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1. General Policies

2. Dress Code 

3. Classroom Safety

4. Conduct

5. Tuition and Fees

6. Stage Class & Performances

7. FAQ

 

1. General Policies

• Parental Observation: Parents may observe class on designated observation days only. Parents will be notified when these classes take place. Parents of students who are taking their first class with us are permitted to observe.

• Water: Dancers should come to class with plenty of water. We do not have extra water bottles in the classroom, but there is a water fountain in the hall.

• All students must be potty-trained.

• Photos/videos: If you do not wish for your child's photos or videos to be on PIDA's website or social media, please let us know in the "notes" section of your registration form, or email dancewithpida@gmail.com directly with your request. We can blur, cover, or crop your child out of social media posts and website pictues to honor your request.

• Stage dancers perform publicly, and members of the audience may share photos or videos of the dancers online. PIDA is only responsible for our own social media and website, and we cannot prevent the audience from taking pictures or videos of the performance.

 

   2. Dress Code

• Hair: Students with hair shoulder length or longer must tie their hair back away from the face. Headbands are not permitted unless they are pinned down so as not to fall off the head and become a tripping hazard. 

• Clothing: Students are encouraged to wear athletic wear such as shorts, leggings, t-shirts, etc.

• Students should not wear jeans, skirts that fall below the knee, or necklaces that may hit them in the face while dancing.

• Students are never permitted to wear crop tops (or any midriff-bearing clothes), or any strapless tops. Students wearing skirts or dresses should wear shorts underneath. Shorts should be long enough cover the student's entire bottom.

• Shoes: Students are required to wear appropriate footwear for their experience level, such as soft shoes/ghillies/boys’ reel shoes, hard shoes, dance sneakers, or tennis shoes.

• Students are discouraged from wearing shoes with a thick, inflexible bottom (such as high tops), boots, and other shoes that restrict movement. Dancers should always wear socks with their shoes, in case they need to take their shoes off.

• Students are never permitted to wear flip-flops, sandals, or Crocs during class. Students may be given permission to remove their shoes by the teacher, but otherwise should not dance without shoes. 

• Dancers in Stage 1 and 2 are encouraged to wear proper Irish dance footwear (ghillies, reel shoes, and hard shoes). Dancers in Stage 3 are required to have proper footwear. See Section 6 for more information about Stage performance footwear requirements.

• No specific shoe colors are required for class, but black is always required for performances, the parade, recitals, and Christmas in Dublin.

• For more information about Irish dance shoes, please contact the school.

 

   3. Classroom Safety

• Students are never permitted to chew gum or have candy in their mouths during class. Candy prizes may be given out during class, but students are always instructed to ask for a parent’s permission before consuming it.

• Dancers experiencing any flu-like symptoms such as body aches, a temperature of 100.4° or higher, chills, nausea, vomiting, or dizziness, should stay home. Students who become ill during class will be sent home. If the student does not have a driver's license or is too sick to drive, the school will call the student’s primary contact, if that contact does not respond, the school will call their emergency contact. In case of a serious emergency, the school may call 911.

• Parents should disclose any relevant medical information about the students to the school, such as severe allergies or medical conditions.

 

   4. Conduct

• Students must be respectful to fellow students, student teachers, and instructors. Disruptive or inappropriate behavior may result in the student being dismissed from class.

• In the unlikely event that a student displays aggressive or inappropriate behavior towards other students or teachers, they may no longer be permitted to attend class with PIDA.

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   5. Tuition and Fees

• Monthly payments are to be made by the first class of each month. Yearly payments are to be made on the first class of the year. If you have chosen to make two payments for the year, payments are due on the first class of September and the first class of January.

• There is a one-time $30 registration fee for each child you register.

• Family discount: Please see the pricing options at the bottom of the registration page if you're registering multiple dancers.

• Discounts: There is a discount available for families who wish to make two payments (half the tuition at the beginning of the year and the other half in the middle) or one full payment at the beginning of the year. We will remove the registration fee(s) for families who pay in full or in two payments. More information is located at the bottom of our registration page.

• Refunds: Refunds are not available in most cases, however, they may be given in the event of long-term illness or injury, and at the school’s discretion. 

• Missed payments: In the event that you miss a payment, you'll be notified via email. Repeated failure to pay tuition may result in your dancer being asked to leave the school.

 

   6. Stage Class

• Stage class dancers must be 7 years of age or older with at least one year of Irish dance experience with PIDA. There is a one-time fee of $25.

• Public performances are not guaranteed, but stage dancers will also be able to perform additional dances in the recital and other school events.

• All dancers must wear a long-sleeve black shirt (no text or patterns), a black skirt (girls) or black slacks (boys), opaque black tights (girls) or black socks (boys), and appropriate dance shoes (soft shoes, hard shoes, or black dance sneakers) to all performances, unless instructed otherwise by a teacher. Students with hair longer than shoulder length should have their hair half-up half-down. Makeup is optional.​ There are examples of appropriate performance attire at the bottom of the page.

• When performing at externally booked events (such as St. Patrick's Day shows), hard shoes are required for hard shoe dances. Students without hard shoes will only perform soft shoe dances. This rule does not apply to in-school shows such as the recital or Christmas in Dublin, as those performances are mainly for the families of our dancers.​

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   7. FAQ

 

Q. Where is class held?

   A. We are currently located at 8800 Sudley Road in the church building. For specific entry instructions, please contact the school.

 

Q. How often is class held?

   A. We have class every Thursday from September to May, minus holidays, Christmas break, and Easter break.

 

Q. My child was out sick for one class. Do I still need to pay the full $45 for class?

   A. Yes, we charge per month, not per class.

 

Q. What payment methods do you accept?

   A. We accept cash, checks, Venmo, Zelle, and PayPal.

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Q. Is the $30 registration fee per family or per child?

   A. The registration fee is per child.

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Q. What time are classes held?

   A. Your child’s class time will depend on their age and experience level. Our classes are typically held in the late afternoon into the evening. We will be able to let you know what class we would put your child in upon disclosing their age and level of experience. 

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Q. What are the fees for?

   A. Both the Symmetry and Stage fees help to cover the cost of insurance, contract fees, and classroom materials. Both fees are only charged once per year at the time of registration.