Policies & FAQs
Classes are closed to registered students only.
Guardians are only allowed to stay in the studio for their students free trial class, or during any private lessons for their student.
To ensure a safe, productive, and enjoyable experience the policies below must be followed.
BlackBox Studios reserves the right to suspend or dismiss any students or parents who violate any of the below studio's code of conduct and policies.
All students and parents are responsible for adhering to our policies.
Studio care:
To ensure proper care of the studio please adhere the following policies:
No heels, tap shoes, or street shoes allowed on the marley dance floor.
No food, or liquid other than water allowed on the dance floor.
No touching mirrors (the mylar mirrors are expensive and fragile and can puncture with the pressure of touch)
Please discard all trash in proper bins. Please pick up after yourself!
Place all shoes and bags in the appropriate shoe rack area to avoid clutter on the floor and in front of the doors.
Take care to take home all water bottles, socks, shoes, bobby pins etc to avoid clutter in the studio.
Items that are left at the studio for longer than a month without an email asking to hold onto property are subject to being disposed of or donated.
Do not flush tampons, paper towels, or other trash down the toilet. Toilet paper only. Sanitary items, paper towels, and other items can go in the trashcan provided in the bathroom.
Destruction of property or facility, vandalism, theft, etc. is not allowed.
Treat the studio space with respect and care.
Payment:
Payment, Registration form, General Liability/Photo Release forms are all due prior to class.
Students are not allowed to take class without proper payment and registration.
Registration and Tuition is made through the Mindbody. Click BOOK on the schedule to sign up or sign in.
Assistance with payment plans must be communicated and agreed upon prior to the first day of class.
Please review your membership policies and check expiration dates on class cards, drop ins, and other promotional offers.
Membership Info & Policies:
Monthly memberships with convenient auto-pay. No fees to join, and you can cancel or change your membership by emailing within 48 hours prior to the next billing cycle.
Monthly memberships are billed the 1st of the month. Below cost breakdowns based on 4 week month average.
Memberships can be paused for one month, once a year for free. Additional holds will incur a $25 charge. Please notify through email a hold 2 weeks prior to the date you would like to request the hold.
Memberships can only be used for one student. Each family member must each have their own enrollment.
Make up classes must be made within the billing cycle month. Make up classes do not roll over.
Contracts can be cancelled by either party 2 weeks prior to the next billing cycle.
No refunds on Memberships that are cancelled late or cancelled mid cycle.
Drop off & Pick up:
There is a scheduled 5-10 minute gap between classes for drop off and pick up. Please be ready within that window of time to safely drop off and pick up your student. Teachers are not required to watch students outside of the building as they will be preparing for the next class.
Please be ready to drop off and pick up your student on time. If the students’ ride is running late, students may stay in the studio for safety purposes. Please come to the door area to pick up your student. Student’s should not be crossing the street or walking through the neighborhood without written notice to the studio.
Please do not enter the studio while classes are in session, either communicate through email or text to the studio, if you are going to be late to minimize disrupting the class in session.
Students will not be admitted to class 10 minutes after class time starts. Class is designed to start with a warmup that helps avoid injuries. If this warmup is missed (the first 10 minutes of class especially), it is not safe for the student to take the rest of the class, and the late entrance distracts the other students.
Student & Gaurdian Conduct:
Students and guardians are expected to practice studio etiquette while inside the studio.
Students and guardians are expected to adhere to studio policies inside the studio, on the immediate grounds of the studio (sidewalks and under the awning), and while participating in studio related activities (recitals, events, field trips).
Studio etiquette includes proper classroom behavior, studio care (outlined above), and upholding the values that make BlackBox Studios a safe space.
Students are expected to listen to the teacher, not talk in class unless they are asked a question or have raised their hand to ask a question and are called on, and to follow general classroom instructions.
Students not participating in these policies will be asked to sit down during class until they are willing to rejoin or until class finishes.
Students and guardians are to be courteous to their fellow students, guardians, and to the teachers/staff.
Disrespectful behavior such as but not limited to talking back and refusing to follow instructions create a negative environment for everyone in the classroom and does not uphold the studio’s values. The above disrespectful behavior, bullying, harassment, or intolerance of diversity will not be allowed and may result in suspension or dismissal.
Behavioral issues will result in suspension or dismissal from the studio.
Family Observation & Conduct:
Classes are closed to registered students only. Guardians are only allowed to stay in the studio for their students free trial class, or during any private lessons for their student.
