MORITA'S SCHOOL 
OF DANCE

MORITA’S SCHOOL OF DANCE STUDIO POLICY

26 Melody Lane, Hermon, Me 04401

(207) 848-5083

www.moritasschoolofdance.com

msdancestudio68@hotmail.com

 

This will be a great year for all our dancers!

 

Below are some policies to insure the best possible experience for all. We will be communicating to you mostly through email.  Information will also be posted on the website listed above & information board in the studio lobby.  Please check your email and our website frequently for important information.

 

Let us know if your email or telephone number changes. Thanks!

 

TUITION FEES:  Tuition fees are payable in advance and are due the first class of each month.  Tuition is based on a predetermined monthly fee whether there are 2, 3, 4, or 5 weeks in the month.  No refunds are issued for students missing classes.  Missed classes may be made up, schedule permitting, during the same month.  PLEASE CALL THE STUDIO IF YOU OR YOUR CHILD WILL NOT BE IN CLASS.  We greatly appreciate this courtesy.

 

We will be providing payment envelopes.  To ensure proper credit, please put the child’s name on the check and on the envelope.  If paying with cash, please do not send cash through the mail, or leave cash in the payment box.  Cash payments need to be handed directly to Miss Morita, Miss Denise or Heather French, so you will receive a receipt.  Always have the cash in an envelope with the child’s name and class time clearly marked on the front.  Thank you.

 

If a student’s tuition payments are overdue, he/she will not be allowed to perform in any of the performances, or continue attending classes.

 

If a check is returned, the payee is required to pay a $25.00 charge and must replace the payment with cash or money order.  We also accept Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express as forms of payment.  Heather French, bookkeeper for MSD, will handle all tuition, costumes payments, billing, etc.  You may reach her by e-mail at:  msdancestudio68@hotmail.com

 

SCHOOL CALENDAR AND HOLIDAYS OBSERVED:

Classes begin in September or October, depending on the location of the studio, and end with the annual production at Peakes Auditorium at Bangor High School on the second or 3rd weekend in May.  The official date will be announced in September.  Please mark this on your calendar and keep this week open for rehearsals and performances.  Thank you!

 

Classes will NOT be held on the following dates:

• Thanksgiving Week: November 22nd-Nov 28th, 2021 (Some make-up classes may be scheduled in this week)

• Winter Break: December 18th, 2021-Jan 3rd, 2022 (This may be subject to change.)

• February Vacation: February 21st-27th, 2022 (Some make-up classes may be scheduled in this week)

• April Vacation: April 18th-24th, 2022 (Some make-up classes may be scheduled in this week)

 

This schedule allows one snow day to be missed.  If more snow days are missed, they will be made up during vacation weeks or on a different day during the week.

 

The studio will be open on the following Observed Holidays: Columbus Day-Oct. 11th, Veteran’s Day-Nov. 11th, Martin Luther King Day-Jan. 17th and all teacher workshops/early release days unless given notice otherwise.  As always, sometimes schedules are subject to change and you will be notified.

 

In case of snow days, please check the studio Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/moritasschoolofdance), the studio Instagram page (https://www.instagram.com/moritasschoolofdance/) and/or your e-mail. School cancellation is NOT an automatic dance cancellation.  There are times when some schools cancel and some do not, so if there is any question, call/email the studio or check our Facebook page. Missed classes, if more than one, will be rescheduled with other classes during the week or during school breaks.

 

ARRIVAL FOR CLASS:

To allow for our required spacing of class times, please arrive no earlier than 10 minutes prior to your class start time. If you are dropping off a dancer who does not require assistance, please pull up to to the entrance on the left hand side of the building or find a parking spot and guide them to the entrance. 

 

DANCER DROP OFF:

All dancers will enter through the entrance located on the left side of our building, next to the fence.  At this time, our waiting area is currently closed and we ask that parents wait in their cars or outside during classes to help with social distancing in the building.  However, if your dancer would feel more comfortable, one parent (wearing a face covering/mask) may accompany their dancer and maintain social distancing while waiting in our lobby.

 

ENTERING THE BUILDING:

Once your dancer, and any parent who accompanies their dancer, has entered the building, they will be asked to remove their street shoes and place them into the shoe rack.  They will then be ushered to a bathroom to wash their hands and will be required to cleanse your hands upon arrival.

