RESPONSIBILITY TO BE AWARE OF POLICIES, DATES AND EVENTS.  It is the responsibility of students and parents to be aware of school policies and payment schedules, as well as studio activities, performances, and dates the studio is open and closed.  Payment deposit reminders will be posted at the studio, and newsletters/notices will be sent home with students.  It is the responsibility of students and parents to read all notices and newsletters and to regularly check bulletin boards and www.TheDanceCompanySaltLakeCity.com to ensure they are informed.

REGISTRATION COMMITMENT.  Registering commits you to a ten-month season (September-June).  If a student must withdraw, written notice must be given prior to the 15th of the month before the next payment is due to avoid being charged.  Although the Summer Session and Summer Spotlight of Dance will be charged separately, it is expected that all students participate in order to continue advancement.

REGISTRATION & TUITION PAYMENTS.  There is a non-refundable registration fee of $25 per student or $40 per family per year.  This helps cover insurance, bookkeeping and other administrative costs.  For your convenience, Season tuition is divided into five equal installments.  Tuition is based upon the total number of classes offered during the Season, and divided into five equal payments.  Therefore, tuition payments are the same for each payment during the Season.   Tuition is to be paid either by

§ A series of postdated checks made payable to The Dance Company (TDC), or

§ A series of automatic credit card payments to TDC.

All postdated checks or Credit Card Authorization Form must be received at the time of registration.  Payments will be deposited and credit cards will be charged on the first of September, November, January, March and May.  Any changes to payment method or accounts must be made prior to the 15th of the month before the next payment is due (i.e. replacing existing checks with credit card payment authorization, issuing new checks due to an account change, updating credit card information, or student withdrawals.)  There will be a $20 returned check (NSF) fee charged to your account on all returned checks.  A $10 collection fee will be charged to families whose credit card on file is declined for any reason (loss, termination, new card number, new expiration date, etc.)  Tuition is non-refundable and non-transferable.  Tuition is based on reservation of space, not attendance; therefore, no refunds or credits will be given for absences.

STUDENT WITHDRAWALS.  If a student withdraws in the middle of a payment period, tuition for the current period is non-refundable.  Students are automatically enrolled for each subsequent payment period on the 15th of the month before the next payment is due.  After that date, the next tuition payment becomes due and payable.  No withdrawals will be accepted after the 15th of the month before the next payment is due.  To withdraw a student from classes, a parent must:

§ Inform the TDC Office Administration (not the teacher), prior to the 15th of the month before the next payment is due, and

§   Complete and sign a Class Change form provided by the office.

Calling, speaking to someone, telling a teacher or e-mail are not accepted as forms of withdrawal.

ATTENDANCE & MAKE-UP CLASSES.  In order to progress properly, regular attendance is necessary.  Please make certain that your student attends consistently.  Attendance is considered when placing a student in the appropriate class level.  Make-up classes are available for you if you wish to take advantage of that program.  If you do not take advantage of our make-up program, please note that we do not prorate and no refunds are given.  Ask instructor or office personnel for make-up times.

DANCE CLASS ETIQUETTE.  Dance classes require an expected decorum that is part of tradition.  In ballet classes, an air of formality and discipline reflects the aesthetic quality of ballet as an art.  In all classes, the teacher gives the students exercises; the students perform them, and the teacher responds to their performance with constructive feedback.  Individual corrections are often given in class.  Students are expected to be accepting and appreciative of these suggestions for personal growth and improvement.  Others should also listen and apply the corrections to their own work.  Students are encouraged to ask questions of the instructor.  Beyond this, students should not engage in conversation.  Be polite and respectful of the instructor and other dancers.  Full attention should be given to the instructor.  Each student should be serious and work hard so everyone can benefit and progress as scheduled.  A student who is disruptive in any way may be asked to observe class.  If you bring food into the dressing rooms, please clean up after yourself.  Gum is never allowed at TDC.

DISCIPLINE & EXCELLENCE.  The Dance Company provides a positive environment where every student is expected to strive for excellence to the very best of her abilities.  We, in turn, will always strive to make a positive contribution to the lives of our students by giving them the individualized guidance and attention, while instilling the values of commitment, respect, hard work, discipline and artistry.  In this way, an education in dance teaches life lessons far beyond steps and movements.  If a student does not wish to learn these principles, we may not be a good fit for you.

PUNCTUALITY.  We expect our students to be on time for class.  In the event that a student is late, she should enter the classroom prepared to dance, and stand in the doorway until the teacher invites her into the classroom.  A student arriving more than ten minutes late will be asked to sit and observe the class, and write an observation paper.  Disruptions are not conducive to good training; but more important, the exercises at the beginning of class are a crucial foundation of good training, and a dancer not properly warmed up during the beginning of class is more likely to suffer an injury.  Parents must understand that although you are paying tuition for that class, this policy exists to prevent injury and refunds will not be given.  If a student is habitually tardy, a conference may be scheduled with the parent.

