THE DANCE COMPANY OF SPEARFISH POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
GENERAL POLICIES
Printable Policy Information
Parent Etiquette located below

DRESS CODE
PLEASE SEE INDIVIDUAL CLASS INFORMATION FOR MORE DETAILS
 Hair must be secured properly and appropriate dance attire must be worn at every lesson. Proper attire is necessary as a view of body line is imperative for proper correction. Children’s feet can be easily damaged; therefore proper footwear is required for every lesson. 

• Any color of one-piece leotard, or appropriate tank.  No T-Shirts of any kind, no belly shirts
• Jazz Pants, Capri pants, or shorts with tights are the only acceptable bottoms. No Jeans or sweats.
• Any color of full-footed or footless tights can be worn with shorts or leotard.
• Hair must be secured to the head (bun, French braid, or tight ponytail).  If hair is too short to be completely put up, please pull it back enough so that it is not in the eyes or face.
• No Jewelry

All students must wear appropriate shoes for ballet, tap, jazz, and hip-hop classes

• Dance Magic-Pink Ballet shoes (please make sure that it has a leather sole, not cushion), and tap shoes, leotard and shorts or skirt with tights or jazz pants.
• Jazz and Hip Hop- Black ballet or jazz oxfords, or jazz sneakers, leotard or tank , and shorts or skirt with tights, or pants. (No T-shirts)
• Tap class – Black tap shoes, Capri pants or shorts with tights and leotard or tank top (no T-shirts).
• Ballet Technique Class– Pink or black Ballet shoes or toe undeez, leotard, and tights. (Skirt or shorts optional – No Pants)
• Ballroom Class – Jazz attire and character jazz shoes.
• Team classes have special requirements

 The dress code will be strictly enforced for the safety of the students. NO EXCEPTIONS. During the winter months sweatshirts will be allowed during warm ups only.    After warm up proper attire is required.  After warm up, proper attire is required. Hair must be secured properly & appropriate dance attire must be worn at every lesson. Proper attire is necessary as a view of body line is imperative for proper correction. Children’s feet can be easily damaged; therefore, proper footwear is required for every lesson.
Students without proper footwear or attire will be asked to observe class. Students who arrive more then 20 minutes after class has begun will be asked to observe class. This is for the child’s safety, and imperative for avoiding injury. Any student who repeatedly comes to class not prepared may be asked to leave. Additionally, any dancer whose hair does not remain secure may be asked to sit out for the remainder of that lesson. If a dancer is asked to sit out, they will take thorough notes; they will not leave the classroom but will instead view the lesson quietly from the side.
In order to keep the dancers training and learning at the highest level, we respectfully ask for your compliance.

STUDIO POLICIES
FEES An annual registration fee of $25 is required per student for class placement and is due with the registration form. Payment received after the 1st of the month will be charged a $5.00 late fee. There is a 25.00 fee on all returned and NSF checks and transfers. Notices for late payment will include a $10 late charge, and additional taxes. Fees are the same based on a 3 or 5 week month.
TUITION The Dance Company curriculum is an 8-month program. The full year tuition may be paid in August. Monthly installments are paid by ACH only. The Dance Company does not send out monthly bills. The entire amount of monthly tuition is due, even if your child missed class. All tuition is non-refundable. Exception are made with a doctor’s note stating the medical reason necessary for with-drawal, or if a class is canceled due to low enrollment & a substitution is not available. One month's notice in writing is required if a student plans to leave the program. Thank you for understanding no refunds after December 15th!

Please help maintain a clean School. All food and drinks must stay in the break area.
Street shoes are not allowed on the dance floor, and dance shoes should not be worn outside.
Please mark all your belongings with your name. Avoid UFOs (Unidentified Fashion Objects). Check for UFOs in the "Lost and Found" box. All items not claimed will be donated to charitable organizations.

