Frequently Asked Quesions
The dress code is in place so the teacher can properly see and correct muscle engagement, lines, and proper position. While we understand, some of our younger dancers want to "dress up" for ballet, we ask that students save their costumes and skirts for family performances where they can demonstrate all of the things they have learned in class. Please see our Dress Code for details and examples of appropriate attire.
Why can my child not wear a ballet costume or leotard with attached skirt to class?
It is the dancer's job to make every movement seem effortless. For this reason, people often underestimate how hard the body is working to perform the skills correctly. Dancer safety is a top priority at Foundations Ballet. "Flat" classes are where students learn proper alignment and technique to safely perform more advanced combinations and eventually dance en pointe.
Why does my dancer have to take a "flat" ballet class in addition to pointe?
The short answer: To protect our dancers from injury. When a dancer demonstrates their readiness to go up on pointe or branch out into a new style of dance, our teacher will send home a letter informing our dancer and our family of their readiness and how to proceed. Some dancers may be invited to join our pointe class on "flat" to prepare them for pointe work.
Why are pointe and contemporary classes by invitation only? When can my dancer go en pointe?
Why do we need to arrive ten minutes before class? Why is my dancer asked to sit and observe if class has already begun?
The warm-up and first combinations are arguably the most important part of any dance class. In order to protect our muscles and joints, dancers need to warm-up properly to lower the risk of injury. If a dancer shows up late expecting to dance, we would need to restart class, which would be unfair for the dancers who arrive on time.
In a ballet class, dancers are all touching and sharing the same barre. We know how quickly germs spread, and some of our students and family members may not recover as easily. In order to keep everyone as healthy as possible, we ask that students who are "under the weather" or have "upset tummies" stay home to rest and get well.
It's "just a cold." Why can my child not come to class?
Why do I need to stay on premises if my child needs help using the restroom? Why are dancers asked to use the restroom before or after class?
Our teacher will not be able to leave the studio to assist young dancers in the restroom. We ask a parent or guardian to stay nearby to help them. An hour goes by quickly, and we like to use every minute to give our dancers as much training as we can. We ask our dancers to use the restroom before we begin to avoid disrupting class or having our dancers miss out on important combinations.
We allow quiet observation. A ballet class is the same as any class. It is a place of learning, and we ask our families to understand that all students learn in their own time and trust our teacher to give corrections and instruction as needed. At Foundations Ballet, we want to foster an environment of mutual respect. We ask dancers and families to avoid talking during class, so everyone can get the most out of every class.
Am I allowed to observe class?
There are several reasons we ask. The first is personal safety. Our dance uniform is traditional ballet attire, which is designed to show the form. Our dancers may cross paths with strangers. A cover up provides a layer of modesty and privacy.
Secondly, at Foundations Ballet, our goal is to teach our dancers to respect the discipline of the art. Wearing dancewear outside of the studio is traditionally considered improper. It helps our dancers get into the mindset of "It's time to dance." Cover ups draw a line between the outside world and the structure of the ballet studio.
Thirdly, we can all appreciate the financial investment we put into our dancer's attire. We want to protect their leotards, tights, and shoes, and we want to protect our floors. Wearing ballet slippers outside of the studio can track in dirt and debris that might scratch our floors or our dancers when they are doing floorwork and stretches.
Why does my dancer need to wear something over their dance uniform when entering and exiting the building?