Blue Gator Fine Arts

General Information

There are no lessons scheduled during the holidays. Please check the school calendar for the specific dates. Two make-up lessons for student absences will be given per year. Instructors will make up any lesson missed due to their own absence or due to any calendared school event. There are no make-ups or credits for class offerings or ensembles. Students are required to purchase music books for their lessons. Each instructor will advise the students regarding the materials to be purchased. Mid-year registration openings will be made available in the first week of December. Prospective students are welcome to observe lessons and classes at any time (with the instructor's approval).

Program Benefits

Music lessons are conveniently scheduled before, during, and after school hours. Music ensembles are scheduled at non-academic times during the school day. Band and Mixed Chorus are scheduled after school on Thursdays when no athletic practices are scheduled. Students may be given the opportunity to participate in group lessons, recitals, concerts, festivals, competitions, and other events. Selected students may perform throughout the year at assemblies, liturgies, and other special events. Throughout the year, the Fine Arts faculty is available to answer your questions and help familiarize you with the program.

Payment Arrangements

Account balance for private music lessons, ensembles, and other Fine Arts classes will be added to your tuition payment plan using FACTS Tuition Management System. Families are responsible for full-year payment regardless of completion. Refunds will only be given in exceptional circumstances as instructors are contracted based on enrollment. In order to register for fine arts, all students' tuition and fees must be paid up to date.

Tuition and Fees

Music Lessons: $972.00 per year for 27 30-minute lessons. 27 lessons are given per academic year including 2 make-up lessons. The length of a lesson is 30 minutes unless upon instructor request. Two of the 27 lessons can be group rehearsals for recitals. Up to 3 additional lessons can be partner or group lessons at the discretion of the instructor.

Music Ensembles: $150.00 per year for the first ensemble and $75.00 per year for the second ensemble. No charge for additional ensembles after the second. Grades 1-4 Choristers and Grades 3-4 Orff is $75.00 for each student.

Dance Classes: $700.00 per year for 30 minute classes (PS & Grades 5-8). $725.00 per year for 45 minute classes K & Grades 1-4). 25 classes during the school year.

Registration is submitted online only.

Registration:

To sign up for our dance program please register here: Dance Registration

Registration is currently closed for Lessons and Ensembles. If still interested, please contact Melia Schmauk and she can help you.

Please read the General Information and view our program offerings below.

2025-2026 Ensemble/Dance Schedule

Ancillae-Assumpta Academy

FAQ

How do I find out about the lesson program?

Who do I contact when I have questions or concerns?

How do I find out information regarding the events of the Fine Arts Program during the school year?

How does my child learn about what instruments are available to play?

When do I register my child for music lessons and ensembles?

Fine Arts Registration opens on the first Thursday in May through a link which can be accessed through the News and Updates weekly email and here on the Fine Arts page. Registration closes the first Thursday in June. Some lessons fill up quickly, so it is important to get your registration in before the deadline. We encourage prompt registration to avoid being placed on a waitlist. You can add, change or delete a registration, if necessary, after the deadline by emailing Melia Schmauk.

Once registered, how does Registration work for music lessons and ensembles?

Returning students are placed first for lessons, then oldest to youngest students are placed. Finally, we use the timestamp of when you registered as the determining factor between new students in the same grade. The earliest registered will be offered the new lesson placement first. Once we are at capacity for lessons, students get placed on a waitlist for their instrument. As soon as a lesson spot opens, Melia Schmauk will contact the next in line to fill the spot. If your child is on the waitlist from the previous year, they are first in line for the following year; new students added to the waitlist follow students previously on the waitlist.

Starting on the first Thursday in August, parents should check the News and Updates email for the Registration List to make sure their child is registered for their lessons and ensembles to ensure a smooth start to the new year.

Once the new school year starts, how do I know when my child’s lesson is scheduled for?

Now that we have started lessons, what should I expect?

There are 27 lessons per school year and 40 weeks of school. Therefore, there are 13 weeks when your child will not be receiving a lesson. This will be due to days off, school breaks, illnesses, assemblies, etc.

