We accommodate up to 550 grade 6 and grade 7 students at these dances. This number has been determined as safe and manageable and was arrived at with consultation of staff members, the fire department, our insurance company, and youth themselves.

We recommend the sooner the better. Even purchasing all tickets for the season on registration day is a great way to ensure you don’t miss out on any preteen dances.

We know things change and stuff comes up. We follow the North Vancouver Recreation Commission and Culture refund policy, which is “you’ll receive a full refund if you request to withdraw from a program or day camp more than seven days before the scheduled start date”. Medical reasons can be accommodated.

As a dance crew we are practicing general healthy principles and asking participants to do the same. Meaning whether staff, volunteer, or participant we are asking if someone is not feeling well that they do not work or attend the dance in consideration of other’s health.

No. To keep the process fair to all individuals we keep a waitlist once a dance sells out. As spaces become available we phone those on the waitlist. Phoned waitlist individuals are given 24 hours to claim the ticket. If spaces open up less than 24 hours before the dance only 4 hours of call back time is given.

We maintain a minimum ratio of one dance crew member for each twenty participants. The dance crew is made up of the Parkgate Youth Services team along with staff from Parkgate’s Child Care department. Volunteers are also huge contributors to the preteen dances. Typically these volunteers are grade 11 and 12 students who are great at peer mentoring. Each member of the dance crew (whether staff or volunteer) has passed a criminal record check, and several staff members trained in first aid are present during the event. In addition to the dance crew, Genesis Security provides licensed, professional security personnel.

We do a decibel level check every half hour at the dance totaling a minimum of 6 throughout the dance to ensure that music is in safe range for dancers. 88 dBA is our targeted decibel level. This number has been determined in accordance to Section 139 of the Regulation for Industrial Establishments (Reg. 851), which is outlined as an individual’s maximum daily levels of noise exposure in a 4 hour period. Ear plugs are available upon request for dance participants through dance crew staff.

Our DJs have been instructed to make sure the music reflects our goals of creating a fun, positive environment. We play the latest top 40 hits, but also field requests directly from the youth along with including some fun retro dance songs. All music played is clean/radio versions, so they are free of profanity.

We work hard to make the dances a welcoming environment for all. We understand that each preteen is different. Some personalities may gravitate to our dance crew lead dance offs, limbo contests, etc; whereas others may appreciate non-dance activities with smaller crowds, such as karaoke or games of pictionary/hangman.

While the aim of these preteen dances is to engage and socialize youth, any profit generated after the cost of running the dance is redistributed back to support Parkgate Society’s Youth Services programs. These low cost/no cost programs include weekly preteen/teen drop-ins, skate park BBQs, and the one to one crisis support we offer youth in the Mount Seymour/Deep Cove area.

No problem, you have until 8:00pm in check-in/redeem your dance ticket in the main entrance. After 8:00pm we take down the check-in tables and focus our attention on supervising and interacting with the preteens. Check-in after 8:00pm will occur by visiting the “office area” in Parkgate’s main entrance. Sorry after 9:30pm access will be denied.

There are no ins and outs at the dance. We do have a concession area for refreshments and have several other rooms of activity if a dance goer needs a break from the dance floor area. If a participant wants to leave before 9:30pm we make vocal confirmation with an adult first to ensure there is a pick up plan arranged.

If dance goers want to leave prior to 9:30pm, we need to verbally communicate with an adult/guardian/older sibling/parent to ensure they have a ride or that they are allowed to leave the dance on their own. We will also check-in to ask why they are leaving, with the goal to confirm that their dance experience was okay.

We strongly discourage preteens from bringing valuables to the dance including cell phones, as it is easy to misplace or lose items. $5 spending money should be adequate to purchase from the concession stand. Backpacks and jackets can be left in the coat check room at no charge. There is a courtesy phone in the lobby and youth workers have access to phones for youth to use if needed (ie. arrange a ride or check-in). Any dance crew member can help your child find a phone.

Again we encourage youth not to bring valuables such as cell phones and cameras. We don’t allow photography at the dances as Parkgate Society policy requires consent when photography is occurring. If a staff member observes photography this will be taken very seriously and will result in us taking appropriate action including discussions, deleting photo(s), and ongoing picture taking could result in being asked to leave the dance. We do take photography seriously, but at the same time can’t guarantee that we are able to stop every photo emerging from the dance.

The PerfectMind account is necessary for Parkgate Preteen Dance registration. Once you have added an account for your child or added them to your family account you should be able to easily register online via NVRC, via phone at 604-987-PLAY, or by visiting a front desk. After you have successfully registered for the Preteen Dance, we ask that you visit a front desk counter at any NVRC facility to add a photo of the dance attendee. The attached photo to the PerfectMind account is how we confirm that is YOU checking in. Adding the photo prior to dance helps us ensure the smoothest and quickest entry possible. It also helps us ensure that someone else who is claiming to be you doesn’t gain entry. Your PerfectMind account provides us with contact information in the event of an emergency so please ensure the information is accurate and up to date.

No. If youth have an allergy they are reminded to check labels and concession staff can help them make appropriate choices. We only sell nut free items but can’t guarantee that the facility and dance is certified nut free.

If a dance requires cancellation on the day it is scheduled, we will finalize the decision by 3:00 PM of that day. The first communication will be posted on our social media channels and website, followed immediately by emails sent to enrolled participants. These emails will include the reason for cancellation, details about the refund process, and any additional relevant information. If a dance is already in progress and needs to be cancelled, Parkgate Society’s social media and website will be updated first, followed by direct communication with participants using the emergency contact(s) information associated with their NVRC account.