Studio policies for 2023 Fall Session
Disclaimer - You are responsible for reading this message prior to participation. By enrolling in classes, you agree to assume the risks involved in participating in instruction at the studio, your home or another remote location.
GENERAL POLICIES
The studio is a symptom free space, so we ask you to stay home if you are not feeling well.
Performance Opportunities - TAFY’s eight competitive dance teams will be traveling to attend NUVO in Anchorage, Alaska from October 6-8, 2023 & Adrenaline in Phoenix, Arizona from April 26-28, 2024. We will also have opportunities to perform multiple times around town this season in addition to our own Studio Showcase in the Spring! More information about these events will be emailed as it becomes available.
There are a few different kinds of classes this session.
Technique - These classes are focused on skill building & improvement rather than preparing for a specific performance. This is a great way to get more dance training without memorizing more choreography. There is no costume fee or performance associated with Technique class. Ballet Technique is required for Dance Team Members (Dazzlers & above). Acro Technique is optional, but encouraged for all Team Members - only those enrolled in Acro will be chosen to do advanced Acrobatics in choreography.
Recreational Choreography - These classes will perform in our Holiday Extravaganza on December 10 and our Spring Showcase in May! They will learn one routine for every dance style their class is learning (ei. Creative Movement, Ballet & Acro classes will learn one routine. Combo classes will learn two). See costume info under “required items”.
Team Choreography - These classes will perform at Adrenaline Phoenix in April 2024, local events, and our Spring Showcase in May! For Twinklers, Sparklers, and Dazzlers Teams travel is optional. Teams will learn a short performance piece for our Holiday Extravaganza on December 10. See costume info under “required items”.
Class Etiquette
Parking – Please be aware that we share the building with another business. Our parking spaces end at the third garage door on the right. Please do not park any further right than that. Be courteous in your parking to allow as many cars as possible into the lot and do not block others in. We have a drop off & pick up option where families can drive behind our building if they do not plan to stay. In October, we will be expanding to take over the rest of the building. At that time, parking will be available anywhere on our property.
Class transition - When you enter the lobby, please remove your shoes & jacket. These will be placed in the plastic bins on the shelves inside each classroom, along with anything that is not needed for class (backpacks, purses, phones, etc.) No outside shoes are allowed on the classroom floors. Dancers will not be allowed to enter the classroom until they are ready to dance: hair up, dance attire & dance shoes on. Please place your water bottle against the classroom wall so it is easy to get to.
Parental Involvement - We are excited to welcome parents into our space. Our beautiful Industrial Blvd location has a fresh coat of paint, two large classrooms (soon to be three!), and a lobby for parents! We also have a second location on Lupine Lane that is used for private classes & rentals. Family members are welcome to enter the classroom with their dancer during Tot (ages 1-3) classes and during the first few weeks of Preschool (ages 3-5) classes, if your dancer needs help transitioning. Otherwise, we ask that parents and siblings stay in the lobby to watch through our sliding glass doors. There will be a TAFY staff member at the front desk during class time to answer questions, help you place orders, and assist you in other ways. We look forward to developing this role and using it to improve communication. We invite you to help your child practice at home. Your support is important to their success in class and future performances.
Food – Snacking is not allowed in the classrooms. We encourage you to drink water. If you have multiple classes in a row, you may bring a non messy snack that can be eaten quickly. This should be eaten in the lobby when you are given a break between classes. Our staff has very long days & may eat in the classroom, as needed.
Drug Free Statement - TAFY supports a drug free environment. The presence of alcohol, tobacco, or illegal drugs is prohibited throughout the TAFY facility and at any TAFY sponsored performance or program held outside the dance studio. Any TAFY student found in possession of alcohol, tobacco, and/or illegal drugs, by consumption and/or physical possession at the locations above faces suspension or dismissal at the discretion of the Directors without refund of class tuition or program/performance fees paid. Upon approval by the TAFY Directors, TAFY students may be granted performing privileges for fundraising activities outside of the studio where alcohol may be served. At these activities, alcohol will only be served to ticket holders 21 years of age and older.
PAYMENT POLICIES
General Payment Policies - You can make payments by cash, check, bank draft, credit card, or Venmo. We no longer use PayPal. To pay in person, stop by the lobby during class hours Monday-Saturday with cash, check, or credit card. To pay remotely with cash or check, mail payment to TAFY Dance Alaska at 9035 Lupine Lane, Juneau, AK 99801. To pay remotely using a bank draft or credit card (a one-time payment or auto pay), call our Administrator, Jason Morford, at (907)723-8566 or login to the parent portal to add your billing information. Please note that entering your credit card information does not automatically process a payment unless you authorize it to. To pay using Venmo, send payment to @TAFYDance-Alaska. Please add the student's name in the "What's it for?" field before sending. If you want the payment to go towards a specific fee, please include that information as well. If your family has account credit, it needs to be used within one year of the initial date. Our software does not allow you to apply the credit yourself, so please contact the studio to have this applied for you as needed.