ATTENDANCE, ABSENCES, DROP INS AND DROPPED CLASSES
DROP-INS ~ (must be prepaid) ·$10 per 45 min - 1 hour class / $15 per 1¼ - 1½ hour class
ABSENCE
All teachers must be informed in writing of all absentees.
Excused absences are as follows: illness (except the common cold), mandatory graded-school events, and family emer-gencies with teacher approval. Please come and watch unless you are contagious! If you miss due to illness, or to a holi-day observed by The Dance Co you can make up in another appropriate class. See instructor for best make-up choices. Make up classes may not be available for advanced students enrolled in unlimited classes, however, make up in an inter-mediate class is available.
If a student is ill or has another obligation, it would be appreciated if the School received a call or e-mail. We care about your children and like to know why they are not attending class. Although we support participation in other activities refunds are not given if classes are missed due to other obligations.
SNOW: The Dance Company will close due to snow along with the Spearfish School District.

ATTENDANCE
Faithful attendance is important to obtain the utmost from your child's dance education. It is only fair to the student, their fellow students, and teacher to attend and arrive on time to each class, unless ill. If a student has 3 absences in a row, a private lesson may be needed. If an instructor recommends your child for private instruction to 'catch up' you will be notified and every effort will be made to set a convenient time. Private lessons are mandatory for any student with excessive absences. Private instruction is between $20.00 and $40.00 an hour depending on the instructor.

ADDING OR DROPPING CLASS(ES)
 You MUST notify us in writing.  Changing or dropping classes will go into effect for the next month. You must notify the Dance Company IN WRITING by the 25th of the current month to have your class change/drop effective for the following month. The class schedule change will then take effect for the following month. Your class will NOT be dropped or changed by informing your instructor. After October 31st, there is a $5 fee each time you make a change/drop to your class schedule. By signing on the registration form you agree that if you do not notify The Dance Company in writing by the 25th of the month you will be responsible for monthly tuition payments until we have received notice in writing. NO REFUNDS will be given for classes not attended. REMEMBER, if you need to drop classes but do not inform us in writing, your tuition will con-tinue to be charged and you will be responsible for tuition until the time we receive your notice. A student not paying tuition or not informing The Dance Company of absence(s) will be consider a “dropped student” after 6 consecutive ab-sences, parents will be responsible for all outstanding balances, and dancers will not be allowed to return to class until the following year. Dancer(s) who’s accounts are current but have missed 4 consecutive absences before a performance and/or recital will not be allowed to perform.

COMMUNICATION
 Email, Notices, Information Center  The Dance Co will be using EMAIL to keep everyone up to date. If you do not have an email please make sure we know how to communicate with you. (additional fees may apply for mailing notices) Notices will NOT be given in class, and will be posted on the peg board at the front door!  We encourages open communication with the parents and teachers. Please try to contact your childs’ instructor outside of class time when possible. Don't let problems go without resolution!!
Contact the School at 605-645-3269, 645-0503 or E-mail dance-company@rushmore.com

STUDENT SAFETY
Students are to wait inside the school for their rides. Please tell your children to wait INSIDE for you.
Parents and Siblings waiting for their children, are to wait outside of the classroom .
Students should not arrive more than 5 to 10 minutes before their lesson & are to leave the studio after the class is done.
Little ones get very upset when their parents are late after class. For their safety, caution them about not leaving the building until you arrive.
We cannot assume responsibility for students after class is dismissed, as there is no one to supervise their activities.

DISCIPLINE GUIDELINES
Students who become a discipline problem will be dealt with according to the following guidelines:
Parents please refrain from coming into the classroom to discipline your child.
This not only disrupts class, it also discounts the instructor. If this becomes an issue, parents will be contacted. 1.) Verbal Warning—The student will be asked in class to refrain from the behavior. They will be given 2 verbal warn-ings before additional action is taken. The student will also be reminded of the warning when they are leaving class. 2.) If after the parent has been asked to intervene, and the child continues to be a problem, the teacher may remove the student from class for the day. This rule will be enforced only with age -appropriate levels. A student will not be left unattended unless it is appropriate to do so, according to their age. They will also need to have a meeting with the teacher and/or Director within two days of incident. 3.) If removing the student from class for the day still does not solve the problem, the parent will be informed and the student may not be allowed to dance in that class for the remainder of the year. (The student will forfeit any paid tuition, competition fees, costume deposits, etc. If costume balance has been paid, the student will receive their costume.)
If a student does not respond to disciplinary actions by the teacher and continues to be a problem, the parents will be informed and asked to intervene. The student will also have to write an apology letter to those involved (teachers and/or other dancers) in order to come back to class.

