Student Handbook

2015-2016 Season

Artistic Director

Brooke Nicholson

CLASSROOM RULES

▪ Creative Movement, Pre-Ballet and Ballet I students are not to enter the classroom before the instructor is present.

▪ Talking during class is not allowed.

▪ Hands should be raised when there is a question for the instructor.

▪ Food, gum, and beverages other than water are never allowed in the classrooms. Food must be eaten in the student lounge only.

▪ Students are encouraged to bring water bottles into class with

them.

▪ Students in Ballet I and above are expected to confine trips to the restroom to the break between barre and center work and must ask to leave the studio. When students cannot wait, upon returning they should wait at the door or the edge of the dance floor until the instructor invites them back into class.

▪ At the end of class, traditionally the students thank the instructor by applauding. If a student needs to leave class early, please notify the instructor before class. At the given time, the student should thank the instructor and then quietly leave.

▪ Throughout the class, the instructor gives "corrections" to the students. Students should not interpret these corrections as comments that they are not doing well. Corrections are the means of progressing in this art form. All corrections apply to everyone. Corrections, even when given to a single student, should be worked on and applied by the entire class.

▪ Individual instructors may have additional classroom rules that they will discuss with students.

DRESS CODE ~ 2015–2016 SEASON ~

All students must wear their class requirement leotards in order to participate in classes. Instructors reserve the right to have non-compliant students sit out and watch class. No make-up class will be allowed. Empire Dance Shop in Spokane can supply you with our requirement leotards, belts, socks, tights, and shoes.

DRESS CODE FOR BALLET PROGRAM ~ FEMALE STUDENTS~

CREATIVE MOVEMENT & PRE-BALLET: ▪ A pink leotard of the dancer's choice ▪ No tights ▪ White socks folded over ▪ Pink full-soled ballet slippers are required (no cushioned soles) ▪ Hair should be clipped or tied back and away from the dancer’s

face BALLET I: ▪ Lilac Wear Moi Leotard (Style: COLOMBINE) ▪ No tights ▪ White Freed Socks ▪ Pink full-soled leather ballet slippers with elastics sewn in

BALLET II: ▪ Pacific Wear Moi Leotard (Style: COLOMBINE) ▪ White Belt ▪ No tights ▪ White Freed Socks ▪ Pink Bloch Zenith Ballet Slippers

BALLET III: ▪ Mint Wear Moi Leotard (Style: COLOMBINE) ▪ White Belt ▪ White Freed Socks (for pre-pointe students) ▪ Ballet Pink Body Wrapper tights with seam (for pointe students) ▪ Pink Bloch Zenith Ballet Slippers

PRE-PROFESSIONAL DIVISION: ▪ White Wear Moi Leotard (Style: COLOMBINE) ▪ No belt ▪ Ballet Pink Body Wrapper Tights with seam ▪ Pink Bloch Zenith Ballet Slippers ▪ Gaynor Minden Pointe Shoes

Warm-up apparel is permitted during the winter months. However, once the studio temperature is optimal, students will not be allowed to wear warm-ups.

DRESS CODE FOR BALLET PROGRAM ~ MALE STUDENTS ~

Boys and young men can wear any of the following: a unitard, shorts or tights with a t-shirt (tight fitting), or tights with leotard underneath. Dance belts are required for boys who are performing in tights or unitards. Black, white or “flesh” colored ballet slippers (canvas or leather) are required. Shoes must be proper ballet shoes (padded slippers are not acceptable) and must have elastics sewn on.

DRESS CODE FOR OPEN/DROP-IN CLASS ~ TEENS & ADULTS ~

Students can wear dance attire (leotard, unitard, etc.) or active wear. Street clothes are not permitted. Pants and shirts should not have buttons or zippers. Keep in mind that baggy shirts, pants and shorts make it difficult for the instructor to give guidance and instruction. Ballet slippers are required.

ATTENDANCE

Attendance is extremely important. Students in Ballet I and above are required to visit the dressing room prior to class to sign the daily attendance form. Students who regularly miss classes don’t have the opportunity for the level of growth that consistent training stimulates. For this reason, we encourage students to make up classes that they have missed. If a student cannot take the required number of mandatory classes for their level, they may be moved down to the previous level at the instructor's and director's discretion. Students who wish to participate in performances must meet a minimum class attendance requirement and rehearsal attendance requirement to be eligible for the performance.

PROMPTNESS

BCDA takes its training responsibility to each student very seriously. The opening exercise is designed to prepare the young dancer physically and mentally for the rest of the class. Children who arrive late miss the first exercise and disrupt the class focus. For this reason tardy students will not be allowed to immediately enter the classroom after the class has begun. Tardy students should first check in at the office and then quietly knock on the classroom door and wait for the instructor to invite them into class. Because warm-up exercises are important for the safety of the student, any student more than 15 minutes late for any given class may be required to observe the remainder of that lesson at the discretion of the instructor.

MISSED CLASSES AND MAKE-UPS We are not able to issue a refund for a missed class. However, registered students are encouraged to "make up" any missed classes. They may do so in the level below. For example, a Ballet II student may "make up" a missed class by attending a class in Ballet I. There are no additional costs for attending make-up classes.