We require a credit card on file for all accounts
Tuition fees, including applicable discounts as well as 5% city sales tax, will be added to your account by a staff member upon completion of enrollment and a statement will be sent to the primary email account you have on file. This may take a few days during our busy weeks at the start of a session, so please be patient.
At the start of each session, our billing department will send you an email with your statement for the session. This statement will include all fees and discounts. It will also list out details for all due dates and the amounts due.
You can choose to pay your balance in full at the time you receive your first statement.
Monthly billing is available for an additional $5 processing fee per month. This fee will be automatically added to your account if you do not pay the balance in full by the first due date listed.
For the 2023 Fall Session from September 1-December 9, 2023: Monthly payments must be 25% of the total session's fees and paid on the 1st of the month (September, October, November, & December)
If you do not pay in full by the first due date listed on this statement, your credit card will be automatically charged each month on the due dates listed on your initial statement, unless paid with another method prior to the due date.
If you prefer to pay with another method (cash, check, bank draft, Venmo), payment must be received before the 1st of each month.
If you make a payment that is less than the amount due, your credit card will be charged the balance due on the due date listed.
A $10 late fee will be applied to any accounts that have an expired credit card.
There is a $25.00 fee for any returned checks.
Your electronic signature during registration is authorization for the credit card on file to be run in accordance with the policies listed above.
Tuition is non-refundable.
TAFY Dance Alaska is a vendor for the following programs. We are happy to bill these groups directly for you. Please send an email to mika@tafy.org to request this prior to the fee’s due date. You are responsible for contacting the program and verifying that the paperwork is done on your end. If they do not pay, you will be responsible to cover the balance.
IDEA Homeschool
Raven Homeschool
Homebridge
We also accept scholarships for the following programs. Depending on the scholarship, you may be required to pay out of pocket and be reimbursed. Please send an email to mika@tafy.org to begin the process prior to the fee’s due date. You are responsible for contacting the program and verifying that the paperwork is done on your end. If they do not pay, you will be responsible to cover the balance.
CBJ Parks & Recreation Scholarships
Douglas Indian Association Scholarships
Costume Fee Policies
Automatically charged if not paid prior to the due date listed. Please see the “required items” section for pricing.
Team (Performances throughout the season) - Team members have costume fees associated with their Team Choreography routines. Costumes for Team Groups are due in full on October 15, 2023.
Fall session (Holiday Extravaganza December 10) - All dancers enrolled in the Fall 2023 session will have a costume fee (TAFY shirt & personalized holiday hat) due in full on October 15, 2023.
Spring session (Spring Showcase in May) - Recreational Choreography classes will receive a costume for every routine they learn for the Studio Showcase, as well as an official TAFY Dance Alaska shirt. These are due on March 1, 2024.
Discounts
Sibling Discount - Additional students per family: $5 off per month ($20 total per session)
Multiple Class Discount - enjoy 15% off when you register for more than one class per student per week (applies to Recreational classes, as well as any Optional Team classes!)
Drop Policies
Technique & Recreational Choreography Classes - We will accept new students to technique classes at any time. Recreational Choreography classes will not be able to accept new students beyond the drop date (September 30 for Fall 2023 session). If you enroll late, we will prorate any classes that took place before your enrollment. No other classes will be prorated. We do not give refunds for any reason. If after making a payment, a student drops any technique or recreational choreography class before the drop date, a credit may be held on your account for any unused classes (to be used in the same family within one year). Classes dropped after the drop date will not be credited.
Team Routine Commitment - We have asked all team members to commit to one full year on our dance teams. So much goes into choreography for these routines (from timing & formation changes to partner & group skills/stunts, etc.) If a dancer drops out of a routine at any point after they have committed, it creates a lot of extra work for the choreographers/ coaches. There may be significant changes to the routine which will take up valuable time outside and inside of class. Once you have committed to a competition routine, you are expected to continue to be a part of that routine until the team season is finished (when we hold our next team auditions in June 2024). If, for any reason, you decide to drop out of a routine early, a $50 per song drop fee will also be added to your account to cover the instructors' time to rework the routine without your dancer. Special circumstances (injury, unexpected move, etc.) will be considered.
Absence Policies
Technique & Recreational Choreography Classes - If you register after the session start date, we will prorate your account to reflect the classes missed. After registration, absences will not be prorated or refunded for any reason. We do appreciate knowing when you will not make it to class. Please login to your parent portal and click on “Absences” before the class takes place to let us know you will not be there. We do not require makeup class for missing these classes. We encourage you to schedule a private class if you feel behind so that you can perform your best at the end of the session.
