Junior Division Virtual Training Program
Junior Division Virtual Training Program
September 19, 2020 - May 28, 2021
The Ailey School Staff is excited to welcome you back for the 2020-2021 academic year! This program has been designed to give students the opportunity to continue pre-professional training with the community of friends, faculty and staff they have come to know as their Ailey family during this time of social distancing.
Program Description
In response to the lingering public health challenges and conditions posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, The Ailey School has chosen to transition to a Flexible Hybrid Learning Environment (FHLE) for instructional delivery. As such, classes will be offered according to a hybrid schedule of both online classes and in-person classes held at The Ailey Studios.
In keeping with Alvin Ailey’s visionary philosophy of training versatile dancers, The Junior Division Virtual Training Program offers curriculum based Pre-Professional training for students ages 13 to 17 taught by The Ailey School’s most experienced and distinguished faculty and company alumni.
The program offers a graded-level curriculum of classical ballet, modern techniques including Horton and Limon; along with Jazz and Contemporary. Students will receive individualized feedback and personal advisement. Students recommended for placement in Levels IV, V, and VI/VII are eligible to enroll.
Weekday classes will be held online and Saturday classes will take place in-studio. For schedule information, please click on the button below that corresponds to your level.
FAQs
Tuition & Fees
An automatic 30% discount off the full tuition price is applied to all Junior Division students re-enrolling for the 2020-2021 school year. This discount replaces all previous incremental discounts which had qualification requirements.
2020-2021 Price Tuition Chart
Please email Bursar@alvinailey.org to withdrawal or inquire about important dates in the withdrawal policy.
Virtual Class Schedules (Mon -Fri)
Level IV Level V Level VI and VII
In-Studio Class Schedule (Saturday Only)
Saturday Virtual Class Schedule (in the event of school closure only)
Announcements
*Program information for the 2021-2022 academic year is currently unavailable. If you are interested in being placed on our Fall enrollment mailing list please email juniordivision@alvinailey.org.
01/14/21
REMINDER - TIMELINE TO RETURN TO IN-STUDIO CLASSES
Dear Junior Division Parents and Students,
Happy New Year! We hope everyone had a safe and well-rested holiday.
Below is a friendly reminder of the timeline for Junior Division classes resuming next week:
- Monday, January 18th - Take COVID-19 nasal swab PCR test.
- Tuesday, January 19th – Virtual classes resume online
- Friday, January 22nd before 5pm - Submit results to Dawn Tricarico dtricarico@alvinailey.org.
- Saturday, January 23rd - In-studio classes resume; complete HealthCheck App questions at home, two hours before your arrival time on the morning of 1/23 and if you receive a green notification proceed to the Ailey School.
COVID 19 RE-TEST REQUIRED FOR BUILDING ENTRY IN JANUARY 2021
Our Medical Task Force has deemed it prudent for ALL Ailey School students to be re-tested for COVID-19 before returning to in-studio classes on School premises.
Proof of a negative COVID-19 nasal swab PCR Test* will be required no more than five (5) days prior to January re-entry to the building. Your results must be submitted to Dawn Tricarico, dtricarico@alvinailey.org before you may enter the building. In addition, we will continue to utilize the HealthCheck app and to conduct temperature checks upon arrival.
*IMPORTANT NOTE: A ‘nasal swab PCR test’ is the most accurate and the only acceptable test for re-entry to the Ailey building. If you obtain a "rapid test" you must make certain to ask if the test is a 'nasal swab, PCR test' and not an antibody or antigen test. Students will not be allowed to return to school without submitting result from a ‘nasal swab PCR Test.’
12/18/20
AILEY SCHOOL SAFETY PLAN UPDATE
Dear Junior Division Parents,
Before the holiday break commences, we wish to take this opportunity to extend sincere thanks on behalf to the entire Ailey community for your herculean effort to comply with Ailey School safety and testing protocol. Your support of our efforts to keep our students, dancers, faculty, musicians and staff healthy and safe is genuinely appreciated.
As the holiday break commences, there are a few updates to protocol for building re-entry that you will need to consider upon returning to Saturday classes at the Ailey School in January 2021.
COVID 19 RE-TEST REQUIRED FOR BUILIDNG ENTRY IN JANUARY 2021
Our Medical Task Force has deemed it prudent for all Ailey School students to be re-tested for COVID-19 before returning to in-studio classes on School premises.
Proof of a negative COVID-19 nasal swab PCR Test* will be required no more than five (5) days prior to January re-entry to the building. Your results must be submitted to Dawn Tricarico, dtricarico@alvinailey.org before you may enter the building. In addition, we will continue to utilize the HealthCheck app and to conduct temperature checks upon arrival.
