Contact Info

Universal Performing Arts Center 640 Tamiami Trail Port Charlotte FL 33953 (941) 613-2323
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2010-11 Policy Book PDF Print E-mail
Class level And Placement

Class levels will be determined by the instructor of the class or by Andrea. Their decision will be based on age, size, technical ability, and skill level. Please support their decisions in your child’s education. Universal Performing Arts Center reserves the right to close any class that does not have sufficient number of students enrolled. The minimum number of students that is needed to keep a class open is 10 students. Placement for your child will be available in the event that a class is closed.

**STUDENTS MUST BE 100% POTTY TRAINED, IN ORDER TO ATTEND FACILITY. NO PULL-UPS OR DIAPERS ARE PERMITTED FOR ANY CIRCUMSTANCE

Appropriate Attire

No student will be allowed to participate in classes without the proper attire. Proper attire for the following classes include:

Jazz/Tap/Lyrical/Cheer Dance:

Any color leotard, unitard, or two piece dance attire. Any color tights. Tan jazz or tap shoes. Students may be asked to remove any extra clothing that may be restrictive or distracting to the instructor. Hair must be pulled away from the face. Please replace any ribbons with elastic for the younger child’s shoes. Check with the instructor for the type of shoe for the class.


Acrobatics/Gymnastics:

Same as for Jazz. Hair must be pulled away from the face. No shirts

or shorts are allowed. Tights, Leotard & Shoes MUST be worn. Bike shorts are the only exception as long as body is Fully covered.NO JEWELRY!!!!!

Ballet:

Hair must be in a bun! Black leotard with pink tights. Pink canvas

ballet slippers. All pointe shoes should be approved by the instructor.

Boys: White or black T-shirt, black tights or jazz pants, white or black socks, and ballet shoes. NO JEWELRY!!!!!

IT IS STRONGLY RECOMMENDED THAT JEWELRY BE LEFT AT HOME WHERE IT CAN NOT BE LOST!!!!!!!

Teacher Conferences

Your patience for the first weeks of class is greatly appreciated so that any necessary adjustments to the schedule can be made. Should you need to speak to your child’s instructor, please leave a message at the desk for that teacher. Please do not disturb any teacher during a class or in between classes. It is imperative that each child gets the full attention of the instructor for the class session. Thank you!

Drop Off And Pick Up

Please arrive for class a few minutes early to be ready for class. However, please realize that we are a teaching facility and we are not responsible for children who are waiting before or after class. Please adhere to the schedule and provide appropriate drop off and pick up times. Please tell your child that he/she must wait inside for you to pick them up. Make sure your child knows who will be picking them up if different from the parent. In case of an emergency, call the office to alert the staff that you are running late or plans have changed. Studio phone will be used for emergency purposes only. Parents must use parking spaces. No "parent pick-up" lines will be tolerated! After

15 minutes children that are not picked up after class will be charged a $10 fee after 30 minutes a $5 fee for every 5 minutes after that.

Mailboxes/Bulletin Boards

Please plan to check your child’s mailbox weekly! Information such as facility news, TUITION STATEMENTS FOR EACH SESSION, updates on classes, etc. will be placed in the mailboxes. Please check bulletin boards for other notices or rehearsal schedules. We strongly encourage you to check these areas on a regular basis to gain information, which may be relevant to your child. This will help you eliminate unnecessary calls to the studio for information. It is the parents responsibility to check their mailboxes weekly for information and statements!

Food And Clean Up

NO GUM, CANDY, FOOD, OR DRINKS ARE ALLOWED IN THE STUDIO except in the break room!!!!!!!! All food must be eaten outside of the studio or in the break room. Please put food in trash containers and not outside on the floor. Bottled water can be purchased in dance wear. Water will be allowed in the studio. Please clean up all areas that you occupy daily, remember MOM does not live here.

Holidays And Closed Studio

The facility will be closed on all MAJOR school holidays, vacations, and in the event of unforeseen acts of GOD. The major holidays include: Labor Day, Thanksgiving week, Winter Vacation, Spring Break, and Memorial Day. Universal Performing Arts Center follows the school systems calendar. When the county schools are closed down by emergency management, due to weather, Universal Dance Academy will also close down.

Student Assistants And Student Teachers


Student assistants are asked to lead the class for the warm-up. During the class the student assistant may lead the class allowing the teacher to observe each student and direct their individual needs. This is a student who is skilled in the ability to teach and choreograph as well as perform. If an assigned teacher is ill or out of town, a substitute teacher will be assigned to the class. This substitute may be a student assistant, a student teacher, or a teacher that is assigned to other classes.