It is important for your child to practice consistently each week at home in between the lessons. If they have questions, please make sure to contact their teacher and Melia Schmauk to address any question- big or small. Part of learning to play an instrument is to learn how to practice efficiently at home. The goal is for your child to enjoy learning music through challenging themselves with a consistent practice routine. They will learn about creativity, discipline, perseverance, self-confidence, and self-expression. Practice improves focus and concentration. Ensembles build on social skills and learning how to listen and collaborate with others. Most importantly- music is FUN!

There are 2 student recitals per year that your child is encouraged to participate in. We also have 2 concerts for the Ensembles per year. We are always finding other opportunities for our Ensembles to participate in addition to the 2 concerts.

Dance Program

Dance Offerings

Preschool

Creative Movement

This dynamic, fun-filled class introduces young children to the joys of movement and rhythm through creative expression. Using imaginative play, storytelling, music, and simple dance steps, students explore the fundamentals of movement in a supportive and playful environment.

Curriculum elements include:

Basic Motor Skills: Jumping, hopping, galloping, tiptoeing, and skipping
Body Awareness: Identifying and isolating body parts, learning how the body moves
Spatial Awareness: Moving safely through space, understanding direction, level, and pathway
Rhythm and Musicality: Clapping and moving to different tempos, recognizing beats and patterns
Creative Expression: Interpreting music and stories through dance, using props like scarves and ribbons
Group Skills: Following directions, taking turns, working with partners and groups
Imaginative Play: Exploring characters, animals, and environments through movement
Intro to Dance Concepts: Shapes, levels (high/medium/low), energy qualities (sharp/smooth), and opposites (fast/slow, big/small)

Through these developmentally appropriate activities, children will build confidence, enhance coordination, and foster a lifelong love of movement and creativity.

No prior dance experience required.

Kindergarten

Intro to Dance

This lively and engaging class offers young dancers a fun introduction to both ballet and tap dance, blending the elegance of ballet with the rhythmic excitement of tap. Through structured exercises, creative movement, and imaginative play, students will explore foundational dance techniques in both styles while building strength, flexibility, rhythm, and coordination. The class emphasizes musicality, body awareness, and self-expression, providing a solid foundation for a lifelong love of dance.

Curriculum elements include:

Ballet Basics: Introduction to core ballet positions and movements such as plié, tendu, relevé, and dégagé
Tap Fundamentals: Learning basic tap steps, including toe taps, heel drops, shuffles, and ball-change
Body Alignment & Posture: Focus on proper alignment and developing balance and control, essential for both ballet and tap
Rhythm and Timing: Clapping, tapping, and moving in time with music, recognizing basic rhythms, patterns, and beats
Dance Vocabulary: Learning ballet and tap terminology (e.g., plié, tendu, chasse, shuffle, and ball-change)
Spatial Awareness: Exploring movement in different directions, understanding levels (high/medium/low), and navigating through space safely
Creative Movement & Expression: Using props like scarves or ribbons and engaging in storytelling to encourage imaginative movement and self-expression
Coordination & Balance: Exercises to develop foot and hand coordination, hopping, skipping, turning, and balancing
Tap Sounds & Musicality: Discovering how to create different rhythms and sounds with tap shoes and practicing tapping in sync with the music
Ballet Flow & Grace: Working on fluid, graceful movements while learning to transition smoothly between positions
Partner and Group Work: Simple partner and group exercises that build teamwork, listening skills, and collaboration
Dance Dynamics: Exploring various qualities of movement, such as sharp vs. smooth, fast vs. slow, and energetic vs. controlled
Focus and Listening Skills: Learning to follow directions, engage in structured activities, and stay attentive to the music and instructor

By the end of the class, students will have gained a solid foundation in both ballet and tap technique, improved coordination, and a deeper understanding of rhythm and movement. This class is designed to be fun, structured, and inspiring, offering young dancers a well-rounded introduction to the world of dance.

No prior dance experience required.

Grades 1-4

Foundations of Dance

This engaging class introduces elementary students to the foundational techniques of tap and ballet, emphasizing rhythm, coordination, musicality, and expressive movement. Dancers will gain confidence and body awareness while developing discipline, creativity, and performance skills in a fun and encouraging environment.

