We are currently enrolled in the class. Why do we need to re-register for each new semester? - Schedule may change depending on the time of the year, enrollment, and your feedback provided as part of semester-end surveys. Your emergency contact information such as email and phone numbers may change as well. Your child's may decide to try a different style of dance. For these reasons we ask you to spend 2 minutes and complete our online registration form prior to each semester. Do I need to buy special dance shoes/uniform for my child? - Yes, special uniform is required for most of the classes, including pre-ballet and creative movement levels. Dance class involves physical activity and we must ensure comfort and safety of the child. Please refer to our uniform policy in school policies section. We are so excited about upcoming dance class. We read your class attire guidelines but couldn't help but purchase a beautiful skirt (tu-tu with flowers, etc.) Is this ok? - No, for several reasons. First, skirts in pre ballet class have a particular utility. They keep your child hands busy with holding the skirt instead of busy pinching each other or doing something else. Second, they help to learn basic ballet movements by association. Depending on the movement they may hold the skirt differently. Third, if you child wears a different type of attire they may refuse to join the class because they feel different. We have been there many times. Forth, they may spend too much time and attention playing with flowers instead of focusing and listening to the instructor. Your child will be very happy wearing this beautiful skirt at home. Can parents be present during the class? - We offer observation class toward the end of the semester where we invite parents to the class for a showcase. This is in addition to the recital, where all family members are invited to attend and celebrate students performance and success. We do not allow parents to be present at any other class sessions in order to keep children focused and improve their educational experience. - For parents of 3-5years old, please see "My child is 3-5 yrs old..." question below.
What is the age range for classes? - Class age groups are structured in a specific way to align curriculum with children’s abilities. Each age group break up used in our classes corresponds to physiological development stage of a child. Motor skills and physical abilities may differ from child to child, but generally falls into the following breakdown: 3-5, 5.5-7, 7.5-9, 9.5-12, 12.5 and up. Is my child is ready for next level? - Contrary to general believe, placing a younger child with older kids will reduce child's interest in the activity to a negative level for three primary reasons: a. Children feel comfortable, and thus learn and perform best, within their age group. Being the youngest may result in negative feeling about the group. b. Child's motor skills are not sufficiently developed yet to keep up with the next level curriculum. Being "behind" everyone else in class results in the "looser" feeling. c. Even though, we limit class sizes, the instructor will not be able to deviate too far from the program, and spend extra attention on a student who is significantly behind. The emphasis is placed on average class level. Student may feel neglected. Generally, students are unable to articulate the above feelings and causes to parents very well. This often results in "this activity is not for my child" or even worse "my child is not capable" conclusions. And neither conclusion is accurate. This is why we try preventing this from happening, rather than repeating negative outcomes. The above reasons are the same as why all educational institutions, such as schools, and other structured activities place age brackets on grades and levels. Placing the child into next level prematurely would result in regressing his/her interest in dance from "interested" to "dislike". We will absolutely definitely tell you when your child is ready for next level. We have no reason to keep children from progressing up. We hope that this explanation will give you good background for discussing your child progress with the instructor.
My child occasionally wears diapers. Is it OK to attend class with diaper on? - It is absolutely OK to attend class with diaper on. We also highly recommend parents of all 3-5 year old to ensure child uses restroom before class. If one child wants to use the restroom during class, rest assure, everyone else in class wants to use it too. This is how 3 years old are...
Do you offer private lessons? - No we do not offer private lessons. However, we will be glad to discuss your child dancing needs and provide an advice if we can. - The age at which dancers start pointe work varies from student to student. Strength is paramount in being able to wear pointe shoes for extended periods of time. Premature wearing of pointe shoes or insufficient training can result in serious injuries and/or disabilities. Generally, the age of 10-12 years old is considered most appropriate. It's important to understand that pointe work is specific to a dancer’s strength and skill level, not to an age, syllabus, or methodology. Qualified teacher must make a decision as to when a student is ready for pointe work.
What happens when a class is canceled? - We follow Eastern School District cancellation policy. If the circumstances are in our control we will make any effort to find substitute instructor. In case if it is canceled due to Dance Academy reasons we will offer a make up class.
