AmericanAcademyof Dance

September 2011 Newsletter

 

 

Dear Parents,

 

We welcome you to a new year at American Academy of Dance, and we hope that your child’s classes have gotten off to a good start. We are glad that you have chosen to dance with our studio, and we look forward to a fun and rewarding year.   We know that the first few weeks of class were a bit hectic, and we thank everyone for their patience and cooperation. 

 

PLEASE REMEMBER THAT SEPTEMBER TUITION IS NOW DUE.  TUITION SHOULD BE PAID BY THE 15^THOF THE MONTH. 

 

Following are a few suggestions to make everyone’s time at the studio more enjoyable as well as some of our policies, guidelines and reminders:

 

 

• Please make sure that your hold harmless form has been completed and returned to our office.  Completion of this form is mandatory in order for students to participate in class.
• Please be sure that young children (whether dancers waiting for class or young siblings) remain seated with their parents at all times. Hallways need to remain unobstructed so that students/parents can enter and exit the building and dance rooms safely.   We ask that children please refrain from running or throwing toys for the safety and comfort of all waiting in the lobby areas.  Once your child is safely in class, you are permitted to leave the studio if you wish.  Please be sure to return by the time your child’s class dismisses.  If you are running late, please call the office, and we will let your child know that you will be late.
•  You may use either front entrance when you arrive for class.  If your class is upstairs or in the red room next to the snackbar, it is best to enter on the snackbar side of the building.  Likewise, if your class meets in “Stage 1” or “Stage 2” (the green or pink dancerooms) please enter on the office side of the building.  This will help alleviate congestion in the hallways. 
• All students waiting on rides must remain INSIDE the building.  We do not want any student, regardless of age, waiting outside of the building.
• As a courtesy to our staff, please make sure to be on time picking your child up – particularly if they are attending the final class of the evening.   If you cannot arrive by dismissal time, please make alternate arrangements for having your child picked up or call the office well in advance so that we might assist you.
• Please remember that if you wish to speak to your child’s teacher, he/she is obligated to start his/her next class on time. However, teachers will gladly call you to set up a convenient time to meet.
• Please exercise extreme caution when pulling in and out of our parking lot, and do not let children run through the parking lot.  Also, please do not block traffic when waiting for your child to exit the building. 
• In the case of inclement weather please check the website, our Facebook page or answering machine for closing information.  We do NOT always go along with the public school cancellations. 
• Please label all shoes and dancewear with the name or initials of your dancer.  Please make sure that you have all items in your possession when you leave the studio.  All items left at the studio are gathered up and placed in lost and found bins located in the women’s restroom and each classroom.  Please do NOT call the office to report lost items or to ask the staff to locate lost items.  Parents and students may come to the studio anytime during regular office hours to check the lost and found bins for lost articles. 
• Students who have either transferred from other studios or who have not been here consistently may need to try several different classes before proper placement can be determined.  Please bear with us for the first few weeks so that our staff can observe your child to determine the best placement.
• Tuition payments are due the first lesson of each month.  You may pay by check, cash or credit card, or you may authorize us to charge your visa or mastercard automatically each month by completing the authorization paperwork.  Payments must be made no later than the 15^thof the month in order to avoid a late fee. Statements are emailed after the 15^thof the month ONLY to those with outstanding balances.   Those who choose to authorize a monthly auto draft must fill out a new authorization form every year.  Last year’s authorizations do NOT carry over to this year. 
• There will be a 30.00 fee on any returned check.  Also, if a client’s check is returned to us “unpaid”, all subsequent payments from that client will need to be made by cash or credit card.
• We do NOT prorate fees for missed classes or for holidays.  If a child is absent please see the office or your child’s teacher for available make up times.
• A full month’s tuition is due for ALL months (Sept – May).  August is the only month that partial tuition is charged.  We do charge a full month’s fee in December even though we observe a Christmas break.  Classes missed due to holiday closings are compensated for during months in which your child attends 5 sessions.  Our fees are based on an average of 4 classes per month.
• If your child withdraws from classes, we do require an official 30 day notice.  Notice must be given to the OFFICE (not your child’s teacher).  During that 30 day period you will be responsible for payment of tuition, and your child may attend class.
• Once recital costumes are ordered (usually by late Fall), you are responsible for payment on those costumes even if your child decides to discontinue lessons.  There are NO exceptions.
• Please observe our office hours (listed below) when you need to transact business/purchase dancewear in the office.  If your child attends the last class of the evening, please be sure to conduct office business at the beginning of your child’s class time. 

 

Please remember that we communicate almost all of our information, including our monthly newsletters, via email.   Be sure to check your email frequently, and please take the time to carefully read the emails that we send so that you will be up to date on all studio news and events. We do post the monthly newsletters on our website, so you may refer to them any time you wish.  As always, we welcome your calls and emails if you have any questions or concerns.   Thank you!!!

 

Office Hours:

Monday:  3:30-8:30 PM

Tuesday:  4:00 – 8:45 PM

Wednesday: 4:00 – 8:45 PM

1^st& 3^rdThursday:  9:30-11:15 AM

Thursday:  3:30 – 8:45 PM

Friday:  9:30-11:15AM and 3:45 – 6:00 PM

1^stSaturday: 9:00 – 11:00 AM

 

 

 

 

New Classes Now Being Offered

 

 

****Primary Tumbling class taught by Amy Burdick.  This class is for first and second grade students who are enrolled in a primary combination dance class.  Students must be able to support their own weight in a bridge and cartwheel.  This year there is no tumbling included in the primary combination classes.  So those wanting to keep and improve their tumbling skills, please check out Ms. Amy’s class.

 

Primary Tumbling. Wednesday 7:00-7:45 PM

 

 

*****We will be opening 2 newHip Hop classes on Saturday mornings. These classes will be taught by Kemmian Beared.

 

 

Saturday 10:00-10:45.  Elementry Hip Hop for students 2^ndthrough 4^thgrade.

 

Saturday 10:45-11:30  B.A.D.  Boys Athletic Dance. We are so excited to offer our first boys only conditioning and hip hop class.  This is for boys 7 through 10 years of age.  It will be taught by a guy and will include choreo just for guys.

 

*****Pointe Class taught by Amy Burdick.  Saturday mornings 9:00-10:00 AM.  Students must be evaluated by Ms Amy or Ms Leslie to be selected for this class. Students will be evaluated using criteria set by Anneliese Wilson (abc for dance evaluation system). This is a method to assure students feet and bodies are strong enough to support themselves on pointe.  This same criteria is used in many  studios across the country. The Pointe evaluation class will be September 24^th. 

 

Anyone interested in any of these classes please email the studio.  The classes will begin the 1^stweek of October.