Special training and competing groups

At the moment, we have four Special training groups (Erikoiskoulutusryhmä) and one Competition group (Kisaryhmä). The aim of the education is to give high-quality dance education for children and youth which gives them an opportunity to develop as dancers in a safe environment among same aged dancers. Our training groups practice a variety of dance styles both in their own closed classes and open classes. Our training programs provide the most versatile basic dance training in the country. The age and level of the dancer are always taken into consideration when planning the classes.

We organize additional courses and camps for our special training groups during the semester. We also aim to expand the dancers’ skills to various areas of the performing arts, such as theater, music and circus. The basic element of training is to provide skill, knowledge and well-being to young dancers.

The special training group offers dancers the opportunity to perform all year round in various productions of our school. Performances are arranged in the school's student performances, smaller productions and in the annual dance work of Dance Theater Pikkarainen. The groups also act as the school’s representative team at various dance events and competitions.

Koetanssissa 18.5.2023 erikoiskoulutusryhmiin ja kisaryhmiin valitut hakijat:

Seuraavalle kaudelle ryhmiimme hakijoita oli runsaasti. Olitte kaikki mahtavia. Kaikkia emme ikävä kyllä voineet ryhmiin ottaa, mutta opettajamme tekevät teille opintopolkusuosituksen ensi viikon aikana ja siten voitte vahvistaa osaamistanne seuraavan kauden aikana ja hakea uudelleen seuraavan kauden jälkeen.

Osa teistä oli hakenut sellaiseen ryhmään, joka ei raatimme käsityksen mukaan ole paras vaihtoehto kehityksenne ja oppimisenne tueksi. Olemmekin tarjonneet joillekin teistä paikka sellaisessa ryhmässä, johon ette ole tässä haussa hakeneet. Lopulliset ryhmäjaot oppilaitos varmistaa, kun oppilaat ovat vahvistaneet paikkansa ja tiedämme tarkan oppilasmäärän kauden 2023-2024 ryhmissä.

Seuraavan kauden alustavat ryhmät ja pakolliset tunnit ilmoitamme teille keskiviikkoon 24.5.2023 mennessä. Noiden ryhmätuntien lisäksi voitte valita avoimesta lukujärjestyksestä kunkin ryhmän ohjelmaan kuuluvan määrän vapaaehtoisia tunteja. Nuo määrät löytyvät verkkosivuiltamme kohdasta erikoiskoulutus- ja kisaryhmät.

Samassa infopaketissa annamme ohjeet oppilaspaikan vahvistamisesta, joka tulee tehdä viimeistään 30.5.2023.

1) Taso 2: Sunlight
Sandström Ines, Peled Liv, Nousiainen Helmi, Koski Elina, Puustell Mila, Lampinen Eveliina

2) Taso 3: Daylight and Twilight and Starlight Ballet
Kiuru Ada, Casterén Amelie, Castrén Ella, Puusniekka Anni, Kuisma Salla, Lautanen Bianca, Eloranta Emma, O`Malley Kate, Hunt Isabel, Blummé Beata, Somervuori Emmi, Rasku Linnea,

3) Kisaryhmä muodostelma: Shadowlight
Shalamova Mia, Hirvonen Mona, Hunt Isabel, O´Malley Kate, Uusitalo Elina, Blomstedt Milja, Petäinen Metta, Mannisto Emma, Kanerva Lilli, Paakkanen Lia, Paakkanen Kerttu, Viinikainen Pinja, Overmyer Maria, Luukkonen Linda, Poikonen Eveliina, Seitsonen Sohvi, Norman Kerttu

4) Kisaryhmä pienryhmä A1 Moonlight ja Skylight
Ryhmä 1
Descargues Frida, Sinivirta Noomi, Paakkanen Lia, Kanerva Lilli, Järvinen Kira, Linnervuo Annika,
Suonpää Ada
Ryhmä 2
Overmyer Maria, Viinikainen Pinja, Ilmivalta Elsi, Halinen Saana, Paasonen Oona, Roiha Venla,
Muhonen Helka

The groups practice intensively their major and 2-3 secondary dance styles, depending on their department. Classes take place from Monday to Saturday and they are held in all of our locations in the metropolitan area. We try to take the students' location into consideration when defining the classes.

