FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
WHAT DO I WEAR TO CLASS?
Ballet dancers wears pink tights and the leotard color assigned to their level. Jazz & Tap dancers wear pink tights with shorts or pants over and a leotard. BSB shirts are welcome
WHAT DO I WEAR TO A TRIAL CLASS?
Girls can wear leggings, a comfortable shirt and can dance in their socks or bare feet. Boys can wear shorts or comfortable pants and a t-shirt and can dance in socks or bare feet. If dancers already have pink tights and a leotard, that can be worn as well.
WHAT ARE THE STUDIO OFFICE HOURS?
Generally we have office staff available for questions and calls Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 4pm-8:30pm, Wednesdays 4pm-7:30pm, and Fridays and Saturdays from 9:30am-12:00. You can always leave us a message or send an email to bufordballet@gmail.com and we will respond as quickly as possible.
WHEN DOES BSB STOP ACCEPTING NEW STUDENTS?
We have open registration all year!
HOW DOES BSB PLACE DANCERS INTO LEVELS?
From our Noah's Angels program (2 year olds) all the way to our 1B classes (generally around the age of 7), we place by the age of the dancer before September 1st. Starting at our 2A levels, we will have the students come to a portion of a class to serve as a placement class.
WHAT IS A DANCE RECITAL?
A dance recital is an event where classes can perform and can show off the technique and skills learned during class time. They are important because they give dancers the opportunity to perform in a positive and family friendly environment. It's a chance to encourage one another and see dancers of different levels and styles come together as a dance family.
DOES MY CHILD HAVE TO BE IN RECITAL?
Recital is not mandatory however the majority of our students participate. We believe it's a very important part of your child's dance education. They learn choreography, spacing, what it's like to work as a corps de ballet (group) and how to conduct themselves during rehearsals and backstage. Being part of a production is exciting and involves much more than just a dance on stage.
SHOULD I WITHDRAW MY CHILD IF THEY ARE NOT GOING TO BE IN THE RECITAL?
No. While there is class time spent learning and cleaning choreography leading up to recitals, we still cover so much technique throughout the entirety of class. Learning choreography is an important and challenging skill and great for all students, not just those who will perform. Those not participating in recital are placed in such a way that will not affect the choreography on recital day while still offering a chance for participating during class.
WHEN DO CLASSES START AND FINISH FOR THE SEASON?
Generally, classes begin in August and wrap up towards the end of May.
CAN I DROP OFF MY CHILD AND RETURN AFTER CLASS?
For our Pink Princesses and Level 1/1A/1B dancers, we ask that you stay with your child until class starts. Then you can leave the studio and return before the end of the class for pick up. For our Level 2A-4B dancers, you are welcome to drop them off and pick them up in the roundabout. We ask that there is no parking in this area as it causes delays for all. If you are going to be late, please call the office so we can make sure your child stays inside until you arrive. Your dancer will be in the front office, not their studio.
CAN I GO INTO THE CLASS WITH MY CHILD?
We encourage parents and family members to wait in the lobby. It can be distracting to have family inside the studio and we want to develop great rapport with all our students. From time to time, the teachers will invite parents in at the end of class to show you what your child is learning.
IS BSB CLOSED ON THE SAME DAYS THAT PUBLIC SCHOOLS ARE?
We tend to stay open regardless of bank holidays and school breaks (example - fall break), as we serve many families from different school systems. We close for Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Spring break and Memorial Day. Please refer to our calendar for more details.
HOW WILL WE KNOW IF YOU ARE CLOSED DUE TO WEATHER?
We try our best to stay on top of inclement weather closings by sending out email notifications. We also post it to our Facebook and Instagram pages.
WHEN IS TUITION DUE?
Discounted tuition is due before the 10th of each month then our full price tuition is due before the 15th. Late fees are posted after that.
WHAT IS IDA?
International Dance Acclaim (IDA) is a third performance opportunity offered to our ballet classes, beginning at our level 1 dancers. Each level is tailored to the age group/ability. We teach the dances as part of our curriculum, as it is a fantastic program that assists the chronological progression in our classes.
WILL MY 2 YEAR OLD PARTICIPATE IN THE RECITALS
We have found that recitals are overwhelming for our 2 year old dancers. We offer a "lec/demo" at the end of May where we provide our dancers with a tutu, show off all their new skills and present each dancer with a special certificate at the end of class. Parents, grandparents, and siblings are welcome to join us as we celebrate our smallest dancers' big accomplishments!
GENERAL QUESTIONS
GCDT QUESTIONS
WHAT IS GEORGIA CHRISTIAN DANCE THEATRE (GCDT)?
Georgia Christian Dance Theater is Buford School of Ballet's pre professional company consisting of middle/high school dancers who have taken several years of dance classes. The company performs in recitals, participates in IDA, and takes several classes a week including Saturday rehearsals.
HOW DO I KNOW THE LEVEL I'D BE IN?
The placement has several factors that are considered. We consider where the dancer will best grow and learn in a safe environment that will push him/her at an appropriate pace. Other aspects we look at are previous years' performance, class attendance, behavior and attitude demonstrated in class does make a difference.
HOW DO I BECOME A GCDT MEMBER?
Current members as well as select upper school classes audition in the spring before a panel of teachers. Teachers recommendations and input from the previous year are a big part of the decision making process with final selections being made by the Artistic Director.
HOW LONG IS THE SEASON?
GCDT works as a year round program. Our normal classes run August through the end of May, while summer workshops, intensives and classes are offered during June and July.
WHAT IF I'M NEW TO THE AREA OR WANT TO MOVE TO THE STUDIO AND I'VE MISSED THE AUDITION?
Students enrolling after the dance year has begun may take a placement class in either an upper school class or GCDT class. Dancers will be evaluated and recommended to the class/level that will best serve them.
WHAT HAPPENS OVER THE SUMMER?
The summer is a great opportunity to continue refining a dancer's technique and enhance their skills. We offer multiple weekly classes, as well as several intensives. Some intensives have classes we aren't able to offer in our regular season such as conditioning and variations, while other intensives are designed to get us ahead of the season such as Nutcracker Bootcamp where we begin choreography for our Star of Wonder performance.