As state guidelines continue to shift, our main concern is the health and safety of our dancers, faculty, and families. Please see the current safety measures implemented at CIA. Although we are putting these steps in place we understand that it is each family’s decision to join us in studio or not.  If your family is not able to join us in studio, there will still be an online class option for some classes. 

CIA Safety Procedures

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• You will need to sign a new Medical Waiver and New COVID-19 Liability Waiver before your student enters the building for their first class. This waiver will be good for the fall session schedule. (sent to you via DocuSign). Failure to sign this will result in your student not being able to enter the studio or take class in-person.
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• All Staff and Students - Masks are currently optional outside and inside the studio.
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• If your Student has a 100.4 degree fever or more or any other signs of illness (COVID or otherwise), Student will not be permitted inside the Studio and parent/guardian will need to take them home. If you or your Student has knowingly been exposed to COVID-19 or other communicable disease, we ask that you please stay home to reduce potential spread through the studio. Please contact the studio immediately for current procedures to return safely to class.
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• If a Student becomes ill during classes, Parent will be notified immediately.They will not be able to return to classes unless they are asymptomatic for 24 hours. If your student has been ill while away from the studio, please observe the 24-hour rule before returning to class.

At Chavarria Institute of the Arts, we are dedicated to providing dancers with the highest quality instruction and believe that the foundation of dance is proper technique. All of our instructors take a collaborative approach to incorporating proper execution of technique in every single class regardless of the dance style. You ca be assured that there will always be a consistency in instruction and technique which promotes dancer safety and results in a dancer's ability to achieve the mastery of skills much faster.

Dancer placement is at the discretion of the instructor, is not negotiable, and is based on, but not limited to, the following factors: attendance, maturity, strength, ability to take and apply corrections, knowledge of terminology and etiquette, as well as the understanding, execution, and retention of information covered in class. Mastery of the syllabus at the current placement level is considered above all else before the dancer may advance to the next level.

At Chavarria Institute of the Arts, we believe proper ballet technique is vital to the success of every dancer. As such, CIA will have a separate ballet placement audition in order to properly place dancers in the appropriate ballet level. Please keep in mind that your ballet level may be different than your other levels. Ballet technique is a LIFELONG study. Students may spend 2-3 years in each level before attaining mastery.

If a Dancer has missed multiple required classes, they are subject to being moved to a lower level class at the discretion of the instructor.

Please be aware that the month of September will be used by all instructors of every dance discipline to further review all levels and evaluate all students to ensure correct level placement for the 2022-2023 dance season.

Attendance will be monitored at every class. Consistent attendance is crucial to the success of every dancer as it promotes a strong work ethic and improves a dancer's ability to master skills and develop strong technique.

Dancers arriving 10 minutes late to class may not be permitted to attend that particular class regardless of the reason. This rule not only limits the disruption to the other dancers, but is also for the safety of the dancer that did not arrive in time to receive a proper warm-up. Any dancer that is not allowed into a class due to tardiness is welcome to make-up that particular class within the parameters of our make-up policy. Dancers that are continuously tardy to class may be asked to change classes to a more convenient day and time.

Missed classes with an excused absence due to studio closures, illness, tardiness, and other reasons can be made up within 30 days of that missed class. If your dancer will be missing class, there MUST be an absence submitted through our Parent Portal (https://dancestudio-pro.com/online/ciadanceco) making us aware of the absence for it to be considered for an excused absence.

Dancers must be enrolled in the same number of classes in the month missed as the month the make-ups will be redeemed. Dancers cannot drop classes and then use make-ups for the classes dropped.

Make-up classes are non-transferrable and are forfeited if not used within the 30-day period. Chavarria Institute of the Arts reserves the right to refuse the use of a make-up should the class size be too large on the day of the make-up, the absence is unexcused, or if the skill or age level of the class is not appropriate for the dancer.

Tuition & rehearsal fees are due the 1st of every month. All company members are required to have a credit card or ACH account on file for the entire season.  Tuition & rehearsal fees will both be auto-drafted on the 1^st of every month in 1 transaction. 

You have the option to pay via cash or check and if you choose to do so, your payment will be due on the 25^th of the prior month in order to not be auto drafted on the 1^st.  If ANY payments are made after the 1^st of the month they will be subject to a $25 late fee. 

A non-sufficient funds fee of $35 will be applied to any returned or declined payment. All fees are non-refundable.

Tuition is based on an average of four weeks per month. There will be no additional fees for months when a fifth week occurs, nor will there be a reduction in monthly fees when less than four weeks are held in a month for any reason, i.e. a major holiday, absence, competition, or recital. Chavarria Institute of the Arts reserves the right to cancel classes in order to accommodate teacher schedules, additional rehearsals for company dances or performances, and to allow for master classes.

Unlimited Tuition studends must be enrolled in the classes before they attend. A dancer may not be enrolled in 2 classes scheduled at the same time. If your dancer is absent to 4 consecutive classes, we reserve the right to drop the dancer from that class to make room for another enrollment or waitlisted dancer. Chavarria Institute of the Arts reserves the right to drop the dancer if the skill or age level of the class is not appropriate for the dancer.

Any dancer that wishes to drop any classes must give a 30-day notice to drop through our Parent Portal or via email at ciadanceco@gmail.com. If a dancer is outside the drop time, the dancer's account will still be charged the full month's tuition.

Dancers should plan to arrive at least 15 minutes prior to their class and be picked up within 15 minutes after their final class concludes. Any additional parking lot or permit regulations will be posted and distributed to parents.

Students are expected to arrive on time and properly prepared to attend class. Please refer to our dress code policy for further information on what dancers are expected to wear. Bathroom breaks are strictly at the discretion of the instructor and should not be expected.

Students are not allowed to enter any studio room or the office without permission from an instructor or faculty member. Students are expected to wait outside their classroom until their teacher has invited them inside to begin class. For liability purposes, parents are strictly prohibited from entering the dance rooms. We expect that dancers be respectful of the faculty, their fellow dancers, and all studio property by maintaining a kind and positive attitude, cleaning up after themselves, keeping the noise level to minimum, and encouraging each other to do the same.

As a friendly reminder for both students and their parents, please do not stop and speak with our teachers in between their classes as this is their only break and they will need a chance to get ready and prepare for their next class. Our front office staff will be happy to help or to take a message for the teacher and arrange for a follow up conversation if needed. We also request that parents allow our instructors to handle any disagreements that occur during class, and only if we are unable to resolve a situation or should we feel it necessary, will we involve the parents. After all, we’re not just a studio, we’re a family, and we want to encourage a safe and loving atmosphere for all of our students and family members!

Do NOT contact the CIA teachers about classes or procedures or any studio information as they have been hired to do a professional job of teaching, not to provide you with logistics. Communication directly to teachers should only be done to coordinate Private Lessons. All other questions/requests such as request for solo/duo/trio must go through the front office and is contingent upon approval from Studio Owner.

Texting is not an official form of communication. Please direct all questions or concerns through the Parent Portal or email at ciadanceco@gmail.com.