Happy Thanksgiving Everyone! I hope everyone was able to spend some quality time with family and/or friends yesterday and eat some delicious food. Get lots of rest for the upcoming week! It is going to be a busy one. Everyone should have received a Performance Week Guide last Saturday when you picked up your dancer. If for some reason you didn't receive it, you can find it here: https://vynutcracker.wixsite.com/vyibanutcracker/performance-week-schedule These next few days are a great time to start getting your dancer's laundry basket ready (yes, every dancer needs a laundry basket for their things). Check the Performance Week Guide for what to pack. There is a button that says, "Click here for what to bring". Tickets: In case you didn't see on Facebook, Instagram or our website, Viktor is offering a "Black Friday Sale" until Monday. Ticket sales are still low compared to last year, especially the evening performances. Now is a great time to push those who couldn't commit to a date to purchase their tickets. It is much easier if they order now and pay ahead of time than having them purchase at the window. It gets very backed up especially during the matinee shows. DVDs: DVDs are for purchase here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSctjuUHRipPxSBD_dm5sFq_M8KbN8-7DdvyhYlcTsQZmJtVMg/viewform We have a new videographer this year who is going to be recording both Saturday shows from multiple angles. Currently, we do not have enough orders to reach the minimum number needed. Please purchase a DVD as soon as possible. Just a reminder: No video should be taken during the show. The performance and choreography is the property of Viktor Yeliohin International Ballet Academy. No personal videos or photos are allowed during the performance. Every year and every performance we kindly ask everyone to abide by this, and every year there are people doing it anyway. Please be respectful of Viktor and his hard work over the last 30 years and purchase a DVD of the performance or a CD of photos from the performance if you wish to save these memories. Thank you ahead of time for your understanding! Volunteers: Thank you to those who have stepped up already and signed up to help during show weekend. It looks like most of the slots are pretty full. There is one role that is still empty except for the Sunday show and that is the Black Curtain Security. James cannot do this job alone. It really is easy and the dads always seem like they are having fun together at the black curtain. Your job is just to take attendance when dancers arrive (if you take that shift) and then make sure that no one goes past the black curtain that is not on the approved list of people allowed backstage. This keeps all dancers safe! We give everyone a name tag who is allowed backstage so it's pretty easy to identify those people. In the past, this role is usually filled by dads, but it by no means needs to be dads. Anyone can do this role! Here is the signup: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSctjuUHRipPxSBD_dm5sFq_M8KbN8-7DdvyhYlcTsQZmJtVMg/viewform Final reminder for Tuesday: Regular leotards, skirts, and tights are needed. NO MAKEUP. They will be running through the show like they have the past 3 Saturdays and the professional dancers will be in attendance. Please make sure your dancer eats dinner before they arrive. If you have signed up for the Remind texts, you will get a text when different groups are finished. We will have someone at the bottom door to run the carpool lane like we did last week. Please make sure you enter from Water St and exit through Arch or Mulberry. ​ 1. Here is the Remind information for anyone who didn't get a Performance Week sheet. Click on this link https://www.remind.com/join/b3kf96e or follow the directions attached to this email. 2. The link to the Black Curtain Sign-Up was incorrect. Here's the correct link: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080B4FA4A62AA1F49-security2#/ 3. We are in need of food items for the Professional Dancers during the show. Please sign up to donate at least one item if you have not already. Thursday food - https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080B4FA4A62AA1F49-professional#/ Friday food - https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080B4FA4A62AA1F49-professional1#/ Saturday food - https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080B4FA4A62AA1F49-donetsk6#/ Volunteer snacks - https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080B4FA4A62AA1F49-backstage3#/ Please bring all donated items to the Black Curtain on your assigned day. We don't have space at the studio to store items unless they have been purchased for the "Professional Welcome Bags". Have a great day! Kelly The end is near and it's almost time to see all of the hard work pay off! See everyone soon, Kelly, Marie and Viktor

