Our Dance Center Policies

We work hard to make the dance experience organized and fun. Keeping you informed is one of our primary goals. Please read all e-mail communication thoroughly. Check the web site and our Facebook page frequently for the most up-to-date information. If you have any questions regarding the information posted, we encourage you to contact the office at 717-755-6259.

Our regular hours during the school year are Monday through Thursday, 5-9 p.m., and Saturday from 9 a.m.-12:00 p.m. We answer email on a daily basis, except on weekends. Feel free to email questions to the office at [email protected].

Studio closures due to severe weather conditions will be announced by 2:00 p.m. on that day. Notifications of weather cancellations will be emailed, posted on the website and the Facebook page, and announced on the studio’s outgoing voicemail message.

To sign up for text alerts regarding studio closings:
1. Please text: @idcyork To: 81010
2. Once you get a return text, reply back with your full name and you’ll be subscribed to our list!

Enrollment is open through the end of October. For late enrollment, please speak to either Sherry or Karen. There will be no enrollment or class schedule changes after November 1.

The registration fee for the 2017-2018 Dance Year is $35.00 per student/ family. This fee covers the cost of insurance, handbooks, rehearsals, and so on. The registration fee must be paid during our registration dates in August. The first month’s tuition is due the night of the student’s first class. We accept cash or check only, and do not accept credit or debit cards at this time. Registration fees are not refundable with the exception of preschool students who are determined to be unready for dance and may receive a credit for the following season.

Registration cards are to be filled out no later than the first class of the year (same day registration is accepted).

Studio policies are provided throughout our handbook, available for download at the bottom of this page. We recommend you download the handbook and keep it throughout the year for easy reference of studio information and policies.

In certain circumstances, when it is in the best interest of one or more students, it may be necessary for the studio owners to terminate a student’s enrollment. Every effort will be made to correct a problematic situation before terminating enrollment.

Reasons for termination of enrollment include the following:
• Disruptive or dangerous behavior by students and/or their parents
• Abuse of other children, staff, or property
• Inability of Innovations Dance Center to meet the child’s needs

Tuition is based on our dance year, which consists of 34 classes. All tuition is due the first class of the month. Payments received after the 15th of the month are subject to a $5.00 late fee. Payments not made by the end of the month will discontinue class enrollment. Discounted rates are available for students/families taking multiple classes; please see rates below.

Payment may be delivered directly to the office staff during the first class of the month (from 5:00 – 9:00 p.m.), or dropped in our office payment box. Please make all checks payable to “Innovations Dance Center,” and include student’s full name in the memo line of the check for proper account credit. There is a $35.00 charge for returned checks. All cash payments must be given directly to a staff member. We will not be responsible for cash payments left without proof of receipt.

(1) 1-Hour Class: $45.00
(2) 1-Hour Classes: $75.00
(3) 1-Hour Classes: $103.00
(4) 1-Hour Classes: $129.00
UNLIMITED CLASS RATE:
If a dancer is paying the 4-class rate, they may sign up for unlimited additional classes at no extra charge! (Does not include private or semi-private classes, and applies to one dancer if a family is at the 4-class rate. Dancers will still be responsible for the costume fees for any additional classes.
(5) 1-Hour Classes: $152.00
(6) 1-Hour Classes: $170.00
2 Dancers, Unlimited Classes: $152.00 (Does not include private or semi-private classes)
3 Dancers, Unlimited Classes: $170.00 (Does not include private or semi-private classes)
Semi-Private $52.00 (1/2 Hour per week; no multi-class discounts; no refunds)
Private $66.00 (1/2 Hour per week; no multi-class discounts; no refunds)
Dance Company: $40.00 (Year round, including summer months)

There are no refunds for missed classes as there are make-up classes available. Prices are subject to change.

Innovations Dance Center maintains a dress code to encourage concentration and a sense of inclusiveness (variations in attire can be distracting and contribute to feelings of inequality). Uniformity in dancewear allows the teachers to assess how well the students are implementing the technique being taught, problems with alignment, and other important aspects of dance training.

• Students should carry their dancewear, shoes, and other belongings in a dance bag. Please print your child’s name on the bag as well as on all of its contents.
• Dancewear is to be kept in good repair and laundered on a regular basis.
• Boys age 10 and older must wear a dance belt. • Dance shoes should never be worn outside.
• Female students should wear their hair tightly secured and styled away from the face in a ponytail or bun. It should be secure enough to withstand movement and not need to be adjusted during class.
• Students are expected to observe good personal hygiene habits. Deodorant is required for students age 10 and older.
• Small earrings may be worn; no other jewelry will be permitted.
• No baggy t-shirts or gym shorts for any classes.
• All students must have proper attire by the first class in October.
• We reserve the right to exclude any student from class participation if the dress code is not followed.

