Studio Policies

Dance classes are educational and fun; however, an important part of dance education is developing an attitude of discipline and respect for teachers, fellow students, parents and our studio. We trust that following our studio policies will provide an environment whereby classes at Dance Elite will be a pleasure for all concerned.

Tuition and Fees

  1. Tuition is based on a 39-week dance season (August–May) and payable on the first day of each month. We do not prorate monthly tuition as some months have 5 class days and others as few as 2 class days.
  2. We will be closed for holidays and breaks (not snow days) in accordance with the Hamblen County Schools holiday closure calendar. Teacher in-service days and election days are not considered holidays.
  3. In case of inclement weather, studio closures will be determined by noon and posted on our Facebook Page. Please “Like” our Facebook page for the most up-to-date information regarding closures.  Families who have provided an email address will also receive email notification. Each family must determine if their local road conditions permit safe travel to and from the studio even if the studio is open for classes. Tuition will not be refunded for closure due to inclement weather; however, students will be eligible for make-up classes.
  4. An annual registration fee of $25.00 per student is due upon registration. Subsequent children within the same family will receive a discount as follows:
    • First child – $25.00
    • Second child – $20.00
    • Each additional child – $15.00
  5. A performance fee of $20.00 per child will be required for each child to perform in our annual recital. This fee helps offset the production cost of the recital.
  6. There will be a $25.00 fee charged for each check returned by the bank. After two occurrences, checks will no longer be accepted for the rest of the dance season.
  7. There will be a $10.00 late fee assessed on the 15th of each month if tuition has not been paid by that date. If a balance is unpaid after 60 days, the student will be removed from class until the balance has been paid.
  8. Tuition may be paid by cash, check, credit card, or online through our portal.
  9. There will be no tuition refund if a student drops a class during the month. Classes should be dropped prior to the first day of the month.

Attendance and Participation

  1. Students are expected to arrive for class on time. If a student arrives more than 15 minutes late, he/she will not be allowed to enter.
  2. A student may request a make-up class in the same level or one level lower. No make-up classes will be permitted in a level higher than the student’s current class placement level.
  3. If the studio is closed due to inclement weather, please check with the desk for make-up class options.
  4. Children may not be in the studio without supervision. Dance Elite is not licensed to provide childcare services.
  5. If there is insufficient registration for a class, the studio retains the right to cancel the class; however, every effort will be made to find an appropriate class for each student.
  6. The class schedule is subject to change. If a change becomes necessary, all families in the class will be notified.
  7. Twenty-four hour advance notification is required for the cancellation of any private class. If notification is not given, you will be charged for the class.
  8. Studio news, information, and closings will be posted regularly on our Facebook Page. You may also view the latest Studio news on the Parents’ Information Bulletin Board located near the front door.
  9. Students may add classes at any time throughout the season. However, adding a class too late into the season may mean that your student will not be able to perform with that class in the Spring Concert. Please see our “Important Dates to Remember” posting on the Parents’ Information bulletin board located near the front entrance.
  10. Students who wish to drop a class may do so prior to the first day of each month. There will be no tuition refund for classes dropped during the month.
  11. If a student must withdraw from the studio, please notify the front desk to prevent additional charges from accruing.

Studio Conduct

  1. For our students’ safety, no one is allowed inside the studio rooms without a teacher present at any time.
  2. No food, gum, drink, or street shoes are allowed inside the studio rooms at any time.
  3. For everyone’s safety, no running, horseplay, or boisterous behavior is permitted at Dance Elite.
  4. Students are expected to treat teachers, parents and each other with courtesy and respect at all times, including during class, at competitions, at performances, and on social media.
  5. Parents are welcome to stay and view their children’s classes in the lobby viewing area.
  6. No one is permitted inside the studio rooms. If you need to get a message to your student, please ask the desk to deliver it.
  7. Please refrain from discussing students, teachers, choreography or studio-related matters in a way that may offend other parents, teachers or students in the reception area or on social media.
  8. All choreography belongs to the studio. Please refrain from posting video on social media or other internet venues.
  9. Students must dress for each class according to the Dress Code set forth for each genre of dance. No street clothes or street shoes are permitted inside the studio rooms.

Dress Code

Never wear dance shoes outside!

Girls

  1. Hair must be secured up off the neck for all classes. For children under 7 and all ballet classes, a bun is preferred.
  2. Combo Classes – Any color leotard with pink or suntan tights, leggings or shorts. Underwear is not necessary when tights are worn. Underwear is necessary when tights are not worn. Pink ballet shoes for ballet combos, black tap shoes for tap combos, and tan jazz shoes for jazz combos are required.  All tumbling is done bare-footed.
  3. Ballet and Pointe – Black leotard, pink tights, and pink ballet shoes are required. T-shirts, skirts, and other cover-ups are not allowed. Fitted dance shorts may be worn during the week of menstruation.  If wearing a bra that shows outside the leotard, it must be a black sports bra only.  A sweater may be worn at the beginning of class to warm-up in during the cold winter months.
  4. Tap, Jazz, Acro, Lyrical/Contemporary, and Musical Theater – Modest dancewear such as any color leotards, tights, dance shorts or dance pants. Black tap shoes, lyrical shoes and tan jazz shoes are required in accordance with the class you are in.  Street clothes and/or baggy clothes are NOT permitted.  Acro requires a leotard or a top that does not come up when the dancer is up-side-down.
  5. Hip Hop – Modest dancewear such as any color leotards, tights, dance shorts or dance pants. Absolutely no jeans. Black Hip Hop sneakers or regular black sneakers are required.  Sneakers that have both black uppers and soles are required for the recital.

