The pointe program at The Heart follows a three-level progression. Each level requires approval from your instructor before moving forward. Pointe shoes must always be professionally fitted. Bring your feet to the fitter, not a pair of shoes from a store shelf.

Pre-Pointe

Pre-Pointe is open to all dancers in Focus and Fly. Pointe 2 dancers may also attend the Pre-Pointe class for additional strength and conditioning. This class focuses on strengthening the feet, ankles, core, and overall alignment to ensure a safe and successful progression. Dancers develop the foundational strength and technique required before ever going into pointe shoes.

Pointe 1

The next step for dancers who have completed Pre-Pointe and have been approved to begin pointe work. Pointe 1 is selected by audition. Dancers are introduced to proper pointe technique and develop strength and control through barre and basic centre work. Pointe 1 dancers perform in our productions.

Pointe 2

For advanced pointe dancers in Focus and Fly who demonstrate strong technique and confidence en pointe. Pointe 2 is selected by audition. This class focuses on refining artistry, building stamina, and mastering more complex choreography. Pointe 2 dancers perform in productions and are eligible for solo roles in our year-end show.

Annual Pointe Shoe Timeline

• August (before the school year begins): Purchase your new pointe shoes (or pre-pointe shoes) and have ribbons and elastics sewn on before the first class.
• February (before Spring Break): Submit your new pointe shoe order for the pair that will be used for the year-end show. Pointe shoes require break-in time and cannot be worn brand new on stage.

How to Purchase Pointe Shoes (Pointe 1 and Pointe 2)

Important requirement for first-time pointe students: Students cannot receive their first pair of pointe shoes without being fitted by a professional pointe shoe fitter. There are no professional pointe fitters in the Yukon, so students must follow Option A or Option B when purchasing their first pair.

• Option A — In-Person Professional Fitting: Travel to a major city to be fitted by a professional pointe shoe fitter. Book your fitting appointment well in advance, as professional fitters often have limited availability.
• Option B — Online Fitting via The Shoe Room (Canada's National Ballet): Use the online fitting service provided by The Shoe Room. Find the "Virtual Pointe Fitting" page on The Shoe Room website and follow the instructions to submit your fitting information. Once your pointe shoes arrive, book a teacher appointment before sewing ribbons and elastics. Your teacher will confirm which pair is the safest and most suitable for you.

Buying Pre-Pointe Shoes

Pre-pointe shoes are different from pointe shoes and do not require specialized fitting.

• Choose a pair that feels comfortable with or without toe pads.
• The width should not feel tight or restrictive.
• The Shoe Room also carries pre-pointe (demi-pointe) shoes.
• When ordering, clearly state that you need "pre-pointe" or "demi-pointe" shoes.

Studio Styles dancers train with RAD-certified instructors and have the opportunity to sit Royal Academy of Dance examinations. Exams are optional but encouraged. Preparing for an RAD exam develops consistency, attention to detail, and a standard of technique that serves dancers at every level.

How It Works

• Classes begin preparing for RAD exams at the start of the year.
• The decision to sit the exam and payment are confirmed in October. Your ballet teacher will give advance notice before that deadline.
• Official exams take place in the first two weeks of February. Exact dates are confirmed before the Christmas break.

Approximate Exam Fees

• Fly and Focus: approximately $155
• Exact fees are confirmed each year before the October decision deadline.

Exam Attire

• Black bodysuit or leotard
• Salmon pink ballet tights
• Black jazz shoes
• Character shoes (low heel; Bloch brand recommended) where required by your instructor
• A ballet shirt or fitted spandex shorts may be worn over your leotard. Fitted long-sleeved shirts and ballet sweaters are also permitted. No hoodies, loose t-shirts, or baggy clothing.

• Ballet: Fitted leotard or bodysuit with skin-toned tights. Skin-toned tights allow your teacher to see your body clearly and give proper corrections. Hair in a clean, secure bun completely off your face and neck. No bangs, no loose pieces. Everything pinned back. Warm-up gear is fine to start in over your uniform, but the leotard and tights must be on underneath. Ballet slippers. A ballet shirt or fitted spandex shorts may be worn over your leotard. Fitted long-sleeved shirts and ballet sweaters are permitted. No hoodies, loose t-shirts, or baggy clothing.
• Contemporary and Jazz: fitted dancewear that allows full range of movement. Bare feet or jazz shoes as directed.
• Fly and Focus: Black jazz shoes are required. Bring them to every class and all production weeks including Polar Night.
• Repertory and Choreo Lab: attire appropriate for movement. Check with your teacher for specifics.
• Performance sneakers (Studio Styles): All Studio Styles dancers need a performance sneaker for productions. Style will be confirmed by your instructor by the end of September. These can cost up to $200. Heart subsidies are available through the office. Do not wait until production week to sort this out. Rep Development is November 6th and everyone needs to be equipped before then. Once you receive the style confirmation, purchase them promptly.
• Pointe Program (Pre-Pointe, Pointe 1, Pointe 2): as directed by your instructor. Pointe shoes must be professionally fitted. Do not purchase online or without a fitting.