Family Observations Days will be scheduled throughout the year. During these observations it is important that parents remain as quiet as possible so students can hear the music and focus. Do not call out to your student during Observation as this distracts and confuses the student from following teacher instructions, and interferes with the focus of other students as well. If you leave during class, please do not re-enter the studio until class is finished as this disrupts the class as well.
Students or other people that are causing disruption during Observation must be taken out of the building to avoid distracting the rest of class. If you need to pull your student out of class during class time, please communicate with the instructor and then exit the building with your student.
Guardians are expected to drop off and pick up students on time, and communicate any concerns, absences, lateness, etc.
Guardians are to be courteous to their fellow students, guardians, and to the teachers/staff. Disrespectful behavior, bullying, harassment, or intolerance of diversity will not be allowed.
Zoom Conduct:
Students on Zoom are expected to stay on mute unless they are asked a question or have a question. Mute is for technical/sound reasons only and ensures there isn’t feedback, reverberation, or distractions to the other students. Please stay involved and feel welcome to unmute to ask questions or use the chat. Students are welcome to keep video off for privacy.
Students new to Zoom that need a Zoom link must contact the studio to receive the link. Due to limitations on staffing, email requests made with less than 5 hours notice may not be answered in time to join class that day.
Physical cueing:
Dance instruction includes respectful physical cueing to help dancers feel certain muscles and alignments needed to execute technique.
Please notify the studio in writing, and let your instructor know before class if you do not want to be touched.
Dress Code:
Ballet dress code is ballet attire (leotards, tights, skirt/shorts optional), or activewear such as leggings and a fitted shirt or tank top, with long hair secured in a bun.
Ballet slippers are required for Basic Ballet and Youth Ballet. If you forgot your shoes or cannot afford shoes, there is a shoe bin that dancers can borrow from.
Pink tights are NOT required. Please wear tights that match your complexion and make you happy!
Ballet students in the upper levels, Basic Ballet II/Youth Ballet I and up, are required to wear hair fully secured (no ponytails, long hanging side bangs, or loose hair that will interfere with spotting technique during turns), and must wear ballet slippers.
Pre-ballet students are allowed to wear hair as desired and socks, attire must be either ballet attire or stretchy athletic wear such as leggings, shorts, tee shirts, and tank tops. Students in this level can also wear tutus and costumes as long as the garment is safe to dance in and does not cause a distraction to the student or others. Please use your best judgment and have a back up outfit if the costume causes restriction in movement or focus.
Adult/Teen dress code is dance/athletic attire. Be sure the clothes you wear to class are stretchy, and not too baggy as the instructor needs to be able to see proper alignment and placement of the joints during instruction. Footwear should be ballet slippers, jazz shoes, socks, or barefoot if class requires.
No street shoes, sneakers, taps, or heels on the marley floor. Please remove shoes on the carpet.
If you are purchasing through Discount Dance Supply please use Teacher Code: 143137 to help BlackBox Studios earn points towards recital costumes, shoes, and other items needed for the studio. Thank you for your support!
If you would like to shop in a store, BlackBox Studios highly recommends SF Dance Gear (San Francisco) or Contra Costa Dancewear (Walnut Creek)
Attendance/Absence/Makeups:
If possible, please notify the studio email if there will be an absence.
If you need to take a makeup you can do so in a level similar or lower to the one you are currently enrolled in.
For students on Membership plans, classes need to be made up in the same month that the class was missed. Classes do not roll over to the next month.
For classes purchased with Class Cards or Drop Ins please note date of expiration.
Parking:
Free street parking is available on School Street and 35th Ave and the surrounding neighborhood.
Be mindful of street sweeping signs and hours, neighbors driveways, and red zones.
Do not leave valuables in your car.
Waiver of Liability & Photo Release Required to Take Class
Students are not allowed to take class without registering and sign in the liability waivers.
Free Trial classes are only allowed to be attended once you are registered for the Free Trial Class and sign the waivers.
We take no responsibility for injuries, illness, death, or any stolen or misplaced property on the studio premises.
BlackBox Studios has permission to photograph and video dancers and classes for the sole purpose of marketing.
Suspension & Dismissal Policy BlackBox Studios reserves the right to cancel the enrollment of a child for the following reasons:
Non-payment.
Physical, mental, and/or verbal abuse of staff, children, or guardians.
Destruction of property or facility, vandalism, theft etc belong to studio or belonging to another student.
Not observing the rules of the studio outlined above.
The code of conduct is for both the student and the responsible guardian.