Studio and Lobby Etiquette
Anyone entering our space is expected to treat themselves and others with respect and acceptance. Furthermore, instructors, studio staff, studio items, studio spaces, performance spaces, and costumes are to be treated with the same respect. Non-staff members are asked to refrain from entering classrooms unless requested to do so. No outdoor shoes, food, or drink (other than closed water bottles) are permitted in our classrooms. Dancers should use the restroom before their class begins. However if an emergency bathroom need arises, we have a staff member on duty during all classes who can assist with bathroom runs.
Please note that the lobby is made available for the convenience of our students and their families. It is also how dancers and instructors access their classrooms. We ask that you please respect the activities of others and classes in session, and adhere to posted signage.
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The front entryway and main area of the lobby must be kept clear, per the Fire Marshall, in the event of an evacuation. Please do not sit or loiter in these areas or allow your children to do so. Your courtesy is greatly appreciated.
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Please keep conversation in the lobby positive. Negativity does not provide for a healthy environment.
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The lobby is for waiting, reading, light snacking, homework, light stretching/warm-ups, and quiet conversation or play. No running, tumbling, wrestling, climbing or gymnastics. Seats and chairs are for sitting only. Please do not allow your children to stand or jump on the seating. Attitude en Pointe and its staff and teachers are not liable or responsible for personal injury. Please supervise your children closely so we can maintain a safe and respectful environment.
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Please only water or tightly covered drinks, and dry snacks! NO PEANUTS ALLOWED (we have dancers with severe peanut allergies).
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Due to our growing dance family, seating is limited in the lobby during many class transitions. Please be respectful of your dance family. Do not place items such as purses, shoes, backpacks, etc. on chairs or in areas people need to walk through. Items can be stored on the floor underneath benches or against the walls. Attitude en Pointe and its staff and teachers are not liable or responsible for lost belongings. If you believe that you left something at the studio, it may be in our Lost & Found basket in the restroom.
Breaches will merit a personal warning upon the first instance. If the behavior persists, at a minimum, the dancer’s parent or guardian will be contacted by the Director. Serious and/or repeated negative behavior may result in dismissal from the studio, at the Director’s discretion.
Attendance: Absences
Ballet involves progressive learning, where consistency is key. We do not have a maximum number of missed classes for students to be able to continue participating in our classes, but for dancers to learn and progress, it is important for them to attend class consistently. Attendance is taken into account when creating student evaluations throughout the year and placing them into levels. If a student has a planned absence, please email or text us 24 hours in advance to let us know. Student attendance is crucial to instructors planning and structuring their classes. It is especially important to not miss classes before a recital or performance, to ensure your dancer is comfortable, prepared, and dancing their best before an audience.
Attendance: Late Arrivals
Students are expected to arrive on time, ready to begin class, as late arrivals are disruptive to instructors and other dancers. Missing the first parts of class, including warm-up, is a safety hazard for a dancer’s muscles. Dancers in our Primary Program and Academy arriving more than 15 minutes late to class will be asked to sit and watch class. Dancers in our Adult Program arriving more than 15 minutes late will not be permitted into class. If you are late to class, please or wait until an exercise is done before entering the classroom. We understand that emergencies happen, but please try to email or text us if you know a student will be tardy. Late arrivals will not be credited or refunded.
Missed Classes
We do not offer makeup classes for student absences. Through experience, we have found that makeup classes often wind up being more disruptive to classes and an individual dancer's education than they are beneficial. Instead, we can provide credit to your account for up to two excused missed classes per session (i.e., illness, injury, family emergency, or planned trip). Please make sure to give us as much notice as possible before any absences. Failure to notify us timely that class will be missed will not result in a credit, except in emergency circumstances at the sole discretion of the Director. Credits can be used for future classes or camps, and will be applied to your next registration. Credits expire after 1 year and are not refundable. Additional absences will not be credited or refunded.
Dress Code
We love students expressing themselves stylistically, but still within a few parameters to ensure classes run smoothly, dancers are able to move freely, and instructors can properly evaluate the dancer’s form and alignment (regardless of age). Dancers have a 2-week grace period after they begin classes to attire properly. Continued dress code violations will result in the dancer being asked to sit and watch class. Dancers are expected to be ready for class in appropriate dress at the start of their class, with their hair done. No dance shoes may be worn outside the dance classroom, and no outside shoes may be worn inside the dance classroom. This protects both our studio floors and your dance shoes!
​Calendar
It is the responsibility of the student and guardian to be aware of all studio activities and events, special dates, classes, workshops, etc. The session’s Calendar of Events will be provided to students during the first couple weeks of class, will also be listed on our website, and will be available in our lobby. The Calendar of Events is always subject to change, and updates will be made in as timely a manner as possible and posted.
Change of address, telephone, and email
Please notify Attitude en Pointe by email of any phone, address, or email changes. Attitude en Pointe is not responsible for lost or undeliverable mail or email.
