Ms. Hetal’s Productions – From one of the emails..

People often ask why I don’t allow late entries into my productions. Here’s the simple reason. 😊

My productions are story-based, curriculum-based, by genre and some are explicitly by styles and planned almost an entire year in advance.

Every dance, role, costume, formation, transition, backstage responsibility, photography schedule, interviews, and production timeline is carefully designed.

By the time we’re in the last three months, almost everything is finalized.

Many people think,
“We’ll save money and join just for the last three months so we can perform.” Unfortunately, that’s usually not possible.

Here’s what the last three months actually look like for us:

• Final 2 months: Closing choreography, production polishing, role confirmations of various dancers or drama final music dubbing and sound, Elite planning, costume checks, formations, props, certificates, medals, photography schedules, sponsor coordination, and countless production details.
• Last month: Mostly rehearsals.
• Last 15 days: No regular classes at all. That’s my time to prepare as the Artistic Director for the production itself.

At that point, there are simply no extra roles left. Sometimes the stage is literally full. 😊, Run time is super full.

Most of my productions have anywhere between 30 to 70 performers, with approximately three to four hours of stage programming.

We also have strict venue timelines—we have to finish on time and hand the hall back. Adding even one additional performer affects formations, rehearsals, backstage flow, costumes, photography, lighting cues, and timing.

Since students are in “learning phase” so it is becomes too much for them to accomodate changes. Mostly kids that’s why. Adults are usually not a problem. Sometimes Adults too are not able to because of “learning phase”. It is that full.

On top of the performances, many productions include:

• Live video shoots
• Model shoots if any we have on list
• Interviews
• Professional headshots
• Sponsor recognitions, if any.
• Felicitations of our Student of the Year awards
• Felicitations for various parents and Elites
• Costume showcases
• New choreographers, staff or interns launches
• Product/Brand launch activities, if any
• Special guest appearances if Ms. Hetal invites somebody.
• Media coverage – One photographer and videographer is in-house.
  • One is from outside! See these service providers.

Everything is scheduled well in advance.

Our students also progress through a structured curriculum and graduate by level. Many use these performances and certifications as part of their college portfolios or artistic achievements. Because of that, I have to maintain very high production standards. I simply cannot compromise the quality or fairness of the process.

People sometimes pay for a drop-in class just to see rehearsals, sometimes to see if they can catch up to work or hoping they’ll get included in the production.

I honestly remember many of them who come like this because I genuinely feel bad when I have to say no. Sometimes I can accommodate someone, as some are really good. Sometimes I simply cannot.

It depends on the year’s story, theme, choreography, character requirements, available stage space, costumes, rehearsal time, and countless production logistics.

Certificates and medals too are planned way in advance. Sometimes even the certificates, medals, and production materials have already been printed months in advance. Usually, Ms. Hetal is on her way to pick those. That’s all.

One thing people may not realize is that saying “no” isn’t personal.

It’s logistics.

It’s planning.

It’s respecting the students who committed and rehearsed throughout the year and that itself takes on their brain space.

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One interesting example was during the pandemic.

Our rehearsals had already been completed just before the lockdowns, and several groups had even finished costume rehearsals.

We hadn’t reached lighting rehearsals yet, but because everything else had already been prepared, we were able to use those recorded performances throughout the following year in various competitions and showcases despite the lockdowns.

It did not affect my anything.

My classes simply continued for the next level and that too was because people had “nothing to do” because of lockdown. Usually we have 2 months of holidays but that year in particular, next level continued, without break.

This made August 2021 as one of the biggest list of number of productions.

Morning 9 am to Night 9pm, 8 productions back to back including drama, some refused to do indoors so 1 production was added outdoors and 1 shoot was part of it. Run time was so tight, that 2 shows were overlapped indoor and outdoor 🙂

Dhamaal Events workshop students did not even perform that year as some were just workshop students – uncertainity in completion, uncertainity in online mode of learning, uncertainity of when the pandemic is over type of issues. It did not matter to them if instructor could not come to DFW, it all went online. Anyways, Dhamaal Events package was not about performance. Eg – Manojbhai’s workshop students did not perform. #YES

Students actually graduated that year as well and the costume and semi-costume rehearsals were their keep sake.

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So if anyone ever wondered why I couldn’t fit them into a production at the last minute, this is the reason.

It’s never because I don’t want to. Sometimes there’s simply no room left on the stage.

Sometimes, i have back to back productions through out the day and then I have shoots for certain projects or submissions. Photographers or videographers are paid for their time. I have to stick to time.

And when every role, formation, cue, costume, and production minute has already been assigned, there really isn’t anything left to add.

I truly appreciate everyone who wants to be part of our productions. If I say “not this time,” it simply means the production has already reached the point where it cannot be expanded fairly or safely.

There will always be another opportunity to begin the journey from the start, where everyone has the chance to grow, rehearse, and become part of the story together.

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Lot of people come for drop in. They actually pay for it. Open house and batch trial class are usually free. For that too trial class registration is absolutely required. Email, Phone Number, Details of class.

Trial class does not mean enrollment of the program, be it paid or unpaid.

Once the enrollment is completed (which means transaction is completed and there is record of it) so upon reaching certain number of students, Ms. Hetal does not allow new students.

It is 100% allowed to take a paid-drop in class. Drop prices vary.

— Do not copy any word, concept or any ideology, verbiage, picture , any clip or dance, or any wordings of Ms Hetal as it is full trademarked, some copyright received and some ip too, by country – 2012-current