Studio Policies

To ensure the smooth, safe running of Gibsons Dance Center and an enjoyable experience by all, below you will find our code of conduct. As always, we are open to feedback, so if any of the requirements outlined below are unclear or concerning, please email us to discuss further. Following a formal meeting, we do reserve the right to dismiss or take disciplinary action on any students or parents who breach our studio’s code of conduct. All students and parents are responsible for adhering to our policies. Multiple infractions will result in the student being withdrawn from our programs.

General Policies

  • Families who do not comply with their fee or costume payment obligations will be charged a late fee, and/or excluded from class/performances. External debt collection may occur when fees remain overdue and this will be at the expense of the client. Costume expenses are the responsibility of the parent, and costumes will not be issued to students with unpaid class fees.
  • Students who need to drop a class can do so through the parent portal. In order to not be charged for the next month, parents need to make sure the drop occurs prior to the 1st of the month. Anyone needing assistance with dropping a class should email us with information regarding the need to drop. This email needs to be sent prior to the 1st to avoid being charged monthly tuition. There will be no refunds.
  • No classes (including private lessons) or teachers are to be disturbed unless it is an emergency. Parents are not to approach teachers or students during class and if messages or food/drink/medication needs to be passed on to a student, it must be done through a staff member. All parents must wait in the waiting area or outside of the studios until classes have been dismissed. Please take any crying siblings outside.
  • We are unable to take responsibility for our students before or after their scheduled classes and it is the responsibility of the parent to ensure their child is picked up and dropped off in a timely manner. In the case of an emergency or unavoidable delay, please contact the studio immediately to inform us of the situation so we can keep your child calm and safe until they can be collected.
  • Any questions or complaints must go through the director. Personal meetings with the studio director can happily be arranged via email.
  • In the rare case of a parent or student showing disrespect or defamation to any parent, staff member, or student, a meeting will be called immediately and dismissal may be considered at the discretion of the Director. Physical, mental, emotional or cyber bullying by parents, staff or students will not be tolerated and may result in dismissal from the studio. (See Anti-Bullying Policy)
  • Gibsons Dance Centre takes no responsibility for any stolen or misplaced property on the studio premises and we encourage our families to avoid bringing valuable items into the studio where possible.
  • Gibsons Dance Centre management reserves the right to change teachers or timetables when necessary at any time throughout the year.
  • Choreography, costuming and studio policies remain the intellectual property of Gibsons Dance Centre and may not be reproduced or sold by any students, parents or staff without permission of the Director.
  • For the safety of your child, please drop off and pick up your dancers before and after class.
  • Adults and siblings must remain in the waiting area or outside the building during class. Parents can observe inside class during designated observation areas only.
  • It may be necessary for instructors to place hands on the student for proper placement and correction of body alignment, choreography and instructional purposes as well as spotting skills & body assessment.

Attendance

  • Your child’s attendance in class is very important to their peers and our teaching staff. As a member of the team, it is a commitment for you to ensure your child attends their classes on time each week and attends all lessons planned for them. Not only do absences impact the recital routines we create, it also impacts the social and confidence-building principals we work hard to foster in each age group.
  • Parents, please do not schedule other appointments during class times. If you know ahead of time that your child will be absent due to vacations, commitments, or school trips, please let us know so the class impact is minimal. If your child is too unwell to attend class, we ask that you inform us as soon as you can so they can let the teachers know. The regular school term at Gibsons Dance Centre begins in early September. Gibsons Dance Centre observes typical school holidays, please check the calendar under the current students tab for exact closure dates. Please check your emails or text messages to confirm classes during inclement weather. Summer Dance Camps and classes are offered during the months of June, July and August. We feel it is of the utmost importance for students to attend each class, so that they achieve their goals throughout the year.

Behaviour

Gibsons Dance Centre promotes kindness, leadership, discipline and teamwork. To create an excellent dance environment, students will adhere to the standards set forth in the policies.
 
We expect our students behave properly while in class. They must be respectful of their teacher and peers at all times.  Should a student become disruptive in class, the Teacher/Director has the right to remove him/her from class. The student will be allowed back into class at the Teacher/Director’s discretion. We do not tolerate any form of disrespect from any student or parent at GDC. We reserve the right to have individuals removed for being disrespectful, rude, threatening or creating conflict. This policy ensures that ALL students have an equal chance to participate in a highly motivated and positive environment. The opportunity is extended to every member of the class as it begins each day and is only interrupted when the disruptive student themselves chooses not to take advantage of the chance to participate appropriately.
 
