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As part of their training, TPB students are expected to behave in a responsible and disciplined manner and to adhere to the rules and regulations. TPB reserves the right to suspend or dismiss any student whose conduct or attitude is found to be unsatisfactory.
CLASS LEVELS AND PLACEMENT The Curriculum Ballet program consists of seven levels of training (Pre-Ballet to Level Five) that are designed to meet the physical and psychological needs of the student at each stage of development. Students move through the Curriculum program according to ability and age and are evaluated for level advancement by the director and faculty members. Each year, new and returning students must attend the mandatory placement audition in August. This audition allows placement to be based on the student's most current stage of development. Summer program experience, as well as mental and physical maturation over the summer can result in dramatic changes in a student's progress. Therefore, attendance to this audition is critical to help insure proper level placement in the fall. Great care is taken in the class placement process as well as the construction of class schedules and the assignment of instructors. Each level contains students within a particular range of development so there will naturally be an upper and lower ability in each level. Students are placed according to their current stage of ability, physical, and pyschological development and age. Ballet is an elitist and exacting athletic art form, requiring mastery of many seemingly mundane, but yet fundamental steps and movements. Students progress faster by spending the length of time necessary to master these fundamentals, rather than rushing ahead to the complex and faster-paced steps of a more advanced level.
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DRESS CODE Students are required to purchase and wear the appropriate leotard for their class. Leotard styles and colors are as follows:
Pre-Ballet........Bloch CL5402
Level One.........Mirella 315c in Black
Level Two.........Mirella 201c in Black
Level Three.......Mirella 201L in Black
Level Four........Mirella 201L in Black
Level Five........Mirella 201L in Black
Men One and Two...M Stevens short/cap sleeve in White
Girls must wear pink tights. Students in beginning and intermediate Levels Four and below must wear full-soled pink ballet slippers; advanced levels may wear pink spilt-soled ballet slippers. ALL ballet slippers must have sewn, not tied, elastics. Pointe shoes, when applicable, must have sewn ribbons and elastics. Hair must be pulled back into a neat bun with a hairnet and no 'whispies'. Short hair must be fastened securely away from the face. No jewelry, including watches, can be worn during class. Level 2- Level 5: Small stud earrrings are the exception. Boys and Men must wear black tights, white ankle-length socks, and white ballet slippers with sewn elastics. Dance belts are required. No shirts, leg warmers, skirts, etc. may be worn during class. Short skirts in the appropriate class color are allowed for Variations and Pointe classes only. Girls in Level Five may wear a plain black alignment belt if they choose. On Saturdays, girls in Level Five may also wear simply-styled and solid-colored leotards and black tights. Dancewear is to be kept laundered and in good repair. Please mark clothing and shoes with the student's name. TPB's dress code is designed to encourage unity and discipline among our students. Students not meeting the required dress code or who's uniform is dirty, smelly, or ripped, will be asked to observe class and take notes on the Class Observation Sheet.
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EVALUATIONS Written evaluations are conducted mid-year for Curriculum Ballet students in Levels Two through Five and Men. Goal sheets will be distributed in advance to each student and the 3 most critical areas of focus will be discussed with one of their teachers in a one-on-one 15 minute conference. Additionally, students in Levels Five and Men Two, may scheudle an evaluation conference with the director to discuss the student's progress and goals at this time. Parents are encouraged to attend these conferences.
CONFERENCES Personal conferences may be scheduled with the director or teacher by making a request to the front desk. Please avoid 'catching' the director or instructor before or after class for quick conferences. These discussions deserve our full attention and are more effective when conducted in a calm atmosphere.
LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION If a student is in need of a recommendation letter, TWO WEEKS NOTICE is required. Be aware that many students request letters of recommendation at the same time of year. Insufficient notice will result in short letters or none at all.
