A Note from the Director

Dear Parents,

December was very exciting! We had our Team Showcase and our Winter Dance Concert. Both events were successful because of the collective teamwork of our staff, coaches, and teachers. They all did an incredible job making sure the students were prepared and the events went smoothly. The students who competed and performed showed great progress and maturity. It was a joy to see them in their element on the gym equipment and onstage!

We have also been busy registering families for the Winter/Spring semester. When we return from the holiday break, there will be a month left of our Fall Semester and we will have parent observation in all of our classes. Check your inbox for those dates. 

I can't believe we are wrapping up 2024. It's been an incredible year and we are grateful to be in this community together with you all. Have a joyful and restful holiday season!

Warm Wishes,
Katie Kheel

Winter/Spring registration is open!

Many gymnastics classes are full from priority registration and waitlists, but check in with us to see which classes have space.

We have space in dance, toddler, and karate classes!

On December 15th, we held our annual Winter Dance Concert. All of our wonderful teachers, staff, and students got up early to get their hair, makeup, and dancing shoes ready to showcase what we've been working on the whole semester! Staff and dance teachers arrived to prep our spaces, put out name tags, and organize costumes and snacks. When our dancers arrived, they quickly got changed into costumes and waited in the theater for our dress rehearsal on the stage. It was so exciting that our classes each got to watch one another during rehearsals and encourage each other in their dances.

Once our dress rehearsal finished, our students went to waiting areas to have snacks and prepare for the show. As families and friends arrived to watch the show, dancers prepared in our backstage area. The dancers did an incredible job performing their dances. We had everything from hip hop to contemporary and ballet. While some of the performances were to more classic Nutcracker music, others were to winter themed pop music and holiday classics.

-Julia, Ballet Teacher

The Discovery recital this past Sunday at the Stephen Gaynor School was a great success. Students danced to a variety of holiday tunes with joy and enthusiasm. The dancers' hard work and dedication to their craft was evident throughout the performance.

Genres of dance performed at the recital included hip hop, ballet, and contemporary with ages ranging from 3-13. Our five dance teachers, Julia, Sarah, Faride, Yuka, and I, each choreographed spectacular dances that allowed each individual dancer to shine on stage.

We are already excited for the next recital in the spring! Be sure to sign up for spring semester dance classes in order to participate in another fabulous show!

-Rachel, Contemporary and Ballet Teacher

On December 8th, The Discovery Gymnastics Team kicked off their season with the Team Showcase. The Showcase is an annual event that gives gymnasts the opportunity to perform their new routines in a competition setting before heading out to competitions. We hosted a certified judge from the USAIGC league that provided scoring and great feedback to coaches and gymnasts. Our team consists of five levels: Copper 1, Copper 2, Bronze, Diamond and Silver. 

Session one featured our Copper 2 (Level 2) and Diamond (Level 4) teams. Each group performed wonderfully on all events and highlighted a very strong Floor performance, showing wonderful growth in artistry and tumbling.

Session two was our Bronze (Level 3) team. This group had a great competition with a very strong showing on Uneven Bars, which at the Bronze level is the toughest event to compete.

Session three showcased Copper 1 (Level 1) and Silver (Level 5). For Copper 1, this is most of their first times in a competition setting. This showcase allowed them to learn how competitions work and watch the highest level at Discovery perform. Copper 1 had a wonderful performance on all events.

Our Silver gymnasts, consisting of six team members, is our largest Silver team to date. They showcased such growth in our competition team. Most Silver members have been competing at Discovery for over five years and some even took classes at the ages of 1-3 and are now in high school. Silver gymnasts received many compliments from the judge, such as 'very mature' and 'strong gymnastics throughout all events, especially the Balance Beam (which, don't forget, is only four inches wide)!'

 -Mary, Gymnastics Director, Recreational & Team Coach 

Before the showcase, I was really hoping to see the gymnasts nail their special requirements and show confidence in themselves and their skills. In the week leading up to the showcase, my goal was to let the gymnasts know that I believe in them and that they should believe in themselves too.

During warmup, there was a mix of nerves and excitement. If someone was feeling nervous about their routine, I reminded them how well they did in practice that week and that we’ve been working together on this for a while. They did a fantastic job! Some of them had been worried about making specific skills in practice leading up to showcase, and I was so proud to see them nail those skills in their routines!

I think it was a bit surprising to some of the Copper 1 gymnasts how quickly everything happened. They get a chance to show off everything they’ve been practicing for months in just a couple of hours! I’m excited to see them keep working hard as they set goals for the upcoming competitions and the rest of the season.

-Marcus, Recreational & Team Coach

Happy Holidays!

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www.discoveryprograms.com    |    212-749-8717    |      discoveryprograms251@gmail.com