We will make every effort to work with the parents of children having difficulties in dance class. We are here to serve and protect all of our dancers; however, children displaying chronic disruptive behavior which has been determined to be upsetting to the physical or emotional well-being of other children, or the teacher, may require the following actions:
 
  • Initial Consultation: The director will meet with the child(ren) to meet for a conference. The problem will be defined on paper. Goals will be established and the parent will be notified.
  • Second Consultation: If the initial plan for helping the child fails; the parent(s) will be required to meet with the director. Another attempt will be made to identify the problem outlining new approaches to the problem, and discuss the consequences if progress is not apparent.
  • Suspension: When the previous attempts have been followed and no progress has been made towards solving the problem, the child may be suspended from the studio. The studio may immediately suspend a child at any time he/she exhibits a behavior, which is harmful to him/herself or others. A parent may be notified at any time the child exhibits uncontrollable behavior that cannot be modified by the instructor. That parent may be asked to take the child home immediately.
  • Dismissal Policy: The studio reserves the right to cancel the enrollment of a child for the following reasons:
    • Non-payment or excessive late payment of fees
    • Not observing the rules of the studio
    • Child has special needs which we cannot adequately meet with our current staffing patterns
    • Physical and/or verbal abuse of staff or children, by a parent or child (see our Anti-Bullying Policy) *No refunds will be issued in the instance of dismissal.

Anti-Bullying Policy

  • Gibsons Dance Centre is committed to anti bullying. We provide a safe and supportive community that fosters a lifelong love for dance and creative expression. In order to guarantee that all of our dancers are able to best pursue their passion, we implemented a comprehensive anti-bullying policy applicable to our students, dance families, staff, and employees. We will not tolerate bullying in any form; physical, emotional, social or otherwise. Since our goal is to empower people and embrace individuality, one documented bullying event will have repercussions, which may include immediate termination of enrollment for egregious violations.
  • We define bullying as any behavior; physical, emotional, verbal, written (either electronically or in person), that detrimentally targets another dancer. This counts as bullying when it physically or emotionally harms a dancer, targets a dancer for any actual or perceived characteristic, or creates a hostile environment in the dance studio.
  • Under reporting of bullying is the biggest hindrance to stopping further harassment. Please let the studio director know of any bullying behaviors as soon as possible.
  • Most noteworthy, as per the policy above, we recognize that bullying does not just occur between students. Parents or guardians, who harass another student, parent, or GDC staff member, will have repercussions, which may include suspension or termination of the student. Please report all incidents of bullying you witness to the Director immediately. There will be no refunds for such actions.
  • At Gibsons Dance Centre, respect and compassion are two of our core values. All dancers have a right to learn and develop their art in a positive, respectful environment. We realize that every situation reported may require a unique follow-up.

Social Media

  • Please remember that your anonymity on Social Media is never guaranteed and to exercise particular caution when posts, images, or videos identify children in your care.
  • Any comments or posts perceived to be obscene, defamatory, threatening, harassing, discriminatory or hateful towards GDC staff, students or families may subject the poster to disciplinary or legal action.
  • Should you wish to engage on Social Media while identifying as a studio dancer, parent volunteer, or employee, you may only do so with integrity, respect, and adhere to privacy and confidentiality policy. Any content revealing or referring to sensitive studio information is not allowed to be shared online.
  • Intellectual property laws (for example, costume design and choreography), must be observed by all studio patrons when posting online. This includes but not limited to manuals, forms, handbooks, and syllabus, etc.
  • While affiliated with our studio, (for example, images of your child inside GDC or wearing GDC clothing) we will not tolerate any posts that are racially, sexually, physically or religiously offensive.
  • All matters pertaining directly to the studio – whether it be fees, scheduling, placements or performance opportunities – may not be communicated via Social Media. We have an open door policy and encourage all communication, complaints and feedback to be communicated to the owner directly.
  • Identifying information of any featured minors – including full names and ages – must be removed when posting on Social Media.

Dress Code

  • We pride ourselves in having uniformity and cooperation when it comes to our dress code/hair policies.
  • Hair must be in a bun/natural puff for all Ballet classes. Hair should be neat and groomed.
  • Hair must be neat and pulled back out of the face for all other classes.
  • Please practice good hygiene. Freshen up before coming to class if at all possible, or carry wet wipes with you to do so.
  • No large jewelry may be worn in ANY class or performance. Please remove bracelets, watches, rings & necklaces before entering your classroom. Students will be asked to remove them and we are not responsible for lost items.
  • Clear nail polish only on fingers and toes during all performances, photo shoots, and productions. Neutral colors of nail polish are okay.
  • ​Please see the specific dress code here for each class your child is enrolled in.

Illness Pollicy

A reminder that as we are now in the depths of the flu season, our illness policy is more important than ever to maintain. When students come to the studio sick, it often results in the staff becoming ill and an increase in cancelled classes. This affects everyone greatly so our hope is to minimize the amount of colds and flus circulating throughout the studio this season.

  1. If students have had any of the following symptoms, they should not attend class until they have been symptom free for 72 HOURS minimum: Fever, Vomiting (even just once), Diarrhea.
  2. Students with cold symptoms should not attend class until their symptoms have improved for more than 48 HOURS. Any students with lingering coughs are recommended to wear a mask.

Thank you everyone for helping to keep Gibsons Dance Studio a fun and safe space for all!