Boys

  1. Tap and Musical Theatre – Comfortable clothes you can move in and that are stretchy.  No jeans. Black Tap shoes with socks for tap class and tan jazz shoes for Musical Theatre class.
  2. Lyrical/Contemporary and Acro – Fitted, stretchy clothing such as dance shorts or leggings, fitted top and nude lyrical shoes for Lyrical/Contemporary class.  Acro class goes bare-footed.
  3. Ballet – Black men’s tights, black ballet shoes, and a fitted black or white t-shirt in tank or regular style.
  4. Hip Hop – Fitted T-shirts, shorts or sweat pants. Absolutely no jeans. Black Hip Hop sneakers or black tennis shoes are required.
  5. Combo Classes for ages 4-5 – Comfortable clothes your dancer can move in well, such as shorts or athletic pants, fitted t-shirt, and black ballet shoes plus tap shoes for the tap combo and jazz shoes for the jazz combo.  Ballet/Tumbling combo boys only need black ballet shoes as they will tumble bare-footed.

Recital (Spring Concert)

Our dance season runs like a school year – August through the end of May.  Each season culminates in a magnificent Spring Concert!  We are very proud of the production we orchestrate each year!  It takes a great deal of work on behalf of our teachers, staff, students, parents, and volunteers.  In order for this end-of-season production to be amazing, all students performing in the show must adhere to the following policies:

  1. Attendance during Production Rehearsal Week (the week before the show) is MANDATORY. Any student who cannot attend, cannot perform. Parents, even if you have purchased a costume, if your dancer is absent (except due to serious or contagious illness) during this week of Production Rehearsals, he/she will not be allowed to perform. This is a critical week that brings the entire show together. It is not fair for the students who have worked on a number for weeks prior to the show, and daily during Production Rehearsal Week, to have that number ruined by someone who did not attend rehearsals. It creates hard feelings among the dancers and other parents. Please do not ask to be an exception to this policy.
  2. All students must perform in every performance of the Spring Concert. Currently, that is two performances on two consecutive days.
  3. Please minimize your dancer’s absences during the month of May. They need to rehearse their choreography with their groups throughout this month to ensure a clean, well-memorized number. It is hard for the other students in a class to do their choreography (especially if it is a partner piece) when dancers are missing.
  4. We measure dancers for show costumes in early January to ensure their arrival by Picture Days. It is unlikely that a costume ordered later than January will be received in time. If your dancer has only one costume, payment in full is required when measured.  If your dancer has multiple costumes, there is a $20 per costume deposit due during Costume Measurement week. Costumes usually cost $50-$100 each.
  5. Costume balances are due on March 1st.
  6. Recital performance fees are due on May 1st. The fee is $20 per dancer.
  7. Your account must be paid in full prior to the recital in order for your dancer to participate in the show.
  8. Picture Days are great fun for our dancers! Please make sure your dancer is present for Picture Days – even if you do not wish to buy photos – so that our group shots are complete. Each year’s pictures will be displayed on the wall in the lobby for 6 months, then moved to our long hallway where they will remain on display throughout the years. It’s great fun to see how the dancers change and grow over the seasons through our Pictures!

General Policies

  1. A Lost and Found bin will be maintained during the dance season in the top right cubby in the dressing room. Please place all found objects in the Lost and Found basket. Items not claimed by the end of the dance season will be donated to charity. Dance Elite is not responsible for lost or missing items. Storage of personal property at the studio is at your own risk, including cell phones, computers, iPads, etc.
  2. Dance Elite is a smoke-free facility. No smoking inside or within 10 feet of any entrance.
  3. Students must be picked up promptly after dance class. No student may wait for a parent outside the studio. For the students’ safety, parents must come into the studio to retrieve their children.
  4. Please do not put your shoes and belongings on/under the lobby chairs. All belongings should be stored in the dressing room cubbies during class so our parents have somewhere to sit while you are in class.

Release of Liability

Dance is an active and rigorous activity.  As with any sport, injuries could occur.  As the legal parent or guardian, I release and hold harmless Dance Elite LLC, its owners and operators from any and all liability, claims, demands, and causes of action whatsoever, arising out of or related to any loss, damage, or injury, including death, that may be sustained by the participant and/or the undersigned, while in or upon the premises or any premises under the control and supervision of Dance Elite LLC, its owners and operators or in route to or from any of said premises.

Medical Emergency

The undersigned gives permission to Dance Elite LLC, its owners and operators to seek medical treatment for the participant in the event they are not able to reach a parent or guardian. I hereby declare any physical/mental problems, restrictions, or condition and/or declare the participant to be in good physical and mental health.

Payment Information

Tuition is due by the first of each month. If accounts are paid after the 15th of the month, there will be a $10.00 late fee applied to the account balance. There is a $25.00 returned check charge for any checks returned by the bank.

Acknowledgement of Understanding

The Participant and Parent(s) or Guardian(s) have read this waiver of liability and indemnification agreement and fully understand its terms. The Parent(s) or Guardian(s) understand that Participant is giving up substantial rights, including the right to compensation for injury resulting from ordinary negligence. The Participant and Parent(s) or Guardian(s) acknowledge that you are acknowledging the agreement freely and voluntarily, and intend your reading of this disclaimer to be a complete and unconditional release of liability to the greatest extent allowed by law in the State of Tennessee. In acknowledging this waiver of liability as Parent or Guardian, you agree that you are consenting to the Participant’s participation at Dance Elite LLC and acknowledge that you agree that any and all risks, including that of ordinary negligence, whether known or unknown, are expressly assumed by the Participant and Parent or Guardian and all claims, whether known or unknown, are expressly waived in advance.