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ATTENDANCE Students or their families must report ALL absences to TPB PRIOR to class time in order to be excused. Good attendance is vital to consistent progress and advancement in the Curriculum Ballet program. Poor attendance will jeopardize a student's placement, participation in productions, promotion, or financial aid. Classes are not transferable and there are no make-ups. Students may not enter class late or leave class early without the instructor's permission. If a student arrives more than 10 minutes late, the teacher will have the student sit, watch the remainder of the class, and take notes on the Class Observation Sheet. Injuries can result when a student has not had a proper warm-up.
COMMUNICATION Please read the bulletin boards carefully. This is an important resource for students and parents. Time changes, rehearsals, and important notices are placed here daily and the answers to many of your questions can be found here. Parents are asked to direct any comments, problems, or questions to the front desk, who will contact the director, general manager, studio manager, or appropriate teacher if necessary. The front desk staff are not allowed to give out student or teacher phone numbers, therefore, we ask that phone numbers be exchanged on an individual basis.
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INJURIES Ballet is a strenuous athletic activity. Students of ballet will experience minor aches and pains from time to time due to building muscle tissue and stretching tendons. Most minor aches and pains will go away in time. Should a particular pain start to become chronic, speak to your instructor and ask at the front desk to arrange an appointment with the school doctor (Dr. Zeller). All student accidents and injuries in and out of ballet class must be reported to the front desk and the teacher immediately. TPB staff will document the student's condition and any medical guidelines for activity. A doctor's note is required to return to class after severe injuries. Students who are injured and are therefore unable to participate in all of class must sit, watch the rest of the class, and will be asked to take notes on the Class Observation Sheet. Ice is located in the lobby if necessary. Once a student has stopped class, they may not resume class or rehearsal until the next day at the earliest.
PAS DE DEUX Pas de Deux class is open to Level Five students by invitation only. Elements to be considered when inviting students to participate include: work ethic, good attendance (in all assigned curriculum classes), and strength on pointe. The TPB staff will regularly monitor students to insure they are meeting the above requirements. Changes in the aforementioned criteria will affect the student's ability to participate in this class. Optional, but highly recommended, are practice tutus for the girls.
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POINTE CLASS Ballet is the most physically demanding of all dance forms. Pointe work in particular is not only physically demanding, but also requires that the student maintain an intense practice schedule and a body weight that is lower than average for most people. The reason for this is that ballet is an esthetic dance form that pays little attention to the ergonomic structure of that average human body. Just as with most athletic activities, not maintaining optimal physical conditioning and body weight can lead to very serious (sometimes crippling) injuries in the worst case and to overall poor progress at the very least. We have constructed the class schedule to give students the correct number of hours of training required to excel in ballet. By regularly attending all of the classes scheduled for your level and by stretching and doing Pilates exercises at the dance center and at home, proper physical conditioning will be maintained. We realize that maintaining the optimal body weight is more difficult for some than others. Metabolisms vary greatly from person to person as do family eating styles. For some students, it is a matter of limiting their intake of sweets, but for others, it may mean restructuring his or her diet and seeking the advice of a nutritionist. In order for TPB to accomplish the goal of teaching 'correct ballet', we require that students desiring to pursue Pointe work maintain excellent attendance, proper physical conditioning, and be at a body weight that is considered safe by the TPB staff. Students that do not meet these criteria may not be advanced past Level Three.
Students en pointe are expected to bring with them into the studio, before technique class, a small pointe shoe bag containing: pointe shoes toe tape small scissors band aids safety pins needle and thread toe spacers, lambs wool, or ouch pouches Any additional items they might require Toes need to be pre-taped before technique classes. Students are asked NOT to leave the studio between technique and pointe. Students in Levels Four and higher will be given a limited time to switch from technique to pointe shoes (approximately 2 minutes). Students unable to change their shoes within that time will be asked to watch pointe and take notes.
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PERFORMANCES Full-time students in Pre-Ballet through Level Five are encouraged to participate in the annual School Recital presented at the end of the spring semester. Students with the required excellent attendance record perform pieces choreographed for their classes by faculty members. This performance is a ticketed event. Please contact the front desk for more information. Full-time Curriculum Ballet students are also invited to participate in La Boutique Fantasque, our annual holiday production. Curriculum Ballet students in Levels Four and up may audition fo rthe youth ballet company.