In Tap, students will focus on:

Clear execution of fundamental tap steps (toe, heel, shuffle, flap, cramp roll)
Basic rhythmic patterns and combinations
Introduction to syncopation and counting music
Coordinating upper and lower body movements
Traveling tap steps and simple choreography

In Ballet, instruction will include:

Proper body alignment and posture
First through third positions of the feet and arms
Barre work including plié, tendu, dégagé, and relevé
Center floor movement such as port de bras, balances, and simple turns
Traveling steps like chassé, pas de bourrée, and waltz steps

Students will build a strong technical base in both styles while learning to express themselves through movement. The class also introduces basic performance etiquette and prepares students for more structured dance training in higher levels.

Grades 5-8

Dance Techniques

This technique-driven class is designed for middle school students to develop a strong technical foundation in ballet and tap, while building strength, coordination, musicality, and expressive confidence. Dancers will refine their physical awareness and performance skills in a structured yet encouraging environment.

Class structure includes:

Ballet technique: barre and center work focusing on plié, tendu, rond de jambe, relevé, fondu, and preparation for pirouettes, arabesque, and simple allegro steps
Tap technique: foundational and intermediate steps such as shuffle, flap, cramp roll, paradiddle, time step, and basic pullbacks
Across-the-floor progressions: including chassé, pas de bourrée, three-step turns, leaps, and traveling tap combinations
Rhythmic training: exploring musical timing, syncopation, and improvisation in tap
Conditioning & artistry: strengthening exercises, movement quality, and expression through performance-based work

Students will also learn proper class etiquette, foundational dance vocabulary, and ensemble awareness. This class supports continued training in both styles and prepares dancers for future performance and technique-based opportunities.

Music Program

Music Lesson Program

Stringed Instruments: Violin (beginning age 4), Viola (beginning Grade 2), Cello (beginning Grade 2), Upright Bass (beginning Grade 4)

Band Instruments (beginning Grade 4): Flute, Clarinet, Oboe, Saxophone (Alto or Tenor), Trumpet, French Horn, Trombone, Baritone Horn, Percussion (drums, cymbals, snare drum, bass drum, xylophone, etc.)

*Students taking band instrument lessons are required to participate in Prelude/Concert Band. Sign up for Prelude/Concert Band in the Ensemble section of the registration form.

Guitar (beginning grade 3)

Piano (beginning in Kindergarten)

Voice
*Students taking voice lessons are required to participate in Choristers(Grade 4) or Concert Choir (Grades 5-8).

Ensemble Program

Band-Prelude Band or Concert Band (Grades 4-8): All brass and woodwind instruments with percussion play in a group setting. Students just starting on an instrument will be placed in Prelude Band. Students whose abilities have proven the capacity to play more complex pieces will be placed in Concert Band.

Brass Ensemble (Grades 5-8): Students will experience playing in a group of all brass instruments. Repertoire includes brass standards, Christmas music, and traditional tunes.

Concert Choir (Grades 5-8): Students will learn the fundamentals of choral singing including sight-reading, dynamics, phrasing and breath control.

Choristers (Grades 3-4): Students will learn to sing in parts, study music of various styles, and develop the necessary skills for singing in a choir.

Choristers (Grades 1-2): Students will learn to sing in parts, study music of various styles, and develop the necessary skills for singing in a choir.

Orff Ensemble (Grades 3-4): Maximum 20 students per group. Students play on assorted sizes of xylophones and other percussion instruments. Students learn the basics of ensemble playing including following a conductor, understanding form, rotating parts, and playing patterns.

Handbell Ensemble (Grades 5-6): Maximum 20 students per group. Performs music on a set of handbells. Each student is responsible to play one or a few bells, with each bell representing one note, that, when played together, is like a single instrument.

Handbell Ensemble (Grades 7-8): Maximum 20 students per group. Performs music on a set of handbells. Each student is responsible to play one or a few bells, with each bell representing one note, that, when played together, is like a single instrument.

Liturgical Choir (Grades 5-8): Students learn liturgical music that they will sing and cantor during Mass and services throughout the school year.

Liturgical Ensemble (Grades 5-8): Students learn liturgical music on their instruments that they will play as a group during Mass and services throughout the school year.

Select Ensembles are comprised of students who demonstrate the ability to undertake the study of more complex music. Entrance to the select ensembles is based on audition.