Policies and Dress Code

Welcome!

A bit about me: I am Kate McDonald, lifelong dancer, portrait photographer and mom of three. I began dancing at the early age of 4, competed in both ballet and tap (although I also love jazz, modern and Polynesian!) and by the age of 15 was an instructor and choreographer for my studio owner. I went on to become a yoga teacher and Barre3 instructor, mentor and studio manager in later years. My education in both art history and kinesiology bridged my love between the creative art world and the incredible beauty of how the human body moves.

In more recent years, I have found so much joy in diving back into my first love: ballet. Winters School of Dance is here to bring joy, inspire creativity and confidence and stoke passion for movement in every dancer. My varied skillset in the movement world is an asset which helps me guide each dancer as they evolve to the fullest of their potential as we discover what our amazing bodies can accomplish and learn how artistry can express what lives within our souls.

Winters School of Dance Studio Philosophy:

Welcomes dancers of all levels and abilities, shapes, sizes, colors and ethnicities.
Fosters appreciation and respect for the art form of dance while embracing joy, creativity and expression in each student.
Teaches discipline, builds strength and stamina, develops musicality and teamwork and develops and strengthens neural pathways and builds brain health.
Builds lifelong skills, not only physically, but mentally, socially and emotionally as well.
Kindness and inclusivity is my north star and all other behavior will not be tolerated from students or their families. Explore your creativity, support your fellow dancers and share kindness.

Studio Policies:

All students must be accompanied by a parent/guardian at all times outside of their class time. There is no supervision for your student once their class time has ended. Please be on time to pick up your student.
Classes are a drop-off structure and parents are not permitted in the studio during class time. Exceptions may be made for special medical circumstances (please contact me to discuss). Dancers are taught responsibility, independence and resilience, even from the young age of 3, by practicing entering the studio, taking charge of their belongings and changing shoes themselves. This is an important part of their dance education!
No gum, food or drink allowed in studio except for water bottles, which are encouraged.
Students may not have any electronics (smart watches, phones, etc) on the studio floor. If in their dance bag, they must be silenced and may not be removed during class.
It is the responsibility of every student and/or parent to alert the teacher of injury or limitations of the student.
Regular and on-time attendance is important, both for your individual student and the class unit as a whole. Please plan to arrive early to class. If late, please enter with as little disruption as possible.

Tuition:

Tuition is $75 per month, per student for one hour classes and $110 per month, per student for 90 minute classes.
An annual registration fee of $35 per household is due at time of enrollment to secure a student's spot in class.
Tuition is due by the first class of every month via Venmo @katemakesmagic. No refunds will be issued. Months with holidays (such as December) in which there are some cancelled classes are billed at the same rate as all other months. Students with unpaid tuition may not participate in class. Missed classes are not refunded. Due to the disruptive nature to class flow, make-up classes will not be offered for student absences.
Private and semi-private classes are available and will be billed at a different rate. To inquire, please contact me.

Performances:

There are two performances per year, a Holiday Show and a Spring Recital.
Performance participation is not required, though highly encouraged. Shows are a highlight for dancers and their families and are irreplaceable in building a dancer's sense of confidence and accomplishment.
A participation fee is required to participate in performances (usually under $100 per student) for costume and other performance related costs.
Students are responsible for selling a minimum amount of tickets (usually 6) to their shows.
Each performance weekend requires a dress rehearsal and likely two performances. Please adjust your schedule accordingly, as choosing to participate in a performance commits your dancer to all events which may not be missed. Dates for performances are released well in advance.

Dress Code:

No jewelry or other accessories may be worn to class. Stud earrings are ok.
Dancers must be neat, clean and clothing free of rips or tears as this is very distracting to young dancers.
Hair must be secured in a neat bun or other secure style close to the head at all times. Ponytails are not permitted. If hair is short, it must be secured away from face with barrettes or headband and off of neck.
Proper shoes and attire must be worn to class in order to participate. Please do not wear dance shoes outside of the studio - wear street shoes to and from class.
Leave all toys at home. The only items dancers may bring to class are their dance bag, dance shoes and water bottle.

Ballet:

Shoes: Ballet slippers, split sole without laces in leather or canvas, ballet pink or nude. These are a good option. Ballet slippers should be snug (not tight) and fitted to the foot with no extra fabric at the toe.
Tights: Dance tights in nude.
Leotard: solid leotard (tank, short/flutter sleeve or long sleeve) or dance dress with attached short skirt in any color. No multi-layered tutus or sequined costumes as these are distracting.
"Warm Ups" are optional in warm weather and required in cold weather as they keep muscles warm and prevent injury. Options include a single layer ballet skirt, ballet wrap sweater and legwarmers.
Boys: Black fitted shorts or leggings in athletic stretch fabric, a black or white t-shirt (not oversize), and split sole ballet shoes without laces in white, black, nude or ballet pink.
Adults: Any clothing that allows freedom of movement, such as leotard and tights, unitards, leggings, etc.
You may purchase from any source, but I have included links for ease and style examples. I have been quite happy with the quality and price point of Stelle dancewear for studio lesson purposes: Shoes, Tights, Leotard, Dance Dress, Skirt, Sweater. In addition to Amazon, a well-loved source for dancewear is Discount Dance Supply.

2. Tap:

Tap shoes in any color are fine for class though black shoes are required for performances. These are well-liked as a budget option, though I always recommend Bloch for best sound quality, especially for older dancers whose feet are not growing as quickly as little ones.
Since most students will be taking combo classes of tap and ballet, they will wear the same attire as listed above for ballet. Older students may wear dance shorts or pants for tap in place of a skirt if they prefer.

Share Basket:

Our studio is building a "share basket", which is a place to both donate and to shop shoes and dance wear. Please bring in any outgrown shoes and gently used dance wear to the studio for other families to shop before buying new!