Flying Irish

Class Policies

Please respect the privacy of the residence attached to the Flying Irish Studio by only coming to the property when the studio is open for business.

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HEALTH POLICIES--subject to change as new information becomes available

Hand sanitizer is available in the studio & the lobby. Staff, students, and families members may opt to wear face masks, face shields and/or gloves while at the studio, and may be required to do so. Masks must be fitted to the face (i.e. no material hanging loose). When required, masks must be in place on the face before entering the building. The studio uses a medical-quality HEPA air filter in addition to the filters in the HVAC system.

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**Face masks will be required in class during times of enhanced physical distancing and for dancers who live with, or come into regular close contact with, someone who may be ill (see below). Students who cannot wear masks for medical reasons must have completely filled out their medical forms, indicating the need for an accommodation.

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If enhanced physical/social distancing is required to hold classes, it is possible that the waiting room may be closed or there may be a  limit to the number of people in the waiting room. When possible, have dancers use the bathroom prior to arriving at the Studio.

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If it is deemed necessary, staff members may take students' temperatures before they enter the studio. Anyone with a temperature over 100F will not be allowed to enter class. Students' temperatures will not be kept on file.

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If it becomes necessary to space classes to allow for individual drop off & pick up at the Studio, class times will be adjusted but tuition will remain the same. Please be prepared for this situation. Notify your dancer's instructor if you need to drop your child off at the entrance to the building and want someone to take your child into the building/studio. Staff will assist younger dancers with their shoes, when needed. Areas will be marked six feet apart outside the studio with suggested traffic flow so proper distance can be maintained. Inside of class, students will be distanced as needed/required and will be required to wear face masks in class. If recommended by scientists/government, students may also need to wear gloves if participating in team dances.

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Whenever necessary for the health and safety of our families, the Flying Irish Studio will offer a virtual class option. Tuition, and the class withdrawal policy, remains the same for virtual classes as for in-person classes. There are no make-ups when we run exclusively virtual classes. If the studio is running exclusively virtual classes, dancers may email the studio 1 video per week, of one dance. Instructors will respond via email with comments. The Flying Irish Studio's small class sizes ensure that our dancers continue to have a high quality experience when transitioning to virtual classes.

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For more details, go to the Absences & Make Ups page.

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CHILD SAFETY

Snacks:

If there is any food on premises the parent/adult should first check with other guests to make sure no one suffers from any food allergies. Any parent of a student with allergies must assume the responsibility of staying with their child. 

 

ONLY WATER is allowed in the studio.

 

Health & Medications:

All students must have insurance. Students must notify the studio if they are not up-to-date with standard vaccinations (ex. MMR), if they have compromised immune systems and/or severe contact allergies. The studio will endeavor to protect the health of all its clients to the best of its ability.

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Students cannot attend classes if they have missed school or work that day. Students must be fever free for 24 hours to attend classes. If a student or someone in their immediate household has an active communicable disease, ex. COVID, flu, pneumonia, pink eye/conjunctivitis, chicken pox, or if dancer has a fever, you cannot enter the Flying Irish Studio. Dancers who cannot come to class and wish to Zoom need to notify the studio via email by 2:00 pm on the day of class.

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Anyone who has a persistent cough, running nose, sneezing, sore throat and/or weeping eyes must be masked before entering the studio. Masks must be fitted to the face, fully covering the mouth and nose. If you don’t have one, ask for one before entering the lobby.

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Hand sanitizer is provided in the studio for whenever students will be holding hands/touching each other & upon entry to the studio.

 

Parents are solely responsible for their child's medication. Parents must agree to stay with their child and make advance arrangements to chaperone events if a medical issue exists.

 

Bullying:

Flying Irish, LLC, has a zero tolerance policy for bullying. Every student has a right to a safe and productive learning environment. The Flying Irish reserves the right to dismiss, without recourse, any student or family who does not adhere to our policies by disrupting the learning environment. Refunds will not be given.

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Social Media/Videos/Photos:

Pictures and/or videos may be taken and published by Flying Irish, LLC, throughout the year for use to celebrate and promote student accomplishments and the Flying Irish programs.

 

Parents may video free public events for private viewing; private events or events with an admission fee may not be filmed. Parents need to continually monitor their child's and their own social media pages to ensure the privacy of other people is being respected. If a fellow student or minors are in the picture, and/or if a private photo is tagged, it must be done with the permission of the fellow student or minor's parent and all content must be appropriate for families. Families must observe Rince Tua Nua's Child Safety policies at all events.

 

Videotaping is strictly forbidden at competitions, with the exception of sanctioned representatives of the host organization or during awards.

 

Material may be videotaped during private lessons for at-home tutoring (no sharing).

