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Policies |
Enrollment & Registration We have an open enrollment policy. Students are encouraged to join at the beginning of the school year but may pick up classes at any time. Our program at LDA encourages students to study dance year round to constantly progress and develop. Dance is a hard discipline to master and it takes years of hard work. If you take off the entire summer it takes at least a few months to get back to where you were before. We also offer a variety of dance camps in the summer to supplement a young dancer’s development. Please understand that summer study is mandatory to participate in The Nutcracker. First class is free for all students and you may start at any time. Tuition will be prorated for students joining in the middle of the month. All students are required to fill out a registration form and pay a $25 registration fee ($40 for families).
Holidays Littleton Dance Academy will be closed the following days Monday, September 3rd, 2007 Labor Day Wednesday, November 21st, 2007 to Friday, November 23rd, 2007 Thanksgiving Break Monday, December 24th, 2007 to Saturday, January 5th, 2008 Winter Break Monday, March 24th to Saturday, March 28th, 2008 Spring Break Monday, May 26th, 2008 Memorial Day Monday, June 16th to Saturday, June 21st, 2008 Summer Break Friday, July 4th, 2008 Independence Day Please note: we do not take every major holiday off because so many of them occur on Mondays. Attendance Because we worry about you when you are not here, please notify us if you are going to be absent. Please call and leave a message at (303)794-6694 or let us know in advance. Please remember that students only progress when they are attending classes on a regular basis. To achieve the maximum results of training and proper progression through the syllabus, students are asked to attend all classes and rehearsals to which they are assigned. To minimize absences, parents are urged to take into consideration classes and rehearsals when scheduling their children for appointments and when planning family vacations. Consistent attendance is vital in maintaining a student’s mastery of dance technique.
Make up Classes Any missed classes should be made up within the next two months. It is best to makeup classes so the student does not fall behind. Makeups should be done in the same level or one below. In the case of tap, jazz, or hip hop, classes may be made up in another class of the same dance form in either a level higher or lower. It is also acceptable to makeup ANY class in a ballet class of the appropriate level. You do not need to call to schedule a makeup class. There are absolutely NO refunds for missed classes!
Class Behavior In order to achieve the skill level required of the physical body in dance, students should understand the necessary level of focus and concentration that will be required of them prior to attending class. Students will be encouraged to learn dance technique primarily through observation and execution of steps rather than through discussion. Talking during class and rehearsals is discouraged. This allows the maximum amount of progress to be made during class time since dance technique is based on continual repetition of movement to train and strengthen the muscles of the body.
Parent Observation Parents are invited to attend class on our Observation Weeks. This year we will have three different weeks where parents can come in and watch class. These will take place the following days: October 15th to 20th, 2007 March 10th to 15th, 2008 July 7th to 12th, 2008 Visiting weeks are intended for parents, relatives and older siblings who are able to understand classroom etiquette. If younger siblings attend, please understand that it is often very difficult for them to remain quietly seated for the entire class time. Please turn off all cell phones and pagers before entering the studio and please refrain from talking during class either to the dance students or to fellow observers. Otherwise, we ask that parents remain in the lobby during class times to ensure that students focus and pay attention to the instructor. Special observation dates for visiting relatives from out of state will be allowed. Please ask for permission prior to class.
Conferences & Questions If you have ANY questions or concerns regarding any aspect of your child’s experience at LDA, please feel free to call and leave a message for Bobbie or Alison. You may also schedule a conference with both of us at any time. Please remember that we are not always able to talk with you before or after classes because we may be scheduled to teach another class so please feel free to set up a conference with us.
Evaluations & Promotions Each student enrolled at LDA will receive a written evaluation at the end of the school year. We do our promotions and update our schedule in June after the Annual School Performance. Recommendations for summer placement will be listed on the evaluation forms. Please understand that students will often spend more than one year in a particular level so please do not be concerned if your child is not promoted. We often move students together as a class after they have mastered a certain level of technique. Our primary concern is that a student be placed in a level that is appropriate to his or her skill level and physical strength. Because students grow and develop at different rates, advancement to the next level can be different with each child. For instance a child who has a sudden growth spurt may need additional time to gain the strength and coordination necessary to perform certain steps. So please do not assume something is wrong if your child remains in the same level. A student who carefully develops his or her technique early in the curriculum will reduce risk of injury and will increase their longevity.
Pointe Work Going on pointe can be very exciting for a young girl but it is harder than it appears. Typically, a student is not allowed to go on pointe until she has reached Ballet IV, is eleven years old, and has sufficient strength and flexibility in the feet, legs, abdominal muscles, and back. However, students will only be allowed to go on pointe if they can do so safely without risking injury to their growing bones or joints. A student who meets all of these requirements will minimize the likelihood of injury, will progress more rapidly, and will find the work less difficulty. Recommendations for pointe work are made conservatively because a student’s long term health and well-being are our top priority. Either Bobbie or Alison will accompany you to get your first pair of pointe shoes so please make sure to arrange a time with them.
Communication We feel it is important that you know what is going on in our school. We have found that email is the easiest way of keeping everyone informed. Each family will be receiving an email update every other week on Sunday nights. You will also receive a folder upon registration containing all of our LDA information. Please keep this folder and read all of its contents thoroughly. And lastly there is a communication board in the lobby. Please make sure you check it on a regular basis. We will also keep the website updated as much as possible.
Inclement Weather The studio will be closed on inclement weather days according to the Littleton Public School District. There will be a recorded message on the school answering machine in case of a school closure so please call the studio.
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