There are bins of gently used dance shoes in the studio office that are available for use if needed. If your dancer is trying a new class, you may want to borrow a pair of shoes for the first class when possible.

Please download our handbook below for class-specific dress codes.

All students participate in our annual recital. Please note that all students must participate in the dress rehearsal in order to perform in the recital. There are no exceptions to this policy, including high school graduations and other school related events. Dress rehearsal and recital dates will be confirmed once we receive confirmation from the venue. Please check your calendar in advance. It is extremely important to notify your student’s teacher as soon as possible regarding any scheduling conflicts.

The recital offers our students a professionally directed performance that allows them to present to their families and friends the results of a year’s hard work, dedication, and progress.

A big part of dance training includes learning through performance. Although performance opportunities can help prepare some students for a possible career in dance, they also contribute to children’s success in non-dance activities.

More information regarding our Recital Policies can be found in our downloadable handbook.

• Food (including gum and candy) is not permitted inside the dance rooms. Water is the only beverage permitted inside the dance rooms (no soda or sports drinks).
• Street shoes are not permitted in the dance rooms.
• Cell phones are not permitted in the dance rooms. Please leave your cell phone outside or deposit it in the “phone basket” in your classroom before class begins. No cell phones, tablets, or computers may be used during class time. (This means no emailing, Internet use, or text messaging.)
• Please write your child’s name in all shoes and bags. Use a silver Sharpie in black shoes.
• The studio is not responsible for lost or misplaced articles. Any articles left in the studio may be donated to Goodwill Industries if not claimed within a 4 week period.
• Please allow the children to enter the dance room on their own. This makes for an easier transition from parent to teacher.
• Please drive carefully in our parking lot, as there may be small children entering or leaving the building.
• We love babies and young children and appreciate the chance to meet our students’ siblings. However, our priority is the safety of every child on the studio premises. Children must be supervised at all times and are not free to run around the lobby or classroom areas.
• Never speak negatively about teachers, students, or parents from other studios.
• Never recruit students from other studios.
• All students must show respect for their teachers at all times. Inappropriate behavior could result in dismissal from the studio.

Some parents may compare their child’s progress or class placement to another child’s. Watch for this behavior in your children as well and encourage them to focus instead on their own accomplishments.

Looking to other students for inspiration is good; however, making negative comparisons distracts children from focusing on becoming stronger dancers. In addition, speaking negatively about your child’s teachers, fellow students, or other parents in front of your child––or other students––could result in problems far beyond your original concerns. Often children will imitate a parent’s behavior with other adults or authority figures.

Children learn important lessons from their teachers and parents, acquiring behavior patterns through their example. Our studio’s faculty takes that responsibility seriously. It’s our philosophy to encourage our students to feel, think, and act respectfully toward their peers, the adults in their lives, and themselves.

If you have questions or concerns about your child’s dance education (such as progress or class placement), please discuss them with your child’s teacher or the director. Talking only to other parents can lead to misinformation and confusion. Please contact the studio office to set up an appointment.

If you do request a conference, please listen carefully to what your child’s teachers have to say. They spend a significant amount of time with your child and offer expertise in the field of dance education.

In order to maintain a happy, healthy, professional environment, students are taught the importance of being a part of the group. We encourage students to have respect for other students, the teachers and staff, and studio property, and we foster the development of good habits and compliance with rules of conduct.

Our staff and faculty are trained to use constructive techniques of discipline to maintain class control and handle individual misbehavior.
• Children who exhibit unacceptable behavior or attitudes are told what is wrong and directed to a positive alternative approach or behavior.
• If a child strikes another child, the two are respectfully separated and each is asked to explain what happened. They are then asked to help solve the problem, talk to each other, and reconcile with one another.
• Children who are disruptive will be respectfully asked to stop the behavior. If the behavior is repeated, they will be reminded of it and told how it affects others. If the disruption continues, the children involved will be asked to sit down for a short period of time (usually three to five minutes) before rejoining the class.
• If a child’s misbehavior continues to disrupt the class, the parent or guardian will be called to pick up the child.

All students are expected to attend their regularly scheduled classes. Each class offers a step forward in the educational process. A missed class could leave a child one step behind the other students. It is especially important for children to feel completely confident with the choreography and the year-end performance. Missing class could result in frustration for the students and their teachers and classmates. If you are going to be absent from class for any reason, please inform the office by calling 717-755-6259.

• Please be prompt for class. Any student who is brought late for class will be admitted to class by the staff. Students who are chronically late will be admitted at the discretion of the teacher.
• If a student misses more than 10 classes during the dance year, that student will not be permitted to perform in recital. There will be no exceptions to this rule.
• We reserve the right to remove any student from any class or performance due to poor attendance or attitude.
• All students who attend the full dance year (September 6 through May 24) will receive a dance participation award the last class of the year.
• Students may make up missed classes by taking another class as instructed by their regular teacher. Classes may not be made up during Parent Observation Week, Bring-a-Friend Week, or during the months of May and June (due to recital preparation).

