Welcome-letter-2012 - Thomas Armour Youth Ballet

Thomas Armour Youth Ballet/Miami Conservatory
2012-13
www.thomasarmouryouthballet.org
Dear Parents and Students,
Welcome back to the 92nd season of the Thomas Armour Youth Ballet/Miami Conservatory! We hope
you had a wonderful summer. We are looking forward to a new season of ballet with each of you. The
TAYB/Miami Conservatory continues to offer a carefully constructed curriculum for every level with
emphasis on technique, alignment and artistry.
Tuition an annual fee for the entire school year and not on the number of classes received each month.
This is standard private school policy. There are 9 payments due the first week of each month. The first
payment covers August and September. Payments can be made with Cash, Check or Credit card. ( If you
would like to set up automatic payment each month speak to registrar, Marina Ilinskaya) Remember that if
your child misses a class, he/she has many opportunities within the week to make up that class. Marina
can give you a list of days and times available.
Faculty and Staff:
Executive Director: Ruth Wiesen
Chief of Arts Education : Geannina Burgos
Registrar/Operations Manager: Mariana Ilinskaya
Ballet Faculty: Mariana Alvarez & Rosario Suarez, ( full time), Angelica Diaz, Maite Diz, Rosalyn
Deshauters, Crystal Karaginis, Jessica Shults,
Community Outreach Ballet Faculty: Natalie Axley, Kareen Camargo, Angelica Diaz, Rosalyn Deshauters,
Jessica Shults,
Community Outreach Tap: Natasha Williams
Program Administration/Operations: Camila Escobar & Addyson Fonte
Ms Afua Hall: We wish faculty member, Ms Afua Hall the very best as she enters Florida State University
to earn her Masters of Fine Arts. We will miss her greatly!!!
Ms Rosalyn Deshauters: We would like to welcome new faculty member Ms. Rosalyn Deshauters who
has joined us this summer. She will be teaching ballet and Horton technique at our main site in South
Miami as well as our Morningside site. Ms. Deshauters is a graduate of Julliard and comes to us after a
career with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. We are thrilled to have her as part of our Thomas
Armour Youth Ballet Family!
Website: Please visit our website at www.thomasarmouryouthballet.org You can also find us on
Facebook: Thomas Armour Youth Ballet/Miami Conservatory and Thomas Armour YB
Email notices: Please make sure that Marina has a current e-mail address on file for your family. We
are trying to send out information electronically rather than sending out massive amounts of paper.
Audition Coaching: Many of the students are considering auditioning for an elementary, middle or
high school magnet program or entering a ballet competition. Coaching is available at the Conservatory
through any of the ballet faculty depending on their schedule and time constraints. Coaching fees are
$50/hour and should be paid directly to the teacher, not to the Conservatory. If the fees are problematic
for your family, please see Ruth Wiesen. Speak with the teacher that you wish to have coach you.

Drop Off and Pick up: Traffic continues to increase in South Miami. We will continue to do everything in
our power to make your trip in and out as safe and quick as possible. If you have a child old enough to be
dropped off, please access the alley way by Winn Dixie and pull into the west driveway to drop off. As we
don’t allow the children to wait outside without us, please feel free to call us and tell us that you are pulling
into the alley way. 305 667 5543. We will bring your child out and assist them into your car. Please
remember that this is the exit for the businesses to our west, therefore sitting in the car for more than a few
minutes or parking creates problems for us with our neighbors.
Street Parking in South Miami:
Pay by Phone: ( We find much more convenient and quicker)
http://www.southmiamifl.gov/index.php?submenu=Paybyphone&src=gendocs&ref=PayByPhone&categor
y=Parking
Hurricane Days: Conservatory closure due to weather will be consistent with the decision made by the
Miami Dade County Public School Board. If public schools are closed, the Conservatory will be closed. We
will leave daily updated messages on the Conservatory voice mail. Classes missed for any reason may be
made up on another day. See Marina for days and times.
Dress Code: Girls: black leotard, pink tights and pink shoes. Boys: white leotard, black tights and either
black or white shoes. Hair must be in a bun. If hair is short, please pull it back from the face and secure with
barrettes. No leg warmers, sweatshirts, shorts or sweaters in class. No jewelry in class. No gum or food in
class. The student may bring water. Be on time for your class. Once the class has begun, the student may not
enter without permission from the teacher. Students that are late 10 minutes or more will not participate in
class, but instead will observe and/or take notes.
Summer Travel/Study: 28 advanced high school and college students were sent to major cities in the US to
study with one of the following companies: Dance Theatre of Harlem, Julliard, Martha Graham Company,
Paul Taylor Company, Joffrey Ballet, Peridance, Nutmeg Ballet and Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.
Parental Permission: Some of the older students leave the Miami Conservatory premises and walk to
Starbucks, Winn-Dixie and sometimes even Sunset Place. Any student leaving the premises must have a note
from a parent or guardian. Please indicate exactly where the child is permitted to travel before or after class.
We ask that the children always walk with a buddy and inform Marina of their departure and return. We will
keep the note on file. (Of course, this does not apply to the students who travel by bus and metro rail.)
Adult Ballet and Modern Classes: Intermediate and Advanced adult ballet classes meet every morning,
Monday through Friday, at 9:30 AM. Beginner and Intermediate adult ballet classes will meet in the
evenings. A Horton Technique modern class will be offered on Friday nights at 8PM. Please see Marina for
information.
Warmly,
Ruth Wiesen
Director, Thomas Armour Youth Ballet
School: 305-667-5543
e-mail: ruth@taballet.org