We at The Dance Company want to assure you that our main goal is to offer your child an outstanding dance education in a happy, positive atmosphere.   We reserve the right to refuse enrollment.

PARENT ETIQUETTE
The Dance Company Student Etiquette, Parent Support and Notes
 

• Thank you for being on time and prepared for class, arrive a few minutes early and be ready to DANCE!

• Thank you for being respectful to instructors, other dancers, parents, and staff

• Thank you for saving all conversations for outside of dance classes

• Thank you for not leaning, lounging or hanging on the ballet barres or playing with mirrors!

• Thank you for not sitting in class

• Thank you for asking permission to join the class if you are late.

• Thank you for cleaning up after yourself and your child both in the waiting area and dressing room!

• 
  Thank you for pitching in and helping take care of our studio!

• Thank you for communicating in writing with your teacher. Email or a short note really help! If injured, tell instructor PRIOR to class... work slowly & carefully or observe If you are ill (running a fever and/or contagious) PLEASE do not come to class. We don't want to get everyone sick. Please NO sharing liquids. Water only in class.

• Thank you for sending healthy snacks and LOTS of water. Food in break room only please. If you have to use the restroom please ask, then leave quietly & return quickly.  If you must leave early, please discuss with your teacher PRIOR to class.

• Thank you for turning OFF Cell phones. If parents need to contact their dancer for any reason they may call the studio phone 645-0503. (In the past we have had problems with dancers texting, answering phone calls, or checking the voicemails during class, phones can be in class but must be left on the shelf– Thank you!!!)  Friends & families will only be allowed to watch in the viewing area. Please refrain from distracting class & students (even during break time).  Please discuss exceptions with teacher PRIOR to class. Loitering of friends (boys or girls) is not allowed.  Dancers are in training & everyone needs to stay focused.

• Thank you for picking your child up INSIDE the studio, please communicate with teacher any changes in the adult picking up your child and make sure we are up to date on contact numbers --For the safety of the students !

• Thank you for following the dress code policies! These will be strictly enforced !

• Thank you for reviewing these rules with your student.
  
  Beginning Students & Students trying new classes!
  If this is your first time dancing with us, please know that dance is a wonderful form of expression and exercise, and we want to make sure your experience is a positive one. Please don't be afraid to ask questions, and for help when needed.
  
  If you take class and find that the movements are complicated or challenging for you, understand this is normal. Please take a class several times to become familiar with the teaching style and general movement, and to allow your body to acquire a certain amount of muscle memory, stamina and strength. It does get better (generally after 4-5 classes) . Please note that our classes are designed to challenge you in body awareness, fitness, and artistry.
  Parent Support—A vital role for student success—
  
  "Positive Attitudes Create A Positive Atmosphere" Any individual talking negatively about any student, parent, or staff member will be asked to leave.If it’s a reoccurrence, they will not be allowed to return. Thank you for keeping a positive atmosphere for our students!
  
  Parental support is very much appreciated by all the teachers; however, it is very important that parents and students re-spect all teachers' decisions regarding costumes, choreography, class placement etc. Staff will handle all communication between competition personnel, costume companies, etc. and our studio.
  
  Your attitude is reflected on your student. Please maintain a positive attitude both in and out of the studio at all times.
  
  Student Conflicts Personal student conflicts that cause class disruption will not be tolerated. Students that bring conflict into the classroom cause tension, disturb teaching, and hurt classroom camaraderie. Teachers will try to mediate with students who have conflicts with others in the classroom. However, some situations may require parent assistance. Parents and/or children need to inform their teacher if there is a problem within the class by the next dance lesson.
  
  Being unkind to fellow classmates is unacceptable, and will not be tolerated. The Dance Company is a place for students to express themselves without fear of pain or rejection, while working to build their self esteem and confidence. Parent assistance in this mission is greatly appreciated.