Dance Studio 84 :: Policies

Dance Studio 84 Policies

Many of these policies have to do with our location - city ordinances, industrial center ordinances, CC & R’s, and neighbors to attempt to keep happy. It is very important that we respect and follow these policies.

GENERAL POLICIES

No food, drinks, gum chewing, or smoking allowed in studios (dance and lobby areas). Dancers may bring water, in a bottle sealed with a top into the dance rooms. Food may be brought and stored (not overnight) in the vending machine room, but not in dance bags in the dance rooms. ALL FOOD ITEMS MUST STAY IN THE VENDING MACHINE ROOM. We will ask you to either put it in this room or throw it away if you have it outside of the vending machine room. Anything that is left overnight will be thrown away.
No loitering or eating outside the building.
All vehicles of studio patrons must park directly in front of the studio (meaning, from the studio to the street). Do not park in front of the adjacent buildings. If parking is full and we need to spread out, please use spaces closer to street. No parking in the alleys.
Please park in a parking spot to drop off or pick up your student. We’d prefer that you walk in to drop them off and pick them up as this is much safer. Please remind children to not leave the building to look for you.
Please do not leave sodas, food, or any other trash outside. Please throw all food trash away using the vending machine room trashcans, not the restrooms.
Please be prompt in dropping off and picking up students. Notify studio if your child will be picked up by anyone other than who we are familiar with. Be sure they are aware of when class starts and ends. Always make sure the studio is open, there is an adult present (either an instructor or receptionist), and that class will be held as usual before leaving the student there. Be certain your child has entered class and is with an instructor.
The studio cannot be held responsible or liable for any losses of personal property or valuables.
Students arriving more than 10 minutes after class begins must have the instructor’s permission to join class.
Please do not bring strollers into the studios or let children go unsupervised in our lobby areas.

PARENT OBSERVATION

Parent observation day is held the first week of each calendar month. We request that parents only stay on these days. An instructor can give a much better and more productive class when only the students are there. The teachers can teach to the children’s level and the students are not distracted by the attention an “audience” can bring. If non-local grandparents, relatives, etc. are in town, or if a parent that normally cannot watch has the day off, please feel free to have them come observe class at any time.
One of the beauties of our building is all of the windows. At the same time, this sets us up for problems with people looking in them. Do not climb through any planters to look in the windows. It would be a shame if we had to black them out.
All students must enter from the front of the building, either the right side, or the left side. The back and side doors are for emergency use only.
Only students are allowed upstairs, except for parent observation days. Teachers will pick up amd bring down their younger classes to the bottom of the stairs. Please do not let siblings play on the stairs. No hanging out in the stairs.
While we would like to welcome parents to stay and read a magazine, look at the bulletin board, spend some time in the “break room” if it’s not too crowded with students, etc. there are times when the facility cannot accommodate this and we ask that you please do not loiter around inside. While our staff is happy to discuss “business” with parents, they are always quite busy and cannot “baby sit” the lobby. Younger children (siblings) unsupervised can harm themselves as well as damage the surroundings and we cannot provide the staff to monitor all of the lobby areas. I realize this sounds harsh and may be offensive, but if it hadn’t all happened numerous times before it wouldn’t be stated here. We want to keep this facility safe, clean, beautiful, and enjoyable. This is the second home to many people. Please respect our home. Thank you so much for observing this request.

TUITION

Tuition is based on a 12-month calendar year, 4 classes per month. Some months will have 5 classes, while others will only have 3 due to holidays when we are closed. Tuition remains the same (except for other circumstances where classes are canceled for reasons other than scheduled studio holidays and June when tuition is half).
All tuitions are due on the first lesson of each calendar month. Tuitions not paid on or before the 15th of each month will be subject to a 10% late fee, unless other prior arrangements have been made.
There are NO refunds or credits for absences. Make-ups are available in other classes within six weeks of the absence.
Credits will be issued for any classes that the studio cancels, unless a rehearsal time is added to make-up for it.
There will be a $15.00 charge for all returned checks.
All accounts must be paid up to date before a student is able to take part in any studio performance. If an account becomes more than two months delinquent and arrangements have not been made, student will not be allowed back in class until account is paid to date, including late fees.

