Parent Handbook

DREAM DANCE STUDIO, INC

*****Parents, please keep this as a guide for the entire dance year! **********************************************

Telephone (865) 457-7271

Email: dreamdancestudioinc1@gmail.com

Online @: www.dreamdancestudioinc.com

 

Olivia Bartley-Hill –    Owner, Artistic Director

Kay Bartley –               Office manager

 

Attendance

  • Attendance to dance class is very important because dance is a cumulative learning experience with each class building on the previous one. If your child will not be attending class, please call to inform the teacher.  If a child misses more than three weeks in a row, a phone call will be placed to the parent or guardian.  The teacher spends a substantial amount of time preparing for each class, and when a student misses, it takes time away from the whole class to teach the child what was missed.  If a dancer misses more than ten times in the year, without a serious illness/injury or death in the family, the dancer will be asked to wait until the next year to take more classes.  From the first week of January through late May, we will be working very hard on our recital dances.  This makes class time even more valuable.  Therefore, if a dancer in any one hour class misses more than two weeks in a row during these months, the dancer or parent is required to schedule a private lesson with the teacher, with private lesson rates applied. 

 Shoes

  •            Dance shoes must be worn in every dance class.  Ballet and Creative Movement students must have pink leather ballet shoes (boys wear black).  Jazz students must have black jazz shoes. Tap students must have black tap shoes.  Students taking Modern will wear flesh colored dance paws.  Hip Hop students will wear black hip hop shoes.    We will be lenient for the first month of class.  After the first month of class, students who do not wear dance shoes for class will be asked to sit and watch until they have proper shoes.  No street shoes are to be worn on the dance floor.  Students, parents and siblings need to take off their street shoes in the lobby before entering the classroom. Shoes may be purchased at Dream Dance Studio, Inc.

 Dress Code and Dance Wear

  • It is important in every class for both the teacher and student to see the student’s body and legs.  Therefore, baggy clothing is not the best option for a dance class.  Leotards and tights are appropriate for any class.  Dance shorts and dresses, fitted t-shirts, leggings and ballet skirts are all acceptableWe have a fairly flexible dress code.  We want our students to be comfortable with themselves and their bodies.  Students may be as colorful as they wish.  Denim and other fabrics that restrict movement should not be worn.  We require dance clothing to be worn in every class.  School clothes are not dance clothes. If a student comes to class in clothing not appropriate for dance, they will be asked to put on a leotard from the studio’s stock of used leotards (eeww!).  Dancers must always keep their hair pulled back for class with the only exceptions being modern and hip hop.  If a student’s hair is down, the student must put it up before class.

Tuition

            Tuition is due the first week of each month. The tuition is as follows: 

30 minute classes – 1-$53, 2 class combo-$86, 3 class combo-$106

 45 minute classes – 1-$56, 2 class combo-$92 3-$112, 4-$122

1hour classes – 1-$59, 2 class combo-$98, 3-$118, 4-$128, 5-$138.

If tuition is paid by the tenth day of each month, you get a discount and the price for the first two classes drops $3 each.  If you are unsure about the tuition policy, please request an easy-to-read tuition guide chart from the front desk.  WOW! Ask the front desk about our unlimited class tuition deal. August tuition will be 25% of regular tuition.  December will be discounted 50%.  August and December are the only scheduled discounted months. If the dancer attends one class in the month the entire month’s tuition is due. If the tuition is not paid by the third week of class, a friendly reminder will be sent home with the dancer.  If a parent gets more than two months behind in tuition, the child will not be allowed to take any more classes until the bill is paid.  At the end of the year, the dancers will not receive their costumes until all tuition, recital fee, and/or bills have been paid in full. There is a $20 Registration Fee due by the first month of class. NEW Pandemic policy: if one week of class is taught (whether your student attends or not) the entire month’s tuition is due. If Dream Dance has to shut down again because of a pandemic, we will offer Zoom classes for the remainder of the month, then reevaluate if zoom classes will continue.

Tuition question, “If my child doesn’t attend class, do I still have to pay?” Answer: Dream Dance is an S-corporation that only stays open by bringing in enough funds to cover all the expenses of operating a business. We have to limit class sizes now more than ever, but we have the same expenses. You can think about this policy like your cell phone bill, you pay your bill whether you used all your minutes or not. Another example is when dining out, you pay your bill whether you eat all the food that was prepared for you or not. Dream Dance will prepare your child’s dance education and it’s up to you how much your child attends and “uses” the instruction being prepared for him/her.