 

DANCER PICK-UP:

Dancers will be brought out by a faculty/staff member through our front door.  Dancers will wait inside the white lined area and parents must pick up their dancer from this area.  Dancers will not be let out into the parking lot on their own after class for safety reasons.  Always come back to pick up your child on time.  It is very unsettling for one child to be left when all the other parents have picked up their children.  If teachers are teaching and staff members are working, it is not always possible for them to watch children who are not picked up promptly.  We do not allow children to wait outside.  For safety, all students must wait inside the building.  As you leave our parking lot, please remember to drive slowly and use extra caution as we have dancers and family members crossing.

 

THE DRESS CODE:

All students are expected to follow the dress code for their class.  Proper shoes, dancewear and hairstyle are important for the study of dance.  PLEASE LABEL ALL STUDENTS DANCE WEAR AND THEIR SHOES WITH THEIR FULL NAME.  All ballet, pointe and contemporary students must wear their hair properly pulled up and in a bun.  Tap, Jazz & Hip Hop students may have their hair in a ponytail.  Loose hanging hair interferes with dance moves and is a distraction to the student and teacher.  If a student’s hair is too short to put up, hair must be pulled back from the face with elastics and clips.  Students 8yrs & under may wear ponytails, if necessary, but buns are preferred.   Tights and leotards are the proper attire, preferably black leotards and pink or white tights.  Please, no attached tutus.  All dancers need to own a black leotard.  Female ballet students need pink ballet shoes made of leather, manmade leather, or canvas; Male ballet students need black ballet shoes made of leather, manmade leather, or canvas.  Tap students need black tap shoes.  Jazz students need tan split sole jazz shoes.   Hip hop students need black Pastry sneakers.  Shirts and baggy pants are only allowed in hip hop classes.  No dangling jewelry for the dancer’s safety.  There are to be no bare midriffs for any classes!  NO EXCEPTIONS!!!  No outside shoes on the dance floors.  Thanks!

 

Only tights, leotards and ballet skirts or tight dance shorts will be allowed in the ballet classes.  Tight dance shorts and pants will be allowed in the other classes at the teacher’s discretion.  If a student looks and feels like a dancer, they will dance like a dancer. Please leave jewelry at home, as it is easily broken and gets lost when taken off and set on the shelf.  We cannot be responsible for any valuables.  All cell phones are to be put on silent during class and left in the students dance bag.  Phones are not to be used for texting or using Wi-Fi when changing shoes.

 

CLASS PLACEMENT:

The teachers will be evaluating both former students and new students the first few weeks of classes.  Students may be asked to try a few classes to help place them where they are best suited according to their age and ability.  We do not place friends, siblings or relatives in the same class for convenience, if their ability is not suited to the class.  Promotion to the next class level is strictly based on the individual dancer’s ability, attitude & maturity.  Entire classes will NOT automatically be moved up together, unless deemed appropriate.

 

ILLNESS: 

Any student, staff or parent that has flu-like symptoms, any symptoms of COVID-19, or have had close contact with someone who is suspected or confirmed to have COVID-19, we ask that you please not attend class or enter the studio.  We are encouraging dancers to cough and sneeze into their shirt or arms, not in their hands.

Please alert us if you, your child or family member does have COVID-19 and has been to the studio within the last 14 days so we can contact their peers.

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PARENT OBSERVATION:

Parents are permitted to observe the progress of their child on designated visiting days.

 

TEACHER CONFERENCES:

The teachers will be happy to discuss the progress of your child and answer any questions you may have.  Since it is the teacher’s prime concern to teach, we request that you set up an appointment for a phone conference or a meeting rather than take class time from the teacher.  Their next class will be waiting and we must be fair to every student.

 

PERFORMANCES:

We have a Holiday Production in December and Recital Production in May and all students will perform. Throughout the year, certain classes may be asked to perform at charity events, festivals, etc.  Dance is a performing art and we like to take the opportunity for the dancers to perform whenever possible.

 

COSTUMES, HOLIDAY PERFORMANCES AND SPRING RECITAL:

Full costume payment is due on or before October 16th, 2021.   COSTUMES WILL BE USED FOR THE HOLIDAY AND SPRING SHOWS.  Please plan ahead for this payment.  All dancers taking class are required to purchase their costume for their dancer to wear in our Holiday Production in December and Recital Production in May.  Please have your costume payment in a separate check from your monthly tuition.  Costumes MUST be ordered early or they will not arrive on time for the performances.  This year the costume package will include the costume, tights, accessories, tax and shipping for your convenience.  The Minimum Costume Package will be between $75 & $85 plus tax.  Prices will vary for students taking more than 1 hour per week. Costumes are not returnable and therefore non-refundable.  Exchanges can be made for an exchange fee of $10.00 per costume for a size change.  Exchanges can take up to 6 weeks for delivery.  Students will be measured for their costumes in October.  Costumes are released ONLY when all costume and lesson payments are up to date.  IF COSTUMES ARE NOT PAID IN FULL - THEY WILL NOT BE ORDERED.