The groups are taught by our dance school's magnificent teachers.

Ballet department mandatory styles : Ballet, Character, Contemporary.
To choose also: Tap, Show, Irish Dance, Commercial and Street dances.

Performing Arts-department mandatory styles: Show, Tap, Ballet and Commercial Dance.
To choose also: Street Dances, Irish Dance, Contemporary, Character.

Tap Dance department mandatory styles: Show, Tap, Ballet, Commercial Dance.
To choose also: Broadway Style, Street Dances, Irish Dance, Contemporary, Character.

Teaching and participation of special education (EK) groups in the academic year 2023-24

Level 1 (Preparatory)

Starting from 7 years
Majors: Classical Ballet, Showdance (Performing Arts), Tap, Street Dance

The student has three classes of their own according to their level. These groups are determined by the school. The student can choose 1-3 additional classes from the school's open schedule. Compulsory classes are held Mon-Sat and can be held at any of our school locations. Classes will be announced to the group in writing after the selection.

Level 2

Starting from 10 years
Majors: Classical Ballet, Showdance (Performing Arts), Tap, Street Dance

The student participates in four classes of the group's own according to their level. These teaching groups are defined by the school. In addition to the required classes, the student can choose 1-6 additional classes from the school’s open schedule. Compulsory classes are held Mon-Sat and can be found at any of our school locations. Classes will be announced to those selected for the group after the selection session.

Level 3

Starting from 13 years
Majors: Classical Ballet, Showdance (Performing Arts), Tap, Street Dance

The student participates in five classes of the group's own according to their level. These teaching groups are defined by the school. In addition to the required classes, the student can choose 1-6 additional classes from the school’s open schedule. Compulsory classes are held Mon-Sat and can be found at any of our school locations. Classes will be announced to those selected for the group after the selection session.

Competing groups

Classes:

Kisaryhmän (muodostelma tai pienryhmä) ohjelmaan kuuluu kaksi koreografiatuntia sekä yksi tekniikkatunti (60-90 min) viikossa. Näiden lisäksi oppilas voi valita oppilaitoksen avoimesta lukujärjestyksestä lisätunteja, joista peritään 250 €/60 min tunti/lukuvuosi ja 375 €/75-90 min tunti/lukuvuosi. Kisaryhmään haetaan vuosittain erikseen, eikä kisaryhmää voi yhdistää koulumme muihin erikoiskoulutusohjelmiin. Oppilas voi hakea kisaryhmässä muodostelmaan, pienryhmään tai molempiin. Mikäli oppilas tulee valituksi kahteen ohjelmaan (esim. kisaryhmä/muodostelma ja kisaryhmä/pienryhmä, tai erikoiskoulutusohjelma ja kisaryhmä/muodostelma), myönnetään hänelle 15 % alennus toisesta kisaryhmämaksusta.

Age groups season 2023-24

- Children: Competitors who turn 12 years during the competing year or are younger (born 2012 and younger)
- Juniors (groups): Competitors who turn at least 13 years and at most 16 years during the competing year (born between years 2008-2011)
- Adults 1: Competitors who turn 17 years during the competing year or are older (born 2007 and older)

Studying

Students commit to participating in the group's activities for one year at a time, the student cannot resign from the group in the middle of the school year. At the beginning of the season, the student has a 14-day trial period, after which she can cancel his participation in the group. However, the withdrawn student must pay the compensation according to the hourly fee list for the first period. The classes take place at all of our permanent offices. Participation fees for events and competitions are not included in tuition fees. The student must have the appropriate equipment for each sport during the lessons, and the student must acquire the uniforms of the representative group, including pants, a hoodie, two t-shirts and a training bag. The equipment is ordered and equipped with the logo of the educational institution by the school. Each group has its own costume.

