Everything you need to know for "Back to Dance"!

ATTIRE:

One of the biggest concerns parents have is, “Does my dancer have the right attire and shoes?” We have detailed information on our website that provides the information you need, specific to each class level and type of class. Go to: www.danceatbloom.com/attire. Please don’t stress if you still have items you need to purchase; we will be lenient regarding our attire dress code during the first month of classes. And as always, our Studio Hosts will be happy to answer any questions you have.

LABEL ALL DANCE ITEMS:

Dancers often have shoes that nearly match those of their classmates. To prevent your dancer’s new dance shoes from accidentally going home in someone else’s dance bag, be sure to label your dancer’s shoes and gear! We recommend labeling shoes on the inside, as markings on the bottom can easily be worn away (and sometimes leaves marks on our beautiful floors). 

• PRO TIP: Young dancers often need help distinguishing which shoe goes on which foot. To help with this, we recommend you cut a sticker in half, and place the left side of the sticker in the left shoe, and the right side of the sticker in the right shoe. Ta da!

PLAN TO USE THE BATHROOM BEFORE CLASS:

Please be sure your child uses the restroom before pulling on a leotard and tights, so that the likelihood of having to interrupt class with a bathroom break will be minimal. Young dancers can have trouble getting out of their leotard in time when the urge strikes, so it’s important to plan ahead. A little planning can go a long way!

DROP OFF FOR CLASS:

During the first two weeks of dance classes, we ask that you accompany your dancer inside the building (if they are 11 years of age or younger) and to the Studio door, until they are comfortable with the space and know where to go for class on their own. 

BACK TO BACK CLASSES:

If your student is enrolled in multiple classes that occur directly after each other, we ask that parents stay to help their student transition between classes, for the first week or two. After the first few weeks, if you do plan to drop your student off for multiple back-to-back classes, be sure to let your Studio Host know and our team will help your dancer make their class transition.

STUDIO ROOMS:

Though each location has a different number of studios, each studio room will have a sign in front of it, designating the class schedule for the day for that studio room. If you have any questions about which studio room your class is being held in, be sure to ask your Studio Host!

Dance Bags & Other Items:

We ask that dancers only take their dance bag (which should have any additional dance shoes and covered water bottle inside) into the studio space. All other belongings will remain outside the studio tucked neatly under a seat, or with a parent (at Oakview, other items may also be placed in their locker or on the silver shelves in the hallway). For everyone’s safety and to allow for parent seating, please do not leave personal belongings on the lobby or hallway floors or seating areas.

WAITING AREA:

You are welcome to watch your dancer through the windows, or wait in the designated waiting area. We do ask that larger groups be aware to make sure everyone has enough space to view their dancer, and that you monitor your small children so that they are not unattended while dance classes are in session. Please also be mindful of noise levels in our lobbies (so as not to disrupt our dancers during their classes).

CLASSROOM EXPECTATIONS:

Bloom has four rules that we utilize in our classrooms each week.

Seedlings, Sprouts, Petals & Violets classes:

1. Be kind.

2. Be a good listener. 

3. Do your best.

4. Have fun!

Rosettes, Lilies & Bouquets classes: 

1. I am a problem solver. 

2. I will work hard for a better tomorrow. 

3. I have respect for the art of dance, the dance classroom, and my dance teacher. 

4. I dance because it brings me joy!

CLASS FIT:

Be aware that often, it takes a bit of time for students to adjust to a new class. For this reason, we always recommend attending all of your classes during the first month of the season (or a new class) before we make an official change. Adjusting to new classes can take a bit of persistence, but we are confident that you and your student(s) will love their classes once they have settled in!

MONTHLY NEWSLETTERS:

Bloom sends a newsletter out at the beginning of each calendar month, listing everything you need to know about what’s happening at the studio during that month. Be sure to watch for these emails/texts to stay in the loop! 

BLOOM BUZZ:

The Bloom Buzz (on our website) regularly issues new posts with all kinds of helpful information. For more great info on returning to dance, check out our post, 5 Tips Every Dance Parent Should Know. Be sure to check back often for the latest info!

PARENT PORTAL:

Your parent portal is an important dance parent tool! Within your account, you can:

• register for classes

• change your payment method

• view your student’s schedule

• log any absences

• view important Spring Recital information

… and more! We recommend saving your parent portal login information on your phone so you can easily access it from our website any time you need to!

ABSENCES:

If your student will be absent, the easiest way to let our staff know is to log the absence in your parent portal! Follow these simple steps:

• Log into your parent portal.

