Policies

HBPA provides professional training in the arts of Classical Ballet and Musical Theatre. All of the performing arts require discipline, practice, and a high level of concentration. Students are divided into appropriate age groups and technique levels. Please take a moment to review our policies and procedures. 

Class Policies for Parents and Guardians 

Communication

To facilitate continuity of communication, please contact Artistic and Office staff only by phone at (828) 294-8438 or by email at info@hickoryballetpa.com with any questions or concerns. We will respond in a timely manner, during office hours. 

Website/Facebook

Please check our website: hickoryballetpa.com for information re:class schedules, faculty, upcoming events, auditions, etc. Check Facebook: Hickory Ballet & Performing Arts for upcoming projects, classroom activities, fundraisers, etc. We also have a parent Facebook page, Hickory Ballet and Performing Arts Parents, for anyone needing HBPA parent help, e.g., studio closures, carpools, ticket exchanges, volunteer job exchanges, etc. 

Enrollment and Tuition Policies

A yearly registration fee of $100 is paid in two installments- $50 in August and $50 in January. 

Performance Fees are assessed before each production in which your student participates. These fees cover rehearsal time, costumes, and a pair of performance tights. Performance Fees are $65 for the Lower School (pre-Level 2) and $80 for Upper School (Level 3-Company Level). This allows us to provide quality costumes and dry cleaning, at an affordable price for families. All fees are non-refundable. Costumes remain the property of HBPA. 

Because of the extensive variety of our programs and productions, fees are customized for your student to make sure they are only paying for the offerings in which they are involved. Please click here, for more information on annual fees and the schedule for when they will be due. If you opt to pay all annual fees in full, the deadline to fill out the Google Form is August 12th.

The classes in our lower school are placed by age.  The established cutoff for age requirement is August 31st.

Tuition is billed on the 1st of each month and is due no later than the 5th of that same month. You may pay by cash, check, or credit card before the 5th. On the 5th of each month, the monthly installment will be automatically drafted from your bank account or credit card on file. 

There is a 10% sibling discount for tuition. Discounts and scholarships do not apply to registration or performance fees. 

All tuition, registration fees, performance fees, etc. will be billed and paid through JackRabbit, a secure, online service. If you need assistance setting up your account, please contact the office. If your student’s tuition is 2 months overdue, their lessons will be interrupted, and they will not be able to attend classes until the bill is paid in full. 

If your student needs to drop early for any reason, you must provide a 30-day written notice. Tuition within those 30 days will still be due. This policy includes a class within a student’s schedule.  Students will have the month of September to make adjustments to their schedule without penalty. Registration and performance fees are non-refundable. 

Students are allowed to attend one trial class, free of cost, in any new discipline to see if there is interest. 

Drop Off / Pick Up 

Students in levels pre-2 must be escorted to and picked up from the lobby. Pre-ballet parents will stay in the lobby while their student dances.  For these levels, parents, please park in our parking lots and escort your student to the building.  

In Studio Procedures

Students in Pre-3 and Freshman levels will prepare for class in our lobby.  Instructors will come to the lobby to pick them up and take them to their studio.  Only students and staff will be able to enter the studios through the door. Classes are closed to observation, but parents will have access to watch their students using Spot TV.  

Prepare young children for class by stopping at the restroom first. Children who need to use the bathroom will always be allowed to leave class, but we strive to keep class disruptions to a minimum. 

Attendance

To obtain the most effective training, it is important for students to attend all classes in a semester. Multiple absences make it difficult for your student to keep up with the syllabus and performance demands. 

If your child will be absent from class, please email info@hickoryballetpa.com or call HBPA at (828) 294-8438. 

Missed classes, for any reason, including but not limited to illness, vacation, or studio closures due to weather or holidays, are not refunded or prorated. Make-up classes may be attended in one level higher or lower than the student’s current level. Please email or call in advance to notify staff of the makeup class your student will attend. Make-up classes are strongly encouraged, but not mandatory. 

Attendance Policy for Students in the Upper School (Level 3 & up): Students must attend 75% of their required classes in order to perform. Attendance is recorded per class.  Makeup classes can count towards their requirements to accommodate illness or events. Please make sure that make-up classes are recorded on JackRabbit by scheduling them through the parent portal or email info@hickoryballetpa.com.

Tardiness

Students who are more than 15 minutes late to class will not be allowed to participate in that class. They are expected to watch and take notes. Physical warm-ups take place in the first 15 minutes of class, and if a student misses this time, he/she could get injured, as muscles are not properly prepared for the demands of dance. Tardiness also disrupts the flow of the class and disturbs other students’ focus and attention. 

Parent Observation

Parents are invited to watch their students’ classes on the lobby monitor or in the Spot TV app. We have a parent observation week at the end of the year in May. This is the only time parents may sit in on class. This is your opportunity to watch your child’s progress and skills, and we encourage you to do so. The exception to this policy is for our youngest dancers, ages 3-5. If your child is shy, unsure, or has strong attachments, we will work together to build a bridge to a secure, tear-free transition. 

Parent / Instructor Meetings

At the end of each year, your child will receive an annual evaluation form from his/her teachers. We want you to be aware of your child’s progress, attendance, strengths, etc. If you would like to meet with the Artistic Staff during other times of the year to discuss any questions or concerns, please schedule an appointment through the office. 

