Classes & Training

Classroom Etiquette & Dress Code

OOAL students will be expected to maintain good behavior and to have good classroom etiquette. Please help them to be successful by having them on time and prepared for class. It helps tremendously to have a dance bag with all of their necessary clothes, shoes, hair accessories, etc.

Here are some general guidelines to good dance classroom etiquette:

• Be on time. A little early is even better. If you must enter late, always ask teacher's permission to enter and give an explanation. If you are expected in class and cannot make it, call 651-644-3802 to inform the teacher.
  
• To learn as much as possible and to show respect for your teacher, there should be no talking in class. NEVER talk while the teacher is talking. Be attentive to the teacher at all times and respond if the teacher asks a group-directed question.
  
• Raise your hand to ask questions and don't be afraid to ask them. That's what we're here for. Let us help you get better - ask away! It is exceptionally polite to say thank-you for all corrections given and questions answered.
  
• Stretch between barre and center. Mark the combination or practice parts of it while another group is dancing.
  
• Do not lean on the barres while waiting to dance. Move fast. Never keep your teacher waiting for you to begin a combination.
  
• Always ask permission to leave the classroom for ANY reason. Ask permission to adjust or remove pointe shoes.
  
• You may bring a water bottle into the studio with you, but please drink it only when given a water break.
  
• Praise/encourage other students, but do not correct other students.
  
• Allow the most advanced dancers (higher levels) come to front of class and across the floor first.
  
• Ask permission to sit out and watch if you are hurt or sick. To keep you safe, if you must sit out due to illness or injury, you cannot re-join that or any other class or rehearsal that day without special permission from the director. Always inform/remind your teacher of any illness or injury you may have.
  
• Visitors, please ask permission from the teacher to watch class.
  
• ALWAYS clap after class and say thank you to your teacher!

Dress Code
Dance attire can be purchased at Grand Jete on Grand Ave. in St. Paul or online at sites such as www.discountdancesupply.com.

Girls: For ballet you are required to have black leotard/pink tights/pink shoes/black skirt. You may also wear any solid colored leotard. For other classes you are required to have black jazz pants and black jazz shoes and black tap shoes. You will sometimes be allowed to wear dance "junk" in class. This can be form-fitting dance wear worn over your leotard and tights.
Please DO NOT wear underwear under your tights. Please do not wear jewelry in class.

Boys: For ballet you are required to have black dance pants or sweatpants or shorts/white t-shirt/black ballet shoes. For other classes you may wear any solid colored t-shirt, black dance pants or sweatpants black jazz and black tap shoes.

Hair: Girls must have hair in a secure bun (no bangs or loose hair) for ballet class. Please keep hair binders, hair nets, hair pins, and clips or bobby pins in your dance bag at all times. You will be asked to go and fix you hair before joining class if you are not prepared. This is so important to maintain a confident and disciplined environment in the classroom.

Thank you! Together we produce a wonderful environment to dance and grow in!