OPEN BALLET CLASSES TPB offers a variety of Open Ballet classes for beginning to advanced dancers. TPB encourages Curriculum Ballet students to attend these classes when the Curriculum classes are not in session. Information about Open Ballet classes can be found on our website or in our lobby.
ACADEMIC COORDINATION Many schools grant physical education credit or exemption to students in exchange for dance instruction. Students may also arrange to obtain credit for Fine or Performing Arts Education. Please check with your academic advisor if this is of interest to you.
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WATER AND RESTROOM VISITS TPB recognizes that water intake is a crucial element to athletic activity and we encourage students to make sure they are drinking a sufficient amount. However, visits to the restroom during class disrupt the class and cause the student to miss valuable instruction time. Therefore, we ask that there are no water breaks taken during class and that students drink water after class. Water bottles must be kept with the student's possessions and away from the barres and dance floor. Students (and parents of younger students) must regulate their water intake so that restroom visits can be scheduled before or after class only.
STUDIO ETIQUETTE Food, gum, and drinks are restricted to the lobby and are not allowed in any of the studios. Students are responsible for the disposal of their garbage and are expected to treat the facilities, furniture, and equipment with respect. Please check the space you use for discarded toe tape, tissues, water bottles, clothing, etc., when leaving the studio. The trashcans are located in the dressing rooms, bathrooms, and both studios. Water bottles must be recycled; the recycling bin is located in the lobby by the door to Studio B. Barres are not to be hung or sat on as they might break or cause injury. Mirrors are breakable and easily smudged; they are not to be handled. Students should not sit down to 'rest' during class. This causes the muscles to cool down and may result in injury by resuming exercise when cold.
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BEHAVIOR AND TALKING Students are expected to treat TPB staff with respect and a positive attitude. There is to be no talking during class period. Excessive talking is distracting and disrespectful to teachers and classmates. Conduct that TPB constitutes as physical intimidation or injury, verbal, or sexaul harassment, or coercion may be grounds for expulsion. TPB maintains zero tolerance for theft or the possession of weapons. Conduct that causes material destruction or disruption of any TPB function is prohibiited.
HEALTH Students need to fuel their bodies well for rehearsals and classes. TPB is a junk food free zone. Students will consume only healthful food and drinks while at the studio, rehearsal, or performance space. Foods that are not healthful are not allowed in the building. Ballet is a discipline that requires specific physical characteristics for students to move with correct technique. Inability to move in the correct way results in injury. Students in Levels Four and above are expected to maintain a healthy appearance appropriate for ballet dancing and performing. This will insure correct ballet line, placement, technique, strength, and stamina with fewer injuries. Students who are excessively light or heavy will be couseled and could be placed on school probation.
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LOST AND FOUND Items left in the studios will be collected at the end of the day and placed in the lost and found bins located in teh lady's and men's dressing room. The lost and found is emptied weekly. We encourage all students to label their shoes, tights, etc. to insure that the proper items are recovered. Students must not leave personal items unattended at any time.
CAMERAS Photographing or videotaping class requires advance permission from the director. Photographing or videotaping performances is strictly prohibited.
PARENT OBSERVATION Parent Observation occurs at specific times throughout the year. The dates for parent observation will be posted on the bulletin boards. Please plan to stay for the entire class period (if you must leave during the class, do so only between the barre and floor work). No cameras, camcorders, cell phones, or loud pagers are allowed during classes. Special permission to observe at any other time must be arranged in advance with the front desk.
SMOKING, DRUGS, AND ALCOHOLThe Portland Ballet is a non-smoking establishment. Smoking is prohibited for all TPB students on school property. Students disregarding this policy will face suspension and/or expulsion from TPB. Any student found using drugs, consuming, or under the influence of alcohol (including providing drugs or alcohol to another student) will face explusion.
NOTICE OF NONDISCRIMINATION The Portland Ballet admits students of any race, color, national, and ethnic origin to all rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accepted or made available to students at the Center.
