Student Handbook
Sep 19, 2024 07:45 PM
Information on Contacts and Teachers
Director: Molly Williams
Address: 114 East Carolina Ave.
Crewe, VA
Email Address: carringtonschoolofdance@gmail.com
Phone number: 434-294-2039
Carrington Dance Instructors:
Molly Williams, Chelsea Moss, Heather Houser
GENERAL STUDIO POLICIES:
*Please use hand sanitizer when entering the leaving the premises. If you or your child are not feeling well, please refrain from attending class or walking into studio.*
1. Persons waiting in the building during classes must keep noise down in the waiting areas. All persons are asked to sit quietly while waiting for students in classes. Talking and excessive noise in the waiting area is a distraction to the teachers and ALL students. Please be respectful.
2. Children must be supervised at all times and are not free to run around the lobby or classroom areas. Siblings are not to be left unattended in the waiting area.
3. Please label your child’s dance shoes and belongings.
4. There is a lost and found located in the waiting area. We will make every effort to locate and return lost items; however, we cannot be responsible for any items that your child brings to class.
5. Parents and students should never interrupt a class in session unless there is an emergency.
6. If you need to speak with a teacher or the director, please email or call the number listed above. The teacher or director will return your message as soon as possible.
7. Students and parents are expected to clean up after themselves. All snacks, drinks and trash should be taken with you or put in the trash before you leave.
CLASS POLICIES
1. No food or drink is allowed in the studio classrooms.
2. Water bottles are allowed in the studio.
3. No gum chewing is allowed in class.
4. No jewelry is to be worn in class.
5. Student is to enter the class ready to begin dance. They should be dressed appropriately and have all shoes. Hair should be up before entering into the class. No student will be allowed to leave and enter the class after entering.
7. NO ONE is allowed in a classroom unless a teacher is present.
PARENT’S RESPONSIBILITIES
1. Be Aware of Dates & Events: It is the responsibility of the parent to be aware of all activities. All activities will be posted on the bulletin board in the lobby. There will also be newsletters presented throughout the semester.
2. Check Email/Portal Often: The parents will be sent important notices home or by email. It is the parent’s responsibility to regularly check their emails.
3. Check Bulletin Board: Important information is also posted on the bulletin board in the waiting area. It is the parent’s responsibility to regularly check the bulletin board as they enter or leave the studio.
4. Notify the Director of Changes: It is the responsibility of the parents to notify Staff of any changes to email addresses, mailing addresses or phone numbers.
5. Be On Time: It is the parent’s responsibility to make sure their dancer arrives to class on time and is prepared for class.
6. Take your child to the bathroom before class begins: Please make sure younger children use the bathroom before class begins. History has proven that once one child leaves during the class to go to the bathroom then they all need to go. Please let the teacher get the most of the time she has with your dancer and help avoid this unnecessary distraction.
7. Keep waiting area neat: Please pick up after yourselves and your children. We strive to maintain a neat and clean studio for our dancers and families and we appreciate your cooperation in this matter.
8. Maintain a quiet environment: If you choose to wait for your child while they are in class dance we ask that you remain quiet in the waiting area. Talking and excessive noise in the waiting area is a distraction to the teachers and ALL students. Please be respectful. Please keep siblings from running around and creating disturbances.
DROPPING OFF & PICKING UP OF STUDENTS
1. Students under the age of 10 must be walked to and from the studio door. No student under the age of 10 will be released into the parking lot.
2. The studio is not responsible for providing before or after class care for students. If you choose to drop off your dancer, please pick up your child promptly when class is over. If you choose to drop off early you do so at your own risk.
3. Students must be picked up no later than 15 minutes after their class ends.
4. Once your child arrives at the studio, they are not allowed to leave till after the class is over.
WHAT TO EXPECT IF YOU ARE NEW TO DANCE
1. The first few weeks are a time for review and for teachers to get the dancers comfortable with the routine and class setting. This is also the time for teachers to assess and make sure the dancers are in the right class. If dancers are not in the class that is right for them, we will place them in the correct class.
2. The youngest dancers will have tears or anxiety the first few weeks. This is normal. The teachers are trained to get children “on task†quickly. The best way to ensure success is to assure them they are going to have fun. Leave as quickly as possible and please refrain from staying near the classroom door and talking as they can hear you and this serves as a distraction to your dancer and all the dancers in the classroom.
3. Costume costs are not included in regular monthly fees. Each parent will be assessed a deposit for costumes in November and then the remaining cost is due before costumes are dispersed. The more classes you take, the more the costumes will cost.
