2017

Best Of The Web: Gift Guide

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Perfect list of gifts for this christmas. Dancers will love these options in Cedar Rapids IA

 

 

 

 

Ready or not, the holidays are quickly approaching! Our families here at Prestige are busy shopping, attending special performances, baking cookies, and doing all the other great activities this time of year brings. Have you completed your holiday shopping yet? Do you have anyone on your list that you are completely clueless as to what to get them?? You can take a good sigh of relief because we have put together our best of the web: gift guide edition! We are sure that you will get re-inspired and find some great ideas, no matter who you are shopping for!

For The Dancer:

Last year, we put together the ULTIMATE gift guide for dancers. There are some amazing ideas that your dancer is SURE to love! We also found another great list from Dance Advantage. We would LOVE to get our hands on the Ballerina Cookbook listed in their post! Also, don’t forget that you don’t have to go very far for your dancer. We have so many great stocking stuffer and dancewear options right here at Prestige!

For The Creative:

If your loved one likes to explore art, DIY projects, and crafts, they will love anything from One Handcrafted Life’s creative gift list. For younger crafters, Martha Stewart has some GREAT ideas! Just reading these makes us want to start a new project!

For The Athlete Or Sports Fanatic:

Staying active is a very popular goal for the upcoming New Years Eve. Give your loved one a leg up by giving them something on this list from Very Well. They have some great message and stretching gifts that your dancer might enjoy as well! If sports are more their thing, try checking out this list from CNN. We mean, who wouldn’t want an NFL ugly sweater? hehe!

For The Professional:

If your gift recipient is hoping to push themselves and grow in their professional life this year, choose any of the books listed here on Inc! We are feeling inspired already, have you read any on their list??

For The Stressed

We mean stressed in the BEST way possible of course! For anyone who needs a little rest, relaxation, and calmness, there is nothing better than using a gift to help bring them there! This list from Out Of Stress made us feel more relaxed by just READING it hehe!

Has inspiration struck yet?? We hope so! What gift are you the MOST excited to give this year?? Tell us below, we would love to include it in our web round-up next year! At Prestige, we hope you enjoy this holiday season to the fullest and savor every moment of picking out the PERFECT gifts for your loved ones.

 

 

How To Avoid Burnout

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Great advice for dancers in Cedar Rapids, IA on how to avoid burnoutLike young athletes, dancers have to be aware of and take steps to avoid burnout. The dance season is very long compared to other activities. We run from August to June and only take a short break before we jump right back into things for the summer session. It’s basically a year-long activity that is extremely demanding on the mind and body. As many of our Prestige dancers know, some of our dancers are in the studio for hours and hours every single week. We are approaching the mid-year mark and want to help our dancers avoid the dreaded burnout this year. Although we can’t control when burnout may strike, we can take steps to reduce the risk.

  1. Stay focused on goals. When you are tired, sore, and overwhelmed it is easy to forget why you are doing all of this in the first place. Try writing down one main goal and keep it somewhere visible.  By seeing your goal daily on a post-it note on your mirror, in a journal by your bed, on your school planner, etc. you will be more likely to remember the WHY. This will help push you through the more difficult times.
  2. Get feedback from teachers. Sometimes burnout can come from being frustrated. “Why didn’t I get the solo?” “Why is my teacher so hard on me?” “Why can’t I nail my turns?” Sometimes, dance is HARD. Like, really hard! We don’t always leave class doing things perfectly and that can make a dancer want to give up! By checking in with teachers on what can be done differently in class, you get answers. You won’t waste time on negative self-talk and you won’t get to that place of wanting to give up.
  3. Rest. Rest is SO important for dancers. Like we mentioned earlier, dance is demanding on the mind and body. If you start feeling overwhelmed or more stressed out than normal, make an effort to go to bed early (instead of going on your social media hehe!). When you have time off during your busy season, take that time off to rest instead of filling the space with other activities. We promise you will feel refreshed and ready to get back to work!
  4. Talk to your parents and dance teachers. If you start feeling overwhelmed or run down, don’t be afraid to say something to your parents and teachers. Your parents want you to stay healthy and positive and your teachers want that too. We can all work together to figure out a plan to get you back on track.

So what do you think? Can you make it through this year without reaching the point of burnout? By following these steps we are confident you will! We are also super confident that you will do AMAZING things this year,  we are already off to a great start!

 

 

Black Friday Dance Apparel Sale!

