Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)

The Show Must Go On!

It’s important that you know we will do everything in our power to be prepared for either in person concerts, which is everyone’s preference, or on-line performances if we are not allowed to gather based on State and/or Federal mandates. We certainly understand how heartbreaking it will be for your dancer and all of our dance families if we cannot perform onstage due to the national and local restrictions enforced by law in New Jersey. If our only option is to perform an online concert, please know that our goal is to create an amazing performance that you will be able to share and cherish for years to come. Our end of the year concerts are a special tradition at Gotta Dance that we look forward to celebrating year after year.

Is Gotta Dance sad about the possibility of not performing on stage?

Yes, devastated. We can’t tell you what a loss this would be for our whole team who cares so deeply about giving you this memorable experience. Our entire world revolves around showtime! When one show ends we countdown the days until the next. But we need to try to focus and remember that right now there are doctors and nurses working to save lives, delivery people risking their health to keep us fed, police and firefighters keeping us safe and so many others looking out for our well being, What we can focus on is doing our very best to keep dancers dancing during these difficult and uncertain times. We refuse to cancel another thing for our dancers who have had everything taken away due to the circumstances.

Why can’t you postpone our concert in June?

We understand why you want this. You love this experience at the stage and have less than two months to prepare your dancers. But we can do it! Let’s work together and make the best of this situation for our dancers.

Your original choreography was created for a huge stage. This makes it hard to do at home. Your teacher will rework the choreography and make and we do too! Sadly, we cannot postpone our June concerts for a number of reasons, which include but are not limited to the following:

• The concerts at RVCC’s theater are scheduled one year in advance because there is an intense preparation period of 6-8 weeks required to produce our highly artistic and professional concert. We also spend 20 consecutive days at the theater in order to set lighting, hold numerous dress rehearsals and another full week of performances, which consists of 13 individual concerts. It’s important to note that our concerts require more preparation than a one day event like a high school or college graduation.
• The June dates were chosen in order to avoid conflicts as it relates to summer camps, vacations, weddings, beach homes and endless other potential summer plans.
• We require a venue that can accommodate 1,000 audience members and approximately 500 children. An alternative venue is not going to be readily available on short notice nor for so many days.
• Delaying the concerts until the late summer is not viable since classes would also have to be extended through that time in order for the dancers to be prepared for their concert(s). Additionally, this is not a realistic option because of our families’ summer plans and many seniors leave for college in August.
• Christmas/Holiday season concerts are also not a viable option since most everyone will have moved on to a new season of dance and/or new commitments.

Why don’t you just cancel the concert?

Our dancers have had so many activities canceled and we can’t cancel another thing for them. Also, dance is a performing art and we believe that our dancers have earned the opportunity to perform all they have learned this dance season even if we, by law, are not allowed to perform at Raritan Valley Community College. Since families have already paid for their costume(s) and will receive them in the mail, we believe that an online performance is our only performance option. Your dancer’s online concert is 100% complimentary or free of charge. Remember if we end up doing an online concert you will also receive a $70 refund on your credit card per concert fee paid.

Will you refund concert fees if it’s an online concert?

Yes, if we have to produce an online concert, you will also receive a $70 refund on your credit card per concert fee paid. Your dancer’s online concert is 100% complimentary or free of charge.

Will you be reducing monthly tuition for online classes?

We are still charging monthly for our classes since we are offering the online classes. Our incredible Gotta Dance Educators are continuing to teach amazing classes every day and are committed to providing their dancers the same high quality dance education during the online classes, just as they would in the studio. They are focusing on technique, musicality, artistry and syllabus. Starting the 2nd week in April, we will be restructuring your dances so that they are choreographed for a small space. This will not diminish the artistic quality but will change the artistic expression to something different. Please don’t miss class as this new choreography will be much easier for you to do at home. This choreography will work both online or on the big stage. We have not cancelled our classes because it is so important to us to keep our dancers happy, healthy and dancing, especially during this uncertain time. Tuition supports the entire Gotta Dance teaching team to remain strong and educating your dancers today and in the future.

Can I pause my dancer’s tuition until classes in the studios resume? (April/May/June)

We cannot pause your dancer’s tuition because dancers are learning their concert dances and finale dance. Each week, dancers are continuing to learn and adapt their concert dance choreography. By not attending classes, they will fall further behind their classmates.

How will my dancer be filmed for the online concert?

Dancers will be recorded internally by the Gotta Dance office staff during their regularly scheduled class. Families will not need to do any of the recording themselves. During the last two weeks in May you will be joining in on an online class and we will ask you to enable your camera for recording. The final concerts will be high quality and you will be able to display dances as large as your television can accommodate. You can also watch the performance on a computer, iPad or smartphone.

How will I see my dancer perform in an online concert?

You will be able to see your dancer 100% of the time in every class dance they perform in. You will be able to display dances as large as your television can accommodate. You can also watch the performance on a computer, iPad or smartphone.

I haven’t received my dancer’s costume, what do I do?

On April 1st we emailed all of the dancers whose costumes haven’t been mailed. If you didn’t receive an email and don’t have your costume, please email us at office@gotta-dance.com and we’ll be in contact to resolve this issue.

I received my dancer’s costume in the mail and it’s too small, what do I do?

