Studio Information
Attendance
We encourage you to stress the importance of NOT MISSING CLASSES unless there is a real emergency or illness. Regular and consistent attendance is important. The progress of the entire class is hindered when class must be stopped to re-teach what was missed at an earlier session. We have also found that when a student feels a lack of confidence in his/her class work due to inadequate preparation, they become discouraged with their dancing in general.
If a student will knowingly miss class due to illness, an activity, or appointment, he/she should notify the dance office prior to class. Leaving a voice mail will be sufficient. Notification of the absence will be given to the teacher. Advanced students MUST call the office if you are going to be absent.
Make-up Policy
All students can make up a missed class in any class of the same level or a level below. Please see the schedule of classes for days and times and consult with your student's teacher for a recomendation.
Inclement Weather
Dance Arts Conservatory is closed for inclement weather when New Hanover County Schools are closed for bad weather. Please listen to school closing reports on the radio, TV or www.wilmingtondancearts.com.
Spring Concert
The Spring Performance is considered a priority for all our students and other conflicting events should be secondary to preparations for this program. This stage performance is for levels Beginning ballet and tap through Advanced and showcases the technique the students have learned throughout the year. Our Pre-Ballet & Tap classes have in-studio end of year recitals helping the youngest dancer feel comfortable in their familiar environment.
Newsletters
A newsletter is published every fall and spring semester. Each issue will contain important notices and helpful information that will be handed out in your child's class. Please let us know if you do not receive this information.
Level Advancement
It may be appropriate for young dance students to remain in the same class level for two or three years before continuing on to the next level. Unlike academic studies where a student progresses a grade level each year, in dance training it is quite normal to spend several years in one level in order to properly assimilate all the necessary material.
The training of a dancer is based on the constant repetition of particular steps and movements until the student has a full comprehension of the dance vocabulary and shows competency of execution. Sometimes, especially in younger children, total comprehension can only be achieved when the physical body has grown strong enough to handle the more complicated moves required in dance. In these instances, we prefer to wait until a child’s physical development matches the requirements of the next level’s syllabus.
It is important to maintain consistent attendance in dance classes during the school year. This insures the progress of each student in their given class level. Similar to any sport requiring difficult motor skills and dexterity of movement, disciplined and regular practice will lead to quicker advancement.
We hope this information will enable parents and students to better understand the actual “time line” of development in a dancer’s training and that there is nothing unusual about the gradual advancement from level to level.
When May I Go On Pointe?
It is advisory to be cautious and conservative about the age at which a female student begins training on pointe. Usually, by age 11 or 12 and after 3-4 years of consecutive ballet training the student is physically strong enough and technically advanced enough to begin pointe work. It can be dangerous to start a student on pointe too early in the process of her training. The student must have a thorough understanding of proper body alignment as well as ankle, foot, leg, and abdominal strength to prevent injury or the development of chronic conditions such as tendonitis. A student who begins pointe work too early may also develop bad habits in an effort to stand on pointe when they are not strong enough to do it properly. There is no urgency to start pointe work at an early age as the accomplished and well trained dancer easily goes up on pointe with little effort and is able to progress at a rapid pace. Many students who start pointe work too early are then discouraged by the difficulty of proper execution which they did not anticipate. It is much wiser to wait until the appropriate time when the student is physically ready and can achieve the anticipated results.