CLASS ATTIRE & HAIR.  All students must follow the TDC Dress Code.  Dressing like a dancer contributes to performance attitude, which emanates from within the dancer.  PLEASE, NO SWEATSHIRTS OR OTHER LOOSE-FITTING CLOTHING.  See the current Dress Code section in this handbook for uniform details.  Remember that dangle earrings, bracelets, or necklaces are not allowed in any dance class.  If for reasons beyond her control, a student is unable to be dressed or groomed appropriately, she needs to speak to the instructor before class, and she may be asked to observe.  Always have an instructor check new shoes for fit before wearing.  We require that students wear a “cover-up” when not in the studio.  Cover-ups consist of a shirt, pants or skirt, and street shoes.  Do not wear any dance shoes outside, and do not wear any street shoes in the studio.  Hair should be NEATLY GROOMED in a bun, French braid pinned up off neck, or pulled back out of the face if too short for the above.  Jazz, Tap and Hip Hop students may wear hair in a neat ponytail.  Repeated disregard for apparel and grooming requirements will result in a student losing the right to participate in class. 

CLASS PLACEMENT.  Please understand that our goal is to help dancers reach their fullest potential, and we place students in the classes that will best facilitate their personal progress.  We try to keep the age ranges as close together as possible; however, each student’s technical capability is the primary indication for placement.  One student may differ in age from other students in the same class. Although placement does occur at the beginning of each dance year, we are regularly watching students who are both in need of special attention or mid-year advancement.  There is sometimes a tendency for students to expect to be placed in classes beyond their technical level for convenience or as a status symbol.  A student who is placed above her ability not only struggles in class, but also makes it more difficult for the teacher and other students in the class.  Imperative to the progress of each student, there needs to be a clear recognition of the criteria and level of each class.  For a student to push into a class ahead of her capacity is a barrier to the improvement for which the student is striving.  “Moving up” should not be expected every year.  Students advance to the next level according to ability, and not necessarily the number of years they have taken classes.  Each level follows a specific curriculum and it is crucial that each student master the technique of that level before advancing to the next.  Since dance builds off itself, if the student has not mastered the syllabus of one level, she is unable to correctly grasp the new concepts presented in the next level.  Our faculty knows the student’s ability on a daily/weekly basis.  At the end of each year, we as a group place each student according to both her progression and the general ability of each class level.  In other words, although there will always be a top, middle, and bottom of the class, a student will be placed in the appropriate level for her, and each teacher will work with her according to the level of the class, not the name of the level.  Please trust our judgment as professionals in this field to be making the decisions that we do.

PICK-UP POLICY.  To ensure the safety of our students, no student should be waiting to be picked up longer than 5 minutes after class has ended, unless notified or arranged with TDC.  The parents are solely responsible for their student after her class is over.  All instructors, staff, guests, students and any and all parties of liability are absolved once the student’s class has ended.  If your student attends one of the last classes of the day, please be considerate of staff members by picking her up promptly so the studio can be closed.

PARENT OBSERVATION.  Parents are invited to observe one class per child during the last week of each month.  Parents need to check in with the office before observing class.  Young students have a very difficult time concentrating when parents and siblings are watching through the studio or making a lot of noise outside the doorway.  Therefore, out of consideration for teachers and students, no young children or babies may stay to observe with them. 

OPEN COMMUNICATION.  At The Dance Company we value your input.  It is through productive parent involvement that our program continues to improve.  If you would like to contact Dixie personally, you may call her during daytime hours, Monday through Friday, at 583-1378.  Anonymous comments or complaints are thrown away, unread.  If a student or parent has any concerns, we would like to discuss them in person in order to come to a viable solution.  We ask parents to be supportive of our teachers and their artistic decisions.  When you enroll your dancer in a class, you voluntarily put yourself in that teacher’s hands.  We do not tolerate negativity or undermining of a teacher’s artistic authority.  We work hard to maintain a positive caring environment.

SPRING CONCERT.  Our studio policy is to have a full-costume stage performance one year and class demonstrations the next.  This tradition is one of the reasons our students tend to advance more quickly than those who are constantly using technique class time to work on performance choreography.  This is the year for our Spring Concert, which will be held in May.  The concert will be performed at the beautiful Marriott Center for Dance on the University of Utah campus.  A performance fee of $35 is assessed to each student in January.  This fee helps cover some of the concert expenses such as insurance, building rental, technician fees, programs, etc.  Tickets will be available for purchase before the concert.  Concerts necessitate some rehearsals in addition to regularly scheduled classes.  The rehearsal schedule will be given to students and parents as it becomes available.  Mom & Tot and Creative Dance classes do not participate in the Concert.  They will hold their own class demonstrations.