Tuition
Tuition is expected to be paid in full before the dancer’s first class. All classes are prorated for students registering later than the original start date. A $20 late fee will be issued per class for any late tuition payments. This late fee will recur once a week until tuition is paid. Non-payment of tuition may result in the dancer no longer being admitted into class. All classes have a non-refundable $15 registration fee built into tuition each class session that helps to cover the costs of our office administration, classroom supplies, music licensing fees, etc.
Class withdrawals must be requested in writing by email to the Director. If a dancer is withdrawn within the first two weeks after registering, credits for unused classes will be applied to the next registration. After your dancer’s second week, no more than two credits will be issued. Credits expire after 1 year and are not refundable. We do not provide refunds, except for in emergency instances (i.e., in the events of serious student injury or illness that prevents a dancer from dancing,, etc.) as determined solely by the Director.
If a family is experiencing financial hardship, please contact the Director at Director@AttitudeEnPointe.com to discuss possible solutions. All conversations of this nature will be held in strict confidence. We never want an inability to pay to be a barrier to excelling in dance. Payment plans may be available.
Class Placement/Dancer Evaluations
Class placements are based on both age and ability, as determined by the Instructors and Director. Class placements are made thoughtfully through dancer evaluations, and take into account a number of factors including, but not limited to, age, classroom behavior, ability to comprehend movement, ability to execute movement, attendance, etc. Every effort is made to place dancers in appropriate levels where they will excel and grow the most. Dancer evaluations are created collaboratively by Instructors and Director twice a session- at the midway point and towards the end. Dancer class placements for the upcoming session will be shared with parents at the conclusion of the previous session. Parents are more than welcome to discuss their child’s placement with the Director if there are any questions.
Class Changes
Class changes must be made before registration for the session closes. Class changes must be made in writing by email as soon as possible, at least 24 hours before your scheduled class. Class changes must be approved and confirmed by the Director before the dancer attends their new class.
Inclement Weather/Emergency Closures
We do not follow public or private school schedules for closures and delays. All efforts will be made to hold classes whenever possible, however our students’, guardians’, and instructors’ safety are always taken into consideration; safety is of utmost importance and always comes first. Any closures or cancellations will be announced on our website homepage and sent to you by email. It is the dancer and/or guardian’s responsibility to ensure our studio has your current contact information.
Class Cancellation
All efforts will always be made to keep class running! Should class ever be canceled, refunds for the canceled class are only provided in instances within the studio’s control (i.e. instructor illness or short notice). Refunds are not provided in instances outside the studio’s control (such as inclement weather). You will be notified of any class cancellation by email. It is the dancer and/or guardian’s responsibility to ensure our studio has your current contact information.​
Small Class Policy: All classes must have at least 3 dancers to run. Classes with fewer students than this will continue to run at an adjusted semi-private class rate, or be subject to cancellation. Any dancers enrolled in a canceled class will have the option to either continue the class at the adjusted rate, join a new class, or receive a refund for the number of classes remaining in a session.
Drop-off
Our classes operate in a “drop-off” manner, with the exception of Parent & Me classes. We ask that guardians not enter classrooms with their dancers, and when dancers are in class, guardians stay out of sight of the dancers. This allows dancers and instructors to focus on class, and helps students to begin to build that self-confidence that is so important in life (even in our youngest classes)! We understand that this is a two-way-street, and as a guardian you must have trust with our studio staff and be assured that your dancers will be taken care of. The goal of drop-off classes is not to be rigid, but rather a means to ensure class runs smoothly and effectively. Our studio is located in downtown Bethesda in a convenient shopping center where guardians can easily run their errands and enjoy personal time during class, while never being too far away. Our instructors and staff have emergency contact information, filled out by guardians during registration, where we can contact you quickly if we need to. Dancers are never left alone and in the care of highly-trained instructional professionals, all with numerous years experience.
Please do not arrive for class more than 10 minutes early or leave dancers unattended in the lobby until instructors have seen their dancers into class. Upon emergencies only may dancers wait with a staff member in the lobby if a dancer must be dropped off early. Only dancers aged 10 and older are permitted to be unattended by their guardian in our lobby, upon submission and approval of a written permission slip.
Observation Week
Observation Week is one predetermined week during a session where we allow grown-ups into the classroom for a portion of class as audience members. No additional Observation Weeks are provided throughout the session. While our classes operate in a drop-off manner, we do want grown-ups to have the opportunity to see what their dancers are learning in class and how we have progressed throughout the session. This week is also in our curriculum for dancers to practice being a little more comfortable dancing in front of others- they are a great opportunity to share what dancers have learned in a safe, familiar space.
Pick-up
Parents are asked to arrange for their child to arrive and be picked up on time for all lessons, rehearsals, and appointments. Students will be dismissed by instructors at the end of class to their guardian or other authorized adult. If there are any special circumstances, please contact the Director to discuss them.
Only dancers aged 10 and older will be permitted to leave the premises on their own, upon submission and approval of a written permission slip. Dancers with no guardian present at the end of class will wait with an instructor or staff member until guardian arrives. For dancers in two or more back-to-back classes, dancers will be supervised by an instructor or staff member during their class transition. Late pickups of more than 10 minutes are subject to a $10 late fee for each ten minutes. Please email or text in any instance you know you are running late.