• Clean, fitted clothing that allows full range of movement.
• Breaking: clean sneakers worn inside only, fitted pants or shorts that move with you.
• Hip Hop and House: as directed by your instructor.
• Hair styled so it does not block your vision or get in the way of movement.
• Performances: Black sneakers, non-marking soles. This applies to all Street Styles dancers performing on stage. Bring them to every production week.

• Keep dance shoes on the dance floor. They are for training, not the hallway or outside.
• Come to class without jewelry. Necklaces, bracelets, and dangling earrings get in the way and can be a safety concern.
• Take care of your dancewear. Keep it clean and in good repair. Use deodorant. You are training alongside other people in a close space.
• Label everything: your bag, your shoes, your gear. It makes life easier for everyone.

• Fitted leotard or bodysuit with skin-toned tights. Skin-toned tights allow your teacher to see your body clearly and give proper corrections.
• Pink, skin-tone, or black ballet slippers with elastic(s) sewn on
• Hair in a clean, secure bun completely off your face and neck. No bangs, nothing loose. Everything pinned back.
• Warm-up attire over your uniform: leg warmers, ballet sweater, wrap skirt
• Water bottle
• Hair ties, pins, and barrettes

Every dancer performing in a production needs to arrive at the theatre with all of the following:

• Stage makeup: base, powder, blush, eyeliner, mascara, eye shadow, and lipstick
• Pink or skin-tone tights AND black tights, clean with no runs or tears
• Simple black leotard
• Nude undergarments
• Clean ballet slippers with no holes
• Jazz oxfords (Fly and Focus)
• Dance socks — colour determined by your instructor
• Sneakers — Studio Styles: style confirmed by your instructor at the start of the season. Up to $200. Heart subsidies available. Purchase early — these are needed by Rep Development (November 6th), not just the year-end show.
• Sneakers — Street Styles: black, non-marking soles.
• Water bottle
• Extra hair ties, pins, and barrettes
• Healthy snacks

Showing up is one of the most powerful things a dancer can do for their team. Choreography builds on itself: every person in the room makes it possible for everyone else to grow. Your teammates are counting on you, and you can count on them.

• We ask that unexcused absences stay within three per season. If life is getting in the way, talk to us. We would always rather find a solution together than have a dancer struggle without support.
• Illness, emergencies, and pre-approved school trips are always handled with care. Let us know as early as you can.
• After three or more consecutive days of illness, bring a doctor's or physiotherapist's note when you return so we can support your recovery well.
• If you miss a rehearsal for any reason, connect with a teammate, learn what changed, and come prepared to the next session. That is how we take care of each other.

When you join the Pre Professional Intensive Dance Program, Monday through Friday from 4:00 PM belongs to this program. Dancers cannot register in outside activities that conflict with class time, including school sport. This is a program requirement, not flexible.

This is about what ensemble training at this level actually requires. Choreography builds on every session. Every body in the room matters. The commitment you made when you registered is a commitment to your teammates as much as to yourself, and they are counting on you to be there.

Mandatory school requirements and genuine one-time events are handled case by case. Reach out to The Heart as early as possible. The earlier we know, the more we can work with you.

At The Heart, production costumes are designed and built by a dedicated creative team working specifically for your performance. Sachi is a trained tutu maker. Tutu-making is a rare and specialized craft, and each piece she creates takes dozens of hours of skilled work. Chantal comes to us from Cirque du Soleil, where every costume is engineered to let performers move, fly, and perform at the highest possible level. Together, they work alongside our lighting designers and choreographers so that what you wear on stage is not decoration. It is a collaboratively designed extension of your character and the story we are telling.

As Cirque du Soleil's costume team describes the philosophy behind their work: costumes give life and personality to characters. Every fabric choice, colour, and structure is made intentionally so that the audience understands who you are before you take a single step. That is the standard our team brings to every production.

Costume Care: How We Look After Them

• Keep food away from your costume. Water is always fine; everything else waits until after.
• Hang your costume neatly after every use. It deserves the same care you give your own gear.
• Respect each other's costumes. Each one is fitted specifically to that dancer. Leave others' pieces where they belong.
• If you notice any damage (a loose seam, a broken hook, a missing button), tell the costume team right away. The earlier they know, the easier it is to fix. They want to hear from you.
• Wear your costume exactly as it was designed and assigned. Every element was chosen intentionally for your character.
• Keep your costume in the designated area throughout production week so the team always knows where everything is.

Working With the Costume Team

Sachi and Chantal are skilled professionals who bring real expertise and genuine care to your performance. Come to fittings on time and ready to work. If something is not fitting well or affecting your movement, say so early. They are there to help you perform at your best, and they can only do that if you communicate with them.

When class starts, your full attention is in the room. Your phone lives in your bag, your locker, or face down on a shelf, and it stays there until class ends. This is part of The Shift.

• If you need to reach a caregiver during class for any reason, tell your teacher. We will always help you make that happen.
• Ask your teacher before recording anything in class. When they give the go-ahead, great. Otherwise, leave it.

