Questions to ask when choosing a dance studio.
If you have never been a part of a dance studio, welcome to one of the most amazing experiences of you and your family's lives. If most dance studios seem to have qualified, friendly teachers, experience teaching children and a big show at the end of the year, aren't they all pretty much the same? NO. Does it really matter which one I choose? YES.
1. What kind of floor will be used for classes?
Dance is a very physical activity that requires a lot of jumping. This can put stress on bones and joints. Most dance footwear does not provide any cushioning or support, so the shock of dance movement can place a lot of pressure on the knees and back of the dancer. The best way to prevent injury is by choosing a studio with a professional "floating floor". A floating floor is a dance floor that rests on a system of high-density foam to absorb the shock of jumping.
The top layer of the dance floor is also important. A vinyl composite "marley" floor is accepted worldwide as the best surface layer for recreational or professional dance. These floors are not slippery which reduces the chances of falling. Very few studios use professional marley floors becaused of the expense involved, and often opt for a regular floor tile for a studio floor.
Our special floors help reduce the risk of injuries and allow students to dance longer without getting tired.
2. How many students will be in the classes?
Students of any age can feel lost in a class that is too large. If the dance class has fewer students in it, each student will receive more personalized attention, learn more, and have more fun. The optimum number of students in a class will vary depending on the age and skill lever of the students and may be larger for teachers using an assistant.
Our class size limit for children 5 and under is 6 students per class; for 6 and 7 year olds, 8 per class, age 8 through 12, 12 per class and 15 for teen and adult classes.
3. Are parents permitted to watch classes?
Some studios refuse to allow parents to observe classes at any time.
Our studio has an observation window so parents can watch and usually hear what is going in any class. We also have a Parent Watch Week in December for all parents to watch inside the studio.
4. If I pay a registration fee and a monthly tuition fee, will there still be additional costs?
Almost all studios that have either recitals or competitions have costume fees which can vary considerably from one studio to another. Some have recital fees to cover theater costs, some charge admission to cover theater costs for recitals, and some studios promote competition and have fees to enter them. Another cost may be the apparel to be worn for classes - is it readily available or sold only by the studio?
Our studio charges a recital fee to cover the costs of theater rental, technicians, programs, etc., so that we do not need to charge admission to the recital itself and students can invite all their friends and family. We also have a costume fee which we believe is lower than most because we do not try to make a profit on costumes.
Studios that are designed to train serious students that may want to turn professional probably have a dress code. For our ballet classes girls must wear pink tights, pink ballet shoes, SOLID black leotard (no skirt), and have their hair in a bun. If her hair is too short for a bun, it needs to be pinned up and back off her face and neck. Boys should wear black tights or solid black shorts, plain white t-shirt, and black ballet shoes.
For Tap, Jazz, and Hip Hop we allow t shirts and shorts, but hair must still be off the face and neck. The teachers still need to be able to see your knees and ankles for proper placement and alignment. No baggy sweatshirts, No tank tops. For tap and jazz the shoes should be solid black. Hip Hop students may wear any shoe that is comfortable as long as they don't wear it outside (refered to as "street shoes"). We do not want dirt and gravel destroying our marley floor.
Dance wear for our classes is available many places, but no dance wear is sold at our studio.
5. What opportunities are there for performing?
In addition to our year end recital, Jonni's Dance Academy sponsors Premiere Ballet of Kansas City which holds open auditions in September for their annual Nutcracker. PBKC can not promise a part to all students who audition, but it is a tremendous opportunity to perform on the same stage with former professional dancers.
6. If an advanced ballet class is in your future, will pointe (toe) shoes damage the foot?
Pointe shoes should only be worn by students who have developed the foot and ankle strengtrh and correct body alignment to prevent injury or damage to the foot. A properly fitted shoe on a well trained dancer will not cause injury. Good ballet training will require that students learning to dance on their toes also continue to build their skill in flat-shoe technique classes.