Happy November Everyone!!!! We are in the home stretch!! We can do this, I promise. We only have 2 Saturday rehearsals left. There is NO rehearsal on November 25th. That is time to enjoy with your family and gather up all your energy for Performance Week. More information regarding performance week will be coming soon. If you would like to get a sneak peek ahead of time you can go to this link: https://vynutcracker.wixsite.com/vyibanutcracker/show-week. First things first, PARKING AND THE ALLEY. I already sent out an email regarding parking last week. Let's remember that we can't park in any spaces anywhere on Grant St, around the studio. If you need to park and walk up to the studio, you need to park on Water St, Orange St, or Mulberry St or of course there are always the paid parking lots/garages. After I sent that email last Sunday, I received feedback about the traffic in the alley last Saturday. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE enter Grant St from Water St and exit out Arch St or Mulberry St. We are aware that the alley is not officially one way, but when people are coming both directions, there is no way anyone can get out. Marie or I will be outside tomorrow at 4 pm for the small dancers and 5 pm for the older dancers. If you arrive to the studio to pick up your dancer and no one is outside yet, please go around the block. Do not just sit in front of the studio and wait. ALL dancers will be in the big studio the entire time for the next 2 weeks. There is no need for anything other than a water bottle. The amount of trash and general mess last week was unacceptable. Please help us keep the studio clean and only send your dancer with water and a labeled coat. Due last week: Flower orders were due last week but are being extended to this week. https://forms.gle/gqC9wNe9bmh6HBSg8 Due this week: Red Carpet Awards and Dinner. See the message below from the chairperson of this important event. Due next week: Pizza for dancers on Saturday between shows. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfqBKWgfB1kC9wtvamIM221q2CpjbA0qixToXNeSxzR8cbgPA/viewform If we don't receive an order for your dancer for the pizza we will email you to make sure that your dancer doesn't want pizza so we don't have any tears the day of the pizza dinner. Due next week: Photo Orders. https://drive.google.com/file/d/13rpC7d0P_5VGKYK0FOFxxmkcLRYSjlr8/view No photography is allowed during the show. You can order individual photos of your dancer or photos of the show. Lisa needs these so she knows how many dancers she is photographing. Make sure you write a check or add cash to an envelope for this. This is not part of the studio so we do not handle any of these payments. Due next week: Ticket Orders. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScnBub-s_LQTCK8HIQ6eqsgAhU0GaN7fTLZB1N8WwIsnuZPDg/viewform Updated ticket balances will go home tomorrow. The 8 tickets that you are required to sell are due next week. If this requirement is not met by next week, you will be billed for any leftover tickets. This is also the last week to get your 4 commitment tickets. Show week volunteers: - We are in need of volunteers for show week. We need every family to volunteer in some capacity during show week. Please go to the following link to sign up: https://vynutcracker.wixsite.com/vyibanutcracker/sign-ups - We are also in need of lots of food for show week. Every family should sign up to contribute at least one item. We need food for the pizza dinner, professional dancer bags, and the professional dancer hospitality room. Thank you for your help with both of these things. See everyone at the studio tomorrow between 12:30-12:45! Thank you, Kelly, Marie and Viktor Dear Nutcracker Families, When all the shows are over, it is time to celebrate and recognize what we have accomplished, and enjoy the evening with friends and families! The Red Carpet Award Ceremony and Dinner is a perfect way to celebrate. We are able to remember to be grateful for the time we spent, and learning opportunities, and grow through friendships we have built during Nutcracker. The Red Carpet Award Ceremony and Dinner fee/paperwork is due this Saturday 11/11. If you prefer paper, please submit the form at the studio. If you would rather do this online, submit the form through the Google document with your total payment. PLEASE REMEMBER: If you attend this award ceremony/dinner and pay fees, that means you are asked to bring potluck items. To do this, please sign up using the signup link on the Nutcracker website page. Items to bring: At least 1 item for one (1) person, or a two (2) people group 2 items for three (3) to four (4) people group, 3-4 items for more than four (4) people group total The link to sign up dinner is: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/8050A4CADAA29A13-45832293-nutcracker Due to the location and room capacity, please kindly limit no more than 6 people. This is the event for your dancer and his/her immediate close family. Please kindly refrain from bringing friends outside of the Nutcracker family. We like to avoid the overcrowding situation both inside and outside parking of the venue. The general information of the event is: ~~Red Carpet Award Ceremony and Dinner~~ Fee: $5 per person with potluck items to sign up. Date: Saturday December 9, 2023 Time: 5 pm to 8 pm. (NO earlier arrival than 5pm) dinner starts around 5:30pm Location: Brightside Opportunities Center Address: 515 Hershey Ave. Lancaster, PA 17603 If you have any questions, please contact Junko at: junko.bessho@gmail.com Looking forward to seeing you, and celebrating together! Junko Greineder Director of Nutcracker Red Carpet Award Ceremony & Dinner