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PICK UP & DROP OFF

To minimize disruptions when dropping off students, please do not arrive more than 10 minutes before scheduled class time, and make sure to pick up students within 5 minutes after class has ended. Parents must come inside the building to pick up young children; please notify the instructor or send in a note if someone other than the parent will be driving students home. Students who are allowed to arrive and leave buildings independently, without a parent’s supervision, are their parents’ responsibility.

 

Students must be ready to participate as soon as their class begins, and are allowed to leave class only in an emergency. Students who arrive after the class warm-ups are completed will need to do their own warm-ups or may only be allowed to observe class.

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During times of enhanced social distancing, parents will need to pick up their children 1 at a time during pick up & drop off, waiting 6 feet apart outside of the studio. Instructors will walk younger children to the door, and help them with their shoes if necessary. Students will only be allowed to bring their dance shoes, a water bottle and any necessary outerwear into the building. Please leave all non-dance items at home or in the car.

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Please respect the privacy of the residence attached to the Flying Irish Studio by only coming to the property when the studio is open for business.

 

WAITING ROOM

Please note: if the Studio needs to run socially distanced classes, the waiting room may not be open to non-students.

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1. Parents should not speak to their child while class is in session. Guests are not allowed inside the dance studio.

2. Non-dancers must wait in the lobby, which is separate from the studio. At least one parent observation week will be held during the year.

3. When possible, refrain from eating and drinking in the lobby. Ashby does not have trash pickup services (all trash must be hauled to the town dump every other week) so we cannot handle organic materials in our trash. Organic waste must be brought home with you/your dancer.

4. Smoking is not permitted inside the building, or on Studio property.

5. For safety and to keep our facility enjoyable for all, we ask that children in the lobby are monitored closely and not be allowed to climb on seats and furniture or hang on/block the windows and doors.

6. The Flying Irish is not responsible for lost, stolen or damaged articles. Please only bring class supplies to class.

7. Parents must bring dirty diapers home with them. Used diapers cannot be accommodated in the trash receptacles (Ashby does not have trash pick up services). Please take care of all private needs of young children in the bathroom.

8. During times of social distancing, the studio will be cleaned and the lobby wiped down prior to classes. Face masks may be required in the lobby & studio.

9. Face masks are available for sale in the lobby. Any dancer who does not have a mask, or is wearing one that does not fit, will be given a Flying Irish mask. Your account will be charged that night.

10. Family members/guests who are sick are not allowed inside the Flying Irish Studio for any reason; please wait in your car. Anyone entering the studio must be symptom- and fever-free for 24 hours, or, in the case of COVID-19, fever-free for 3 days and symptom-free for 7 days. A fever is 100.0 F and higher, or feeling feverish. Wear a mask if someone you live with, or come into regular close contact with, is sick with a communicable disease or if you have a persistant cough, runny nose, sneezing, sore throat and/or weeping eyes. Masks must be fitted to the face, covering both the mouth and nose.

 

CLASS PLACEMENT

All students are individuals with  different abilities and will not all progress at the same rate. Students may spend a number of years in a level before moving up. The instructor will have final judgment concerning class placement.

 

Level Advancement: Dancers learn new material when they advance to another level in competition; private lessons are encouraged to supplement group classes. Dancers are not allowed to compete in a dance unless they have learned the steps for that level. Sometimes material must be retained for special events, such as championships or performances, beyond when a dancer has placed out of that dance/level.

 

Grade Exams: Irish Dance is a cultural heritage, an art form and a competitive sport. Specific dances are taught at each grade (level) so that dancers progress in the standard manner. Grade exams were created in Ireland to ensure that students properly learn the dances, technique, music, history and culture of Irish Dance. When a dancer has finished learning the material at a specific grade, they may take the grade exam for that level. Grade exams may be used for level advancement when a student does not participate in competition.

 

HOME PRACTICE

Irish Dance is highly cumulative. Regular practice is necessary to remember and master the material taught in class and for advancement. The fast movements and high leaps of Irish Dance require dancers to be physically fit with strong muscles and good stamina to minimize the risk of injury. Practice sessions should include conditioning and drills, adjusted to a dancer’s age and ability level.

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Parents can help their students’ progress by creating a space to practice, having the correct music on hand and reviewing practice logs (download from "Classes" page). You do not have to practice with your child.

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Irish Dances are named for the type of tune that they are danced to. The speed for the dance is often put in parenthesis next to the tune’s name: ex. Reels (113). The speeds we use can be found on the studio’s “Feis” page. The Beat app has all of a dancer’s music organized by level with new tunes being added regularly. New music can re-invigorate a dancer who has fallen off their practicing.

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Practice logs will be checked in class weekly. A practice sheet can be downloaded from your class resources in your Jackrabbit Family Portal. Dancers may keep track of their practicing in a dedicate dance notebook.

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