Guidelines for all our representative groups:

Students selected for the groups must have training equipment suitable for each genre. At the beginning of the season, common class costumes are chosen for the ballet groups, which the student must have in such an amount that they are used during the lessons. In the ballet class the student also needs leotards and slippers. In the upper levels a skirt is also used, in the lower ones that is not obligatory.

During Show / Jazz / contemporary dance lessons the outfit is free, but we recommend the use of slippers or covers for the ball of foot.

During the tap lessons, the accessories must not interfere with the visibility of the movement, ie the t-shirt and tights / sweaters are a good outfit. However, tap shoes are needed right from the first hours.

In street dance genres accessories are freely selectable as well. We recommend dance sneakers as shoes. Shoes used outdoors cannot be worn during a dance class. Indoor shoes are often too frictional and may leave marks on dance floors. Such cannot be used during classes.

In addition, everyone should have representative hoodies and pants. If last year’s fit, they work well.

Pricing season 2023-24:

Special training groups
Preparatory: 1640 €/season
Other: 1800 €/season
Payment can be split to 1-10 parts according to student's wish.

Competing groups
Formation 1350 €/season
Small group 1350 €/season.
Payment can be split to 1-10 parts according to student's wish.

APPLICATION FORM Special training and competing groups

Principal's greetings to applicants:

Dance school Footlight's competition groups are based on strong dance skills and the development of students' skills. Our entire educational institution and all our teachers are supporting the development and success of both our special training groups and our competition groups. The difference in the activities of the two is that the competition groups participate in more competitions and thus there are more opportunities to perform. Our special education programs emphasize broad technical skills and multidisciplinary development of the student. In the coming season, only the competition groups of Performing Arts sports will operate in our educational institution (for now). Plans have been made to form competition groups for street dance sports, but now we are focusing on PA sports. From the beginning, our educational institution has developed our international networks, and last season we decided to take our EK group on a trip to New York. Next season, it is the turn of the competition group members to try their wings in international arenas, and therefore our main goal for the competition groups is the Danza di Fiera event in Florence, Italy, to be organized in February. The event is a great dance festival, which we have participated in before with a smaller number of participants, but for this year the goal is to bring all of our competition groups to the event.

In order to realize that, it requires work and it means a change in the number of training sessions for competition choreographies. For the season 2023-2024, choreography lessons for the competition groups will be increased to twice a week. In addition to this, the members of the competition group must participate in one technical class determined by the educational institution. During the season, Synne-Kristin Ytredal (formation) and Reine Antonio (small groups) are responsible for choreographing the competition groups.

The importance of the development of our competition groups and Special Education groups to our educational institution is also reflected in the pricing of training programs and competition groups. Unlike in many other educational institutions, these groups are representative groups and we have tried to keep the student fees as affordable as possible. This is how we strive to operate this season as well, even though all operating costs have risen quite a bit. For us, the pandemic is not yet completely behind us, but it can be seen as students who have disappeared from the field and, through that, in the tightening of competition between schools. Competition group members also have the opportunity to apply for free/semi-free student places if necessary. Tanssikeskus Footlight strives to remain the school it was founded as almost 40 years ago: an educational institution that is approachable, respects equality, values each other and invests in the dancer's development. We think we would survive the next 40 years with these fins.

In the next season, a very close teacher to all of us, Teija Nenonen, who has been responsible for the choreography of our competition group's formation for the past two seasons, has decided to move to another field and focus on her horticultural studies, which Teija already started earlier. Although we say goodbye to Teija with sadness, we are happy about his great plans for the future. That field also requires an artistic eye and execution, and who knows, even if Teija will return to dance. In life, you never know what tomorrow will bring. We wish you happiness with all our hearts and thank you for all these years. Teija is one of our school's own products and is therefore always welcome back. After all, Teija already tried that departure once, when she took a gap year and then returned home from her travels. You can always come home, we all know that.

The auditions are held on the 18th of May 2023. You should send your application in good time and our office will let each applicant know the more exact audition times.

Welcome to the crowd

Regards
Taina Schorin-Keltto
Principal
Dance Center Footlight