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Dance Apparel Sale for Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Who is ready for some serious holiday shopping?! At Prestige, we could not be more excited for the holidays and of course shopping is part of that! We know that Black Friday is one of the biggest times to steal some amazing deals. It also is a busy day/weekend! Here at Prestige, we wanted to give you a chance to maximize your break by spending time with family and friends. We also know that your dancer would be THRILLED with some Prestige dance apparel for the holidays. So, we decided to give you some amazing Black Friday discounts a bit early. That way you get the best of both worlds!

Our dance apparel is the perfect holiday gift or stocking stuffer. Not only will your dancer love feeling even more apart of the Prestige dance family but they will also get a TON of use out of it! We know many of our dancers pretty much live in our hooded sweatshirts hehe. All of our products are top of the line quality and will move with your dancer, not against them.

Spend $50, Get $10 Off

Spend $100, Get $25 Off

Spend $150, Get $50 Off

*Only valid for in-stock items. Dance shoes and gk tumbling leotards not included in the sale*

We have dance shorts, leotards, bra tops, sweatshirts, spirit socks, long-sleeved shirts, and sweatpants (dance shoes and gk tumbling leotards are not included in sale) available for purchase in a variety of different sizes. Your dancer is sure to love our apparel and what better time to pick it up than during a Black Friday Sale! Pop by during the times listed below and grab your gifts before they are gone because this sale is only for in-stock merchandise.

Tuesday, November 14th from 4:30pm-7:00pm

Thursday, November 16th from 4:30pm-7:00pm

Click on the slideshow below to check out the amazing product options, we can’t wait to see what you choose!

[foogallery id=”2390″]

 

Dance-Inspired Halloween Costumes

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Cedar Rapids Dancers will love our ideas for halloween! Halloween is JUST around the corner, do you have all your costumes ready and picked out? If not, you are not alone! We are sure that many of our dance parents out there are starting to panic a little. We have just the thing for those parents, the ultimate dance-inspired Halloween costume list. Feel free to go through it, check your closet for things you already have and put together something amazing! These costume ideas would be perfect for any dancer OR any parent hehe!

Do you have a favorite dance icon? We LOVE the idea of dressing up as your favorite version of Brittany Spears, Michael Jackson, Beyonce, or Audrey Hepburn. Pick your favorite look and go for it! There is also a slew of professional dancers to choose from. Try Misty Copeland as “Firebird”, Martha Graham from “Lamentation”, Maddie Ziegler from a Sia video,  or even a judge from “So You Think You Can Dance!”

What is your favorite dance movie, Broadway show, or ballet? Can you make a costume inspired by a character? We ALL love “Dirty Dancing,” “Footloose,” “Grease,” “West Side Story,” “Swan Lake,” etc. There are SO many memorable characters to choose from! The best part is that most wouldn’t even require a trip to the store!

For people who want to keep things a little simpler, we think the classics are FABULOUS as well! Be a ballet, hip-hop, jazz, or modern dancer. Wear your favorite dancewear and call it a day. Also taking on dance from your favorite century can be super fun! We love a good poodle skirt or side pony. If you are going for a more edgy look this year, a zombie dancer or cheerleader will ALWAYS give a good scare.

You see? There are SO many great options to choose from that incorporate dance in some way. We hope this gave you a little inspiration for this year’s festivities. We can’t wait to hear your Halloween costume plans and see what you come up with!

 

 

 

Fall Fun In Cedar Rapids!

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Great ideas for fall fun for families in the Cedar Rapids area!

Fall is the perfect time to fit some family fun into your busy schedule! Not only is the landscape breathtaking but there are TONS of fun things to do for all ages. At Prestige we love hearing about all the fun family adventures our students go on during the fall. This year we have gathered a few great resources for you to pick and choose what sort of activities suit your family best. Whether it is a trip to the farm to pick pumpkins, getting in a few thrills with a haunted house, or just spending some time in the kitchen, we have you covered! So pick one or two fun activities or tackle them all, just get out and spend some quality time with your family this season.

Apple and Pumpkin Picking– This site has put together a great list of orchards and farms. Whether you are looking for rides and petting zoos or your more traditional farm, you will find it here!

Festivals– Festivals are a great place to explore a new area, try a new food, or see some amazing talent! This list contains festivals from all over Iowa so you can make a fun weekend out of it if you like.

Haunted Houses – This list may not be for everyone but we know that there are people out there that go CRAZY for a good scare. If you dare to try one, let us know the thrill factor so we can steer clear hehe!

Halloween Crafts– With Halloween quickly approaching, you will start needing to prepare costumes and decorations. Why not have the kids help out? Check here for some great inspiration and how-to.