COSTUME FEES.  Students are required to purchase a costume for each performance class in which they are enrolled.  Our staff spends countless hours selecting modest costumes to compliment the dancer’s performance as well as keeping the costs down.

PHOTO RELEASE.  TDC is hereby granted permission to take photographs of students to use in brochures, web sites, posters, advertisements and other promotional materials it creates.  Permission is also granted for TDC to copyright such photos in its name.

ASSUMPTION OF RESPONSIBILITIES AND RISK.  Dancing is a potentially dangerous activity.  Although it is not expected for students to sustain injuries, the possibility exists.  Parents assume responsibility for the safety of their student, understanding and accepting the risks involved with dance training.  By assuming this risk, parents and students completely absolve all directors, instructors, staff, guests, students, and any and all other parties of liability for risk of harm.  Parents and students waive the right to any legal action for any injury sustained on TDC property resulting from normal class activity or any other activity conducted by students before, during or after class time.

CLASS	LEOTARD/TOP	TIGHTS/BOTTOM	SHOES	SWEATER	OPTIONAL
PRE-JAZZ	Black Balera Camisole Unitard CL2558 or Leotard SM6000; Balera Camisole MT2519 in Light Pink	Balera jazz shorts MT2764 in Black.	Black leather split-sole slip-on jazz shoes. (Bloch Elasta Bootie S0499 recommended)	(Optional) Bloch Cardigan Z0910 in black or Bloch Shrug Z0969 in black	Balera jazz pants MT2215 in black; Black Sweatpants of choice to be worn during warm-up only
JAZZ 1A	Black Balera Camisole Unitard CL2558 or Leotard SM6000; Balera Camisole MT2519 in Ruby	Balera jazz shorts MT2764 in Black.	Black leather split-sole slip-on jazz shoes. (Bloch Elasta Bootie S0499 recommended)	(Optional) Bloch Cardigan Z0910 or Bloch Shrug w/tie Z0969 or Bloch Shrug (no tie) Z0979 in black	Balera jazz pants MT2215 in black; Black Sweatpants of choice to be worn during warm-up only
JAZZ 1B	Black Balera Camisole Unitard CL2558 or Leotard SM6000; Balera Camisole MT2519 in Dark Teal	Balera jazz shorts MT2764 in Black.	Black leather split-sole slip-on jazz shoes. (Bloch Elasta Bootie S0499 recommended)	(Optional) Bloch Cardigan Z0910 or Bloch Shrug w/tie Z0969 or Bloch Shrug (no tie) Z0979 in black	Balera jazz pants MT2215 in black; Black Sweatpants of choice to be worn during warm-up only
JAZZ 2	Black Balera Camisole Unitard CL2558 or Leotard SM6000; Balera Camisole MT2519 in Imperial Blue	Balera jazz shorts MT2764 in Black.	Black leather split-sole slip-on jazz shoes. (Bloch Elasta Bootie S0499 recommended)	(Optional) Bloch Cardigan Z0910 or Bloch Shrug w/tie Z0969 or Bloch Shrug (no tie) Z0979 in black	Balera jazz pants MT2215 in black; Black Sweatpants of choice to be worn during warm-up only
JAZZ 3A	Black Balera Camisole Unitard CL2558 or Leotard SM6000; Balera Camisole MT2519 in Red	Balera jazz shorts MT2764 in Black.		(Optional) Bloch Cardigan Z0910 or Bloch Shrug w/tie Z0969 or Bloch Shrug (no tie) Z0979 in black	Balera jazz pants MT2215 in black; Black Sweatpants of choice to be worn during warm-up only
JAZZ 3B	Black Balera Camisole Unitard CL2558 or Leotard SM6000; Balera Camisole MT2519 in Peacock	Balera jazz shorts MT2764 in Black.		(Optional) Bloch Cardigan Z0910 or Bloch Shrug w/tie Z0969 or Bloch Shrug (no tie) Z0979 in black	Balera jazz pants MT2215 in black; Black Sweatpants of choice to be worn during warm-up only
JAZZ 4	Black Balera Camisole Unitard CL2558 or Leotard SM6000; Balera Camisole MT2519 in Lime	Balera jazz shorts MT2764 in Black.		(Optional) Bloch Cardigan Z0910 or Bloch Shrug w/tie Z0969 or Bloch Shrug (no tie) Z0979 in black	Balera jazz pants MT2215 in black; Black Sweatpants of choice to be worn during warm-up only
LYRICAL	Choice of leotard or tank	Jazz shorts or pants	Dance Paws	Dance Sweater
HIP HOP (All Levels)	Top of choice. No bare midriffs	Urban Groove Hip Hop Pant AH1521 in black (or similar black Hip Hop pants/capris)	Hip Hop shoes of choice. (To be worn in studio only!)
ADULT CLASSES	Choice of dance clothing		Appropriate dance shoes.