4. Students can buy accessories need for class in several different places. We do keep used shoes at the studio for students that need them, but they are limited in supply. You can also buy shoes Ellman's (Richmond, VA) Target, Amazon, Discount Dance Supply, or different shoe stores. You can also order items online but you need to make sure you know your child’s size. Dance shoes do fit differently from everyday shoes. Also please check with your teacher to make sure they do not want you to purchase a specific type of shoe.
5. If you are interested in the competition team, you need to talk to the Director about qualifications. There is also a tryout date during the summer. The competition dance team, the Collective is based out of our Farmville studio, CAPA. You are required to take two ballet classes per week, as well as a weekly competition class.
6. The recital is the last month of dance. Date and time will be posted at a later date, usually in January. There will be a dress rehearsal day and the actual recital. Your child needs to be present at the classes throughout the year so they are ready for the recital.
Dress Code and Hair Policy
1. Students need to be dressed in tight fitting clothes. Either a leotard (any color) or tight top and tight shorts. No loose or baggy clothing!!!
2. Hair needs to be put in a bun or ponytail at all times!
3. Students must wear their shoes for class at all times. If shoes are too small, parents need to get new shoes for them to practice in.
4. Label all shoes, bags and clothes!
Absences
1. Student are asked to remain at home if they are running a fever, student is known to have a disease that is communicable (lice, ringworm, etc), nausea or vomiting and they need to be fee of a fever for 24 hours.
2. No student is allowed to miss 2 absences the month before the recital or they will not be allowed to perform in the recital.
3. Students are allowed 5 absences between the months of January to April FOR ANY REASON and if they miss more than 5 they will be taken out of the recital. It is imperative that all students are present the months before the recital. Extended illnesses will be reviewed by the staff and director.
4. Excused absences include: School functions (please let the staff know ahead of time), an extended illness or death in the family. Otherwise, there are no excused absences.
INSURANCE
Carrington Dance Company does not carry medical insurance for its students. It is required that all dance students be covered by their own family insurance policies and if injury occurs it is understood that the student’s own policy is your only source of reimbursement.
SNOW OR INCLEMENT WEATHER
The studio will follow their own schedule. IF practice is needed (i.e. before a show or competition Molly may decide to schedule classes if the roads are clear and safe by 2:00PM. A decision will be made by 2:00pm that day on whether classes will be held. If classes are canceled an outgoing message will be put on the Carrington Dance Company Facebook page, as well as in the Dance Studio Pro portal. We understand that road conditions can vary greatly from one area to the next so in the event that classes are held and you feel it is unsafe to travel the roads in your area, please call or email the studio and let us know. Your child’s absence will be excused and will not count towards our “no more than 5†policy for recital participation. If you do not call or email us, then the absence will not be excused.
If the business at any time goes into a state of mandatory quarantine, we will provide virtual classes for one month before re-evaluation. You are responsible for tuition payment for this month and it is your responsibility to have you child attend the virtual classes.
HOLIDAYS
Molly will post holiday schedule for the year throughout email communication methods. Please record these dates yourself.
Class Descriptions
Ballet
The foundation of most modern day dance forms. This beautiful and demanding technique is a necessity for all young, aspiring dancers. Ballet classes are offered for beginning through advanced levels.
Pointe
Offered for the intermediate to advanced levels (ages 12 and older). Instructor permission is required for Pointe classes. (Please see requirements)
Tap
Tap is a style of American theatrical dance, distinguished by its percussive footwork and rhythms. Our tap classes stress the basics of tap while also teaching musicality and rhythm.
Jazz
Jazz combines many styles and techniques from ethnic and contemporary dance to ballet. Our jazz classes teach basic jazz dance technique, terminology and style with an emphasis on proper technique, alignment and movement quality. Set to jazz, R&B, ethnic and pop music.
Hip Hop I/II
Hip Hop encompasses many different urban dance styles such as poppin', locking, breaking as well as freestyle movement to give students the opportunity to develop their own sense of style. Our Hip Hop classes teach rhythm, coordination, musicality and choreography with suggestive music of movements. Students are challenged to think on their feet while enjoying an energetic and fast-paced dance class. Our hip hop dancers develop focus, strength and agility while having fun. This is an excellent class for high-energy kids who want to take a fast and fun dance class.
Hip Hop Tot
This high energy class teaches rhythm, coordination, and balance through age appropriate movements set to fun upbeat music. Hip hop instills rhythm and helps young dancers develop muscle memory.