Hello Nutcracker Family! Sorry for the late email this week. Things are really starting to get busy here at the studio for Nutcracker. We only have 3 rehearsals left before show week. There is NO REHEARSAL on Thanksgiving weekend. These next 3 Saturdays are going to be long for everyone. All dancers will be in the studio the entire time running the entire show. If you have a dancer who is an ANGEL/BEE or a LITTLE DOLL/LITTLE FLOWER only, they will be finished around 4:00 so please plan to arrive around then. All other dancers will be here until 5:00. Due this week: Flowers - Orders for flowers are due this week. Bouquets are being ordered from Royer's so they will be of professional quality for cheaper than getting them there. It also makes it much easier to just pick up the flowers at the theater and not have to make one more stop when you are already stressed about whether or not you have everything you need and getting there on time. (Hmm I might be speaking from personal experience on that one.) https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfCOv0hgTisE-_N0t0tJgGV6dzBNNGLNJdHshkGglkVdu2f3g/viewform Due next week: Red Carpet Dinner - Think sports banquet. This dinner is our way of wrapping up the Nutcracker season and recognizing all of the dancers. Please join us for this special night! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeiHSRACI3c2osIcL2vI0_eO0giM57DS4ynC2nT3eEHw89cSg/viewform Tickets - Tickets, oh tickets. We will always be talking about tickets. Currently, we are approximately 300 tickets below where we were last year at this time. Please continue to push tickets everywhere. No one wants to perform for an empty audience. Jill is doing a wonderful job advertising on Instagram and Facebook on the studio pages. It's as easy as just sharing her posts on your page and asking people to put your dancer's name when they fill out the form. The matinee performances are fuller than the evening performances so if you have people who are up in the air about which show to come to, seating options are more varied for the evening performances. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScnBub-s_LQTCK8HIQ6eqsgAhU0GaN7fTLZB1N8WwIsnuZPDg/viewform Ornaments - Back by popular demand! The ornaments aren't like the ornaments of the past. We are going to try to find another company for next year that can do what our old company used to do. The wooden ornaments for this year are beautiful!!!! There is a picture of the ornament in the Google form so go there for more information. We decided just to go with the one ornament to keep costs lower. You can have it engraved or not engraved. Ornament money and orders are due by Saturday, November 18th. https://forms.gle/9K4FFdKiXn5RZ9Yd8 Don't forget to order your DVDs. You can order DVDs up until the day of the shows, but we need to give the professional photographer an approximate number, so the sooner the better. Don't forget about the Behind the Scenes DVD (Viktor took some funny videos last week that you don't want to miss!) T-shirt orders should hopefully be in next week. If you didn't order a shirt, we did order a few extras. Reach out if you would like one. I think that is all for this week. See everyone soon! Kelly, Marie, and Viktor

Hello everyone!!! There are only 4 Saturday rehearsals left until show week! We are all very excited for this special 30th anniversary show. Thank you to everyone for being at rehearsal on time, every week until the show. Viktor is working very hard cleaning all of the pieces and it's very important that everyone makes all rehearsals a top priority. Tomorrow is the big rehearsal that everyone has been waiting for... HALLOWEEN COSTUME DAY! Please make sure that your dancer's Halloween costume is not too scary for small children and that it is able to be safely danced in. We are looking forward to seeing all of the creative ideas this year. There will be lots of pictures and videos taken tomorrow for the behind-the-scenes DVD. Make sure you reserve your copy by filling out the Behind the Scenes DVD order form. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSce4vhsqa2GQ8h15J1nMjwUOuEbwcAfhI16ghz_I4KPPKI0fg/viewform Dancers should make sure that they stop at the attendance table to check in and pick up a new invoice that has the number of commitment tickets used and the number of tickets sold on it. These were printed last Saturday at the end of rehearsal so it does not include any ticket orders that came in after last Saturday. You will get this paper again one more time before the deadline. There is nothing due this week. Flower orders are due next week. Flowers are being purchased from Royer's and will be ready for you to pick up at the theater before each show. You can purchase flowers for all 4 shows, or just one show, whatever you would like. Please fill out one form per show. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfCOv0hgTisE-_N0t0tJgGV6dzBNNGLNJdHshkGglkVdu2f3g/viewform For those of you who have been dancing with us since before Covid, you will remember the Nutcracker ornaments that we always had to remember each year. Unfortunately, that company has gone out of business. We have found a new person that is able to make ornaments again just for us. There will be 3 different ornament options to choose from: Party Scene, Snow Scene, and a general Nutcracker ornament. You will be able to put your dancer's name, the year, and their different roles on the ornament. In order for this to happen, we need to send an estimate of how many we will need of each ornament. If this is something you are interested in, please click on the form link below and indicate which ornament/s you would be interested in. We aren't sure of the exact cost yet, but we are estimating around $12 per ornament. This could change based on how many we order. These ornaments make great stocking stuffers and are great to save from year to year as a memory of the performance. Please fill out the form as soon as possible. We would like to send over the numbers by the end of the weekend. https://forms.gle/Bb9ZqpdJqanvD3Gx6 Last, but not least, here is the last rehearsal schedule before show week. All of the dancers will be here for the entire rehearsal. Please make sure your dancer eats BEFORE arriving at the studio. They should only be bringing WATER with them to the studio. Thank you for your understanding and helping keep the studio clean and uncluttered. https://docs.google.com/document/d/11Q8KyF34yIsFganD6le54qlTDxCI4fGHa_gFJ2urWdc/edit?usp=sharing See everyone tomorrow in costume :) Viktor, Kelly, and Marie