Since there is a forced closure of costume companies, we cannot guarantee our usual level of costume exchange and service. However, we will do our best to solve almost all costume issues by mid May. We will keep a careful list and be in touch with you April 2nd, April 15th, May 1st and May 15th.

I received my dancer’s costume in the mail and it’s too large, what do I do?

We ask that you do your best to take your dancer’s costume in by pinning it. Since there is a forced closure of costume companies, we cannot guarantee our usual level of costume exchange and service. However, we will do our best to solve almost all costume issues by mid May. We will keep a careful list and be in touch with you April 1st, April 15th, May 1st and May 15th.

I received my dancer’s costume in the mail and it’s missing a piece or it’s damaged, what do I do?

We are committed to replacing your damaged costume. However, we will do our best to solve almost all costume issues by mid May. We will keep a careful list and be in touch with you April 1st, April 15th, May 1st and May 15th.

My dancer takes tap, where can they tap at home and also hear the tap sounds?

There are many solutions for our tap dancers to keep up with their sounds at home. The easiest solution for dancers who don’t have a floor to tap on is taking a few cardboard boxes, flattening it out to form a large square, and securing them together to the floor with tape. This protects your floors while allowing dancers to fully practice their sounds. Alison Levenberg, a former Radio City Rockette who also performed in several Broadway Shows will be posting a video on Instagram doing the entire Advanced Tap dance on a cardboard floor she made at home. Is this homemade tap floor ideal? No! But these are not ideal times. Dancers can also tap on a cement floor wherever available, perhaps a garage or basement (note: the cement may damage the leather part of the shoe, but not the metal taps!). And, of course, if it feels accessible to you and your family, there are tap boards for purchase online. Please note: to avoid shin splints we ask that your dancer limits tapping on cement to max 30 minutes per week. Perhaps do half of your class in sneakers and switch to tap shoes for the last half. A special note is that we are working with our video company to include your online tap sounds in your performance.

Our house is small and I’m having a hard time finding a place for my dancer to dance, what should I do?

Class dances were originally choreographed to be shown on a huge stage. We recognize that this may make it challenging to work on at home. Starting the 2nd week in April, we will be restructuring your dances so that they are choreographed for a small space so that your dancer will feel comfortable and confident performing in a smaller space. This will not diminish the artistic quality but will change the artistic expression to something different but equally as challenging and fun.

My dancer is a senior in high school. Do you have anything planned?

We understand and acknowledge how disappointed our senior dancers are feeling. We are sad that we may not be able to watch our seniors dance on the stage one last time. We’ve known most of them since preschool and we have looked forward to watching them walk across the stage and receiving their award. If we have to do an online concert, we will definitely include a senior award ceremony and you’ll have it forever to remember. We want to do more! At this time, it is very difficult to plan as no one knows when we can gather, but plans are in the works. We will definitely plan something special for our seniors. A prom or banquet were both suggested and are being considered.

How will my preschool dancer follow their teacher?

Dance Educators will be dancing with their class when we film so our preschool dancers can follow along.

Are you still closing for Spring Break?

We are not closing for Spring Break any longer. Instead, you are welcome to log into your regularly scheduled classes throughout April and May. Our Dance Educators are working an additional week to keep your dancers healthy and actively learning their dances.

What is it like with the Gotta Dance team during this difficult time?

We feel blessed to be focusing our energy on creating a joyful performance of our talented dancers for your family.  You should know that our teachers are working twice as hard to prepare for an online class. They are also spending a great deal of time rechoreographing all of your dances. Our office team is working twice as many hours to answer all of your questions and keep our classes streaming online.  Our creative team is connecting with video and streaming platforms to create a gorgeous online performance.

Annual Concert

Gotta Dance Dancers perform in full-costume at our large end-of-season concerts. Concerts are directed by our esteemed Concert Director, Gabriel Chajnik a graduate of the prestigious Julliard School. Gotta Dance produces highly artistic and professional concerts that wow audiences year-after-year.

For over 30 years, Gotta Dance teenage InTurns, Dance Educators and Staff come together to vote on the concert theme. JUNGLE was chosen unanimously! Every class dance, from Rainbows-Workshop, Adult Tap, Adult Street Hip-Hop & Dancing Dads, will be inspired by this theme.

All Gotta Dance Concert Performances and Dress Rehearsals are located at The Raritan Valley Community College in the NASH Theater.  To view your Dress Rehearsal and Concert > Click on your dancer’s class by location on the home page under schedules.

Concert/Costume Fee

A $136 concert fee is a one-time fee billed in January per class. The fee covers your dancer’s costume, four concert tickets and the fees associated with a full-scale professional production which includes, lighting, set rentals and design, a stage and sound crew and a professional theatre.

Concert Group Moms – SIGN UP NOW!

Concert Ushers- SIGN UP NOW!

Page Links:

• Concert & Dress Rehearsal Schedules
• Concert/Costume Fee
• Concert Tickets
• Extra Concert Tickets
• Concert Costume
• Costume Sizes
• Concert Group Moms
• Concert Day
• Concert Ushers
• Yearly Achievement Trophies
• Tights and Camisoles
• Concert Makeup Guide (Optional)
• Dad’s Dance 2019
• How To Register
• Concert Photograph & DVD Preorders