Stars at Sea for Dance Groups

[Cruise Arizona]

There is program advertised in dance magazines called "Stars at Sea". This program sells cruises to dance groups as an alternative to the expense of going to a dance competition.

 

The "alternative" part is that the dance teams gets to perform a show in the ship's theater or lounge rather than performing at a dance competition.

 

Most of their bookings are on Royal Caribbean Ships, with a few now on Celebrity.

 

My questions are:

 

Has anybody ever heard of this or seen a performance by a dance group on a ship?

 

Our studio director is looking into this for next year instead of the dance competition that we normally attend. Since we love cruising, we really wouldn't mind this, but I really don't see it as much more for the studio members to go on a vacation together and can't really see it as an opportunity to improve their dance skills.

[Lynn the Cruiser]

Yes...I have heard of this. Four people from my work place went on a cruise like this. They went with their kids dance school. It was on the Enchantment. As a matter of fact, I just got a brochure about it at my school(I'm a teacher). This was for chorus and band groups. There was a variety of the RCI ships to choose from.. In fact, I am going on the Explorer in July and the sailing date before mine was listed.

[Laurie12820]

The studio I used to go to has done this in the past and they all really enjoyed it. I think it is a great experience for them, and who knows, maybe some day they may be a Royal Caribbean Singer or Dancer. :)

[SteveB48]

This is GREAT! Thanks for posting it. The information request form at www.starsatsea.com has a school as a required field. Do the performers need to be associated with a school?

 

thanks,

Steve

[SteveB48]

The Stars at Sea folks already emailed me back. Being part of a school is not required.

 

Steve

[teedee]

There is program advertised in dance magazines called "Stars at Sea". This program sells cruises to dance groups as an alternative to the expense of going to a dance competition.

 

The "alternative" part is that the dance teams gets to perform a show in the ship's theater or lounge rather than performing at a dance competition.

 

Most of their bookings are on Royal Caribbean Ships, with a few now on Celebrity.

 

My questions are:

 

Has anybody ever heard of this or seen a performance by a dance group on a ship?

 

Our studio director is looking into this for next year instead of the dance competition that we normally attend. Since we love cruising, we really wouldn't mind this, but I really don't see it as much more for the studio members to go on a vacation together and can't really see it as an opportunity to improve their dance skills.

 

Hi Suzanne!

 

There was a group onboard the first leg of the btb on Grandeur I was on in April. In our case it wasn't a good experience. The dancers were really, to be nice, not good. The teens in the group were, as a general rule, not well behaved either. They ran through the ship with little supervision, pushing and shoving their way through. One was even injured when he got in a shoving match with another in the group and fell down some stairs.

 

I know your group would be nothing like this, in fact if you decide to do it let me know. I would enjoy seeing your group perform! Hopefully it would take the bad taste the other group left with us.

 

Terri

[Cruise Arizona]

Thanks for the information Terri. It is unformtunate when large groups of young people misbehave like that. I know that our studio director wouln't tolerate that kind of behavior for one minute. She's very strict with the girls, and I think most of our group would go as a families.

 

The Stars at Sea performance in place of actually going to a dance competition would not be my first choice. I feel that dance competitions with the feedback from the judges and individual/group goal setting are much more beneficial to the kids than they would get by performing a 1/2 hour show on a cruise ship.

 

We are probably a little spoiled because we are able to do both the dance competition and yearly cruises, and I know that for many families these dance competitions take place of family vacations. So I totally understand why many of the dancers and their families want to do something different, but I just can't see it being much more than a vacation for us .

 

Also, the kids from the studio would not be able to perform their breadth of repertoire. The show is limited to 1/2 hour. That would mean no solos, duets or trios, which is the area where I see the kids getting the most personal growth.

 

Last summer DD performed two solo, two trios, three small group numbers in a variety of categories Jazz, Tap, Polynesian, Mexican Folklorico, Clogging ect. DS did the Folklorico and Clogging and a Clogging Solo, and I even did a group Folklorico number and a song and dance solo. So I think if we did something like this due to the time constraint of 1/2 hour, the reportoir that the studios brings will be much more limited.

 

But, Heck I love to cruise, so if this what the studio picks it will just mean an extra family cruise for us. DH actually likes the idea of sitting on a cruise ship rather than a high school audiortium, convention center, or hotel ballroom.

[Micki Dee]

Our studio has done the Stars At Sea program 3 times, all on the Enchantment. We are also a very competitive studio with many State, Regional, and National winners in both Solos, Duet/Trios, and Groups.