Hello everyone! There isn't much to share this week. Make sure you check the NEW schedule so your dancer is here on time. The schedule is attached and can be found on the website if you misplace this email. Program ads are due this week. Thank you to everyone who has submitted one already! If you haven't submitted a program ad yet, please do so by tomorrow. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf7LpAZnI2s9WLJeXMcSYHYsmIPl0qvVZYMobV4HdkLA25XdQ/viewform Due dates coming up soon: - Flowers to give your dancer at the show. - November 4th - Red Carpet Award Ceremony/Dinner - November 11th - Pizza Lunch for Saturday show - November 18th - Photo Forms - November 18th - Ticket Orders - All commitment fee tickets and 8 requirement tickets are due November 18th. If you do not sell your 8 tickets by this date, you will be billed for tickets that are outstanding. Tickets can be sold up until showtime, but the requirement is due by this date. - DVDs of the show and the Behind the Scenes DVDs can be purchased up until the end of the show weekend. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE remember NO FOOD!!!! There were so many dancers with food last week. The only dancers who should have food at the studio are those who are dancing in our classes in the AM. Thank you for your assistance with this. Remember to let us know if you have any questions and see everyone tomorrow! Thank you, Viktor, Kelly and Marie

Before I list all of the reminders for the week, here is a note from Viktor: Hello families, I am very happy with how rehearsals are going to this special 30th anniversary show. All of the dancers are working very hard. Since there are so many new families this year, I just wanted explain that this show is a public show, just like the Philadelphia Ballet or the NYC Ballet. It is not a recital for just parents which is why the price is increased for The Nutcracker performance. It is a professional ballet performance with professional dancers dancing alongside the youth dancers from across Lancaster, York, and Berks Counties. This being said, we need to try our best to sell as many tickets for these shows as possible. A few families have been working hard during marketing events. We need all families on board to sell as many tickets as possible to make this show a success. Thank you for your commitment to Nutcracker! Sincerely, Viktor Now on to the reminders and announcements: - This week's schedule is the same as last week's. Next week there will be a new schedule. This schedule will be for October 21 and October 28. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1AfKn9B_xqoTIrqCo-vpVmGCIxJf3jO27RM0JLDjC8Rc/edit?usp=sharing - There is nothing due this week. This is a great time to send your dancer's picture and encouraging message over to Jill Marhevka at jasdanser@verizon.net for her to design your ad for you. She does beautiful work. I am attaching examples of the ads from previous years in case you don't know exactly what I'm talking about. We still have only 2 dancer ads and no business ads. These ads are EXTREMELY important since they are how the cost is covered for our professional programs. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf7LpAZnI2s9WLJeXMcSYHYsmIPl0qvVZYMobV4HdkLA25XdQ/viewform?usp=sharing - I haven't talked much about show week yet. The first thing to be aware of for show weekend is that we ordered pizza for the dancers in between the Saturday shows. The pizza is $5 per dancer. You must put your order in ahead of time for this. Please fill out the following form to order your dancer pizza. Dancers are not permitted to leave in between the shows so this gives them a quick energy boost. There is also a Sign-Up Genius on the website where you can sign up to bring extra snacks for this meal. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfqBKWgfB1kC9wtvamIM221q2CpjbA0qixToXNeSxzR8cbgPA/viewform?usp=sharing Some Nutcracker Housekeeping Items: - The bathroom on Saturdays is becoming very gross. Please talk to your dancer about bathroom etiquette before rehearsal tomorrow. Also, encourage your dancer to make sure they have all of their belongings before they leave the studio at the end of their rehearsal. The past 2 weeks there have been a large amount of clothing items and water bottles left behind. - No food. The only dancers who should be bringing food into the studio are those who are in morning classes here before rehearsal starts. All other dancers should be able to eat lunch before they come, and eat dinner when they go home. Thank you for your understanding of this. - Cellphones are becoming an issue again. There should not be any cellphones in either studio at any time for any reason. Homework can be done in the lobby or the dressing room if a dancer needs to do homework while here and needs a cellphone to do it. - The little studio... oh the little studio. We are still in need of volunteers for the little studio and here is why... there are a lot of cartwheels, fouettes, and other advanced moves happening in the little studio unsupervised. Dancers should not be doing any of these types of moves in the studio without a trained dance teacher. This can result in injury and we don't want that. Without parent volunteers to monitor that studio, its hard to make sure that those types of things aren't happening. So please talk to your dancer about this and also PLEASE sign up to take a shift. It takes a village! I think that is all for this week. As always, please feel free to reach out if you have any questions. Thank you, Viktor, Kelly and Marie