Lyrical
Lyrical is a fusion of ballet and jazz, with expressive motions that tell a story. Students will learn lyrical technique along with how to express emotion through movement.
Contemporary/Modern Dance
These classes blend Contemporary and Modern dance, such as freedom of expression, interpretation of music, principles of fall and recovery, control, breathing, balance and contraction/release. Teachers incorporate an eclectic blend of contemporary and post-modern movement into their classes. Modern and contemporary dance forms allow students to explore their individual dance style outside of the structure of traditional ballet and jazz classes.
Musical Theatre
This class teaches Broadway-style jazz choreography and show stopping stage presence with a focus on learning song-and-dance numbers from a variety of musical productions, past and present.
Praise Dance/Liturgical Dance
Praise dancing is a form of liturgical or spiritual dance. Praise dancers use their bodies to help express the spirit of God.
African Step Dancing
Stepping is a form of percussive dance in which the participant's entire body is used as an instrument to produce complex rhythms and sounds. Stepping may draw from elements of gymnastics, break dance, tap dance, March, or African and Caribbean dance.
Acrobatics/Acro-Dance
Our acrobatic classes focus on developing flexibility and strength. Students will learn basic contortion and acrobatic tricks such as front and back walkovers, scorpions, chin stands, cartwheels and much more. Dancers will learn to incorporate these flexibility tricks into choreography and dances.
*Acro I (Ages 5-7): Dancers will focus on the fundamentals of tumbling such as basic progressions including forward rolls, handstands, cart wheels, round offs and bridges.
*Acro II : Students must be able to do a back bend to enroll in this class. This class is geared for students who have mastered the basic tumbling skills and are ready to move on. The skills in this class are front walkovers, back walkovers, multiple cartwheels with aerial drills, two step entry into a round off and back handspring drills.
Baby Ballet (Ages 18 months-3)
This is a thirty minute introductory dance class for toddlers containing ballet and creative movement. Students are introduced to basic ballet vocabulary, while exploring movement and music in a fun, creative way. Our instructors use imagination games, upbeat age appropriate music and props like scarves, hula hoops, tambourines and maracas to inspire and excite students about dance.
Kinder Combo (Ages 3 1/2-5)
A 60 minute class for beginner dancers comprised of ballet, tap and creative movement. During this year dancers are introduced to more formal technique. This class will lay the foundation for correct, safe and successful dancing in years to follow. Students will expand on the basic steps and terminology from the Baby ballet and continue to explore their own creative movement in a safe, positive environment, along with the introduction of more skills and techniques.
Requirements for Pointe
Students have to meet the following requirements before they are considered to doing Pre-Pointe or Pointe. Please remember that not all students will be able to do Pointe. This is one of the hardest skills to acquire in dance. It can cause injury and growth issues for some individuals and is not taken lightly.
1.The student must be at least 12 years old.
• The bones of the feet do not fully develop and harden until approximately 13-15 years old. A dancer must be strong enough to protect the bones before they are fully developed. Beginning pointe to early can permanently damage immature bones.
2.The student must have at least 3 years of consistent training in ballet.
3.Be able to hold correct turnout while dancing from foot flat to demi-pointe.
• Correct turnout is achieved from the hips and not from the feet and knees. In the turned out position, the foot is in line with the knee cap and hip joint.
• Correct turnout should be easily maintained in demi-pointe. Weight centered forward over the big toe, heels forward to avoid sickling, and knees straight. Maintaining this correct turnout is more difficult en pointe.
4.Be able to maintain a strong, straight trunk while dancing without any tilt in the pelvis.
• A straight trunk is held by both the back muscles but more importantly by the lower abdominals.
• A weak trunk will throw the student off balance while en pointe and will make it difficult to do ballet steps. This also puts the dancer at risk for injury.
5.Be able to perform a correct demi-plie position for all transitions.
• Demi-plie should be performed with turnout from the hips while maintaining the knee cap in line with the 2nd toe, and without allowing the heels to pop up. This should occur in pirouette preparation, jump preparation, and prior to en pointe positions.
6.Pointing of feet: she should be able to full pointe her foot in all steps especially at the barre and then in center without “sicklingâ€. She should try to achieve full pointe with stretching because it is required to get in pointe.
• Using the floor to point is also very important to build muscles in her feet and ankles: For example - need to slide the foot in and out on the floor
7.Pique passé with straight leg.
• Student should have enough strength to push themselves onto half-pointe. This step is harder to do in pointe and a bent leg is usually a sign of weakness or improper step preparation.
8.Be able to do 16 relevés in the center without stopping.