 

We do the S.A.S. program every other year in place of a National Competition. Our competitive groups as a whole voted on this and thought this would be a fun and different thing to do, plus it gives the kids the chance to showcase their hard work and dedication for a worldwide audience.

 

RCCL has always gone out of their way to accommodate our group with the best show times in the main theater and promoting their show with announcements and showcasing them in the daily Compass. Our kids have always performed to SRO audiences.

 

The cruisers really love to see the young dancers. Last year we took 55 dancers. Our youngest was 7 and our oldest was 25...all competitive level winners. They did a Halloween show that closed with a special presentation of Michael Jackson's "Thriller" that brought the house down. People were talking about it all night. (They also performed this show during a storm with 20ft seas) Way to go dancers!

 

We are in the process of booking another S.A.S presentation on the Freedom for 2009. The kids love it, the parent's love it, it's a win/win situation for us.

 

Just a note: We also bring at least 150 adults on this cruise to help supervise our children. Our director does not put up with ANY shenanigans. If you are caught doing something wrong...YOU WILL NOT DANCE. End of discussion. We pride ourselves on representing our studio in the best positive light. Afterall, we were voted the #3 best studio in the Metro Detroit Area this year!:D

[Cruise Arizona]

Miki Dee,

 

How early do you need to book for these SAS performance cruises?

 

Do they just give you a 30 minute block to pefrom?

 

Did you have to take the kids out of school?

 

How long a cruise did you take?

 

How does the price compare to taking a regular cruise.

 

I think you can upgrade to what ever cabin category you want and pay the difference from the basic inside cabins.

[sherin65]

Our dance studio/ballet company did this about 10 years ago with a large group of hs and college age dancers. They loved it! My dd was too young at the time. I know the dance teacher/studio owner took months to arrange things. I don't know if there was an official program back then to host such dance groups. The group did several numbers and I think performed two or three times during the cruise. I don't know what line it was on.

 

They never did it again. I'm not sure why. Everyone said they loved it but when my dd was part of the older group they didn't do any trips.

 

Sher

[Micki Dee]

Miki Dee,

 

How early do you need to book for these SAS performance cruises?

 

The earlier the better. This gives you your choice of sailings and ships and of course more time for the kids to fundraise to help offset some of the costs. Like I said, our director is already looking into booking for the fall of '09, so about a year in advance.

 

Do they just give you a 30 minute block to pefrom?

 

When we first did it in '03, we had 45 mins, but the last 2 time, we only had 30 mins. I don't know if this is negotiable or not. I'm going into the studio tonight for class, so I can ask my director. We've also gone over the limit too, with no problem as long as it's not too outrageous.

 

Did you have to take the kids out of school?

 

Yes, we usually go the last week of October or the 1st week of November, so the kids do have to miss a few days of school. It is in their competition contracts that they and their parents sign at the beginning of the year. We've never had a problem with any of our younger students. However, some of the college students have had problems in the past.

 

How long a cruise did you take?

 

We've taken 2 4-nighters and last years was a 5-nighter. Next year on the Freedom, it's going to be a 7-nighter, but that's what the parents have asked for.

 

How does the price compare to taking a regular cruise.

 

Last year for quad occupancy inside, it was around $400pp including all taxes/fee and gratuities. A balcony was around $550pp. They were not offering anything higher, so my DH and I booked a suite separately and then just had are ressies linked for dinner. Our daughter stayed with her girlfriend in an inside room with just 2 and we paid $432 for her. It was somewhat cheaper because we got a group discount rate, but not really a huge discount. The great part is you're cruising with all your friends and family. It really is a blast!

 

For the Freedom Cruise, the price right now for quad inside is $900pp. That doesn't sound much like a deal to me.

I think you can upgrade to what ever cabin category you want and pay the difference from the basic inside cabins.

 

When we finally did get all the docs with everybody's cabin number, someone was in an owners suite (not our director). I don't know if they upgraded them or if they managed to pay the difference.

[BroadwayGirl]

We had a group thru Stars at Sea on our Mariner cruise in June. I got stuck in the check in line behind 70 teen girls in matching shirts and hair bows..lol.

 

Their big performance was on a sea day at like 3 or 4 in the afternoon. The girls were going up and down the promenade asking pax to come. I didn't get to see their performance and I'm not sure if they got alot of people. They did get to perform in the main theater. I believe they also performed once more earlier during the cruise.

 

The girls on our cruise were pretty well behaved. We rarely saw them causing problems. The one quincenera group was another story!

[Amandah1987]

Stumbled on this thread when googling to see anyone's experiences. my daughter and her dance studio will be performing on the Explorer of the seas in November

We didn't go through that company though