​ Hello Nutcracker Families, It is definitely a rainy Saturday out there right now, but we are excited to see everyone in the studio to start rehearsing Walk Street and Finale. Please make sure you double-check the new schedule and make sure your dancer is here on time. ​ The only thing due this week is curls. If your dancer needs curls and you have not taken care of this yet, you were sent an email earlier this week. If we have not seen your curls and approved them by the end of today, your dancer will be color-matched and you will be charged $30 for new curls. Thank you for your attention to this. There is nothing due next week. YAY!!! That being said, program ads are due the following week. We currently only have 2 program ads. Dancers love seeing their pictures with a loving message in the program. Please, please, please consider putting an ad for your dancer in the program. This is a great keepsake for the 30th year! ​ Viktor would like everyone to know that ticket sales are low this year so far. Please advertise on social media, at work, at church, at local businesses, and pretty much everywhere that a potential audience member will be. Our dancers do not want to dance for an empty audience. Thank you :) It will soon be time to put together gift bags for our professional dancers. Please consider donating an item to these bags. The professionals really love getting a special treat when they arrive and feel truly appreciated by this gesture. Once you have purchased your item, feel free to bring it to the studio. Thank you again! The Little Studio Assistant spot is still empty for this week and next week. This is very important and unfortunately, those of us who are in the studio already have other responsibilities. Please consider donating 2 hours of your time to help the dancer be ready to rehearse with Viktor.https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080B4FA4A62AA1F49-44746712-rehearsal#/ ​ Unfortunately, the rain canceled our marketing event for today. The good news is it's rescheduled for next week! We also have the Art Walk on October 22nd and First Friday in November! The two dancers who attended last night had so much fun that they stayed even longer than scheduled! This is a great way to get the word out and sell tickets. Please consider signing up and helping out. https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080B4FA4A62AA1F49-44742522-market#/ Your dancer will be bringing home tights today. Please make sure you put them in a safe place until the show. They should not be worn until Friday, Dec. 1. I think that is all for this week. See everyone later today! Viktor, Kelly, and Marie

​ Hello Nutcracker Families! Thank you all for placing your tight orders! Tights have been ordered and will be distributed during a future Saturday rehearsal. If you have not paid for tights yet, please do so as soon as possible. 1. T-shirt and sweatshirt orders are due this week. Viktor would like every dancer to purchase at least 1 shirt to use as a walking advertisement. 2. If you have a dancer who is an Angel, Party Girl, Little Doll, Big Doll, or Clara, make sure you are either bringing in your curls for us to check or you are having your dancer come get curls matched to their hair color. Curls are $30 and can be purchased at the time of the hair matching. Remember that this form is only on paper, there is no online form. 3. Program Ads will be due in the near future. So far we only have 2 ads for the program. This is a great way to highlight your dancers and show them your support. This is also great for small businesses! These ads are what pays for the program so we need all the support we can get. Jill Marhevka designs all of the ads. If you know that you are going to do an ad for your dancer please don't wait until the deadline to submit the form and picture to Jill. This way she has more time to get all of the ads designed and doesn't have a ton at the last minute. https://forms.gle/yjL4ZA3LeJzUAF1d6 4. Sell, sell, sell tickets. There will be a sheet at the attendance table for each dancer this week indicating how many tickets you have sold so far. Please make sure you get that when you sign your dancer in. 5. First Friday and Market Saturdays: Letter From Adonica Spolum Greetings Nutcracker Families, VYIBA is organizing Central Market Advertising Events and First Friday Events to spread the word about our Nutcracker performances coming up in the first weekend in December. On September 30 and October 7, 2023 we would like to have dancers dressed in their best performance attire standing outside of Central Market at 23 North Market Street. Each volunteer would be responsible for a 45 minute time slot that you can select at https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080B4FA4A62AA1F49-44742522-market On October 6 and November 3, 2023 we would like to have ballerinas dressed in their best performance attire placed in front of the Ware Center at 42 N Prince Street. Each volunteer would be responsible for a 45 minute time slot that you can select at:(Sign Up Genius Link) https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080B4FA4A62AA1F49-44743790-first We are planning to hold another event for the Art Walk on October 22 from 12 - 4 pm, so keep that in mind if the above