Policies

Dance Attire

Level 1 - Level 4 students should wear white leather ballet shoes and white tap shoes. Leotard and tights may be any color, skirts optional.  Hair should be pulled up in a ponytail or bun.

Level 5 - Level 7 students should wear tan split-sole jazz shoes and black split-sole tap shoes. Jazz pants with a fitted top or a leotard with tights should be worn. These may be any color. No loose t-shirts, sweatshirts or sweatpants. Hair should be pulled back in a ponytail or a bun.

Pre Jr. Corkettes, Jr. Corkettes and Corkettes should wear tan split-sole jazz shoes and black split-sole tap shoes. Black knee-length jazz pants and a black fitted top should be worn. No loose t-shirts, sweatshirts or sweatpants. Hair should be pulled back in a ponytail or a bun.

Ballet I students should wear pink split-sole ballet shoes and a royal blue leotard with ballet pink tights. Hair should be pulled back in a bun.

Ballet II students should wear pink split-sole ballet shoes and a red leotard with ballet pink tights. Hair should be pulled back in a bun.

Ballet III students should wear pink split-sole ballet shoes and a black leotard with ballet pink tights. Hair should be pulled back in a bun.

Baton students should wear Ked's-like tennis shoes or jazz shoes.  Jazz pants with a fitted top or a leotard with tights should be worn. No loose t-shirts, sweatshirts or sweatpants. Hair should be pulled back in a ponytail. Students will need a star baton.

Hip Hop students should wear jazz shoes or sneakers and athletic wear.

All Boys should wear black ballet shoes or black split-sole jazz shoes and black split-sole tap shoes.  A fitted t-shirt and athletic pants or shorts should be worn.  No loose clothing.

Please Note: While the shoe styles and colors are only required for pictures and the recital, we prefer for your child to have these shoes for class as well. Appropriate shoes and dancewear are available at Applause Dancewear. For safety reasons, we request that students not wear jewelry while in dance class.  PLEASE LABEL ALL SHOES AND DANCE BAGS WITH YOUR CHILD'S FULL NAME.


Registration Fee

There is a $50 registration fee per family. This must be paid at the same time registration is submitted.


Tuition and Costume Fees

The monthly fee includes tuition and a portion of your annual costume fee.  The remainder of the costume fee is paid as a costume deposit, due by November 15th.  

All tuition is due on the 1st and late on the 15th of each month. After the 15th, a $10 late fee will be assessed to your account. Any student who becomes more than two months behind should sign a payment agreement. There is a $25 fee for returned checks. Students pay full monthly tuition regardless of absentees. Monthly tuition is based on a nine month year; therefore, tuition remains constant each month, regardless of the number of classes. If your child must withdraw mid-year, we must receive written notification. Tuition will be charged until written notification is received. 

 Once costumes are ordered, in December, you are responsible for the full payment of your child's costumes. All fees are due before the rehearsal for the recital in May. Students whose accounts have not been paid in full may not be allowed to participate in the rehearsal or the recital.  

For your convenience, we now accept secure online payments here, and we offer a 5% discount for auto-pay.

WE DO NOT GIVE REFUNDS.

Alternate Payment Plan

If necessary, you may request alternate payment arrangements. Please ask the secretary for an Alternate Payment Plan form. Turn it in to the secretary or studio owner for approval, before the month you need it to start.

Refer a Friend

Any student who refers a friend will receive a $25 credit when the friend registers.  The new student will also receive a $25 credit.


Recital

We present a professional recital each year in May. The students are also required to attend the recital rehearsal to prepare for the recital. A recital fee is due by April 15th. This fee pays for one free t-shirt per child, one complimentary program book per child and unlimited admission to the recital for your family and friends. This year we are offering an optional discount to the recital fee by purchasing program book ads. We will give more details about this offer after classes begin.


Class Assignments

Classes are assigned by age and ability level. The Corky Bell staff tries to place a child by his or her physical and emotional abilities. Students returning to dance after October 15th will be asked to audition for their class placement. We teach most of our new skills in the early fall, and the class may have progressed beyond a student's level when they return late. Students also have the option of taking private lessons to catch up, but we can't hold a class back to catch up students who did not return at the beginning of the year. Classes with less than eight students are subject to cancellation.


Waiting Room

Please do not leave your child unattended in the waiting room area. We ask that you promptly pick up your child after their class is over. Students must be picked up in the waiting room. Please do not ask your child to meet you in the parking lot.


Studio Rules

There are no students or siblings allowed in the dance room without a teacher.  Please label all shoes and bags with your child's full name. Dance shoes can easily get mixed up due to the fact they all look alike. Corky Bell is not responsible for lost items at the studio. Hair must be pulled up in a ponytail or bun.  Gum, food, drinks and cell phones are not allowed in the dance room.


Attendance Policy

Generally speaking, the students who do best in dance class are those who have the most regular attendance. Please call the studio if your child is sick or otherwise unable to attend class.  Excessive absences may prevent a student from performing in the recital. Please make every effort to have your child in dance class, on time, every week.

Outstanding Attendance Awards

If your child dances at the studio and has perfect attendance, beginning in September, he or she will receive an Outstanding Attendance Award at the end of the year. One exception per student will be made if the absence was called in to the studio in advance. In addition to the Outstanding Attendance Award, students with perfect attendance, who attend classes at the studio, will receive free registration for the fall.


Holidays

We will be closed the week of Thanksgiving, two weeks for Christmas, Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Birthday and Spring Break.  The studio does not close for other holidays or teacher workdays.


Weather

If the Homewood School System closes due to inclement weather, we will also close. In the event of inclement weather when the Homewood Schools do not close, please contact the studio to verify whether or not classes will be held. We will also try to post closings on the Homewood home page of this website.


Attitude

Dancing is an activity that is beneficial to the rhythm, coordination and self-confidence of your child. However, it should first and foremost be FUN! This is the atmosphere we try to create at Corky Bell. Adding stress to a child's life about being better than someone else is not something we feel is beneficial to our learning environment. We aim to teach by encouraging all students equally from the weakest member of a class to the strongest. Our staff is dedicated to fostering the student's imagination through the art of dance.


Website

We try to keep our website up-to-date with all newsletters that go home, holiday schedules, inclement weather cancellations, party information, etc.  After costumes are sent home, we post picture information, recital info, etc.  CHECK THE WEBSITE REGULARLY FOR UPDATES.