EXTREME WEATHER CANCELLATION POLICY On occasion the school must cancel classes due to extreme weather or events beyond our control such as power outages. In these instances, no make-up classes will be scheduled. We will cancel classes when the Coeur d'Alene School District cancels school or other after school activities. Please be sure to check the radio, local news or the Coeur d'Alene School District website if you think classes may be cancelled.

PARKING Please do not park your vehicle in the gravel parking lot that belongs to the First Presbyterian Church of Coeur d'Alene. If the paved parking in the back of our building is full and if there are no available parking spaces alongside 5th Street, then it is acceptable to park in the gravel parking lot for only a few minutes while you drop off or pick up your child. Please do not leave your vehicle in the gravel parking lot for the duration of your child's class. We appreciate your cooperation in helping us be good neighbors in this downtown location.

SAFETY BEFORE & AFTER CLASS The safety of our students is extremely important to us. We are responsible for your children during their class. However, you are responsible for their behavior and safety before and after class. The safest situation is for a parent to walk the child into the school before class and come into the building to meet the child after class. When students leave the building, they have left the area within which we can assume responsibility for their personal safety. If you arrange for your child to wait for you outside, you are assuming full responsibility for their safety. We prefer students to remain inside. We provide a parent lounge for parents who wish to remain on the premises during the class period, but we do not require parents to stay. Siblings must stay with parents. Young children may not be left unattended. Please arrange to pick up your dancer at the end of the class. We understand that delays in pick-ups and emergency situations do happen. Please call or text the studio if this occurs.

COMMUNICATION Instructors are happy to take time, if not immediately after class then within a reasonable time frame, to answer questions and give our parents and students the attention they deserve. Please take time to read all emails and text alerts that you receive from us. BCDA will communicate billing and other important information to our students and parents through email. We also have a bulletin board outside our administrative office that should be reviewed every so often. The website and our Facebook page is also an excellent way to stay informed about upcoming events.

EVALUATION & PROMOTION PROCEDURE Most schools use one of two methods for promotion - advancement either by age or by ability. Our promotion philosophy is that advancement by ability is in the best interest of the student. The stronger the dancer's fundamentals are the further they will go with their dancing. Sometimes it will appear to the parent and/or student that they are "stuck" in a level or not moving fast enough or being left behind. This is not the case. In many instances the one who progresses too quickly loses momentum, while the other who is taking things slower tends to build momentum. It is not unusual for a student to remain in a level for more than one year. Students who are inconsistent with their classes or take long periods of time off (i.e. summer) may stay in levels much longer. Students who wish to move forward with their training and advance to pointe work are required to take a minimum of 4 classes per week and must complete "pre-pointe" work.

PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT In the study of ballet, the instructor gives corrections to the students during class. Please encourage your child to concentrate on applying the corrections that he or she is given. Applying corrections is one of the quickest ways to gain a level in ballet. Students progress quickly and correctly when working in the classroom with a qualified and experienced professional. We request that parents refrain from "coaching" their children at home. However, we do strongly recommend that parents encourage their children to stretch at home.

OUTSIDE DANCE INSTRUCTION Each class level follows a carefully planned curriculum that includes training the dancer to understand proper placement and use of head and arms. The definition of “proper” can vary from school to school. We strongly advise against seeking outside classes or private lessons. It is our experience that dancers training in more than one school have been confused and have significantly fallen behind.

ADDITIONAL BCDA GUIDELINES ▪ If your child feels ill or has a fever, please do not bring her/him to

class.

▪ Please do not leave unsupervised siblings/young children in the hallways.

▪ Please make sure that children are respectful of our property, including the furniture. For their own safety please do not allow children to sit on tables or stand on chairs.

▪ Please, no running or shouting in any of our lobby areas. Please respect the on-going classes.

▪ Please do not leave valuables in the dressing room. We are not responsible for lost or stolen items.

▪ It’s a good idea to mark your child’s dance clothes, especially shoes, with their name.

▪ Lost and Found will be purged every December and June.

▪ Ballet Coeur d'Alene maintains a zero tolerance policy with regard to substance abuse, any form of harassment, or criminal behavior. Any such activity will result in immediate expulsion from the school.

 

FALL SESSION August 31st, 2015 - December 11th, 2015

Theater Week: December 14th - 20th, 2015

SPRING SESSION January 4th, 2016 - May 27th, 2016

Theater Week: May 30th, 2016 - June 4th, 2016

HOLIDAYS Labor Day: September 7th, 2015

Columbus Day: October 12th, 2015

Thanksgiving: November 25th - 29th, 2015

Winter Break: December 21st, 2015 - January 1st, 2016

MLK Day: January 18th, 2016

Presidents’ Day: February 15th, 2016

Spring Break: March 28th - April 1st, 2016

BCDA 501 E. Lakeside Avenue

Coeur d’Alene, ID 83814 208.209.4169 (Call or Text)

info@balletcda.com

balletcda.com