FAQ
We Know What You're Wondering...
IS MY CHILD ELIGIBLE FOR YOUR RECREATIONAL RECITAL PROGRAM?
Students, ages 3-19, are eligible for our Recreational Recital Program. No prior dance experience required. All levels and abilities welcome. Dancers must be at least 3 years old by September 1st and must be potty-trained. Young dancers who do not meet these requirements should check out our Babysteps Program.
ARE ALL OFFERED DANCE STYLES REQUIRED?
Yes. Each dance style compliments one another. Ballet creates a foundation, tap teaches musicality and so forth. Our combo classes include multiple dance styles all working together to form a complete dancer. When enrolling, each dancer will be taking all the styles included in the combo class.
WHAT IS THE AVERAGE CLASS SIZE?
Most classes have between 8-15 dancers enrolled. For larger classes, we always assign an appropriate number of teachers based on the class size.
WILLÂ I BE ABLE TO WATCH MY CHILD'S CLASS?
We do not offer viewing windows or closed circuit television, however we do schedule designated "Visitors' Days" when parents are invited into the studios to watch the last five minutes of each recreational recital class. Check out the "Important Dates" page under the "My Chipps Nation" tab to find the scheduled "Visitors' Days".
CAN MY SON SIGN UP?
YES! Don't let the girls hog all the fun. Boys are welcome to enroll in all of our classes. Offering one of the largest male dance programs in the country, we are known for our male appropriate curriculum, choreography, costumes, and music selections.
DO YOU OFFER SIBLING DISCOUNTS?
We do not offer sibling discounts, however we are committed to keeping costs as low as possible for all families enrolled.
CAN MY CHILDREN TAKE CLASSES AT THE SAME TIME?
Our Newburyport location offers two studios. We do our best to offer classes at the same time for siblings. Check out our Class Schedule via the "Recreational" page under "Programs" to see if there's a scheduling option that would work well for your family.
MY CHILD IS REALLY ADVANCED...
We level our Recreational Recital Program classes based on academic grades. Our curriculum is designed to be developmentally appropriate for each age group and correlates with the concepts they are learning in school. If our teachers notice that a child should be placed in a higher level class, they will notify the parent. Decisions made by the faculty are final.
WHEN / WHERE IS THE RECITAL?
Please visit the "Important Dates" page under the "My Chipps Nation" tab for details.
DOES MY CHILD HAVE TO PERFORM IN THE RECITAL?
All dancers enrolled in our Recreational Recital Program must perform in our annual recital. If you are concerned that your child will have stage fright or not do his/her best, please leave that up to the teachers to handle. The recital is a fun celebration after months of hard work and dedication!
I JUST WANT MY CHILD TO DANCE FOR FUN...
And we agree! All students should dance for fun! We foster a nurturing, structured, and developmentally appropriate environment that offers a healthy balance of fun and education. Learning, progressing, and performing are part of the fun!
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Dancers will never be forced into intense training. Students who choose a more rigorous training path all started dancing just for fun. They decided to commit more seriously because they still have so much fun doing what they love!
WHAT IF I NEED TO CHANGE DAYS?
Any necessary schedule changes in our Recreational Recital Program should be requested before the start of the season. Any schedule changes needed after the start of the season must be submitted in writing no later than October 15th. These changes include but are not limited to day change, time change, dance style add, dance style drop, etc. Please visit our "Recreational Toolbox" to fill out the appropriate form.
WHAT IS THE COST & WHEN DO I PAY?
Costs vary depending on which program you choose. Therefore, please visit the corresponding page under the “Programs” tab for details on cost and payment due dates. (i.e. If you’d like to know the cost for our Recreational Recital Program, please reference the "Recreational Program Overview" the “Recreational” page on our website for more details).
DO YOU OFFER AUTOMATIC BILLING?
Yes, we offer automatic credit card billing. To set it up after enrollment is complete, please follow the steps below.
1) Store your credit card on file. (Call our office 978-685-5533).
2) Submit your Credit Card Authorization Form (Submit electronically via the appropriate "Toolbox" link page under the "My Chipps Nation" tab on this website).
HOW / WHEN SHOULD I REPORT MY CHILD'S ABSENCE?
Dancers who miss a class here and there are not obligated to notify us. Dancers who miss two or more consecutive weeks should definitely let us know. To notify us about your child's absence/tardiness, please use the "Report Absence" tool under the "My Chipps Nation" tab on our website. Not only is this tool fast and easy for you, but it also decreases the number of phone calls to our busy front desk. We thank you in advance for your cooperation.
DO YOU OFFER MAKE-UP CLASSES?
We do not offer make-up classes for absences or weather related cancellations.
WHAT IS YOUR SNOW DAY POLICY?
We do not follow the public school system regarding snow days. We post any weather related cancellations on our website and Facebook page at least one hour prior to the start of classes. If we decide to stay open, but you are uncomfortable driving in poor road conditions, please do not feel obligated to attend classes.
WHAT IS YOUR WITHDRAWAL POLICY?
Recreational Recital Program Withdrawal Policy: Notice of student withdrawal must be made in writing by the 15th of the current month and will become effective on the 1st of the following month (Withdrawal Effective Date). This may be submitted via email at info@nancychippendales.com. The withdrawal will only become effective on the Withdrawal Effective Date.
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​This waiting period enables the studio to prepare the necessary information, notify the appropriate staff and program directors, and settle accounts. Full tuition must be paid for all classes prior to the Withdrawal Effective Date. For example, if on October 1st a dancer decides to discontinue, notice of student withdrawal must be submitted in writing by October 15th for a November 1st Withdrawal Effective Date. Therefore, tuition must be paid through October 31st, regardless of the dancer’s attendance. All payments made to Nancy Chippendale’s Dance Studios are non-refundable. If a dancer discontinues his/her involvement at Nancy Chippendale’s Dance Studios any time after the date of enrollment, the dancer forfeits his/her space in the class, recital costumes, and all other payments and deposits made prior to the Withdrawal Effective Date. Dancers who withdraw after October 15th will be charged a Withdrawal Fee of $65 per dance style.