 

PROFESSIONAL PHOTOS:

Photos will be taken in the spring.  Many lovely picture packages are available for you to purchase.  All students are required to attend the photo shoot, but it is your choice to purchase the pictures.

 

COMMUNICATION:

We will communicate by email.  Please let us know if you change your email or if you are not receiving our notices.

 

SPECIAL OPPORTUNITIES:

As the students get older and progress in their dancing abilities, we attend certain competitions and festivals from time to time.  Competition is NOT the focus of our studio.  It is a great learning experience for the dancers to attend a competition, to perform and learn by watching the many other studios.  Maine Dance Teachers Workshop is for students 8 yrs. and older are invited and encouraged to attend the Maine Dance Teachers Workshops in Waterville.  All students attending any of the MDTC workshops will be recognized on stage at the recital.  Students attending 3 or more of the workshops in Waterville do an extra number in the recital.  Students attending all 4 workshops will do the extra number and receive a trophy at the spring recital!

 

The Stars Dance Team-Mini Stars, Rising Stars, Shooting Stars, Shining Stars and Elite Stars

Please ask for information, if your dancer is interested.  This is for dancers in Kindergarten and older, with at least one full dance season’s worth of experience.  Being on the dance team gives the dancers many more performing opportunities, more dance and rehearsal time and improves the dancer's ability with all the extra practice.  It is a great team bonding experience for all ages, with the older dancers being great mentors to the younger dancers.

 

IMPORTANT REMINDERS:

• Students need to arrive in time to be ready for class, hair up and properly attired.   Names on shoes & bags!!!!!

• Please call if a student will be absent.  This is extremely important and lets us know the student is not just late.

• Students wait inside the building.

• Parents, please do not leave your other children (that are not dancing) unsupervised at the studio at any time.  You are responsible for the care and control of your children outside, in the waiting room and dressing areas.  Running around the studio, yelling or climbing on chairs is not acceptable in any area of the building.

• NO smoking and absolutely no food, GUM or beverages except BOTTLED WATER are allowed anywhere in the dance studios.  Any food or snacks brought into the waiting area are to be disposed of properly and cleaned up if dropped on the floor.  Please bring only water for a beverage.  (Soda & juice are sticky & leave stains.)  Thank you.

• Good conduct, manners and politeness are expected from students and parents at all times.  The waiting room is NOT the place for personal information or other people’s children to be discussed.

• We post notices on the bulletin board and will be giving students notices throughout the year.  Please be sure to check their dance bags or stop at the studio to check for notices.   Extra notices will be available at the studio or in your email.

• Please keep your registration folder and add the newsletters and announcements for reference.

• Info will be posted on our website: www.moritasschoolofdance.com & on the information board in the studio lobby.

 

We put forth a great effort to promote a professional atmosphere and ask you to adhere to the studio policy.  Morita’s School of Dance, any heirs, its employees and staff will be held harmless from liability or claims resulting from your child’s or your participation in this program.

 

Morita’s School of Dance provides quality dance education to children, teenagers and adults participating in any of the programs held at Morita’s School of Dance.  Morita’s School of Dance, Morland, LLC or any other locations dance classes are held at are not responsible for personal injury, loss or damage of personal items.

 

Please keep the first 3 pages of the policy for your records.

 

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Signed Studio Copy:

 

Morita’s School of Dance, Morland, LLC or any other locations where classes are held along with any heirs, its employees and staff will be held harmless from liability or claims resulting from your child’s participation in this program.  Morita’s School of Dance, Morland, LLC or other locations classes are held at are not responsible for personal injury, loss or damage of personal items.  I understand with any physical activity, there is chance of injury.

 

I  HAVE READ, UNDERSTAND AND AGREE TO ALL OF THE  STUDIO POLICIES.

 

Please Print Student’s Name__________________________________________________________

 

Tel._____________________________ Cell____________________________

 

E-mail____________________________________________________________________________

 

 

Date______________________________________

 

Signature of Parent or Guardian (if under 18) or Student 18 & over: _________________________________________________