call. Only in a case of serious emergency should a dancer be pulled from backstage. It disrupts our backstage show process. we want all dancers to shine onstage during the final bows.
does my dancer need a ticket?
Dancers who are performing in the show do not need a ticket. They will be backstage for the duration of the performance and will come onstage at the end for the final curtain call. Only dancers for that particular show are allowed backstage. If you need to pick up your dancer early for any reason, please contact our ticket box office in the lobby.
Dancers are not allowed to come into the theater after their performance to watch the show. They must remain backstage for the duration of the performance.
how do i pick up my dancer after the show?
After the show, please send one female back to the 1500 hallway to pick up your dancer. Be sure to bring the security card given to you at drop off. Dancers will not be permitted to leave without the security card. Please do not bring additional siblings and limit your pick up to one female adult.
Can i take pictures and video my dancers performance?
For the safety of our dancers, flash photography is strictly prohibited during our shows. (Flashes can blind a dancer onstage, and cause them to become dizzy and/or fall.) CDA’s choreography is copy-righted; therefore, video recording during the show is also strictly prohibited. Professional USB recordings can be purchased online or in the lobby at the CDA Box Office.
Failure to follow our photography and videography rules will result in your removal from the theater.