Automatic Tuition Withdrawal

With our new credit/debit card processing system we can automatically withdraw your monthly tuition, insuring you always get the discount.  See the front desk for more information.

Returned Check Policy

A charge of $20.00 per check will be assessed.  The charge plus the amount of the check should be paid as soon as possible.  After two returned checks, only cash payment will be accepted.

About the Studio

              Dream Dance Studio, Inc. is starting its twelfth year at our present location.  We have one main lobby, one dance floor that is 25 feet x 45 feet, another dance floor that is 35 feet x 55 feet, our third dance floor is 24×24 feet, four restrooms, and a party room.  We are equipped with two fully stocked first aid kits and fire extinguishers.

About Dream Dance Studio, Inc.

              Dream Dance Studio, Inc. became a corporation in April 2002.  We teach Ballet, Pointe, Jazz, Hip-Hop, Tap, Modern, and Creative Movement Ballet.  We are also home to the award winning Dream Team, our intensive dance team.  Our goal is to enrich our students’ lives with not only knowledge of dance and an appreciation of the arts, but also a love of dance and themselves.  Through dance, we hope our students will develop a self-discipline that will endure the rest of their lives.  We also try to instill in our students a general knowledge and love of different types of music.  In this time of technology, many children do not get the physical activity they need to stay healthy and in shape; at Dream Dance Studio, Inc. we offer a fun physical activity that strengthens the muscles of the body and also enhances stretching and flexibility skills.

About Olivia Bartley-Hill

                  Olivia has been a student of dance since she was in kindergarten.  She attended several local dance studios throughout her childhood including the Fine Arts Dance academy, the Dance Factory and Oak Ridge Academy of Dance.  She became a member of the Contemporary Dance Ensemble of Oak Ridge when she was in sixth grade and trained in pointe, ballet, jazz, tap, and modern.  Olivia auditioned for, and made, the competition team, and through this, she competed in several different competitions each year.  Her teams never placed less than a first place finish.   Olivia was invited to dance in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City.  While in New York, Olivia took classes from famous dancers and choreographers such as Frank Hatchett and Steven Boyd.  Throughout her dance career, Olivia has studied with many teachers, dancers, and choreographers; her most influential teachers are former Martha Graham Company member Laura Hovarth-Gagnon and ballet dancer Janice Beringer.  Olivia completed two summers of dance training at the University of Nevada in Las Vegas.  She has been teaching dance for nineteen years.  In 2002, she tested and became a member of Dance Educators of America.  Through conventions, training, and tests, she is now certified to teach all levels of ballet, jazz, tap, modern, pointe, and creative movements, and the first two levels of flamenco, and acro/tumbling.  Dance Educators of America is a great organization that keeps Mrs. Bartley-Hill abreast of new information and trends in the dance world.  She has also been certified in CPR and first aid.

            Olivia is the founder and president of Dream Dance Studio, Inc.   She is a graduate from Roane State Community College and the University of Tennessee.  While at UT, Olivia performed numerous times as a member of the University of Tennessee Dance Company, and in 2005 was featured on the Company t-shirt.  Olivia has been guest choreographer with the Oak Ridge Civic Ballet for “Peter and the Wolf.”  She was also the dance teacher for the Florence Crittenton Agency’s New Pathways Academy in Knoxville, TN.  In November 2009 and 2017, Olivia took a group of her high school students to dance on national television in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. While in NYC, Olivia took class at Broadway Dance Center, and also attended class taught by a teacher from STEPS dance studio. She also has taken dancers to the 24/Seven  and Dance Makers Inc. dance conventions for several years with dancers/choreographers such as Twitch and Kathryn McCormick.

Additional Teachers

Our teaching faculty is Anthony Hundley, Audeya Hundley, Danielle Johnson, Holly Johnson, Katlyn Overton, and Madison Mefford. For more information about these teachers, please read their bios on the bulletin board in the hallway leading to Studios One and Two or on our website.

