STUDIO POLICIES
Apr 24, 2024 07:35 AM
TUITION & REGISTRATION FEES
We offer a MULTI-CLASS DISCOUNT (applies to all family members)
ALL FEES are Non-Refundable, Non-Transferrable, and Not Prorated (except for the first month).
Tuition will automatically be calculated in the student's account.
The regular class rate is $60/month for each weekly class. (Adult Classes are priced differently.) Tuition is not based on the number of classes in a billing cycle and is NOT prorated based on the number of weeks in a month. Tuition is due on the first of each month and considered late after the 5th. If your account has a balance due on the 3rd of the month, our automated system will send a reminder email. Again, on the 5th of the month, a reminder will be sent via text message. If your account has a past due balance on the 6th of the month, a late fee will automatically be applied. We offer UNLIMITED CLASSES & CAPPED TUITION to dancers who make our competitive company. Dancers must AUDITION to be part of our talented competitive company. However, dancers who are NEW to the studio, may audition at any time by calling the studio directors at (727) 392-5678.
Classes that include the word "COMPANY or TEAM" are competitive level and restricted to director's approval.
COMMUNICATION WITH PARENTS / DANCERS / STAFF / SOCAIL MEDIA
ALL communication regarding classes, fees, payments, private lessons, performances, rehearsals, competition, choreography, lesson plans, costumes, studio policies, conventions, workshops, solos, or ANY OTHER ISSUES will be sent out via our studio’s app. Please download our app to your mobile device and turn push notifications “on”. ALL QUESTIONS must be directed to the studio directors via email. Direct urgent matters via text to 727-409-7533.
Parents and dancers must refrain from asking class instructors for information. There is no time before, during, or after class to talk with an instructor. Our staff is there for one purpose, to teach class. We live in a world of modern-day conveniences, such as social media and electronics. Students and parents are welcome (and encouraged) to follow the studio on Facebook & Instagram @expressionsacademyofdance. Dancers (under 18 years of age) are not permitted to follow our instructors on social media. Furthermore, parents are NOT to communicate with our teaching staff directly regarding dance related issues. Direct all questions and communication to the studio only.
PAYMENT MOTHODS / LATE FEES / PAST DUE TUITION & FEES
We accept VISA, MASTERCARD, and ACH (online checks). Direct ALL accounting questions via email (shown in your portal) A $10 Late Fee is assessed on all accounts that are past due on the 5th of each month. To avoid having to pay late fees, we suggest you opt to have your payments processed automatically through our convenient payment system. Please log into your dance account to set up this option. If a student "abandons" their enrollment and just stops attending class without written cancellation or without dropping the class through the student portal, uncollected balances will be charged an additional 15% late fee until paid in full and may be turned over to a third party for collection (which may add additional fees). Your classes are always shown in your dance account. Please use diligence and honor your commitments. Remember, when you register for a class we are holding class space for you. We will not move a student from the waiting list until you drop your spot. Therefore, you will continue to be charged until you drop the class through our portal. Be sure to drop a class BEFORE the beginning of the month to avoid being charged for the next full month.
PERFORMANCE COSTUMES -$0-
We DO NOT charge a costume fee. All of our dancers are provided with a costume to wear for the Spring Showcase. Dancers must supply their own shoes and tights in accordance with the list of required attire on our website. On rare occasions, dancers may be required to purchase a small accessory or undergarment that may be needed with the costume (a nude-colored undergarment is one example), but this is rare. Once costumes are selected for a class, you will see a photo of the costume in the parent portal. Costumes are selected for each class dance by the studio directors.
HOW TO ADD/DROP A CLASS
Each of our dance families has their own account. You are setting up your new account right now because you are enrolling for classes. Your classes are always shown in your dance account in your parent portal. You may ADD/DROP classes while logged in. Once your account is set up, you will be able to adjust your schedule as needed. Please note: You will continue to be charged for a class even if you do not attend class. To stop any new charges from being posted to your account, you must drop the class before the end of the month. Once tuition is posted for the month, it will not be removed from your account. In such a case, your account will stay open and tuition will continue to be charged for the current calendar month. Uncollected balances will be charged an additional 15% late fee per month until paid in full and may be turned over to a third party for collections (which may add additional fees). Your classes are always shown in your portal, a.k.a. “dance account”. To be sure your class schedule is current, just log into your account. You may also ADD classes while logged in. Once your account is set-up, you will be able to adjust your schedule as needed. Should you desire to add a class, just login to your parent portal and register for the new class. You will be charged tuition for the class being added.
DRESS CODE: Hair must be pulled back away from the face and eyes. No jewelry other than post style earrings.
Dancers may wear any color leotard for recreational classes, except ballet. Girls in Ballet Classes are required to wear a specific leotard color shown below, with pink canvas split sole ballet shoes. Boys in Ballet wear black pants or shorts with a white fitted t-shirt, black canvas split sole ballet shoes. All items are available at the studio. A class color leotard is included with your registration for girls. You may stop in the studio in advance to get a leotard.