events don't work for you. The sign-up for that can be found with the First Friday sign-ups. Please dress your dancer in a ballet recital costume that you have at home. Girls should have their hair in a bun with a hair piece or crown. Be as eye-catching as you can possibly be! Footwear can vary between regular shoes or old ballet slippers. If it is too cold to wear a costume, please wear VYIBA T-shirts and jackets or Nutcracker T-shirts. Each dancer should be accompanied by an adult who will help by distributing fliers and magnets that advertise the show. Bags with magnets and fliers will be available at our advertising station. Just look for the 7 foot tall nutcrackers and the VYIBA Nutcracker Banner and you will find me and your supplies. Thanks in advance for your support of our advertising event. Sincerely, Adonica Spolum 6. New Rehearsal Schedule for October 7, 14 https://docs.google.com/document/d/16Cd_H29lRdr4LLY77HJtzaGAkmV_E972dlIJok1l3dM/edit?usp=sharing That's all for now!! See everyone on Saturday, Viktor, Kelly and Marie

Happy Saturday Everyone! This email is going to have requests from a few of our chair people in it. Please read all the way to the end. 1. There is a new schedule for this week. Please check the schedule carefully and make sure your dancer is in the studio 15 minutes before his/her first role is supposed to be warming up. Once a dancer has arrived at the studio for rehearsal, they should not leave until all of his/her roles are finished. If a dancer has a long break and is commited to returning to the studio on time for his/her other roles, they are permitted to leave with a parent. The parent must come up to the studio and sign them in and then sign them back out when they return. Thank you for your understanding with this new policy. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1poXjbrAa7JqB4jIAI6WtiwNHlJVLYikq3Fj2-0AOCic/edit?usp=sharing 2. Tight orders are due tomorrow! You should have received an email from us if you did not complete this order yet. All dancers MUST purchase a pair of tights for uniformity on stage. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdttXXr3OV1DU024cy2qxqN-Xhi82n_dk9ORVKiSXK4KK5jwA/viewform?usp=sharing 3. Apparel orders are due next week. Viktor would love for every dancer to purchase a t-shirt or sweatshirt to wear around town, school, or pretty much anywhere. The t-shirt was designed by our own Lilly Spolum and is a very detailed design this year. The t-shirts and sweatshirts help advertise the show and create a memory for your dancer all at the same time. While I'm on the topic of t-shirts, please make sure you checked the spelling of your dancers name on the spreadsheet from last week's email. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf7NsFJQZ8lTnrcojEvmt6EgMIifA7yNKCRvfB27Jgy7vlSWg/viewform?usp=sharing 4. Sell, sell, sell tickets. There was an advertisement in the Lancaster Newspaper this week. There will be many other advertisements in the newspaper, but the data from past years shows that most people hear about the show from dancers and their families. We are currently under where we were this time last year on ticket sales. Share the link with family, friends, teachers, doctors, random people from high school that you haven't talked to in 20 years. Social media is a great place to share the link. PLEASE tell people to PUT YOUR DANCERS NAME ON THE FORM. There are people submitting the form and writing "my grand daughters are in the show", "niece is in the show"... you get the idea. We do not have time to contact every person who submits a ticket order. If there is not an actual dancer name on the form, it will get marked as a public sale and no one will receive credit for it. Remember.... there is a prize for the top 3 ticket sellers!!! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScnBub-s_LQTCK8HIQ6eqsgAhU0GaN7fTLZB1N8WwIsnuZPDg/viewform?usp=sharing 5. Facebook - There are only 32 members in the "VYIBA Nutcracker 2023 Participants". Please search the group on Facebook (if you have Facebook) and join this group to get many more reminders than we can put in an email. Also, if you would like to be tagged in photos that are posted daily, please add your Facebook Name exactly as it appears on Facebook and we will try to tag you when your dancer is in photos. You can do that in the name spreadsheet next to your school/school district. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1a_azlOlzc0Ky_0XEsyr05d0Fqi42cLMedE77lL7sCFQ/edit?usp=sharing 6. First Friday and Market Saturdays - These are advertising events. An email will be coming tomorrow about these events. We would like everyone who is not taking classes on Fridays and Saturdays to try their best to participate in at least one of these events. Please read the email carefully when it comes and use the Sign-up Genius to sign up for one as soon as possible. Thank you in advance for your attention to this! 7. Volunteers in the studio - We would like to encourage everyone to try to volunteer during rehearsals at least once. The only 2 jobs we have during rehearsal is the little studio assistant and the attendance table. We are happy to help you, but we desperately need the help, especially after 2 pm. Most of our current volunteers have been doing it for multiple weeks now and most are parents of older dancers. A lot of our older dancers are done rehearsal by 4 pm so we are in need of volunteers for the later timeslots. Please go to the website: https://vynutcracker.wixsite.com/vyibanutcracker/sign-ups and look for a timeslot that would work for you. We greatly appreciate it! It takes a village!! Thank you for reading all the way to the end of this email!! I know it was a long one. Last but not least, please remember that all trash brought into the studio should leave with your dancer. Also keep in mind that GUM is NOT permitted in the studio. Viktor had to ask multiple dancers to spit out gum last week. Gum in a dance studio is just looking to be a disaster. Please do not allow your dancer to bring gum. See everyone later!!! Thank you, Viktor, Marie and Kelly