• Water only in the studios. Keep food, other drinks, and gum outside.
• Leave the studio better than you found it. Pick up after yourself and look out for the space.
• If a class is in session, wait until it ends or connect with office staff; they are always happy to help.
• Visitors are welcome to watch performances and showcases. Class and rehearsal time is for the dancers in the room. Anyone joining needs prior approval.
• Take care of the equipment, the floors, and everything in the space. This studio belongs to everyone who trains here.

Our teachers and guest choreographers are experienced professionals chosen for their expertise and their understanding of what this program needs. Treat them accordingly.

• Thank your teacher at the end of each class or session. It matters.
• Corrections are an honour. They mean your teacher is paying attention to you. Receive them with gratitude and put them to work.
• All communication with teachers and choreographers goes through The Heart. This protects everyone and keeps things clear.

The Student Choreographic Showcase is part of Polar Night at the Yukon Arts Centre in January. It is the place where dancers bring their own creative voice to a professional stage.

The Choreo Lab extended program is where choreographic work is developed over the course of the season. Studio Styles dancers work through improvisation and compositional structure. Street Styles dancers develop work through freestyling and original crew or solo material. Both streams bring finished pieces to the Showcase stage.

If you want to choreograph and perform your own work at the Yukon Arts Centre in January, sign up for Choreo Lab at the start of the season. Spots are limited. Email us at theheartofriverdale@gmail.com to get on the list.

October 23 to 26, 2026. Open to Studio Styles dancers. Location varies by year — confirmed at the start of the season. Approximately $1,500 per dancer. Dancers attending Groove Street must submit their Montreal deposit before committing to this trip.

Street Styles dancers attend a battle in the fall in place of the Groove Street convention. Details and dates communicated at the start of the season. Approximately $1,500 per dancer.

Approximately $1,500 per dancer. Full details communicated each season.

The Community Leads program is open to Grade 11 and 12 dancers in the Pre Professional program. Eligibility is determined at the start of the season based on the following:

• Stewardship: you treat the space, the program, and the people in it with genuine care.
• Reliability: you show up consistently, on time, and prepared. Your teammates can count on you.
• Kindness: you contribute to a culture that lifts people up. You do not tear people down, in person or online.

Technical ability is not a factor. A dancer who is not the strongest in the room but who leads with integrity will always be considered before one who has exceptional skill but undermines the group.

This role is modelled on team captain leadership. Your job is to hold the standard of the group. Not by policing your peers, but by being the person who makes the right thing happen without being told.

• Open class. Before class starts, you are the one getting people moving. "Come on, let's go. We are starting on time." That is your voice. You do not wait for a teacher to ask. You set it in motion.
• Keep the energy positive during class. Be an encouraging, constructive presence on the floor. When someone is struggling, you notice. When the group needs a lift, you give it. Set the example of what it looks like to work respectfully with staff, other dancers, and everyone in the room.
• Close class. At the end of class, stand at the door. Make sure everyone has their water bottle, their bag, their gear. Remind people before they walk out. A lot gets left behind. That is yours to catch.
• Connect regularly with staff. Senior dancers have regular check-ins with staff. If there is tension in the group, disagreements, drama, dynamics that are pulling people apart, you bring it to staff early, privately, and directly. Not to report on your peers, but to help the team function. The sooner we know, the sooner we can help.
• Redirect negativity. In the group chat, in the hallway, in the change room: if the energy goes sideways, you are the first to bring it back. Not with lectures. With presence and consistency.
• Leave the studio clean. Before anyone leaves, the studio is clean. Every time. This is yours to organize.

These privileges are maintained through continued stewardship, not granted permanently.

• First pick of lockers. Grade 11 Community Leads choose their locker before the general program.
• First choice of couch area. Senior dancers choose their spot in the senior lounge first. This is a small thing that means something. Treat it accordingly.
• A $20 monthly café meal card. Yours to use at The Heart café.
• Eligibility for the Student Choreographic Showcase. The Showcase at Polar Night in January is open to Fly and Krush Groove dancers who enroll in the Choreo Lab extended program, one of the most significant creative opportunities in the program.

Grade 12 dancers have everything Grade 11 seniors have — including the $20 monthly café meal card — plus the following.

• A key to the space. Grade 12 Community Leads are trusted with a key. This is one of the most significant expressions of trust this program offers. Treat it as such.
• A solo in the year-end production. Grade 12 dancers perform a solo at Art from the Heart. This is yours to earn and to carry with pride.
• A seat at the Art from the Heart planning table. Grade 12 dancers are invited to sit in on conversations about how the year-end production is developed. This is an opportunity to observe and to learn — to understand how a major show comes together from the inside. It is not a seat that carries decision-making authority. Come prepared to listen and to ask good questions.

If a dancer quits or is asked to leave the program, no refunds will be issued. The family remains responsible for the full program cost. This policy exists because a dancer's place in the program is held for the full season and cannot be filled mid-year without significant disruption to the group.

All estimates are approximate and may change. Full breakdowns provided before deposits are due. Costs may be offset through fundraising.

Reasons a dancer may be asked to leave include disruptive or dangerous behaviour, abuse of other students, staff, or property, or circumstances where the program is unable to meet the dancer's needs. Every effort will be made to resolve a situation before termination. If a dancer leaves the program, their family remains responsible for the full program cost.