SUPERVISION: Parents must supervise their dancers in the waiting area at all times. Please refrain from using crayons and markers in our waiting area, as we want to keep our walls, floor, and furniture fresh and tidy. We realize that parents may be helping siblings of our students with homework in the waiting area during class time. Please feel free to also utilize the outside patio table. Please either pick up your child at the end of class or remain in the waiting area during class. Expressions Academy of Dance DOES NOT provide childcare. Students will be released to the waiting area when class ends, there is no sign-in / sign-out process. We have a large viewing window in the waiting area for parents to watch class. Parents may not enter the instruction area. Only staff members are permitted in the instruction areas. Our staff members have been fingerprinted and have cleared background checks through the Florida Clearinghouse.
FOR SECURITY REASONS, WE HAVE A RECORDING DEVICE IN OUR WAITING AREA (pointed toward the entrance/exit) AS WELL AS ONE IN THE MAIN INSTRUCTION AREA. THESE RECORDING DEVICES PICK UP VIDEO AND AUDIO.
PRIVACY: We will not share your contact information with anyone. This includes your email address, phone number, and home address. Should you have any specific privacy needs, please contact the studio directors via email.
DANCERS UNDER 5 YEARS OLD: We offer a MOMMY & ME OPEN GYM for Parents and their toddlers to learn and play together. Yes, of course Dads and Grandparents are welcome, too! Parent participation and supervision is required at all times. We also have a TINY TOTS CLASS for Ages 3-5. Parents are required to stay during class time. If your little one is not able to stay focused, please take them out of the dance area to regain focus before returning to the dance area. Parents are responsible for assisting their child when using the bathroom, so as to help them reach the faucet and the electric hand-dryer. To prevent clogged toilets, we no longer have paper towels in the bathroom.
FOOD/TRASH: Food and drink is prohibited inside the building. We don’t have any desire for ants in the building…. Thank you very much! Please feel free to utilize the outside patio table. Take trash to the large trash bins in the parking lot. Water bottles are encouraged. Please be sure to take home any drink containers you brought with you. We are not responsible for your personal property or items left behind. Water bottles should have the dancer’s name clearly marked. We have a water fountain to refill bottle. Dancers in the after-school program (picked-up from school) should pack an extra snack to enjoy after school (will eat at our patio area). However, dancers may NOT share a snack that they brought from home. Please be sure your child has something to eat before dance so they are able to focus. They are usually hungry when they get out of school.
AFTER-SCHOOL TRANSPORTATION: Expressions Academy of Dance currently offers free transportation from Madeira Beach Fundamental, Orange Grove Elementary, and Bauder Elementary Schools. Because space is limited in our studio van, this program is only available to students who are taking multiple classes 4-5 days per week. When you register for school pick-up, you'll see the session's end time coincides with the end of your dancer's class. Register for school pick-up by finding the school listed under the registration tab. There is no need to register for each class individually, as a daily dance class is already included. Dancers will be dismissed promptly after their daily dance class, unless registered for an additional class. Dancers on our competitive company will be given priority when registering for the new season. Any space not taken in the first two weeks on registration will be made available for recreational level dancers.
ADULT PERFORMANCE COMPANY / HUMAN ART ALLIANCE: Experienced Adults are welcome to audition (or submit a reel) to be part of the company. Human Art Alliance has in-studio performances. For more information, inquire via email.
CLASS ATTENDANCE: Regular class attendance helps the dancer feel confident on stage. Parents may mark their dancer absent in their portal. If you're sick or just have a lot of homework and cannot attend your class, please let us know by indicating through your portal under attendance.
2-WEEK POLICY: All dancers are REQUIRED to attend classes during the 2 weeks prior to any performance or competition. If a dancer is too sick or injured and cannot participate in class, we must use that time to re-block the dance formation so that the other students feel confident on stage. It would be unfair to the other dancers to have to scramble at the last minute to close holes in a dance. Please remember that classes perform as a group and when one person is missing it creates a hardship on the others. Good communication is key. Competitive Level Company Dancers may not miss more than 4 classes during the dance year. If Competitive Level Company Dancers miss more than four classes, the dancer is required to pay for a private lesson for each additional absence @ $50/hr. This charge will automatically be added to your account, is due promptly, and you’ll be required to schedule the private lesson within 30 days. Dancers that miss class during the two weeks before a performance (or who fail to attend dress rehearsal) will be prohibited from performing. Good communication with the studio directors is key.
MAKE-UP CLASSES: There are no “make-up classes”. However, periodically we will offer some FREE CLASSES or OPEN STUDIO sessions. We highly recommend that you take advantage of the free classes offered, especially if you are enrolled in any Monday classes, as we will be closed for a few holidays that fall on Mondays.