If I wish to withdraw from a class half way through the semester. Is it OK not to pay second payment? - No, tuition payment plan is offered for your convenience. Semester tuition fee is not optional. In any case, please talk to us before you withdraw and not make a payment. We want make sure that even if you decide to withdraw we have no unaddressed problems or concerns. If I wish to withdraw from a class can I get a refund? - Yes, if we are notified prior to refund deadline. Please refer to registration policy for details.
Can I try a class out first to see if I like it? - We offer "Bring a Friend" class, which is the best time to try it out. We do not have try outs outside of this offer. Students registration and fees must be payable before the first class. We limit number of students in all classes. If we offer try out class at the beginning of each session then some students may not be able to register and start because class is already full. Please contact us for Bring a Friend class dates. How many students are in the class? To ensure quality of instruction and learning experience ballet classes for 3-5 and 5-7 years old are limited to a maximum of 10 and 12 students respectfully. Classes for 7.5yrs and up are limited to 14 students. I missed the registration, can I start semester late? Bringing in new students late into the session will impact the student's ability to catch up, as well as the impact on the rest of the group. Feeling of "being behind" may negatively affect students attitude toward the class and dance activity in general. Awareness of this fact along with setting correct expectations will help if students have missed 3-4 classes. We signed up after semester already started. Can we get a discount? The tuition fees are covering the knowledge and skills acquired in the course of the semester. If the student starts late the instructor spends considerable amount of time and personalized attention to bring the student up to the level of the rest of the students. We expect all students receive equal value of dance instruction by the end of the semester. Thus we do not offer discounts for late start. After first 3-4 weeks it becomes difficult to achieve this goal without putting at risk overall class progress and we no longer accept students into this semester. What special events does the Dance Stars Academy have and how will I know when they are? We offer "Bring a Friend" classes, Parents Observation classes, and Recitals. We will be posting announcements on our website, at the locations of instructions, newsletters and email announcements (if you provide your email address). We also looking for opportunities to participate in local and community events.
How many classes are in the semester and how long are they? Classes last for anywhere from 45 min to hour and a half depending on the group age and class type. Classes and registration are offered on the semester basis. Depending on the calendar year semester may be 15-19 weeks long.
How do I register for classes? You can register online by completing registration form. You can also call us and register by phone at 940-4702. Payments can be made in two installments per semester. Signed registration form is required before child can take a class. We do not have any registration, activity or memberships fees. Additional fees are charge for recital to cover associated expenses, such as costumes, theater rental, etc. What methods of payments do you accept? We accept online payments via credit card, direct bank transfer, PayPal, Interac, personal checks, cash and money orders.
Do I need to pre-register for classes? We announce schedule and registration via newsletter distribution list several weeks before each semester begins. Class space is limited therefore we suggest to reserve class space when registration begins. Please note, cancellations are rare but we do have waiting lists. My child is 3-5 years old and tried dance class before. She/he sometimes cry and have a difficult time staying in class without mom? What can be done about it? This is one of the key questions and can make or break your child's interest to dance. Our experience shows that following a few simple rules can make a world of difference in this situation. - First, on your way to class, explain to your child where they are going and what they will be doing: wonderful world of dance, beautiful ballet like in her favorite cartoon or a story, etc. - Second, always bring your child 5-10 minutes earlier. Give them time to change, and get into the atmosphere of the class. We usually have specific toys and puzzles for them to play for a few minutes. Brining a child late and pushing them into the class after it started almost always results in confusion and feeling of being left over. This leads to crying in many cases. - Finally and contrary to a logical thinking, if a child sees a parent during the class he/she will almost surely wants to be with mommy, and not with other kids dancing. Our Pre-Ballet methodology is specifically designed for little kids of this age. At the Instructor discretion, they may invite the parent into a class for a few minutes or may take the child outside for a parent to calm them down. Please follow the instructor's suggestions, and your child will have the best experience. It usually takes 2-3 classes at most for children to become comfortable with their new friends, and the atmosphere. Which Ballet technique do you teach? We use Vaganova method syllabus. Often it is referred to as Classical Russian Ballet methodology. You can find more information on this and other major ballet training methods on the internet. Brief overview can be found here. Our child has never taken dance before. What would you recommend to start with? Can’t go wrong with Ballet. Student doesn’t need to become a ballerina, but this is the first and shortest step to become a good dancer of any style. Ballet teaches the necessary foundation of movement and appreciation of music. Children learn to feel their bodies and hear the music.
If you have any questions or need more information please email us at info@dancestarsacademy.com
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