Team Choreography Classes -
Twinklers, Sparklers, & Dazzlers Teams - If you register after the session start date, we will prorate your account to reflect the classes missed. After registration, absences will not be prorated or refunded for any reason. While we do not require a makeup class for every absence for these teams, we encourage you to schedule a private class if you feel behind so that you can perform your best at any performance opportunities. If a dancer has had several absences, they may be required to schedule a private class to make sure they are caught up. This will be at the discretion of the teacher. Please login to your parent portal and click on “Absences” before the class takes place to let us know you will not be there.
Firecrackers, Supernovas, Auroras, Stars, & Elite Teams - If you register after the session start date, we will prorate your account to reflect the classes missed. After registration, absences will not be prorated or refunded for any reason. These teams learn advanced choreography and will compete in addition to local performances. We are excited that each routine will meet weekly this season to give you as much studio time as possible to gain confidence! While it is inevitable to miss class occasionally due to sickness and travel, it is important that team members do their part to make sure we can perform our best. For these teams, we are requiring a 30 minute private makeup class for EVERY Team Choreography class you miss. You will be able to schedule these in the Parent Portal at the time that you schedule your absence.
REQUIRED ITEMS
Appropriate clothing and footwear should be worn for each class. We encourage a layered approach, which will enable the student to warm the muscles when needed. Please avoid clothing that is overly loose or baggy as instructors need to be able to verify that movements are being performed correctly. Smiles are worn before, during, and after class. Please make sure young dancers use the restroom before class - they get excited!
ITEMS REQUIRED FOR ALL CLASSES:
Athletic wear
A sports bra, leotard, or form fitting top of any style or color
Tights, shorts, capris, leggings, or a skirt
No denim, buttons, zippers, or baggy clothes
Footwear (can be purchased from the lobby for prices listed)
No socks without dance shoes as they are too slippery!
Tot Creative Movement & Preschool Acro - Bare feet
Preschool Ballet - Weissmans No Tie Full Sole Ballet Shoes $20
All Petite & older Acro, Ballet, Lyrical, Jazz, & Musical Theatre - Half Sole Shoes (Bloch Eclipse or Spin II) $20
Petite/ Mini Tap - Weissmans Slip on Tap Shoes $30
Petite/ Mini Hip Hop - Weissmans Glitter Sneakers in Silver $45
Team Tap - Bloch Tap Flex Tap Shoes (Lace Up) $95
Team Hip Hop - Varies, Included with costume fee
Other
Hair secured well enough to last through class: bun, ponytail, or braid (unless too short to do so)
Bangs should be secured so they are not in your eyes
No jewelry (other than stud earrings)
No gum
No smart watches
No phones (unless on silent)
Bring a water bottle or buy one from the front desk. No other drinks allowed.
ITEMS REQUIRED FOR ALL PERFORMANCES:
Team Performances (All TAFY Dance Teams) Due October 15, 2023
Costume (per routine) for boys & girls:
Hip Hop (youth sizing XXSC-LC) $115 includes shoes
Hip Hop (adult sizing XSA-XXLA) $125 includes shoes
All other styles (youth sizing XXSC-LC) $65
All other styles (adult sizing XSA-XXLA) $75
Team Jacket (one per dancer): $95
Basics (worn in dressing rooms, under costume and/or during finale & awards):
All boys – Black athletic pants with no logos or designs (any brand)
All girls – Nude tights $12 & black full length leggings with no logos or designs $15
Girls ages 8+ in more than one routine - Nude leotard $20 or bra $18-32 & briefs $12
Tap & Hip Hop dancers - Black no show socks $5
Holiday Extravaganza (all Recreational & Team dancers enrolled in Fall session) Due October 15, 2023
TAFY shirt & personalized holiday hat $40
Black, full length leggings with no logos or designs $15
Spring Showcase - (All recreational dancers enrolled in Spring session) Due March 1, 2024
Costume (per routine):
Boys (youth & adult sizing XXSC-XXLA) $30
Girls (youth sizing XXSC-LC) $55
Girls (adult sizing XSA-XXLA) $60
Assistants $25
Tot Creative movement (includes accessories for one parent): Boys $55, Girls $80
TAFY Dance Alaska finale shirt (one per dancer): $35
Basics (worn in dressing rooms, under costume and/or during finale):
All boys – Black athletic pants with no logos or designs (any brand)
All girls – Nude tights $12 & black full length leggings with no logos or designs $15
Girls ages 8+ in more than one routine - Nude leotard $20 or bra $18-32 & briefs $12
Tap & Hip Hop dancers - Black no show socks $5
We sell most required items and should have what you need in stock. We also place regular orders and are happy to help you find what you are looking for. We have a large selection of studio logo-wear and class wear for sale! We add to this throughout the season. Let us know if you want to see something specific or would like us to create a custom item for you. Items must be paid for in full before they will be handed out.