SHOWCASE COMMITMENT FEE a.k.a. "Showcase Fee"
All Dancers are required to perform in the end-of-year Spring Showcase, early in June. The Commitment Fee is $40/class, due on October 1st. If received after October 15th, there is a $15 late fee. This fee is NON-REFUNDABLE and non-transferable and is viewed as your commitment to participation for the entire season, which ends with the Spring Showcase the first weekend in June. Dancers with outstanding fees will not be included in performances and may be dropped from the class roster on November 1st to make space for students on the waiting list. Students who join after December must pay the Commitment Fee(s) at time of registration. If a dancer drops from a class prior to any performance (for any reason), NO REFUND will be issued. For returning students and parents, you will notice that this is a great reduction compared to previous seasons. The change comes from the studio retaining costumes, dancers no longer get to take their costumes home. Costumes are clean and reused again years later. Many new costumes are purchased each year. This policy helps keep dance affordable.
PERFORMANCES & TICKETS
Parents, Friends, Family, & "the public" are all welcome to come see ALL DANCERS perform during our In-Studio Series Performances during the winter months, as well as The 2024 Showcase, which is the first weekend of June. In-Studio Series gives dancers an opportunity to perform in front of a live audience prior to performing on a bigger stage and/or competing in front of judges. Tickets for In-Studio Series Performances are $8, which helps fund our air-conditioning bill at the studio, keeping our tuition prices affordable. Dates for the In-Studio Series will be posted later. Tickets for the 2024 Spring Showcase will be available online approximately 3 months before the performance and are approx. $28-$35 each. Revenue from ticket sales goes toward the theater rental. Dress Rehearsal (which is MANDATORY and closed to spectators) will be the day before each performance. All Student Accounts MUST be settled prior to dress rehearsal in order to participate. Tickets will be available online through your dance account or via the studio website.
COMPETITIVE COMPANY: Parents make a financial investment. Students make an investment of time and energy. Our staff members invest their heart and soul into your dancer. Training takes time, dedication, and confidence in our staff. We expect our competitive dancers to be loyal to Expressions Academy of Dance, its staff, and fellow teammates. Expressions competitive dancers may not train at (or visit) any other dance facility, without written approval from the studio directors. Students not following this policy will be dismissed from the competitive company without refund. If a dancer is not performing at the required level (whether it’s due to missing classes, not reaching goals set for the team, illness, injury, or any other reason), the dancer may be moved to a different class/level, or may be “benched” from a competition or performance. This is not meant to be punitive. Benched dancers must still attend the performance/competition with their team. This shall be at the sole discretion of the studio directors. If a competitive dancer does not attend a performance or competition for any reason other than a verifiable sickness, injury, or family emergency, the dancer will be removed from the competitive company without refund. Competitive Company dancers must keep ALL weekends open between January 5th and July 6th until the spring schedule is released. Not all competitive company dancers will be selected to compete at Nationals in the summer. However, all dancers must keep the time available until the schedule is posted (by May 1st). Schedule summer vacations for after July 6th. The directors will announce which dancers will attend nationals.
TEAM ROOM / LOCKERS: The team room is for competitive company dancers only. If you are not part of the competitive team, do not enter that room. That is where competitive dancers keep their dance shoes, gear, and phone during class. Competitive dancers may wish to keep a supply of hair ties, bobby pins, band-aids, etc. Reminder that food and drink (other than water) may not be brought into the studio.
PHOTO/VIDEO: All dancers are included in our annual yearbook and performance videos. All students are captured on video during performances, and you hereby acknowledge that you and your child are not entitled to compensation for such images and that the captured video is the property of Expressions Academy of Dance. The studio WILL occasionally post pictures of its students on social media. This may include a student's first name, an award won, a skill achieved, and a photo. You are giving permission for you and/or your minor child to be photographed and displayed on social media.
SICK POLICY: If a dancer has a fever or vomiting within the past 24 hours, do not bring your child to class. If your child went home from school sick, they should not attend dance class that day. Parents are able to login and mark their child absent from dance class. There are NO MAKE-UP CLASSES available. Missing classes will reduce the dancer’s confidence and technical ability. Competitive level dancers may not miss a competitive team class for any reason other than fever, vomiting, or new injury. Dancers not performing the choreography sufficiently (as determined by the studio directors) will not be able to perform in the showcase.
INJURED POLICY: If your child is injured, but is able to sit and watch class to learn choreography and hear technical instruction, please notify us so that we can accommodate you. Dancers who miss class due to sickness or injury, should "attend" class virtually. Text the studio at 727-392-5678 to get permission to Facetime with a fellow student, as mobile phones are not otherwise permitted in class. Missing classes will reduce the dancer’s confidence and technical ability. Competitive level dancers may not miss a competitive team class for any reason other than fever, vomiting, or new injury. Dancers not performing the choreography sufficiently (as determined by the studio directors) will not be able to perform in the showcase.
SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS: When posting about an award won or a dance performed, students and parents must tag the studio in the social media post, including the name of the studio, the title of the dance performed, the award one, and the name of the choreographer.