Studio Policies

All Gotta Dance! policies were developed with the intention of creating a safe, supportive, and welcoming environment for our dancers and the members of their family. If any policy needs further clarification, please feel free to ask.

Class Placement

Student placement is based on age, previous training, and experience. Classes focus on building technique and confidence by teaching proper body placement, alignment, flexibility, and strength using barre work, floor work and progressive combinations.

Recital numbers focus on the performance skills and curriculum learned for the 2011-2012 year, and are started after winter break.

Our experienced and qualified Gotta Dance! staff will make all final decisions regarding placement, and has only the best interest /safety of each student in mind when making these decisions.

Attendance

Attendance matters! Your fellow dancers depend on you to attend class consistently.

Attendance plays an important role in how quickly a student advances and how well the class performs together as a whole. Dancers who take more than one class per week are more likely to improve their understanding and mastery of dance than those who attend only once a week. Similarly, students who study ballet are more likely to advance to higher levels of dance at a faster rate.

Any student who will miss a class for any reason needs to notify the studio before the absence, and leave a message for the instructor before attendance is taken at the beginning of each class. Extended absences should be discussed with and approved by the instructor. Excessive absences may result in removal from class or the recital performance.

Tardiness

Please be prompt! Students who are late distract classes already in progress. For your child's safety, any student who arrives more than 10 minutes late must receive approval from the instructor before joining the class in progress. If the warm-up or stretch portion of the lesson has already been completed, the tardy student must follow the teacher's instructions regarding warm-up before joining the class to avoid injury. Late students will be asked to put their dance shoes on in the waiting area before entering class to assure as little interruption as possible.

Make Up Classes

If class is cancelled due to inclement weather, or your child misses a class, Gotta Dance! Performing Arts Studio offers make up classes for all ages and skill levels.

All make up classes need to be completed within 30 days of the missed class. Solos, duets and trios are made-up at the discretion of the instructor.

Tuition is prorated, and is non-refundable. Please contact the studio by phone or see the front desk for available make up dates and times.

Drop Off & Pick Up

Please do not drop off or pick up your child at the curb outside the front door of the Gotta Dance! studio. The studio parking lot is a busy place, where drivers may not be watching for your children crossing to the studio. Since this is a serious safety issue, we request that parents park their cars, and either escort or supervise the child as the dancer enters the studio.

All students must remain inside the building until their parents arrive to pick them up. Students whose parents are late will wait inside the studio until the parents arrive.

Observation

To allow students to focus on their dance instructor, family members and friends will remain outside the classrooms while class is in session unless otherwise notified.

Sign up for the Gotta Dance! Newsletter to stay informed on class schedules including dates where parents and friends may observe students taking a class. In addition, Gotta Dance! Performing Arts Studio will offer a chance for students to show off their talent to their peers on Bring A Friend to Class Day and may also be observed for the last 5 minutes of class on Studio Spirit Days.

Please remember to chat or visit with instructors, students, and parents outside the studio because your child's instruction time is valuable. Please ask for an appointment to meet with the class instructor if you have any questions, or feel free to contact the studio or by phone or email. Your comments and concerns are important to us, and we are happy to meet with you.

At Gotta Dance! Performing Arts Studio, parents, students, and instructors work together to create a positive learning environment. Please help support and encourage your child and his or her classmates as they develop their love of dance. Gotta Dance students have positive attitudes and show respect for themselves and others at all times.

Dance Attire

Proper dance attire must be worn to insure freedom of movement, high quality instruction, and student safety. Baggy clothing or street clothes are not allowed in class as our instructors necessitate a full and unobstructed view of a student's body to correct and refine their placement. Hair must be pulled back securely and jewelry, other than wedding rings and stud earrings, should be removed before class.

Also, please be prepared with the appropriate footwear for class. Students consistently unprepared for class may be asked to sit and observe on days they are noncompliant with the dress code. Please see our Studio Dress Code for more information on the proper attire for each class we offer.

Personal Belongings

Gotta Dance! Performing Arts Studios is not responsible for lost or missing items. We strongly suggest that students label all personal belongings and gear. Please do not bring expensive items to the studio, such as hand-held games, jewelry, MP3 players or iPods.

If an item is missing, simply contact the front desk or an instructor to check the lost and found box located in our office. At the end of each month, all unclaimed items will be disposed of or donated to charity.

Tuition, Late Payments & Charges

A non-refundable registration fee of $15.00 is due at the time of registration to hold a spot in the dance classes of the student's choice. This fee is not transferable to others. Gotta Dance! Performing Arts Studio does offer family discounts on the registration fees for additional siblings enrolling in classes, as well as a family discount on tuition for families with multiple Gotta Dance! students.

All class tuition is paid by the 10th of each month. Checks, cash, money order or credit cards are accepted as payment. Any payments made after the 10th will incur a $10.00 late fee, no exceptions made. Returned checks will be charged a $30.00 processing fee. Students with tuition accounts more than two months late will be suspended from classes until their account is made current.

Class tuition is non-refundable, and is not pro-rated. Students who miss classes can choose to take a make up class by contacting the front desk. If a student needs to withdraw from classes, we request s written notice 30 days in advance. Costume deposits are nonrefundable. All tuition and costume balances must be paid in full before dress rehearsal.

Studio Upkeep

Be respectful of studio property. Please do not hang on the barres, climb on desks, shoe racks, or chairs. We ask all students to help us keep the studio looking its best by hanging up coats, lining up shoes on racks, and keeping belongings in dance bags until needed. Street shoes, sandals, and sneakers should remain in the waiting area.

Food and drinks are not permitted in the studios. Also, gum is not permitted in the studio or waiting areas. Water bottles for rehearsals should be kept in dance bags.

Rosen and body powders may not be used in the building as they may make the floors slippery, creating a dangerous environment for other dancers.

Monthly Newsletter

Gotta Dance! Performing Arts Studio issues a monthly email newsletter to keep is subscribers informed of studio events, student achievements, observation days, policy updates, and more. Newsletter sign up can be found at the bottom of every page on gottadanceny.com or on the wall tab of www.facebook.com/gottadanceny. Free printed copies will also be available at our front desk for pick-up.

Staying up-to-date on the information provided in the newsletter is the responsibility of the students and parents, so please read it promptly.

Dress Code

No baggy clothes or sweatpants are allowed in any class. All students must have hair pulled back and secured away from face. Appropriate footwear must be worn in class. Dance shoes may be ordered at Gotta Dance! Performing Arts Studio.

Ballet

Ages 3-6: Any bodysuit/leotard, tights, pink leather ballet shoes, ballet skirt and leg warmers optional.

Ages 7 and up: Solid colored bodysuit/ leotard, pink, white, or tan tights, pink leather ballet shoes.

Jazz

Solid colored bodysuit, tights, tan leather split sole jazz shoes, any dance shorts or form fitting tank.

Hip hop

Any bodysuit, tights, white soled sneakers not worn outside the studio, dance shorts, capris or tank tops optional.

Acro

Solid colored bodysuit, footless or convertible tights, no shoes – students will take class bare foot to ensure no one slips while tumbling.

Tap

Tan tap shoes and any bodysuit, tights, dance capris, shorts or tank tops optional.

Lyrical

Solid colored bodysuit, footless or convertible tights, foot undeez, dance shorts or tank tops optional.

Pom, Musical Theater & Cheer/Hip Hop Fusion

Dance capris or tights and dance shorts, any bodysuit or form fitting tank top, tan split sole jazz shoes.

Pilates / Yoga

Dance capris or yoga pants, tank top or form fitting shirt.

Zumba

White soled sneakers not worn outside the studio and comfortable work out clothes.