Studio Policy

Sebastopol Ballet provides a structured and nurturing environment for serious and recreational dancers wishing to pursue the art of classical ballet.

Ballet is the foundation of all dance forms and our primary focus is the study of technique. Combining this instruction with performance experiences allows each dancer to fulfill her/his potential. We encourage our students to take advantage of all opportunities at Sebastopol Ballet. These include classes with guest teachers in ballet, jazz, modern, and more, in addition to our regular program. Our curriculum offers an interdisciplinary approach for dancers to obtain a versatile dance education.

Jump to:

• Registration / Parent Portal
• Class Schedule & Placement
• Tuition
• Studio Communications
• Class Observations
• Withdrawal & Termination
• Dress Code
• Water & Snacks
• Phones
• Illness
• Make-Up Classes
• Lost & Found

Registration / Parent Portal

• All students are required to be registered.
• We use an online registration and enrollment system, referred to as the Parent Portal. Using the Parent Portal, you can register and enroll in classes, update contact information, update payment information, send messages to our studio, and more.
• Register Online – Create a New Account
• Log In to Existing Account
• More information about how to register, including a "how to" video, can be found on our Registration page.

Class Schedule & Placement

• The online class schedule is updated often, but please verify with the studio staff on class availability and scheduling before attending for the first time.
• General information about age requirements and levels may be found on our What Level Should I Be In? page.
• Please contact the studio for advice on the class that will best fit the student's age, ability and experience.

Tuition

General Tuition Policy

• We accept payment by cash, check, credit card (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover), or ACH (electronic bank transfer).
• A credit card or bank account on file is required, but will never be charged if tuition is paid with cash or check by the due date (see individual payment policy below).
• We do not send monthly statements, except for Adult classes, but you may view your Transaction History in the Parent Portal.

Youth Class Tuition (Ages 6+)

• Monthly tuition is ongoing and automatically charged until the end of the session or notice of termination is received (see Withdrawal & Termination Policy).
• A full month of tuition is due by the first class of each month.
• A credit card on file is required, but will never be charged if tuition is paid with cash or check by the 10th of the month.
• Tuition is calculated on the total class hours per week for which all students in a family are registered. Hourly class rates decrease as the total number of hours per week increase.
• Tuition is based on an average of 4 classes per month. We do not charge more for "long months" (5 classes in a month), and we also do not charge less for "short months" (less than 4 classes in a month).
• Prorating for a partial month will only be granted if arranged with administration ahead of time.
• If student(s) will be away from classes for a month or more, tuition may be charged in order to hold the student's place in class(es), at the discretion of administration; otherwise, the place in class may be offered to another student.

PreBallet Class Tuition (Ages 3-6)

• PreBallet class tuition is based on 4 to 8 week sessions and must be paid in full at the beginning of each session.
• A credit card/bank account on file is required, but will never be charged if tuition is paid with cash or check by the first class of the session.
• Prorating for a partial session will only be granted if arranged with administration ahead of time.

Adult Class Tuition

• Adult classes are charged on a "drop-in" class basis, i.e. only actual classes attended.
• Adult students may pay for each class on the day attended. Otherwise, at the end of each month we will calculate the tuition due for all classes attended that month and send a statement for the balance due.
• A credit card/bank account on file is required, but will never be charged if fees are paid with cash or check by the 5th of the following month.

Studio Communications

We do not keep regular office hours, so please email us via our Parent Portal or Contact form for a quicker response.

Email

• Email is our primary form of communication for information regarding classes, special events and performances.
• Please provide a frequently checked email address at registration.
• To ensure that our emails do not go to your spam folder, please add noreply@jackrabbittech.com to your email contact list.

Text Messages

• In case of class cancellations due to power outages, teacher illness, etc, we will send text messages.
• You must opt-in to receive text messages in the Parent Portal for each person who should receive the text messages, including yourself, other parent/guardian, and your student.

