2012 – 2013 Studio Policies
Fees & Payments
- Autopay
Dancers Unite highly recommends being charged on autopay -- no hassle, no late fees, no worries! If you wish to be on autopay, please fill out an autopay form at the studio. For those on autopay, the tuition payments, recital fee, and costume fees will be charged automatically on the day they are due. Dancers Unite accepts Visa, MasterCard, and Discover.
For those not on autopay, payment should be made in the form of a personal check or cash. Please note the student(s) name(s) on the check. A $10.00 late fee will apply if payments are not made on time. A $25.00 fee will apply for any bounced checks.
- Registration Fee
A $40.00 non-refundable registration fee is required before students can enroll in classes. The non-refundable registration fee is only $30 if you register by July 1.
- Recital Fee
A $50.00 non-refundable recital fee is due October 15th. The fee can be paid online or at the studio by check or cash. If you are on autopay, your credit card on file will automatically be charged. The recital fee covers the cost of renting the theater in which the recital will be held. At Dancers Unite, we want all of our students to have the opportunity to perform at a yearly recital on a professional stage. The recital will be held on June 3, 2011 at Dana Auditorium in Myers Park.
- Costume Fee
Costume payments will be made in two separate, non-refundable payments. A $35.00 costume deposit will be due November 15th. The remaining costume charges will be due February 15th. The fee can be paid online or at the studio by check or cash. If you are on autopay, your credit card on file will automatically be charged.
Please note that students will also need to buy the appropriate shoes to be worn at the recital, and that shoes are not included in the costume fee. For more information about shoes, please see our dress code page. Also, please note that students will not be able to take home their costumes if there is an outstanding balance on their account.
- Tuition Payments
Tuition is determined by how many hours a week that a student takes. You can find rates on our pricing page. For your convenience, tuition is divided into 9 separate, equal monthly payments. The first month’s tuition is due before the first class. For all other months, the tuition is due on the 1st of the month. The monthly payment is the same regardless of how many classes are attended that month. Please see our make up class policy for information on how to make up a missed class.
If you wish to withdraw, you must notify the studio in writing prior to the month you wish to withdraw. For example, if you wish to withdraw in February, the studio must be notified in January; otherwise, if you are on autopay, you will still be charged for February’s tuition payment. Please note that the registration, costume, and recital rental fees are non-refundable.
At The Studio
- Student Drop Off
You are responsible for dropping your child off and picking your child up. We are not responsible for walking your child to and from your car. As a safety precaution, students should be dropped off no earlier than 10 minutes before class and picked up no later than 10 minutes after class. A $10.00 baby-sitting charge (per child & per instance) will apply to students who have not been picked up more than 10 minutes after class or have been dropped off earlier than 10 minutes before class.
Also, please note that to prevent injury, a proper warm-up at the beginning of the class is essential. Therefore, a student who arrives late and misses the warm-up may have to sit out for part of the class, for the safety of the student.
- Parking
Parking is available in the lot directly behind the dance studio. The back parking lot is shared with Wachovia and can be used after 5:00 pm during the week and anytime during the weekend. There is also on-street parking available in front of the studio.
The front door at the East Park Avenue entrance should be used. Please do not use the door adjacent to the parking lot, as it will remain locked.
- Observation
Family and friends are not allowed inside the classroom during dance class, since this can be very distracting for the students. However, we do have closed circuit television in the lobby, so that you can watch your child’s class without disturbing the class.
- Conduct
Every student should have the opportunity to receive the best class experience possible. Therefore, disruptive behavior is unacceptable. If a student’s behavior becomes a recurring issue, then Dancers Unite will contact the parent to discuss possible solutions.
- Dress Code
Street shoes (or wet/muddy shoes) are not allowed inside the classroom, to protect our dance floors. For more information on the proper shoes as well as clothing for students to wear to class, please check out the dress code for Dancers Unite dance classes.
We do not sell all the required shoes at our studio, but we do sell children’s ballet shoes ($16), children’s tap shoes ($20), children’s jazz/hip hop shoes ($24), and adult jazz/hip hop shoes ($26). We do not stock these shoes; instead, we can size your child’s shoe and then the shoes can be ordered.
The shoes should come before the next week, but while you are waiting for the shoes to arrive, your child can borrow shoes from our Dancers Unite Dance Shoe Collection. We keep a collection of used dance shoes made up of old dance shoes Miss Julie & Miss Elizabeth wore as kids, as well as generous donations from our wonderful dance families. These shoes can also be worn by students who forget to bring their shoes every once in awhile. These shoes should not, however, be worn every week in lieu of someone purchasing his or her own shoes, as there may not be enough shoes to go around for everyone.
- Food/Drink/Etc
No smoking, drugs, or alcohol are allowed on studio property (in the studio or the parking lot).
Except for water bottles, no food or drink is allowed inside the classroom. However, if a student needs food for a medical reason (such as diabetes), then we will certainly make an exception -- we just ask that you let us know beforehand.
- Pets
Out of consideration for those with allergies, we ask that you please keep all pets outside of the studio.
- Bulletins
Important news will be distributed via email and also placed on the bulletin board in the lobby. As part of our efforts to go green, we will not be distributing hard copies to all students of this information. However, if you do not use email and will not be able to check the bulletin board, we can give your student hard copies of all emails upon prior request.
Additional Information
In order to make up a missed class, the student may attend another class on our schedule, as long as the class is for the same age level. The make up class does not have to be in the same style of dance as the class missed. Please ask one of the owners (Miss Jo, Miss Julie or Miss Elizabeth) for assistance in finding a make-up class, or call the studio at 704-846-2985 or e-mail us at info@dancersunite.net.
- Inclement Weather
In case of inclement weather, please check our twitter page at http://www.twitter.com/dancersunitenc or call the studio at 704-846-2985 to see whether or not we have class. Please note that we have students coming from many different parts of the Carolinas, so class may be cancelled even if driving conditions are safe in your area. On the other hand, if class is not cancelled but you feel driving conditions may not be safe in your area, then please do not try to come to class. It will not count as an absence.
- Holidays
There will be no classes on the following dates:
- Wednesday, October 31 (Halloween)
- Monday, November 19 – Saturday, November 24 (Thanksgiving break)
- Friday, December 21 – Tuesday, January 1 (Winter Break)
- Monday, January 21 (Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday)
- Saturday, March 30 – Friday, April 5 (Spring Break)
- Monday, May 27 (Memorial Day)
- Recital
Dancers Unite will hold its annual dance recital in June. This is a wonderful opportunity for students to gain stage experience and build confidence while showing some of what they have learned over the past year. The recital is free and open to the public, so all students are encouraged to invite family and friends. Students are required to attend a mandatory dress rehearsal at the auditorium prior to the recital. If students do not attend the dress rehearsal, they will not be able to participate in the recital.
- Concerns
If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please let us know! The best way to contact the studio is by sending an email to info@dancersunite.net. You can also call the studio at 704-846-2985. Our staff will respond as quickly and thoroughly as possible. We want every member of our Dancers Unite family to have a wonderful experience!