Welcome to Spotlight Dance Company!
We are so happy to have you as part of our dance family. Our goal is to provide a valuable service to each student, so they acquire the skills, abilities and confidence required to be a great dancer! Our highly qualified staff is here to motivate, inspire and train our students to be the best dancer they can be. We are dedicated to building a strong dance foundation, creating a love for the arts and providing opportunities for our students. This handbook is designed to educate our parents on Spotlight Dance Company’s policies and answer any questions you may have. The lines of communication will always be open so feel free to contact me with any questions, concerns, and/or input. You can reach me at 704-310-5706 or mariannastout@gmail.com
HOURS OF OPERATION
Spotlight Dance Company is open 6 days a week. Our hours are listed below.
Monday: 3:30 – 8:30pm
Tuesday: 2:30 – 8:30pm
Wednesday: 3:30 – 8:00pm
Thursday: 3:30 – 8:30pm
Friday: 3:30 – 6:00pm
Saturday: 10:00 – Noon
Sunday: Closed
ENROLLMENT PROCEDURE
You can enroll for classes online at our website, www.spotlightdancescene.com, or at the studio. The responsible party MUST fill out a hard copy of the Registration/Liability form BEFORE attending a class, whether enrolling online or at studio. The Registration/Liability form covers all classes in which the student is enrolled. The responsible party is required to pay the registration fee (if applicable) at the time of registration. There is no cut-off date to enroll in dance classes.
HOLIDAYS & VACATIONS
Our regular dance season is from September to May. We also offer summer dance classes and camps throughout June, July, and August. At the beginning and end of summer we do take a couple weeks off to help plan and prepare for the new classes.
We do not have classes on National Holidays (New Years, Christmas, Thanksgiving, Independence Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day, etc.).
Our schedule follows the Rowan Salisbury School System's calendar; if the school does not have classes then we will also not have classes, with the exception of teacher work days. As a reminder to parents we will send out a monthly newsletter by email and will also update our website, parent portal, and Facebook page with important reminders as to when we are closed for holidays.
ABSENCES & ILLNESSES
If your dancer is sick please have them stay home, this is for everyone's well-being. Students who have or have had a fever should stay home until they are able to maintain a normal temperature for 24 hours without the use of medication.
If you or your child miss a class, it is your responsibility to learn the material missed before the next class. This can be accomplished by taking a private lesson or meeting with a classmate. You can also make up a missed class by attending a class at the next appropriate skill level if approved by the instructor. For example, if a student in the 3-4-year-old Combo Class misses a class, they can make it up in the 4-5-year-old Ballet/Tap class or vice-versa. If you have any questions about the appropriate class level for your make-up class, feel free to contact the office at 704-310-5706.
RATES
Our rates are based on the total number of hours per family.
30 Minutes = $35.00
45-60 Minutes = $55
Add $12.50 for each additional 30 minutes of class.
(Example: 1 hour = $55, 2 hours = $80, 2.5 hours = $92.50, etc.)
We do occasionally offer special classes or camps that have a set class fee,
these classes will not count towards the hourly rate above and are not eligible for additional discounts unless otherwise stated.
Private lessons are available, rates are to be determined by the instructor.
TUITION POLICY
Tuition is to be paid by the first lesson of each month. Payments received after the 10th
of the month will be assigned a $10 late fee. If payment has still not been received by the 15th of the month then an additional $25 late fee will be applied. Students will also not be allowed to continue their classes until tuition and late fees are paid in full. Makeup classes and reimbursements will not be given for classes missed due to unpaid tuition.
Tuition paid in full for the entire dance year (August to May) will receive a 10%
discount.
A $25 service fee will be assessed for any returned check.
CLASS ATTIRE
Students are to wear form fitting clothes in which they can easily
move. If the student has long hair then they should have their hair pulled back and out of their face during all classes. Each class has different
requirements, see the list below for more details. If you are unsure about shoes or sizing then please let us know, we offer shoe sizing at our studio. We have a variety of shoes and dance-wear available for purchase, but can also take orders for sizes and items we may not have.
Ballet: Black leotard, pink tights; hair in a bun if possible; pink ballet shoes.
Lyrical & Contemporary: Form-fitting, easy to move in clothing; tan half soles.
Jazz: Form-fitting, easy to move in clothing; tan jazz shoes.
Tap: Form-fitting, easy to move in clothing; tap shoes (younger classes will have white buckle tap shoes, older classes will have black lace tap shoes).
Hip-hop: Any clothing is fine if it is
not restrictive; sneakers (not your every day sneakers, these should be worn in studio only).
Acro/Tumbling: Leotard; NO TIGHTS; bare feet.
PERSONAL ITEMS & LOST AND FOUND
Students should bring their own water bottle to class, please make sure the bottle is labeled with their first and last name. Please limit the items your child brings with them to dance. We suggest a small backpack or duffel bag with their dance shoes and any additional attire or items they may need for their class. All items should have the students initials or name clearly written on every item so that they do not get lost. Cell phones, tablets, and handheld games are not allowed in class.
We have a Lost & Found cart located in the studio office. If your child has lost anything during dance then please check here, we do a full walk through of the studio each night and all items left at the studio are placed in the Lost & Found cart. Items are only kept in Lost & Found for 4-6 weeks before they are donated to a local charity.
RECITAL FEES & COSTUMES
Each dance year, the studio has a spring recital to showcase what the students have learned throughout their dance year. There is a recital fee, the total fee will be based on the number of routines each student has in the recital. This is to help cover the cost of costumes, tickets for family and friends, venue rental, and the extra staff necessary to make this production the best it can be. The recital fee is due no later than the end of January.
PUBLIC PERFORMANCES
Anytime the studio is asked to perform, we accept! Our performance classes are the 6-year-olds and older. The dancers are not required to dance in public, however, any experience and opportunities they get, the better! It is in the dancer’s best interest that they perform.
PARENT INVOLVEMENT
Spotlight Dance Company communicates mainly through email. Please make sure you are on our mailing list to receive important information! We will not spam or give your information to anyone! We invite the parents to help with fundraisers, public performance (hair, make-up, supervision, etc.), and, mostly, scenery. We also ask that you encourage your kid(s) to practice their dances. We can easily send you their music upon request. Get your child(ren) to stretch at least 10 minutes every day! Your body is a machine that you must constantly work to improve! Core, leg, and arm work are all equally important. You need to be strong in order to execute dance moves properly. In order to be the best dancer you can be, you need to put in work at home. This is where parents can come in and work with their kids at home. It will benefit your child and will be a fun activity you can do together!
Parents will be invited to observe a dance class several times throughout the year.
ONLINE PARENT PORTAL
Parent Portal is an interactive online system to help you register for new classes, keep track of your child's class schedule, tuition, payments, and studio updates. We will be using this system to provide information for studio news and updates. You can sign up by visiting the Parent Portal page of our website!
REWARDS
We reward our students with a sticker, small toy, or treat at the end of each class. Please notify us if you do not want your child to have candy! This is reward for behaving well in dance class. Please respect our decision to withhold the treasure chest if your child misbehaves.
DISCIPLINE
Ballet and dance itself is a discipline. You must be very in tune with your body and teacher. It is imperative that the students listen and behave. Bad character and/or behavior will not go unnoticed. We will firmly tell a student to stop acting up in a way that is not embarrassing or humiliating, but stern. If a child acts up a second time, they will have their reward revoked. If the problem persists, we will notify the parent and have a meeting.