*IMPORTANT NOTE: A ‘nasal swab PCR test’ is the most accurate and the only acceptable test for re-entry to the Ailey building. If you obtain a "rapid test" you must make certain to ask if the test is a 'nasal swab, PCR test' and not an antibody or antigen test. Students will not be allowed to return to school without submitting result from a ‘nasal swab PCR Test.’
Please carefully read the information below to ensure timely testing and building re-entry to attend in person classes on 1/23.
JUNIOR DIVISION TESTING TIMELINE FOR SATURDAY, JANUARY 23RD RETURN TO THE AILEY SCHOOL
All students must be tested 5-days prior to returning to in-studio classes on Saturday, January 23rd.
1. Monday, January 18th take COVID-19 nasal swab PCR test.
2. Friday, January 22nd- before 5pm; submit results to Dawn Tricarico dtricarico@alvinailey.org.
3. Saturday, January 23rd complete HealthCheck App questions at home, two hours before your arrival time on the morning of 1/23 and if you receive a green notification proceed to the Ailey School.
4. Report for temperature check and HealthCheck App QR code scan upon arrival at the building for classes on 1/23.
IF YOU ARE TRAVELLING OUTSIDE OF NY STATE FOR THE HOLIDAYS, please refer to and follow state travel advisory guidelines available on NY Forward website.
Then, follow the Ailey School testing protocol for building re-entry:
- Take a nasal swab PCR test on the Monday,(5 days) before returning to the Ailey building for Saturday classes.
- Submit results to Dawn dtricarico@alvinailey.org by 5pm on Friday.
- Complete the HealthCheck App questions on the 2 hours before arrival time on the morning of your return and if you receive a green notification proceed to the Ailey School.
- Report for temperature check and HealthCheck QR code scan upon arrival at the building for classes on Saturday, January 23rd.
*Please note: even though the NY Forward website exempts travelers from the 5 contiguous states to NY from testing, ALL AILEY STUDENTS MUST BE TESTED AGAIN IN ORDER TO RETURN TO THE BUILDING.
Please reference the FAQ's for your info. We reiterate that plans and policies are developed to ensure compliance with current state guidelines and travel advisory information. Again, we urge you to check NY Forward for any updates to that information as it may change. As always, we will continue to provide any Ailey School updates.
Please forward any questions to the Ailey Safety Task Force at AileyForward@alvinailey.org with a cc: to Dawn Tricarico at dtricarico@alvinailey.org.
Stay well and have a safe holiday!
Spring Re-Opening Saturday In-Studio Procedures
12/12/20
MID-YEAR FEEDBACK & FACULTY ADVISEMENT FOR STUDENTS
Dear Junior Division Parents,
Season’s Greetings. As the Fall term comes to a close, students will be receiving mid-year feedback from instructors.
Overall, instructors report that the passion, persistence and discipline with which all students have approached training in the virtual realm, has been beyond impressive. Students have demonstrated an outstanding ability to adapt. Their resilience has served as a major source of inspiration for faculty and administration alike. While written feedback for each student has been uploaded to Google Classrooms and is accessible for viewing in your child’s ailey.school account, we wish to provide students and teachers with an opportunity to connect in a small group setting.
Throughout the coming, week students will participate in faculty advisement meetings. They will have the opportunity to ask questions, provide instructors with feedback and to jot down a few goals for next term. Please encourage your child to review feedback received and to prepare a few questions or comments for their dance instructors. Should you have any questions regarding feedback or faculty advisement, please send your email to juniordivisionparents@alvinailey.org and Ms. Merceditas will gladly respond.
Junior Division Virtual Program Schedule for Dec. 15th-Dec. 12th
Note: From 12/15-12/18 only, to allow time for advisement meetings and dance classes to occur, all students are asked to check by 4:20pm. Program sessions will be extended by ten minutes to end at 7:40pm.
4:20 Student check- in
4:30 Faculty Advisement and video viewing
5:20 Technique Class #1
6:10 Technique Class #2
7:00 Faculty Advisement and close
Finally, Saturday, December 19th will be the last day classes will be held for the Fall term. The Ailey School offices will be closed until January 4th. Classes will resume on January 19th. Prior to the end of next week, you will receive an Ailey Forward Safety Update regarding NY Forward guidelines for holiday travel and testing protocol for building reentry in January 2021.
We appreciate the opportunity to continue to facilitate experiences that foster the growth and development of your young dancer. We wish you and your family all the best for the new year and thank you for your continued support of The Ailey School.
Have a safe, healthy and peaceful holiday.