• Strength for pointe work is achieved by repeating exercises. Relevés are excellent for building up calf muscle strength, which is vital for pointe work. This exercise is more difficult to do in pointe because of the extra height, so strong relevés on half-pointe is a good sign of strength. The student must also go up as high on half-pointe as she can, since pointe work demands this ability. A student who keeps her heels very low to the ground is not preparing her calf muscles adequately, and will not have the strength for pointe work.
9.Be able to hold a passé balance on half-pointe.
• The student should be well-placed (hips square, back straight, legs turned-out), and have the strength to balance on half-pointe. This pose is more difficult to correct en pointe, as the surface area for balancing is smaller and the strength requirements are greater.
10.The student must be in good health and able to take a whole class.
• If the student frequently needs to rest because of illness or injury, she is not strong enough for the extra demands that pointe work requires.
11.The student must be of normal weight.
12.The student must have enough of an arched instep to stand on pointe.
Carrington Dance Company
DANCE SEASON TUITION & FINANCIAL POLICIES
ALL DANCE SEASON TUITION PACKAGES* INCLUDE:
• Original choreography
• *Costumes for the recital are not included in the tuition package.
Registration Fee: **$40.00 for all students
**If not registered for another session at the end of the current session your account becomes inactive and you must pay the $25.00 registration fee**
THE DANCE SEASON RUNS FROM SEPTEMBER THROUGH APRIL. PAY FOR THE ENTIRE DANCE SESSION IN FULL BY SEPTEMBER 5th, AND RECEIVE A 5% DISCOUNT.
First session August 21nd to Dec. 17th, Second Session Jan 15th to June 6th
HOURS PER WEEK MONTHLY FEE FULL DANCE SEASON PAYMENT (5% DISCOUNT)
0:30 $42.00 $168.00 each session $336.00 for the year
0:45 $47.00 $188.00 each session $376.00 for the year
1:00 $60.00 $240.00 each session $480.00 for the year
1:30 $75.00 $300.00 each session $600.00 for the year
2:00 $85.00 $340.00 each session $680.00 for the year
FAMILY DISCOUNT:
We offer a 10% discount off tuition for the second sibling and each additional sibling.
**FINANCIAL POLICIES:
1) Payment options:
a) Full Year: Pay for the dance season in full by September 5th and receive a 5% discount off the total tuition. Payment must be received in our office by September 10, 2022 to receive the 5% discount.
b) Monthly Payments: Monthly payments are due on the 1st of every month (September - May). Tuition remains the same each month whether it is a long (5 weeks) or short (3 weeks) month and regardless of absences. The class fees are based on the total number of classes to be taught in a dance year and broken up evenly over the months. * No statements or reminders will be sent out unless payment is past due.
2) Late Fees: If payments are not made by the 5th of the month, a $30.00 late fee will be charged. Additional $10.00 late fees will be assessed to the account each week after the 10th the payment is late until the payment is made.
3) Payment Methods: We accept cash, checks, money orders, online portal payments and credit cards (Visa, MasterCard or Dis-cover).
a) We DO NOT accept post-dated checks!
b) There is a $25.00 charge on all returned checks. If a check is returned due to insufficient funds, all future payments must be made in cash, money order or credit card.
c) If the studio is closed, payments are due by next class.
4) Delinquent Accounts: It is your responsibility to keep your dance account current.
a) If your account is more than 30 days delinquent your dancer may be refused entry into class until the account is brought into good standing or other arrangements have been made. A possible new registration charge may be added to the account before the student is allowed to return.
b) If a student’s account has an outstanding balance as of December 10, 2022 the May recital costume will not be ordered for your dancer until the account is paid up to date.
5) A costume deposit of $65.00 is due before Christmas Break begins on December 17th. This is to assure that costumes for the big May performance will be ordered and in by a timely manner. You will receive a costume statement no later than March 2023 with your remaining balance which will be due by the second week of April. If we do not receive either of these payments by above date, your child will not participate in the May performance.
**WITHDRAWAL POLICIES
Registering for our Dance Season is a nine-month commitment. The dance season runs from August 21st until June 9th. If for any reason, you are not satisfied you may withdraw by September 30, 2023 for a full refund minus any classes taken. After this date, you will be responsible for the remaining fees through June 9th unless withdrawal from class is for a medical emergency (doctor's written statement must be provided) or a job transfer of one or both parents which requires the family to move out of the area (company letter must be provided). In either of these cases, you will be excused from any remaining fees owed. However, the registration fee is non-refundable.