​ Dear Nutcracker Participants, We hope everyone had a great week this week! It is very important for your dancers to be in attendance for rehearsals. There are surprisingly few Saturdays between now and December and we need everyone present to learn stage positioning and partnering and all the other choreography that goes into each scene. If you would like to purchase a DVD from a previous show for your dancer to practice at home, please let Kelly or Marie know and we can get that for you. Keep in mind that the choreography is not always the same from year to year though. For the most part, the dancers have been doing a very good job at rehearsals. Please take a minute to remind your dancer that many parents at the studio are volunteers. Dancers are expected to be respectful to other parents at all times. For example, if a parent volunteer asks a dancer to get ready for warm-up, the dancer should clean up whatever they are doing and get ready. Thank you for your attention to this. We love our volunteers and can't do it without them! We need them to feel respected and appreciated. Rehearsal Schedule for Sept. 23 & 30 Don't forget we are still using the previous schedule. This schedule starts NEXT Saturday. Important Reminders Due Last Week!! 1. Commitment Forms and Payment This was due last week. If we are still missing your commitment form or payment please be sure to get it to us this week. We will be sending out another email to everyone who has not turned it in yet. If you do not receive that email, you should be good to go with this! ​ 2. Ballet Class Confirmation – If you take classes at a studio other than VYIBA please submit this form as soon as possible. We understand that a few studios just started classes this week. All dancers are required to be enrolled in at least one ballet class at a local studio to participate in the Nutcracker Performance. We will also be sending an email to everyone who has not turned this in. ​ You NEED to confirm the spelling of your dancer's name for the back of the Nutcracker T-SHIRT. MANY OF YOU DID NOT DO THIS LAST WEEK. To do this, please open this link and find your dancer's name. If it is correct just type "yes" next to their name. If it is not correct, retype it correctly and right "yes" next to the name. In addition, we need to make sure that everyone's school district is accurate. We use this information to help us tailor our advertising efforts to each audience (ex. The Merchandizer). If your child attends a private school, but you would like them to still be part of this localized advertising, please add the school district next to the school name. ​ Since we got rid of the folder sheets for tracking tickets this year, we are trying something different. If you, or someone else, has purchased tickets under your dancer's name already, you should have received an automated "receipt" from our Akada system. It will show you how many tickets were purchased and at the top, it will list the email addresses of the person who purchased the tickets and your email address. Please save these emails in a special file so you can refer back to them to see how many tickets you have sold. There is also a place on the "receipt" for "commitment fee tickets". It won't let us do a point of sale for $0, so it will show up as "$0.01" per ticket. You can ignore that "charge". It is just there so we can track commitment fee tickets. Hopefully, this will help everyone know when someone else buys tickets under their dancer's name. You will not get this "receipt" until the tickets are paid for. This is new and there is always a learning curve at the beginning so please be patient and understanding with us during this time. Upcoming Due Dates: Sept. 23 – Tights and optional Nude Leotard Order form. All dancers are required to purchase at least one pair of tights for the show. Cost of tights is $15 each. Sept. 30 – Nutcracker Apparel Order Form – Do Not Miss This Opportunity to order a Nutcracker T-Shirt or Sweat Shirt. Oct. 7 – Curl Order Form – For Angels, Party Girls, Big Dolls, Little Dolls, and Clara – Curls can be purchased in the studio for $30.00 or you can bring in your own pair to be approved by Kelly or Marie. Oct. 21 – Program Ads and Program Photos – If you would like to purchase space in our program, plan ahead now. Please fill out this form and have your submission ready by Oct. 21. Link to the form... All other Due dates and links to our online forms can be found on the Nutcracker Website. Be sure to sign up for volunteer opportunities there as well. ​ See you tomorrow at rehearsal! Sincerely, Viktor, Marie and Kelly

