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Policies
Thank you for your interest in Universal Performing Arts Center, Charlotte County’s most
qualified arts facility. Classes offered for girls and boys ages 3 through adults.
Private lessons and competition training is also available.
Universal Performing Arts Center strives to educate your child to the highest quality of training by the highest quality of certified teachers in all forms of the arts! The entire staff is dedicated to guide your children mentally as well as physically. To enable your children to become the best people that they can be. We build self-esteem, confidence, and courage in our students. They will be able to carry what they have learned to all aspects of their lives. The arts is just a stepping stone in some children’s lives. The arts will help them to become more productive citizens so that one day they will have the tools to lead our community. Whether they are in the Arts to train for a professional career, or just build self worth and character;
UPAC will care for your children and will guide them in a positive and rewarding manner.
Proper training is the most important aspect of teaching in the arts. Universal Performing Arts Center’s faculty strives to properly stretch, condition, and strengthen your child so that they can become well trained, strong athletes.
We congratulate all of you that are taking this opportunity in giving your child the best training in Charlotte County and we look forward to many years of continued success.
Students must be 100% potty trained in order to attend facility. No diapers are permitted for any circumstance in dance or gymnastics.
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Classes Offered
Tiny Tots Combo Class-Ages 3-4 years old
Jazz-Ages 3 and up
Tap-Ages 3 and up
Ballet / Pointe-Ages 5 and up
Lyrical-Ages 7 and up
Leaps and Turns-Ages 7 and up
Gymnastics-Ages 5 and up
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Premiere Competition Teams-Ages 5 and up
Universal Gymnastics Competition Teams-Ages 7 and up
Please understand that class levels will be determined by the instructors. Their decision is based on age, size, technical ability and skill level. Please support the teacher in their placement decisions.
UPAC is a “HANDS ON FACILITY”. In order for our facility to properly teach and spot your children in the various forms of the Arts, there will be times that they will need to physically 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 about your child’s best interest, security and safety!
Class Level and Placement
Class levels will be determined by the instructor of the class or Andrea. Their decision will be based on age, size, technical ability and skill level. Please support their decisions in your child’s education. UPAC reserves the right to close any class that does not have a sufficient number of students enrolled. Placement for your child will be available in the event that a class is closed.
Appropriate Attire
No student will be allowed to participate in classes without the proper attire. It is strongly recommended that jewelry be left at home where it can not be lost!!!
Proper attire for the following classes include:
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Jazz/Tap/Lyrical/Gymnastics/Acrobatics
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Any color full body leotard.
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Any color tights.
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Tan jazz or tap shoes.
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Students may be asked to remove any extra clothing that may be restrictive or distracting to the instructor.
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Hair must be pulled away from face.
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No jewelry.
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Bike shorts may be worn as long as full body is covered!
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Ballet
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Hair must be in a bun!
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Black leotard with pink tights.
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Pink ballet slippers for girls and white or black for boys.
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All pointe shoes should be approved by the instructor.
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Boys: White or black t-shirt, black tights or jazz pants, white or black ballet shoes.
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No Jewelry
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Teacher Conferences
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! See Tony for any problems! Tony will not be available for conferences 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.
Drop Off and Pick Up
Please arrive for class a few minutes early to be ready for the class. However, please realize that we are a teaching facility and we are not responsible for children who are waiting before and 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 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. After 15 minutes, children that are not picked up after class will be charged a $10.00 late fee after 30 minutes and a $5.00 fee for every 5 minutes after that.
Tuition Statements and Bulletins
Information such as facility news, TUITION STATEMENTS FOR EACH SESSION, updates on classes, etc. will be emailed to you. Please check bulletin boards for other notices or rehearsal schedules. We strongly encourage you to check the bulletin boards on a regular basis to gain information which may be relevant to your child. It is the parents responsibility to check your email and bulletin boards…
not the children.
Food and Clean Up
NO GUM, CANDY, FOOD, OR DRINKS ARE ALLOWED IN THE STUDIO EXCEPT IN THE BREAK ROOM!!!! Please put food in trash containers and not outside on the floor. Bottled water can be purchased for $1.00. Water is allowed in the studios. Please clean up all areas that you occupy!
Holidays and Vacations
The facility will be closed on all major school holidays, vacations, and in the event of unforeseen acts of GOD. The major holidays include:
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Labor day
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Thanksgiving Week
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Winter Vacation
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Spring Break
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Memorial Day.
UPAC follows the school systems calendar. When the county schools are closed down by emergency management, due to weather, UPAC will also close down.
Student Assistants and Student Teachers
Student assistants are asked to lead the class for 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. See below for rates
Private Hour-$80.00
Private Half Hour-$40.00
Professional Quality CD Recording-$10.00
New Solo Choreography Fee (includes two 1-hour sessions)-$300.00
Absences
The Arts 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/injury only, please contact the office for available times that will be appropriate for your child’s level. A doctor’s note will need to be provided for the make-up class.
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Tuition and Expenses
A registration fee of $15.00 per child will be charged yearly for your child’s registration. The two weeks of winter vacation, the one week of spring break, and the one week of Thanksgiving are not included in the 11 session payments and you are not charged for them. Statements will be emailed at the beginning of the 4th week of a session. Please refer to the current fee schedule. Tuition is non-refundable when you miss a class, but a substitute class may be taken to make-up for the missed classes due to illness/injury only with a doctor’s note. Tiny Tot classes will be charged the one and a half hour rate. Pre classes will be 45 minute in length and will be charged the hourly rate. Two 45 minute classes will be charged the hour and a half rate. Payment 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. If there is no credit card on file or the card has been declined for whatever reason, a late fee will be charged! Family discounts are available on tuition. Tuition is non-refundable at any time! Session 1 payment is due at registration. Accounts must be current in order to register. Accounts will be billed one month in advance with no payment due on session 11. Parents or guardians who register the student will be held responsible for payment of tuition. Any split family circumstances must be dealt with outside of the facility!
Recital
There will be one/two shows 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. Gymnastics/Acrobatics will not be in the show. NO PERSONAL VIDEOTAPING OR FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY WILL BE ALLOWED DURING THE PERFORMANCE!
Recital Costumes
End of the year production costumes will be ordered in December. Parents will be responsible for turning in costume order forms by November 1st. Costume Balances will be due by December 1st. Plan approximately $75-$90 for each routine in the show! NO REFUNDS WILL BE GIVEN ON COSTUMES AFTER DECEMBER 1ST. Costumes ordered and paid for must be picked up no later than August 1st. UPAC will not be held responsible for storing costumes after August 1st. After that date, costumes become property of UPAC with no refund. Dancers must attend classes in order to be included in recital. Excessive absences can result in your child not being allowed to participate in the production.
Recital Fee
A recital fee of $100.00 for each family will be due on April 1st for those choosing to be in the production. The fee will include two “one night” tickets to the show, a recital t-shirt, medal, and program/memory book. This fee also includes a Digital Download of the show. Each additional child of the family will be $35.00
Recital Pictures
Individual and group pictures will be available for your child to take for the year end show in costume, for an additional fee. Recital pictures will be put in a recital yearbook for $7.00 each class picture. All children will be in the group photos unless you specify that your child will not be in the photo for the book! Accounts will be charge the $7.00 each group photo.