11/20/20
HOLIDAY SCHEDULE CHANGES
Dear Junior Division Parents,
The Junior Division Holiday Break has been extended. The Holiday Break will begin on 12/21 and end on 1/18. Classes will resume on 1/19. Please refer to the updated Academic Calendar for most current and accurate holiday dates.
11/13/20
ONLINE CLASS SCHEDULE CHANGES
Dear Junior Division Parents:
In response to student and faculty needs, the schedule for weekday classes will be slightly adjusted. The aim is to help our young dancers establish a clear, calm transition which will mark the start of their afternoon at Ailey. Time will be allotted for brief communal interaction, and to introduce a routine that will prepare students physically as well as mentally to work safely in their at-home performance space. Students should bring a dance journal to class each day to record reflections, corrections, and of course any new revelations. This change will only affect students with two classes scheduled on one day. If your child has only one class on a given day, that day’s schedule remain the same.
The schedule for online classes for students with 2 classes on one day will change starting Monday, November 16th is as follows:
4:30pm - Mandatory student login time
4:30- 4:45pm - Afternoon check-in
4:45-6:00 pm - Class #1 w/class recap and instructor feedback
6:00-6:10pm - Break
6:10-7:25pm - Class #2 w/class recap and instructor feedback
7:25-7:30pm - Evening check-out
7:35pm - Staff log off and departure
10/27/20
STUDENT ADVISEMENT W/ MS. MERCEDITAS
Dear Junior Division Parents,
Fall term group advisement meetings will be held during program hours for all levels this week. Meetings will be led by Ms. Barnes and Ms. Merceditas.
As we approach the start of November, the fall term has been in session for just over a month. Now is an ideal time to connect with students in order to obtain feedback, to clarify expectations, to set group as well as individual goals and to provide tips on how students can get the most out of training virtually.
Ms. Merceditas has identified several students who may benefit from immediate support and will follow up with you and your child soon. Please know, individual advisement is available to all students upon request. Appointments are also available upon request. Should you have further questions, feel free to direct your inquiry to juniordivisionparents@alvinailey.org. Program Coordinator, Merceditas Mañago-Alexander will gladly respond in kind.
9/24/20
RETURNING TO THE AILEY SCHOOL
Dear Junior Division Parents,
Below you will find information you need to know BEFORE you arrive at The Ailey School for the first day of in-person classes. Remember: only students will be admitted to the building. Thank you for promptly picking up your children once they have been dismissed and scanned out. No early dismissals allowed. Should you have questions please contact Merceditas Mañago-Alexander at mmanago@alvinailey.org. Thank you.
Arrival, Check-In, In Studio, and Dismissal with Scan-Out Procedures
How to use the HealthCheck by Stratum App
Cohort w/ Studio Assignments and Class Schedule
9/21/20
ACCESSING VIRTUAL CLASSES
Dear Junior Division Parents,
Thank you for attending the Program Orientation held this past Saturday 9/19. It was great to see you. We hope students enjoyed their classes. Our faculty reports all who participated did well! Here is information you will need to access virtual classes. Should you have questions please contact Pauline Braxton, Enrollment and Special Projects Coordinator at pbraxton@alvinailey.org. Thank you.
The Junior Divison Virtual Training Program Tech Guide
Parent and Student Guidelines for Virtual Participation
9/16/20
ORIENTATION TO BE HELD ON SEPTEMBER 19TH AT 11AM VIA ZOOM
Dear Junior Division Parents,
Congratulations and thank you for completing the re-enrollment process. We are excitedly preparing for the start of the academic year and pleased to learn your aspiring dancer will continue training at The Ailey School this year. We look forward to seeing you at the Mandatory Program Orientation for parents and students on Saturday, September 19th at 11am where information about The Junior Division Virtual Training Program will be provided. Meeting invites have been sent via email. For your information, FAQ's from other families have been compiled and can be accessed via the link below. Thank you.
Ailey Forward Safety Plan
Our first priority in reopening the Joan Weill Center for Dance is the health and safety of our students, musicians, instructors and staff.
Leadership within the Alvin Ailey Dance Foundation has given careful consideration as to how the organization can safely, effectively and efficiently continue to offer quality educational programming. In conjunction with our Safety Task Force and COVID-19 Medical Task Force of NYU Langone Health professionals, we have developed a comprehensive plan, the Ailey Forward Safety Plan, for reopening the Joan Weill Center for Dance.
Ailey Forward is fully consistent with New York Forward, the governor’s plan for reopening the State of New York, and draws from the Centers for Disease Control guidelines.