Medical

Please let us know if your child has any medical conditions or is taking any medication that could affect his/her performance in class or in productions. This will help faculty facilitate their success in class. 

If your child has had a fever or vomited 24 hours prior to class, please keep them home for their best possible recovery and out of consideration for others. 

We strive to enforce safety, but occasionally accidents happen. If your child becomes ill or is injured during class, a parent/guardian will be called. Please return to the studio as soon as possible to pick up your child and seek any medical follow-up you deem necessary. HBPA requests that you have proper health insurance for your child in case of an emergency or injury. 

In the event of injury, dancers are to continue attending class, take notes, and be given appropriate exercises to maintain strength and flexibility. 

Class Policies For Students 

Classroom Etiquette

Classical Ballet and all components of the performing arts are a discipline. It requires concentration and respect for yourself and others. HBPA expects the following from students: 

  • Students are to be on time and in uniform.
  • NO cell phone use is allowed during class at any time.
  • NO filming or photography is to be taken during class or rehearsal without permission.
  • NO talking, chewing gum, or disrupting class at any time.
  • Please use the restroom before class.
  • Students are to be mindful, respectful, and supportive of other students’ creative process, talent, ability, and drive. Each student has unique gifts and an individual path to follow.
  • We ask that students not linger and socialize in the parking lot without a parent present.
  • Students are to wear cover-ups (i.e., sweatshirts, T-shirts, shorts, etc.) over dance attire when entering and exiting the building. Street shoes should be worn until arrival at the building to prevent soiling the dance floor. 

Disruptive Behavior

Disruptive behavior will not be tolerated. Students and parents will receive a verbal warning. If the behavior continues, a written warning will be given to the parent and placed in the student’s file. If the behavior continues, the student will be dismissed from class and will not be allowed back for 2 weeks. During that time, the student (and parents) can consider whether HBPA is the right fit for his/her maturity level and creative interests. 

Student Dress Code

It is important that students follow the dress code for class. It is part of the discipline and structure of classical training. Following the dress code gives the student a sense of responsibility and helps to shift gears mentally to the task at hand. Students not in the dress code will not be allowed to participate in class. Continued violations will be considered disruptive behavior and will carry the same consequences as above. Find more information on HBPA Dress Code here.

Rehearsal and Performance Guidelines

Performances 

Currently, we offer four productions per year. A fall musical, The Nutcracker, annually in December, our spring musical in March, and our spring ballet in May. 

Tickets for these performances are not included in tuition and fees. 

Often, these productions include school performances held during the school day to help expose different communities to the arts. Performers will receive a letter excusing them from regular school classes to participate. 

To ensure that our productions run smoothly, we must call on all of our families to help, aka the Support Squad!  A link to a sign-up sheet detailing the many roles we need help with before, during, and after each production will be emailed in the weeks leading up to the show. Some roles require muscle or a truck, some roles involve supervising dressing rooms, but all are crucial to the success of our productions.  All productions require families to take 1-2 roles. 

If you are unable to fulfill your Support Squad commitment, we require a $50 payment per Role to cover the expense of finding and paying someone to fill the position. 

Female ballet company members (level 4-6) will be required to wear a pair of performance earrings. The first pair will be provided free of charge. Any replacement pairs will cost $15. 

Training Requirements

In order to perform in a Ballet production, the minimum class requirements are:

  • PreBallet-Ballet 2 – 1 ballet class per week
  • Ballet 3A & 3B – 2 ballet classes per week
  • Ballet 3C – 2 ballet classes per week, plus Prepointe/PBT class
  • Ballet 4 – 3 classes per week, pointe class, PBT class 
  • Ballet 5- 4 ballet technique classes a week, two pointe classes, PBT class, one hour in an additional genre

Additionally, ballet students in rising levels 4-6 are required to attend summer training.

In order to perform in a Musical Theatre production, the minimum class requirements are:

  • MT 1 & 2, Freshmen/Sophomore – 1 Musical Theatre class per week
  • MT 3A & 3B – 1 MT class, 1 Jazz class, plus 1 ballet class per week
  • MT 4 – 1 MT class, 1 Jazz class, 1 Tap class, 1 ballet class 
  • MT 5 – 1 MT class, 1 Jazz, 1 ballet class, 1 Tap, and an additional hour in another genre per week

This ensures the student’s strength, stamina, and technical ability match the demands of the performance material. Our schedule requirements are based on guidelines by dance physiotherapy research. 

Scheduling and Conflicts

Level 4-6 students must audition to be considered for productions. Students are allowed to miss only 1 rehearsal before their casting may be reconsidered. Students cannot have any conflicts during tech week or performances without prior approval. If a dancer misses a tech week rehearsal without prior approval, they will not be allowed to perform.

We encourage our students to take advantage of the opportunity to perform in our community, but as scheduling conflicts affect HBPA productions, we respectfully request notification of any other production commitments outside the studio. If outside conflicts reduce the student’s ability to maintain the minimum requirements to perform with HBPA, casting may be reconsidered.

Prior to auditions, a conflict calendar will be provided. Please fill this out completely and accurately so the production team can build the most time-effective schedule for all involved. Allowed rehearsal conflicts will be determined and communicated by the project. 

It is not mandatory to perform in the ballets or musicals, and the student’s decision to perform or not will be respected.