Please review the following policies before your
first class.
Studio Policies:
Dance Wear:
Wear whatever makes you feel beautiful and enjoy celebrating your body!
Comfortable dance clothing such as stretch pants and a close-fitting sports/tank
top or t-shirt is recommended for dance technique correction. If you wear
clothing that is loose (such as sweat pants or long t-shirts) the teacher will
not be able to see if you are executing the movements correctly. NO JEANS or
ATHLETIC SHOES
Dance Shoes:
All instructors and students must wear shoes due
to the studio liability insurance. Ballet slippers, jazz shoes or some other
type of dance shoe or flat shoe is appropriate. If you do not have shoes at your
first class, you must wear thick socks and you must bring shoes with you by week
two or you will not be allowed to participate in class.
Hip Scarf:
A hip scarf is highly recommended to help see the movement as you develop those
fabulous shimmies. Please do not sit down in glass beaded hip scarves as the
beads can easily break and end up cutting our feet. Hip scarves are available
for purchase at the studio.
Class Costs:
Students either have to pay for the entire session $48.00 for 4 weeks or by the class @ 15.00.
Refunds:
If you cannot attend a full session after you enroll or cannot finish a session
due to personal, family or other circumstances, you can receive a refund, minus
class and processing fees, BUT you MUST ask for that refund BEFORE the second
class of the 4 week course. No refunds or class transfers will be given after
the second week of the session. Period.
Discounts:
Discounts are given if you sign up for more than one class in a week. The
discount is as follows:
1st session- $48.00
2nd class-40.00
3rd or more- 40.00 per class
Music:
Instructors do not burn individual copies of music for students. We have a list
of all the songs that we use for choreography on CD. We have one CD for Beginner
Level Choreographies, one CD for Intermediate and one CD for Advanced Level
music. CD's cost $10.00 each and are available for purchase at the beginning of
the session.
We do not loan out DVD's and/or CD's. We will; however, provide you the name of
the CD or DVD if you want to purchase it.
Choreography Notes:
All choreography notes are online. Students are given the username and password
to retrieve their notes. Usernames and passwords will be given out at the
beginning of each class.
Switching Classes:
Student cannot switch classes after week two. Any student who wants to switch
classes must inform me prior to week two.
If we are teaching the same choreography on different nights, students cannot
switch classes without approval from Jendayi.
If a student signs up for technique, you must come to the class/day that you
originally signed up for, you cannot switch back and forth. If you want to come
to a different technique class other than the one you selected, you must pay the
$15.00 drop in fee.
Video Taping:
No video taping of technique or choreography class is permitted under any
circumstances.
Merchandise:
Students cannot pay for bellydance merchandise in installments.
Observing a Class:
Students cannot come to class just to observe. If you are present when the class
begins, whether you dance or not, you must pay the $15.00 drop in fee.
Make Up Sessions:
You have paid for a 4 week course, which has a start and end date. If you miss a
class, you cannot make it up and you will not receive a refund for that missed
class. We do not offer make-up sessions to unless the class is rescheduled by
us. Then we will offer a make-up session. If you are going to miss class and
want to review what you missed, you may book a private lesson. $35.00
Personal Belongings:
Please place your personal belongings on the shelves near the restroom. Do not
leave keys , shoes or misc items on the dance floor. Please do not lean
against the mirrors or mural.
Class Cancellations:
We reserve the right to cancel any class due to low enrollment. Students
enrolled will be given the option to transfer the class or receive a refund.
Lost Property:
We are not responsible for lost, stolen or damaged personal property. We and our
teachers are not liable for any injuries sustained during class or on the
premises. We reserve the right to bar any person from studio premises based on
disruptive behavior and/or management discretion.
Props: Determined as needed based on
choreography.
Studio
Etiquette
1. Show respect for your teacher. In Eastern
disciplines such as martial arts and yoga, the teacher is revered, worshipped
and given great loyalty and respect. Teachers have worked long and hard and made
many sacrifices to master their arts. Many have dedicated their lives to this
dance form. Remember, choreographies are the property of the teacher. Generally,
a teachers gives permission to perform her choreographies when she teaches them.