Class Observation

• Class observation is only allowed during the first class of the month or first class of a Pre-Ballet session.
• This applies to all levels.
• Please bear in mind our studios are small and we don’t have adequate seating, so it can be disruptive to have parents and/or siblings observing classes.
• We understand the desire to watch your dancer in class, but it’s important for teachers to have the full focus of their students.

Withdrawal & Termination

• Written notice is required before the 15th of the month if you wish to withdraw from one or more classes.
• If written notice is not received by the 15th, full tuition will be charged and no refund will be issued.

Dress Code

Dance clothing and shoes may be purchased at:

Pre-Ballet

• Clothes: Dancers are encouraged to wear proper ballet clothing – leotard and optional skirt, or leggings and a not-baggy t-shirt – to help them get into the ballet mood, but it is not required at this age. Any clothes that they can move freely in will also work. To prevent tripping, skirts / dresses should be no longer than knee-length, and pants should be close-fitting and ankle-length or shorter.
• Shoes: Dancers need to wear proper ballet slippers/shoes. We have some shoes to borrow, just come early enough to find a pair that fits. Please re-pair and return the shoes after class.
• Hair: Long hair in a pony-tail, braid or bun; short hair pinned back off of the face.

Ballet – Girls

• Clothes: All students in Beginning Ballet and above are required to wear a leotard and tights. Tight fitting warm-ups may be worn at the barre.
• Shoes: Appropriate ballet shoes.
• Hair: Long hair must be worn in a bun with bangs and “wispies” pinned back. Short hair must be pinned back to keep out of face. Please put a hairbrush, hair ties, bobby pins, and an elasticized hair net in your child’s dance bag if assistance is needed.

Ballet – Boys/Non-binary

• Clothes: T-shirt and shorts, leggings or athletic pants (must not be loose-fitting).
• Shoes: Appropriate ballet shoes.
• Hair: Long hair must be pulled back.

Contemporary & Tap

• Clothes: Fitted shirt or leotard, and leggings or bike shorts.
• Shoes: For Contemporary, jazz or modern shoes; ballet shoes are ok for Level 1.
  For Tap, tap shoes (we have loaner shoes available).
• Hair: Hair tied back.

Hip Hop

• Clothes: Any clothing that will not restrict the dancer's movements, for example: athletic pants and a t-shirt.
• Shoes: Clean sneakers with non-marking soles.
• Hair: Preferably tied back out of the dancer's face.

Adults

• Clothes: Ballet attire or yoga-type clothing (leggings and a top). Attire must not be too loose-fitting.
• Shoes: Appropriate dance shoes – ballet slippers or jazz shoes.
• Hair: Long hair should be pulled back and not worn loose.

Water and Snacks

• Drinks other than water are not allowed.
• We encourage dancers to bring their own labeled water bottles. Small water cups may be available for students who forget to bring their own bottle.
• Snacks may be consumed in the back dressing area and are not allowed in the studios.
• Please be sure to properly dispose of trash inside and outside of the studio.

Phones

• Please mute phones while in the studio, so that they do not disturb classes.
• Dancers, leave your phone in your dance bag, in the dressing area or in a cubby. They are not to be used during class or rehearsal.
• Parents, please keep your phones quiet, especially if a sibling is playing a game while waiting for class to end.

Illness

• If you or your dancer are feeling unwell – fever, cough, sore throat, etc – we ask that you wear a mask (in mild cases) or keep your dancer home.

Make-Up Classes

• It is the responsibility of the family and student to arrange for the make-up of missed classes, including vacation and illness.
• Make-up classes must be completed within 30 days of the missed class.
• We will do our best to accommodate make-up class requests, based on class availability.
• If another class is not available in the same level, the make-up class may be taken in a lower level class.

Lost & Found

• Clothing, water bottles, and any other items left at the studio will be gathered at the end of each month in a designated place at the sutdio. Any items left in the lost & found after the second month will be donated to a local charity.

Thank you!
— Hannah and the Sebastopol Ballet School staff