We encourage students to arrive 15 minutes before class starts.

For their safety, children under age 10 should be picked up immediately after class. Students ages 10 and older must be picked up no more than 15 minutes after their class is completed.

Dance is a physical activity that requires the body to be warmed up in order to execute movement safely. Late students miss the proper warm-up and/or barre and therefore may sustain injury. Students who arrive more than 10 minutes late may be asked to observe class for reasons of personal safety. The first 10 parents who read this sentence will receive a $10 tuition credit. To receive the credit, complete the form on page 29 of this handbook and bring it to the office by September 29.

Safety issues and legal responsibilities make it impossible for us to allow students to bring visitors into the classroom. Students should not invite siblings, other relatives, or friends to their classes with the exception of special events such as “Bring-a-Friend Week.”

Students who miss a class will have the opportunity to make it up with another similar class. Please check with the office to determine the best makeup class for your child.

Please mark all dancewear, shoes, and personal items with your child’s name. We will make every effort to locate and return lost items; however, we cannot be responsible for any items that your child brings to class.

Although we have never experienced an emergency evacuation at the studio, we are prepared for such a circumstance. In the event of an emergency, students are to evacuate quietly and walk in single file as quickly as possible using the nearest safe exit indicated by their teacher or the office staff. Students will gather away from the building in the parking lot, where teachers will check roll. Students and teachers are to return to the building and classrooms only when the all-clear signal is given.

The studio is home to children of all ages. Please enter and exit our parking lot with extreme caution. Never park your vehicle in any area that is not a designated parking space. If you park in a space that is very close to the building or its windows, please do not leave your car idling. Please do not allow siblings to play in the parking lot.

Colds, flu, and other contagious diseases occur frequently and spread easily among children.

To help protect your own child’s health and to minimize the possibility of contagion at the studio, please keep your child at home if you observe any of the following symptoms:
• Nasal discharge that is green or yellow
• Complaints of ear pain
• Consistent cough or severe sore throat
• Eyes that are pink, burning, itching, or producing discharge
• Diarrhea or vomiting
• Fever

If these symptoms or other conditions deemed contagious are observed in your child during a class, you will be called to pick up your child immediately. When your child has a fever, please keep him/her at home until the temperature returns to normal. If there are any lingering signs of illness, such as glassy or watery eyes, listlessness, and drowsiness, please keep your child at home. This will help to ensure that the illness has passed and that your child will be well enough to resume class activities the following week.

Parents must notify the director/and or teachers regarding children who use an inhaler or who may require medications during their time at Innovations Dance Center. It is also important to inform the director and/or teachers about your child’s existing medical conditions or learning disabilities at the time of registration and throughout the school year. Our teachers are trained professionals who are anxious to work with all children and personalities, and the more we know about your child, the better the dance experience will be for all involved. All information about our students is confidential.

In-class observations are the chance for you to see firsthand what the classroom experience is like for your child. If possible, please do not bring infants or other children to the in-class observation week, as it can be distracting to the dancers in class. Please refrain from disrupting class. During the in-class observation week (or at any time if the door to the classroom is open), shouting instructions or distracting your child in any way is discouraged.

During “Bring-a-Friend Week,” students may bring a friend (similar in age) to the studio to experience a fun class designed for them and their guests. Students will also have the opportunity to perform their recital choreography for their friends. Students’ friends attend class free of charge during this week.

Each summer, Innovations Dance Center offers a summer dance program for both current and new students. Summer activities are for children ages 3 to 18. A complete brochure of all summer programs will be distributed in April. We suggest early registration to help us plan for each class.

Innovations faculty recommends that students continue to study dance during the summer months when possible. It is important to not lose momentum gained during the year, and to continue to practice the principles learned throughout the school year.

Use of Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, blogging, and other online social media vehicles is commonplace. This policy is intended to provide Innovations Dance Center students and parents with guidelines to eliminate any confusion concerning the use of social media.

• You DO NOT have permission to reveal any information that compromises Innovations Dance Center. By that we mean you are forbidden to share personal information about the owners, faculty, other students or their families, or anything that is proprietary and/or confidential to them or Innovations Dance Center.
• Students and parents should neither claim nor imply that they are speaking on behalf of Innovations Dance Center.
• Never post anything that could compromise the self-esteem of students who attend Innovations Dance Center.
• If you post videos of class or rehearsals, don’t post any choreography in its entirety; Innovations Dance Center owns the copyright to all choreography taught at the studio.
• Respect the law, including those laws governing defamation, discrimination, harassment, and copyright and fair use. As stated in our handbook, parents and students should never post negative comments about other studios or teachers. Also, please do not post negative comments about studio activities such as conventions and performances, or about the directors of those events.
• Ensure that your social networking conduct is consistent with all of the policies contained in this handbook.