DRESS CODE

Appropriate dress and shoes must be worn to class. ABSOLUTELY NO STREET SHOES ARE ALLOWED ON OUR DANCE FLOORS. Please label all shoes with name. Dancers should always have their hair away from their face. The following is a list of recommendations, as well as some regulations, as to the appropriate dress for class:

Combination classes: Any color and/or style leotard, tights, dancewear combination, black tap shoes with elastic rather than ribbons, pink ballet shoes.
Tap classes: black patent leather style with elastic rather than ribbons. Students must be studying Grade 5 tap technique or the majority of the class must be in junior high to wear the “jazz tap” style shoes. In that case, the instructor will inform you as to the brand and style.
Ballet classes: black leotards, pink tights, pink ballet shoes, hair in bun. Skirts and warm-ups are also allowed, at the instructor’s discretion.
Jazz classes: dancewear, no street clothes, black jazz shoes (unless otherwise specified by instructor). Split soles are ideal, but not necessary unless specified by an instructor.
Hip Hop classes: loose street clothes, NON-SKID, CLEAN soled shoes. NO SHOES THAT HAVE BEEN WORN OUTSIDE. Just as in all other styles of dance, students should have a pair of tennis shoes that are just for class.
DO NOT WEAR YOUR DANCE SHOES OUTSIDE OF THE STUDIO. This will only bring dirt onto the floors. Put your dance shoes on in the lobby then bring your dance bags into the room.

ATTENDANCE

Our attendance policies are provided to ensure the progress of students both as individuals and as a class. Our goal at Dance Studio 84 is to provide an atmosphere where self-esteem is built, and self-esteem is built from positive experiences, hard work, dedication, commitment, accomplishments, and setting goals and reaching them. Falling behind in a class due to lack of attendance does not help create a positive experience for the student.

Attendance is crucial to the development of dancers both as individuals and as a class. Our classes continue YEAR ROUND and long-term absences deter progress. If you must miss a class, please try to make it up. In order to perform with a class in any performance, students must attend regularly. For our annual June recitals, more than 4 absences
during a preparation period (usually February – June) are considered excessive and will be the teacher’s discretion to keep the student in a routine. Long-term absences (more than 3 weeks in a row) without notification will forfeit your place in class.

Further attendance policies for ballet students wishing to perform in Nutcracker:

In order to perform in our December Nutcracker, you must enroll by March 1 and continue attending class regularly through December. During the period of March 1 – September 1, no more than SIX absences are allowed (whether make-ups are taken or not). During the period of September 1 – Performance dates, no more than TWO absences will be allowed (whether make-ups are taken or not). Any absences above those allowed will forfeit your spot in Nutcracker.
ALL ballet students who meet the above attendance requirements are invited to take part in our annual performance of, “The Nutcracker”. In September, we hold an audition to cast the highlighted roles. Our ballet staff will always keep you up to date whether they feel that a ballet class should be added, removed, or whether a certain student should audition or not. In order to receive an invitation to this audition, to following is required:

During the summer months of July and August, each ballet student must attend a minimum of 8 ballet classes. Only 4 absences from their regularly scheduled classes will be allowed to be made-up.
Students must be enrolled, and regularly attending, at least TWO ballet classes per week, from March 1 through the Nutcracker dates.

ENROLLMENT AND PLACEMENT

All class placements and scheduling is solely at the instructor’s discretion. We work hard to earn your trust to put every student’s needs above all else. Changes in scheduling do occur throughout the year. Students progress differently, and therefore, classes need to be re-arranged during the year.
No one may join or transfer to an existing class without teacher permission. If there is a class you are interested in, let us know and we’ll let you know if we feel it’s appropriate for the student.
Ballet students must be enrolled in their performing classes by March 1. Changes may occur throughout the year, but, for example, if they wish to perform in two Nutcracker dances, then they must be enrolled in two classes as of March 1.
All students should attempt to study year-round. Coming to class only to meet the performance attendance requirements does not help to train them to be better dancers, nor does to provide the discipline that is vital to success. The time during the year when a class is NOT rehearsing a routine for a show is when the most technique is taught and when you’ll see the most progress occur. To come and go through out the year does not help to build their confidence in their dance abilities.

STANDARD POLICIES REGARDING STUDIO PERFORMANCES

Taking part in performances is not mandatory. While we do encourage the opportunity to perform, a student can certainly have a wonderful, positive experience and exposure to the art of dance just by attending our regularly scheduled classes.
All rehearsals and dress rehearsals prior to a performance are mandatory.
There are no video cameras or flash photography allowed at our June recitals or December “Nutcracker”.
Every performer in the June recitals, December Nutcracker, and/or Holiday Variety Show is expected to stay either backstage or in a designated area during the entire performance. No parents are allowed backstage or in these areas. We enforce this policy to insure the safety of our students and to provide a high quality atmosphere for the production. Not every teacher knows every parent of every student and therefore may not know who to release a child to.

Again, all of our policies are intended to provide the very best for our students.
Thank you for your cooperation in this effort.

Carla and Dance Studio 84 Staff