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Policies and Procedures

Below you’ll find important information about class expectations, attire, attendance, recital info, and more. 

Arrival Time

Please arrive a few minutes prior to class time. The warm-up is crucial to the dancer’s safety and success. If you come in late, please come in quickly and quietly.

Attire 

  • Please wear a leotard (skirted or with a skirt or shorts)
    OR fitted clothing (no baggy shirts/sweatpants)
    WITH dance shoes and hair pulled back away from the face in either a ponytail or bun.

  • No skin should be exposed during dancing that would typically be covered with a leotard. No crop/half tops. Modest necklines are required.

  • Instructors for advanced/extreme level ballets typically require a leotard/tights with either fitted shorts/dance skirt/leggings.

  • Dance team classes may require a leotard and fitted shorts or leggings (dance team instructors will give any requirements).

  • Instructors require matching shoes for recital/competition—please check with them for the correct color if purchasing mid-year.

  • See details in "Shoe" section for what shoes will be needed.

Attendance

We understand an occasional absence may be necessary and we ask that you do not bring children to class with a fever or any contagious conditions (or within 24 hours of a fever or contagious condition). Please see Make-up Classes for information on making up a class. Students must be in attendance for at least 85% of classes for the three months leading into recital. (See dance team info for attendance policy with team.)

Class Format

​Classes will include a warm-up, time to work on technical elements and combinations of the dance style, and work on their performance dances.

  • September: Technique + Combinations 

  • October–December: Christmas showcase preparation (performed at their last class before our Christmas break)

  • Early January: Technique + Combinations

  • Mid-January–May: Spring recital preparation​​

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Students are not required to perform in recital but must notify us by January 10th if they will not be.​

Class Levels

Levels are based on years of experience in a dance style (25+ week programs only to count as a year) or with instructor approval. Years of experience start at age 5. When switching styles of dance, go down a level to begin the new style.

  • Beginner: 0–2 years

  • Intermediate: 2–4 years

  • Advanced: 4+ years or instructor approval

  • Extreme 1 & 2: By instructor invite only​

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For classes that are listed as:
Beginner/Intermediate: Dancer must have completed at least 1 year of beginner (or with instructor approval)
Intermediate/Advanced: Dancer must have completed at least 1 year of intermediate (or with instructor approval)
Advanced/Extreme: Dancer must have completed at least 1 year of advanced (or with instructor approval)

Conduct Expectations

We want all children to be and feel safe. Misconduct will not be tolerated. Parents will be called to pick up their child if their behavior is harmful or they do not respond to a repeated request by the instructor to discontinue a behavior.

Eligibility

Any participant is welcome to participate providing:

  • They have not been removed from a school or sports team for conduct.

  • They do not mock the values and beliefs of others and what the center represents.

  • They are not harmful to others (physically or with words).

Files on the Parent Portal

If you receive an email notification that a file has been saved, click on "Shared Files" and then on "Class Files" for practice videos, "Music Files" for music files being shared. We ask that all instructors load a practice video at least one month prior to a performance. You may find some instructors load videos more often than that.

Make-Up Classes

This is the model our families opted for from our annual survey several years ago. We offer make-up class opportunities in the spring where dancers can take a technique class for their age/level to make up dance instruction they may miss throughout the year. Please take advantage and take an extra to make up for any classes that may be missed through the end of the session.

Minimum Class Numbers

If classes do not meet the minimum (typically 3-4) needed to run the class, the class may be cancelled. If a class is cancelled, those registered will be notified and we will work with you to get you into your second choice. We try to combine classes, but not cancel if at all possible.

Observing Classes

Students typically do much better when parental/sibling contact is limited during classes. We ask that parents and family members observe through the observations windows. We do allow parents of younger dancers some flexibilty until they get acclimated (first week or two if needed).

Personal Items

No student should be touching anyone's phone in the center or at events without permission. Please do not bring toys to class because they can be a distraction and often cause conflicts between students wanting to see/touch, etc.