Dear Nutcracker Participants, We are excited to resume our rehearsal schedule after last week's Labor Day break. I hope everyone had a relaxing and fun Labor Day weekend. We hope your dancers have settled into the new school year comfortably and are eager to master this year's Nutcracker parts! It is very important for your dancers to be in attendance for rehearsals. There are surprisingly few Saturdays between now and December and we need everyone present to learn stage positioning and partnering and all the other choreography that goes into each scene. ​ Facebook Update: We noticed that our original Nutcracker Facebook page included members for past Nutcracker Shows. In order to keep our messaging relevant to our audience we formed a new Facebook page for current participants only. This will include helpful reminders, opportunities to connect with other participants, and links to sign-ups. This is a closed group for participants only. Please visit this link to join https://www.facebook.com/groups/136389152873929/. ​ Important Reminders: ​ Due Today 9/9/23: 1. Commitment Forms and Payment I will attach this form to this email if you need to print a new one out. We do not have an electronic version of this form. Please send this completed form to the studio with your dancer today along with payment or submit your payment through Venmo @Viktor-Yeliohin. Thank you!! You can access the printable form here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1wYov9yTuXDq0QSX5yvOjgMvv0r5sqqCK/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=101795002319933723489&rtpof=true&sd=true 2. Ballet Class Confirmation – If you take classes at a studio other than VYIBA please submit this form today as well. All dancers are required to be enrolled in atleast one ballet class at a local studio to participate in the Nutcracker Performance. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ayTPqpuiM-brdrhz4V9wH043Y-gzfJio/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=101795002319933723489&rtpof=true&sd=true FINALLY – You NEED to confirm the spelling of your dancer's name for the back of the Nutcracker T-SHIRT. To do this, please open this link and find your dancer's name. If it is not correct just type "yes" next to their name. If it is not correct, retype it correctly and right "yes" next to the name. Here is the link... https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1a_azlOlzc0Ky_0XEsyr05d0Fqi42cLMedE77lL7sCFQ/edit?usp=sharing Upcoming Due Dates: Sept. 23 – Tights and optional Nude Leotard Order form. All dancers are required to purchase at least one pair of tights for the show. All dancers must wear a nude leotard under their costume for each performance. The cost of tights is $15 each. Sept. 30 – Nutcracker Apparel Order Form – Do Not Miss This Opportunity to order a Nutcracker T-Shirt or Sweat Shirt. Oct. 7 – Curl Order Form – For Angels, Party Girls, Big Dolls, Little Dolls, and Clara – Curls can be purchased in the studio for $30.00 or you can bring in your own pair to be approved by Kelly or Marie. Oct. 21 – Program Ads and Program Photos – If you would like to purchase space in our program, plan ahead now. Please fill out this form and have your submission ready by Oct. 21. Link to the form... All other Due dates and links to our online forms can be found on the Nutcracker Website Important Documents page. Be sure to sign up for volunteer opportunities there as well. That's all for now! See you later at rehearsal! Sincerely, Viktor, Marie, and Kelly

Hello Nutcracker Families!!! We hope you had a great start to the school year for those of you who went back this past week. We are ready for another fantastic Saturday rehearsal!! Last Saturday was one of the calmest and most organized rehearsals that we have ever seen at the studio. Thank you to all the dancers for showing up on time and with a quiet activity to do while they waited to rehearse their roles. Please remember that dancers should not bring any food with them, just a water bottle with their name clearly written on it. Please make sure your dancer stops at the attendance table to check in when they arrive. If they leave early, they should also stop at the attendance table to let someone know. Please be sure to be polite, and kind, and use manners when approaching the table. Viktor is urging all of the dancers to be at all rehearsals unless unavoidable. It is very hard for him to stage pieces when there are dancers missing and it is also very confusing for the other dancers when people are missing around them. Thank you for making Nutcracker a priority! We truly appreciate your commitment. Paperwork reminders: All forms are electronic except for the commitment form, the ballet class confirmation form, the curls form, and the photo form. If you were not at the parent meeting last week, your dancer should have brought their packet home with them. If they did not, please check the attendance table when you come in. The commitment form, commitment fee, and ballet class confirmation are all due on September 9th. There are a few dance schools starting after that, please just get it to us as soon as possible. When you bring your forms into the studio, find your name in the bin by the door. Put your forms and payment (if paying by cash or check) into your folder. Place your folder into the second bin in the corresponding colored folder organizer. (Ex. if your folder is red, put it into the red folder organizer.) Look for a Sign-up Genius coming soon about our First Friday and Market Saturday Advertising Events. We need a lot of representation to spread the word about the show. Speaking of advertising, please start reaching out to local businesses and asking them if they would like to advertise in our program this year. Those ads are what pays for the program and last year we were low on advertisements. We need everyone's help with this. Please also consider utilizing this ad space with a special shoutout to your dancer. They really love to see themselves in the program :) Have a great Friday and we will see everyone at the studio on Saturday! Kelly