• Click on the Attendance button under the “Info” dropdown.

• Click the “Report Absence” button, and follow the prompts.

UPDATE MAILING ADDRESS:

Has your mailing address changed recently? If so, don’t forget to update it in your parent portal account!

A note to parents of our preschool dancers:

Preschool dance classes are about helping children learn to use their imaginations and express themselves creatively! While preschool dancers do learn dance steps, we also desire to help preschool students become comfortable with the overall dance experience, the classroom, their teacher, and their classmates. 

Right from the beginning, we focus on your child’s coordination, listening skills, musical awareness, and developing imagination. We accomplish this through age-appropriate music and song, simple stretching exercises, ballet, tap and tumbling basics, and games that promote creativity.

In order to create an environment where students can learn and grow, we require that even our young students:

• Can follow instructions

• Can wait their turn to talk 

• Are able to separate from parent(s) 

We are excited to see your young dancer succeed!

BLONDO:

• DROP OFF/PICK UP: Parents have the option to drop off and pick up their dancers at our door, or stay in the waiting area during class time. Our Blondo location will have a Studio Host in the waiting room at all times and will make sure dancers get safely into their classes at the right time. They will also monitor pick up of the students, to make sure no one leaves without an adult.

• PARKING: Please be extra careful pulling in and out of your parking spot at the studio. There are many children coming and going between classes and we want to make sure they get to their cars and classes safely. At our Blondo Studio, if the parking spots directly in front of the studio are full, we recommend parking in the small side lot near Papa Murphy’s and/or along the rear of the convenience store building.

ELKHORN:

• DROP OFF/PICK UP: Parents have the option to drop off and pick up their dancers at our door or stay in the waiting area during class time. Our Elkhorn location will have a Studio Host in the waiting room at all times and will make sure dancers get safely into their classes at the right time. They will also monitor pick up of the students, to make sure no one leaves without an adult.

  • If your dancer’s class is in Studio C, they will enter and exit through the South door. If they are in Studio D, they will enter and exit through the North door. And keep in mind, we have one large connected lobby, so it is not a problem if they accidentally come in the door not assigned to their studio!

• PARKING: Please be extra careful pulling in and out of your parking spot at the studio. There are many children coming and going between classes, and we want to make sure they get to their cars and classes safely. At our Elkhorn Studio, you are welcome to line up your car on the curb to pick up and drop off your child rather than pulling into a parking spot, IF you are not going to get out of your car. The Studio Host will help your child find you in the "line" and get them safely to your car. 

OAKVIEW:

• DROP OFF/PICK UP: Parents have the option to drop off and pick up their dancers, or stay in the waiting area during class time.

  • We will have a Studio Host in our lobby at all times, and our staff will help your dancers get safely into their classes at the right time.

  • We will also monitor the pick-up of students, to make sure no one leaves without an adult. 

  • Due to the size of our Oakview building, younger dancers (under the age of 11) must have an adult accompany them to class at all times.

• PARKING: There is an abundance of parking at our Oakview location, however, please be courteous not to park in the spaces directly in front of other businesses. Please be careful pulling in and out of the lot as there will be many dancers coming and going, and we want them all to stay safe! All dancers (and their family members) will enter and exit through the large double doors in the center of the building (under the large “The Garden” sign).

• SHOES: Your dancer should proceed down the hallway to the area outside their studio, and put on the proper dance shoes for the start of their class. (Combo classes always begin with ballet shoes.) We will not allow any street shoes to be worn inside our Oakview Studios, so make sure your dancer knows they must have the proper dance footwear before entering the studio. Also, please make sure your dancer does not wear their dance shoes (including hip hop shoes) outside of the studio space. We want to keep these floors beautiful for your dancer to use for many years to come! 

• WAITING AREA: You are welcome to watch your dancers through the windows, wait on the benches outside the studios, or wait in the spacious lobby. We do ask that larger groups wait in the lobby (rather than the smaller halls), and that you monitor your small children in this large space so that they do not run free while dance classes are in session.

• STUDENT STUDY SPACE: Our Oakview location has a space available for our older students who need to study between dance classes. This year, this space is located in our front lobby (on the south end, near the windows).

• LOCKERS: We are offering lockers for rent at our Oakview location! These lockers are intended for our dancers who spend many hours at the studio and want to have a secure place for their belongings including purses, school work, and dance shoes! Full season locker rental is $60 for one year, (Sept - Aug). Register by logging into your parent portal, and clicking on the Oakview Lockers tab under Classes.