 

Assistant Teachers

                  In many classes (mostly 3rd grade and younger), Olivia has trained dancers to assist in demonstrating and guiding younger students.  These young teachers are required to have had three years of dance training by Olivia, be at least 12 years old, and complete teacher training at the studio during the summer.  For more information about each of our assistant teachers, please check out their bios on the bulletin board outside studio 1 during the first month of classes.

About Kay Bartley

                  Kay has a degree in Business Administration, Accounting, and English from Cumberland College.  She worked in accounting for several years.  She taught in public schools for over twenty years.  Kay will be coordinating and working the front desk each night.

Recital

                  At the end of the dance year (May 4th, 2024) we will have a recital.  The recital is optional, but we encourage all our students to participate.  Preparation for the recital takes much commitment and work from the teachers, students, and parents. We will begin working on the recital in January.  A recital handbook will be given out in February outlining all of the details of the recital.  We will have a mandatory dress rehearsal the week of the shows.  The recital will be May 4th.  Each dancer will purchase a costume for each class she/he takes.  The average cost of each recital costume is approximately $80.00 and will need to be paid in full by November 30th.  We will have the costume ledger set up by the first week of August so parents may begin to make payments if they wish to do so.  We work hard to keep the cost of costumes down.  Each dancer will also need to have the proper shoes, tights, and accessories for the recital.  The recital fee is $20.00 per dancer. The tickets for the recital price will be announced later, and can be expected to be $16-$20.

Monthly Activities

            Each month we will have at least one week designated as a “theme week.”  We will have activities that week to go with the theme.  For example, the week of September 21-24 will be “Bring or Be a Friend Week,” and students in classes who are not full are asked to invite a friend to class that week. Students who are enrolled in a class that is already at capacity for distancing, will participate in “Be a Friend” week.  Students who participate in theme weeks get rewarded.  A calendar of events listing each month’s theme week and any holidays is printed later in this handbook.

Holidays

            When Anderson County Schools are out for Fall, Christmas, and Spring breaks and holidays, Dream Dance Studio, Inc. will not have classes.  This does not apply to in-service days; we will have classes on in-service days.  This year, we will have class on Martin Luther King Day, but not on President’s Day per AC school calendar.

 

***Snow, Flood, or Wide Spread Illness Days***

            When Anderson County Schools are called off for dangerous conditions such as flood, snow, or illness, Dream Dance Studio, Inc. will not have classes.  This does also include times when school is called off during the day.  If the county decides it is unsafe to go to school, then I do not want to risk the safety or health of my dancers either.   It does not, however, include days when schools run one or two hours late, or if school is canceled because of maintenance problems.  Please check the studio’s facebook page if you are unsure whether we have class or not.  We are also in the process of setting up a phone tree service to notify families.

 

Tuition

            Tuition is due the first week of each month. The tuition is as follows: 

30 minute classes – 1-$53, 2 class combo-$86, 3 class combo-$106

 45 minute classes – 1-$56, 2 class combo-$92 3-$112, 4-$122

1hour classes – 1-$59, 2 class combo-$98, 3-$118, 4-$128, 5-$138.

If tuition is paid by the tenth day of each month, you get a discount and the price for the first two classes drops $3 each.  If you are unsure about the tuition policy, please request an easy-to-read tuition guide chart from the front desk.  WOW! Ask the front desk about our unlimited class tuition deal. August tuition will be 25% of regular tuition.  December will be discounted 50%.  August and December are the only scheduled discounted months. If the dancer attends one class in the month the entire month’s tuition is due. If the tuition is not paid by the third week of class, a friendly reminder will be sent home with the dancer.  If a parent gets more than two months behind in tuition, the child will not be allowed to take any more classes until the bill is paid.  At the end of the year, the dancers will not receive their costumes until all tuition, recital fee, and/or bills have been paid in full. There is a $20 Registration Fee due by the first month of class. NEW Pandemic policy: if one week of class is taught (whether your student attends or not) the entire month’s tuition is due. If Dream Dance has to shut down again because of a pandemic, we will offer Zoom classes for the remainder of the month, then reevaluate if zoom classes will continue.