Please see below measures that have already been put into place.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) required at all times in the building
New procedures for entering and exiting the building that involve temperature taking and health screening with HealthCheck, a digital screening app
Increased hygiene measures throughout the building - This includes hand sanitizing stations, no-touch faucets, soap dispensers, and toilets in bathrooms
Enhanced cleaning measures throughout the building - Each studio will be thoroughly cleaned between classes
Limited building access - Only students permitted into the building. Parents and visitors will not be permitted
Adjusted building traffic flow facilitated by social distance markings and signage
Adapted model of hybrid instruction to promote social distancing
Reduced class sizes
Pre-assigned student cohorts to aid contact tracing efforts
FAQs
Online classes will continue to be offered during the week and in-person classes will continue to be offered on Saturdays.
For further questions, please email jdregistrar@alvinailey.org.
Online classes take place via Zoom. Supplemental materials and resources are administered through Google Classroom.
The HealthCheck by Stratum app is a health screening app used to screen for potential COVID-19 related symptoms prior to students entering the building. Every Saturday, your child must complete the HealthCheck screening in the app before leaving home, 2 hours prior to the start of class.
All HealthCheck apps MUST be completed BEFORE departing from home. If it is determined that students are completing the HealthCheck app just prior to entering the Ailey building, admittance will be denied. If students receive a yellow or red notification admittance to the building will be denied.
Please read: How to use HealthCheck by Strattum app.
Yes. Our Medical Task Force has deemed it prudent for all Ailey School students to be re-tested for COVID-19 before returning to in-studio classes on School premises.
Proof of a negative COVID-19 nasal swab PCR Test will be required no more than five (5) days prior to January re-entry to the building. Please email test results to Dawn Tricarico at dtricarico@alvinailey.org and wait for clearance from Dawn stating you are cleared to return to the Ailey building.
In addition, we will continue to utilize the HealthCheck app and to conduct temperature checks upon arrival.
If you travel outside of NY state, please refer to and follow state travel advisory guidelines available on NY Forward website.
Then, follow the Ailey School testing protocol for building re-entry:
- Take a nasal swab PCR test on the Monday,(5 days) before returning to the Ailey building for Saturday classes.
- Submit results to Dawn dtricarico@alvinailey.org by 5pm on Friday.
- Complete the HealthCheck App questions on the 2 hours before arrival time on the morning of your return and if you receive a green notification proceed to the Ailey School.
- Report for temperature check and HealthCheck QR code scan upon arrival at the building for classes on Saturday, January 23rd.
No, entry is not possible without the results. We understand that at different times during the pandemic, receiving test results have taken longer than others. Ailey requires negative test results to enter the building. Students will have to take online classes until your negative test is confirmed and submitted.
No, saliva tests will not be accepted. A ‘nasal swab PCR test’ is the most accurate and the only acceptable test for re-entry to the Ailey building. If you obtain a "rapid test" you must make certain to ask if the test is a 'nasal swab, PCR test' and not an antibody or antigen test. Students will not be allowed to return to school without submitting result from a ‘nasal swab PCR Test.’
You must not come to school! Please consult the CDC guidelines to read about the 14-day recommended quarantine in the event of a positive test result.
Contact tracing methods are in place to track the spread of infection through the HealthCheck app. If a student shows symptoms of or tests positive for COVID-19, the students and instructors in their cohort will be asked to quarantine.
In the event of an outbreak, in-person instruction will be terminated and all classes will continue virtually.
Online Classes
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An internet-enabled device with webcam to participate in Zoom classes
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A safe moving space clear of obstructions
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If desired, students may choose to purchase marley floors or ballet barres, but these items are not required
In-Person Classes
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Masks will be required at all times in The Ailey Studios
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A supply of small bottles of hand sanitizer you can carry with you daily
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A basic First Aid Kit (ie: pain reliever/fever reducer, a supply of any personal medications you are prescribed to take by a physician, etc.)
Ballet
Horton & Limón
Hair
Not Permitted: Head wraps, scarves, body/facial piercings, jewelry, plastic pants, sweatpants, ankle warmers, and large t-shirts, bare midriffs, cut-out shirts
Level placements for the 2020-2021 academic year have been determined based on your child's demonstrated proficiency during the 2019-2020 academic year.
Safety Questions: aileyforward@alvinailey.org. Please cc: dtricarico@alvinailey.org.
Student Advisement: Merceditas Mañago-Alexander, Program Coordinator.
Parent Questions: juniordivisionparents@alvinailey.org.
Tuition payments, deadlines, and refunds: Jennifer Quinones, Bursar.
Enrollment materials and registration: jdregistrar@alvinailey.org.