Apple Recipes and Pumpkin Recipes – The smell of ANYTHING baking in the oven is often irresistible. Add some pumpkin or apple and we can’t resist. Here are some delicious ideas so you can use up all those apples and pie pumpkins in your pantry. If you have any left over, we know some hungry dancers that would gladly take care of them hehe!

What do you have planned this fall? Anything going on around Cedar Rapids that we missed? We hope you are able to take a little time enjoying this amazing season. We would love for you to tell us all about your fun fall adventures!

 

Is Your Dancer Ready For Fall?

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A few extra steps to make sure your dancer is ready for the fall season

You have picked out your dancers classes and have registered for fall classes, you are all set right?! Yes! We could NOT be more excited to get in the studio but there are some extra bonus steps you can take to help your dancer prepare for class. These are in no way required and will not make or break your dancers season so sift through the list and take on what you can handle.

  • The outfit. Check out your dancer’s current dance wardrobe. Does everything still fit? Find any holes? Have all the right shoes? Noticing that your dancer doesn’t have the right “uniform” ON the first day of dance class is the worst! Do your stress levels a favor and take an inventory now. Also, have your dancer try everything on. Before purchasing anything new, make sure to check out our dress code. There are some changes to look for in the 2017/2018 season.
  • Water Bottle. This is one of our FAVORITE things to shop for every year. We love starting off a new dance year with a fresh new water bottle. Help reduce waste and keep your dancer hydrated at the same time. Check out your local Target for some great options.
  • Dance Journal. As rehearsal directors, we LOVE to see dancers using a dance journal! All you need is a basic journal or notebook designated for dance. It is a great place for dancers to keep track of goals, class notes, and new choreography. It can be really tough remembering all that goes on in class week to week. Using a dance journal will ensure your dancer is ready for what is next.
  • A First Dance Class Of The Year Photo. OK, we know. This one is a little cheesy BUT just like the first day of school each year, it can be SO MUCH FUN to look back and see your dancer grow each and every year. It can be the perfect opportunity to get the younger students excited and although you may get an eye roll or two from your older dancers, they will be so glad you did it years from now.

Now that you have the extra bonus steps to get ready for fall, we can officially get excited! We cannot wait to see all that your dancer accomplishes this year in class. Still need to register? You can do so online or contact the studio for more information.

Goals And Why You Should Set Them With Your Dancers

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Goals

With New Years right around the corner, people are busy thinking about all the resolutions they will commit to this coming year. From fitness to financials, ’tis the season for making promises to yourself and the people around you. This concept is probably very clear and familiar to you after years and years of goal setting. If you’re lucky, you may have even mastered the art of actually committing and achieving those resolutions unlike so many of us (yes, I admit I have let a few goals slip through my fingers over the years).

But what about your dancers,  what are their goals for 2017? Have no idea? Don’t worry you still have time to figure it out.  If you are wondering why exactly we are even talking about this, please read on! Although it is hard to pick just a few reasons to share with you, we hope it inspires you to take on the challenge of 2017 along with your dancers!

  • Focus– Have you ever been to the gym the day after New Years? It is a MAD HOUSE but do you see the looks on these new gym goers’ faces? They are determined! Dancers need that same focus in class. Especially mid-year when it is cold and sometimes miserable out, it can be hard to remember why we are spending all these hours at the studio. Setting goals can re-ignite your student’s passion remind them why they are there in the first place.
  • Confidence– How do you feel when you achieve a goal? I know when I accomplish something, whether big or small, it feels AMAZING! It makes me feel like I can do anything I put my mind to. The more I accomplish, the more I feel like I can take on. We do this in dance class all the time (working on single pirouettes, then doubles, then triples). With each new skill, it gives the dancer more confidence to take on the next, more difficult challenge. This is one of those life-long skills that will stick with your dancers and serve them well in any area of their life.
  • Resiliency– Goals aren’t always easy and that is how they should be! Setting and working toward goals teaches your dancers that it is worth it to KEEP GOING. Even when things don’t go their way, if they have that specific goal in front of them, they will be less likely to wave the white flag (maybe sometimes with a little encouragement from you but that is ok!). We all know that life is tough sometimes and the earlier you work on this skill, the better. They will be much more equipt to handle all the things life throws their way in the future if you practice with them now.

Are you inspired yet? I know I am! Take the time to talk about your 2017 goals with your dancers now and check in with them every couple months or so to see how they are coming. HINT: Talk about your goals with them too and make it more of a conversation. It is so good for them to see how you handle your successes and struggles!

We can’t wait to see all the great things they accomplish this year!