Scoil Rince Ní Bhraonáin

Registration

Scoil Rince Ní Bhraonáin requires that all students register with us annually to ensure compliance with CLRG rules. You may register on the Registration tab, or request a printed form from your teacher.  Please note: by registering by either written form or on this web site, you agree to the release of liability statements provided with either registration form. Please make sure to include a phone number and email address where we can reliably contact you.

 

Class Costs, Calendar and Make-Up Policy

Registered Students.  Tuition for year-round classes (First Feis, Beginner, Novice, Prizewinner and Champion) is calculated on a monthly or quarterly basis and assumes that four classes per month are attended by the dancer.  For 2019, class will not be held on vacation weeks for the following holidays:

• Week prior to the Easter holiday

• Memorial Friday & Monday

• July 4 Week

• Labor Day and the week prior (last week of August and first week of September)

• Thanksgiving Week

• Christmas Week

• New Year's Week

 

Workshops, Camps and Fixed-Duration Classes. 

• Pre-Feis Practice (current students).  Prior to key feiseanna and major performances, this special rehearsal allows dancers to perfect feis material and performance routines.  Lasting 1.5 - 2 hours, this class is free to students who are enrolled, in good standing, and attending their regularly-scheduled class.

• Majors Prep.  Dancers who anticipate attending major competitions (Oireachtas, Nationals, Worlds) should anticipate attending class multiple times per week.  Majors Prep classes provide a second class for Majors-bound competitors.

• Private lessons (by appointment)  Zee is the school's TCRG and she offers private lessons for one dancer, and group privates for up to three dancers.  In general, no new material is taught at privates; this opportunity is used to strengthen a dancer's weaknesses, provide constructive critical input prior to competition, or for advice regarding how to improve form, technique, or rhythm.

• Other classes will be available according to the season or commitment.

 

Class Make-Up Policy.  It is a fact of life that dancers get sick, go on vacation, or cannot attend a scheduled class due to a previous commitment. For months when dancers cannot attend all four sessions of their regularly-scheduled class, an opportunity to make up that class will be provided within the following four weeks.  Dancers who require a make-up session must schedule it with Zee's approval (no drop-ins), and may attend at either the East Grand Rapids or the Fremont location.  Note: make-up classes cannot be saved or substituted for future tuition payments and expire after four weeks.

 

Drop-In Policy.  Occasionally a dancer may desire an additional or unscheduled practice session.  By appointment (same day is fine), a dancer can drop in to an appropriate class at the same or another studio for an additional cost.  Please contact Zee or Mary by email, text or phone if you would like to schedule a drop-in.

 

What to wear in class

Irish dancing requires that students be able to move freely. Please be sure that your dancer adheres to the following dress code:

• Black leggings, dance/yoga wear, or shorts that allow free leg movement. No jeans.  Feet and ankles must be visible.

• SRNB Class uniform shirt or black Cotton T-shirt, leotard, or tank top.

• Athletic undergarments as appropriate.

• Poodle socks or white socks.

• Dance shoes must be worn.

• Long hair must be pulled back off the face and secured with a hairband or elastic.

• Dancers should have a water bottle available to ensure hydration.

• Dancers may bring a notebook to take notes during class.

For a dancer’s first few months of dancing, parents are asked to provide ballet flats or equivalent soft leather footwear to prevent slipping and ensure proper dance form. See the Links tab for information on purchasing ghillies.

 

Attendance

Please be punctual, as classes will begin and end on time. The progressive nature of Irish dance instruction means that dancers who miss classes frequently will have a difficult time keeping up with their peers. Note: because of the limited class time, it is not always possible to take time during class to catch up students on material they may have missed. If your child has missed several classes due to illness or injury, arrangements can be made to provide catch-up instruction.

 

Practice, practice, practice

In any discipline, you get out of it what you put in. Irish dancing is no different. At each class session, dancers are taught technique, rhythm, and/or footwork. Traditionally, steps are passed on from teacher to student, verbally and by demonstration. Steps are learned by memory, and in most cases, no written aids are provided, although dancers are welcome to bring a notebook and take notes. Irish dance is as much about strengthening memory, cognitive skills, and spatial recognition as it is about increasing physical fitness and expressing oneself artistically. As classes progress, the steps become increasingly complex, and it can be delightful to watch a proficient student pick up new material with ease. A motivated student will love to practice and may not need to be reminded to spend quality time reviewing what he or she has learned. Students who practice regularly between lessons will be more proficient, have more confidence, and enjoy class more due to their grasp of the material. Dancers who do not practice can become frustrated, lose interest, and will almost certainly have trouble keeping up.

 

Practice does not have to be lengthy or difficult. Thirty minutes two or three times a week is suggested for a beginner; as a dancer progresses, so should the length and frequency of his or her practice time. For younger dancers, you might make dance practice part of a homework routine or family night, reviewing the lesson while performing for family members. The important thing is to review what was learned at the prior class and spend time perfecting technique, foot placement, and rhythm.  By the time a dancer achieves Prizewinner level, a focused practice discipline should be well-established.  Dancers who compete at regional, national and World levels may be practicing multiple hours per day, and multiple days per week in order to achieve or maintain their status.

 

While not required, the purchase of an Irish dance CD or music tracks can make practice more interesting and fun. Your dance teacher can recommend artists and musicians who perform specifically for Irish dancing.