Private Lessons

Private lessons will be given for choreography, technique classes, competition preparation, and pageant routines. Please check with the desk for available times with the teacher. The rate for an hour private is $45.00 and $25.00 for the half-hour. Professional quality CD recording will also be available for $10.00. New Solos will have a choreography fee of $200.00. This will include two (1) one hour private lessons.



Absences

The Dance is an ongoing learning experience. We discourage children to be absent from classes. Students who need to be absent from class should notify the office of the absence. If you wish to make up a class that was missed by your child due to illness/inury only, please contact office for available times that will be appropriate for you child’s dance level. A doctor’s note will need to be provided for the make-up class.

Tuition And Expenses

A registration fee of $15.00 per child will be charged yearly for your child’s registration. No registration fee after 10 years at Universal Dance. The two weeks of winter vacation, the one-week of Spring Break, and the one week of Thanksgiving are not included in the 12 session payments and you are not charged for them. The last session includes extra practices for the year end production. Statements will be in the mailboxes at the beginning of the 4th week of the session for payment of the following session. Please refer to the 2010-2011 fee schedule. Tuition must be paid in order for your child to attend class. It is not acceptable to send the child to class without payment in advance. Tuition is non refundable when you miss class, but a substitute class may be taken to make up for missed classes due to illness and/or injury only (with a doctor’s note). Tiny Tot classes will be one and a half hour in length. Pre classes will be 45 minutes in length and will be charged the hourly rate. Two 45-minute classes will be charged the hour and a half rate. Payments not received by the 10th of each month will be subject to a late fee of $20.00. This late fee will be strictly enforced. The late fee will be added to your child’s account. Family discounts are available on tuition.

* Tuition is non-refundable.

** Session I payment due at registration.

End of year production costumes will be ordered in December. Parents will be responsible for turning in costume order forms along with a 50% deposit on the full costume amount by November 1, with the remaining balance due by December 1st. Plan approximately $65-$75 FOR EACH POUTINE! A production fee of $70.00 for each family will be due on the first week of April for those choosing to be in the production. The fee will be include two "one night" tickets to the production, a production t-shirt, medals, and program/memory book. This fee will also include a DVD Box Set of the production. Each additional child in the family will be $35.00.

Individual and group pictures will be available for you child to take for the year end production in costume, for an additional fee. Extra DVD’s will also be available to purchase of the year end production. Dancers have the opportunity, for an additional fee, to be in a group photo which will be in the program/memory book.



*THE PARENT OR GUARDIAN WHO REGISTERS THE STUDENT WILL BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYMENT OF TUITION. ANY SPLIT FAMILY CIRCUMSTANCES MUST DEALT WITH OUTSIDE FACILITY!

Dance Production

There will be two matinee (dance classes age 9 and under) and two evening shows (dance classes age 10 and up) at our end of the year production. Your child is not obligated to be in this production, but it is a great experience. Based on the classes your child is taking, he/she can choose which dance numbers to perform in the show. NO REFUNDS WILL BE GIVEN ONCE THE COSTUMES ARE ORDERED!!!!! Plan to make full payment for costumes by December 1st. No personal videotaping or flash photography will be allowed during the performance.

* Gymnastics will not be in recital. End of year demonstrations will occur.

** Recital pictures will be put in recital yearbook for $7.00 each class picture.

*** Costumes ordered and paid for must be picked up no later than August 1st. UDA will not be held responsible for storing costumes as of Aug. 1st. After that date, costumes become the property of UDA with no refund.

* Tony will not be available for conference or discussion of account issues the first 15 minutes on the hour in order to properly monitor children being dropped off and picked up. This is for the safety of the children. Please understand this policy for your child’s safety is our #1 concern.
*** Late Fees will be placed on your account if tuition is not paid by the due date. If there is no credit card on file or the card has been declined for what ever reason, a late fee of $20.00 will be charged to the account. There will be no exceptions.

**** Universal Performing Arts Center is a "Hands On Facility". In order for our faculty to properly teach and spot your children in the various forms of the Arts, there will be times that they will need to physical touch your child in order to properly train them. Please be advised that all instructors will conduct themselves in a highly professional manner and are always concerned for your child’s best interest, security and safety.
 
For class availablility ans schedules, please contact the facility during normal business hours at (941) 613-2323