Photo/Video Disclaimer

Upon registration families give permission for photos/ video to be taken of participating children during classes and activities at The Attic (as well as off-site activities coordinated by The Attic) for publication and use as The Attic chooses. If you do not wish for you or your children to be photographed or videotaped, please e-mail us at info@theatticdance.com. Upon receipt of your e-mail, you will receive a communication that we have received and will honor your request.

Recital, Recital Pictures, & Rehearsal

Recitals/rehearsals and recital pictures, even if not purchasing, are required events if participating in the year-end recital. While we require picture day and rehearsal for recital, we do understand that occasionally there are events that cannot be changed like graduations/weddings, etc. If you find yourself in that situation, please let us know and you would certainly be excused. Recital is required for all dancers (unless they notified us by January 10th of participating as non-recital) because dance is a team sport and does impact other dancers.

Recital Tickets

We will strive to keep ticket prices as low as possible (at or under $10, unless there are circumstances such as during Covid where only a portion of seats could be sold). Recital dancers will not pay for a recital ticket for their show(s), but will a seat in the student section to watch their recital show.

Shoes

To begin a class the following is acceptable. If something for recital (in May) is needed families will be informed on the All About Recital document that lists each class and comes out every spring.

  • Ballet: Ballet shoes

  • Combo Classes: If tap see below under tap. If other styles, you will just need shoes for one style to begin. Combo classes typically perform one style for the Christmas Showcase and one style for the recital in May.

  • Contemporary: Barefoot (half sole shoe if shoes are preferred)

  • Lyrical: Jazz/lyrical shoe or ballet slippers

  • Jazz: Jazz/lyrical shoe - boot style or lace-ups style is fine

  • Hip-Hop: Tennis shoes (Please no outside shoes, specify a pair for dance/inside activity. If you need to use a pair you use for outside, please request a wipe at the desk to wipe the bottoms of shoes before wearing them into a studio.) 

  • Irish: Ballet shoes or Irish soft sole shoes

  • Tap: Tap shoes (When taking a tap combo class, you will need tap and the other style of shoes both.)

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Check out our $3 attire rack & the $3 family shoe bins (Attic families buy and sell from each other and exchanges are FREE). See our Shopping Recommendations page for more info on what the Attic has available and discounts to order dance wear online and for local merchants.

Substitutes

Substitute instructors will be used when possible to avoid cancellations.

Teacher Contact

Instructors may be contacted through the parent portal. Select the teacher's name in the drop down. The teacher names are listed with the classes taken in the Parent Portal.

Wait List

You may wait list for classes through the Parent Portal (in registering). Once we've enrolled students from the wait list and meet the maximum, the wait list option may be removed.

Water

Please bring a water bottle. If you forget to bring water, you can purchase a bottle of water for $.50 (billed to account).

Weather/Unexpected Cancellations

​​If, for any reason, we need to cancel classes, we will send a text (as well as an email) to all registered participants.

How cancellations are determined:

  • When school is in session, if Geneva High School is canceling high school team sports for that date due to weather, we will follow suit and cancel our afternoon/evening classes at the center.

  • When we are aware that the Kane County Sheriff’s Department is requesting that unnecessary travel should be avoided in our area due to road conditions.

  • For any a.m. classes, if the Geneva Public School District (Dist 304) is cancelled due to weather, we will cancel our morning classes.

  • We sometimes poll our families when there doesn't seem to be a consensus on what other activities are doing within our community.

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How to check if there is a weather cancellation:
If a decision has been made to cancel classes due to weather, we will send a text (as well as an email) to all registered participants.

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We will always try to post an hour before class time (when there is a cancellation) and earlier when possible. Should a class be cancelled unexpectedly for weather, dancers can take make-up classes during our make-up opportunity. If the same class is canceled a second time in the same school year, we will offer a full class credit (for that class) on a dancer's account.​​​​

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