However, this does not give you the right to teach the choreography to other
students or even your own troupe members. Ask the teacher for her policy
regarding this very important legal issue.
2. Be on time. There is no excuse for being
late. It disrupts other students and the teacher when someone arrives ten
minutes late. You forego essential warm up stretches. How would you feel if your
teacher arrived ten or fifteen minutes late? Find out what time the studio doors
open and try to be in class at least 5 minutes early. This is will give you time
to change, use the bathroom and get a drink of water. If you
are late, and we are only human so occasionally happen, quietly enter the room
and position yourself on the floor.
3. Be considerate of students around you.
People learn at different rates and in different ways. Be patient with others
who may not grasp the movement as quickly as you do. Spend the extra time the
teacher is taking with the ‘slower’ student, to refine the movement you have
just learned. Do not force someone out of their spot because you
want to be in the front row and arrived too late. Also keep in mind that many
teachers will rotate rows so that everyone has a fair opportunity to be up
front. Don’t be upset if you arrived early and all of sudden you find yourself
in the back row.
4. Wear suitable attire. Dance tights and a hip scarf are
suitable for class. Leggings, midriff tops and long, full skirts are also
appropriate. It is important to be comfortable and to be able to achieve a broad
range of motion, unhampered by excess material or jewelry. Consider the topic
being taught when you dress for class.
5. Keep talking and giggling to a minimum. Part of the fun of dance class is the
giggling and laughing which often occurs. I encourage laughter during
weekly classes. After all, feeling good is one of the benefits of the dance.
However, try to keep talking and giggling in check.
Avoid talking to other students during class. Keep your attention focused on the
teacher.
6. Avoid being a know it all. Yes, you have
had another teacher somewhere who called that movement “The Washing Machine.”
Your old teacher was the authority on the subject and now you are. Keep in mind,
this dance has been passed on from one dancer to the next since the beginning of
time. The movements do not have standardized names. Teachers generally call a
movement what their teacher called it. There is no right or wrong name! Do not
openly challenge a teacher’s expertise! Resist the urge to add your 2 cents
every time you think you know the answer. The teacher’s job is to teach -- it’s
not your job! Also, you may think your way of explaining a move works, when in
reality you may be explaining a different move or worse yet teaching bad habits.
If you feel so compelled to help someone, do it some other time -- not during
class time.
7. Take notes when sitting out of active participation.
If for some reason, you absolutely can not continue the class -- you are too
tired, too hungry, cramps, etc. -- by no means, leave. When students walk out
the door, it shows a lack of respect for the teacher. Other students wonder
where the dancer has gone? Sit in the corner and take notes. Do not converse
with other students or start shopping. Do your shopping at the appropriate time.
If you are able to return to class, do so quietly and take a spot in the back of
the room.
8. Let the teacher teach. If you are a
teacher, under no circumstances should you voice an opinion in another teacher’s
class, unless you are asked to do so. I know it is hard to resist helping the
floundering girl next to you, but it is not your place. Let the teacher do the
teaching. Button your lip. If the teacher asks for your opinion or expertise,
concisely give it and then give your complete attention back to her! Sometimes
you may feel you could explain the movement better than the teacher or in a
different way. Go back and review Rule #6 above!
9. Keep an open mind and please do not complain.
Be open to new ideas and possibilities. Try to focus on how your new teacher can
expand your dance repertoire. Do not compare her to other teachers. Do not
complain about a movement being too difficult. Instead, ask thoughtful questions
so that you can understand the difficult movement. Don’t be afraid to ask
questions. Chances are, other students are wondering the same thing.
10. Watch the teacher’s performance or demonstration.
If the teacher is kind enough to perform or demonstrate for the class, watch in
silence. Once, I observed a teacher performing a dance so beautifully I
could have cried, except I wanted to scream at the miserable girls behind me.
While she graciously performed, they chattered incessantly. This behavior
followed arriving late to class, complaining about difficult movements, and
quitting early because of fatigue. They would have been better off staying at
home. The rest of us could have enjoyed the workshop more.
By giving teacher’s the respect they deserve - you get
something back-
your money’s worth!
All images and content are copyright 2008
Jendayi's Atlanta Belly Dancing Studio, Inc.