Tuition question, “If my child doesn’t attend class, do I still have to pay?” Answer: Dream Dance is an S-corporation that only stays open by bringing in enough funds to cover all the expenses of operating a business. We have to limit class sizes now more than ever, but we have the same expenses. You can think about this policy like your cell phone bill, you pay your bill whether you used all your minutes or not. Another example is when dining out, you pay your bill whether you eat all the food that was prepared for you or not. Dream Dance will prepare your child’s dance education and it’s up to you how much your child attends and “uses” the instruction being prepared for him/her.

 

Automatic Tuition Withdrawal

With our new credit/debit card processing system we can automatically withdraw your monthly tuition, insuring you always get the discount.  See the front desk for more information.

 

Returned Check Policy

A charge of $20.00 per check will be assessed.  The charge plus the amount of the check should be paid as soon as possible.  After two returned checks, only cash payment will be accepted.

 

Dream Team

            The Dream Team is our intensive dance that travels and often competes in regional competitions.  To try out for the team, a dancer needs to have at least three years of dance training with us, be at least in fifth grade, be enrolled in Ballet, Jazz, Tap, and Modern classes, and be willing to practice and train extra hours.  The Dream Team has class on Wednesdays from 4:00 to 6:00pm.  Tuition for Dream Team is $140 per month.  Early in August tryouts, or evaluations, will be held and the team announced.  If you are interested in the Dream Team or need additional information, please discuss this with Mrs. Olivia or Mrs. Kay.

 

Christmas Performances

            Our Christmas performances are fun and optional.  We will be dancing in a performance at Anderson County High School, Clinton Christmas Parade and at a few local nursing/assisted living homes, if Covid restrictions allow.  The rehearsals will be announced.  The costumes will be rented and as simple and inexpensive as possible.  A dancer may sign up for any or all of the opportunities to perform.  Any dancer, preschool and older, who is interested in doing a Christmas performance, needs to sign up at the front desk.

 

Dream Dance On Social Media

            Dream Dance Studio, Inc. is working hard to keep our students and parents informed.  I post events, deadlines, pictures, and announcements on the studio’s Facebook page often.  We also have added Instagram to our Social Media sites.  If you would NOT like your child to be included in any of our pictures we post to social media, please let us know at the front desk.

Facebook: Dream Dance Studio, Inc

Instagram/Twitter:@DreamDanceInc

Make Up Classes

            We have make-up classes available throughout the week. If your dancer misses a class or classes, please look at the schedule or talk to the front desk about available classes for makeup. This policy covers classes missed for holidays, weather, or sick days.  Make up classes are not required but are an option for you.

 

Tardies

            Being on time is very important because not only does each class build on the previous one, but in class, each exercise builds on the one before.  If a dancer misses more than the first fifteen minutes of class, she/he would not be properly warmed up.  Injuries are less likely with properly warmed up muscles.  Thus, if a student misses more than the first 15 minutes of class, he/she will be asked sit and watch the rest of class.  Three tardies will be equal to one absence, and the same rules will apply as listed above.

 

Rules and Regulations

                  On the first day of class, each student will be given a student handout listing the rules and regulations.  We will go over all of them in class, but we encourage parents to go over the rules and regulations with their children at home as well.

 

Private Appointments

            During the year, if a parent or student has a problem that they would like to discuss with Olivia or Kay, they must make an appointment.  Parents may not just come in unexpectedly, or when a class is scheduled, to discuss a problem.  We will not discuss problems in front of other parents and the dancers.  We value the parents’ opinions and concerns, but we have a very busy, tight schedule that we must keep during class times

 

Monthly Newsletters

At the beginning of every month we will distribute a monthly newsletter to our students.  We have found this to be the easiest way to communicate important information to our students’ families about upcoming events, schedule changes, pressing deadlines, and general news about our studio.  Please make sure that you read each newsletter your child brings home. 

 

Student of the Month and Student of the Year

                  Each month, the faculty of Dream Dance Studio, Inc. will be nominating a student who makes a positive impact in class.  Mrs. Olivia will then pick a student to be the student of the month.  The student will receive a balloon bouquet, and his/her picture and information will be presented on the bulletin board and social media.  During Dress Rehearsals, at the end of the year, we will announce the Student of the Year from one of the nine students of the month.  The student of the Year will receive $150 scholarship toward the following year.  Teachers nominate students who are hard-working, enthusiastic, kind, respectful, and engaged in class.