SMIKLE DANCE STUDIO LAST UPDATED: JULY 2023
Terms and Conditions for Smikle Kids Dance, Creative Dance Academy and SYD Smikle Youth Dance Sessions at Smikle Dance Studio
For the intents and purposes of this document the following terms will be used to describe and
distinguish the parties involved in Sessions at Smikle Dance Studio.
'Participant' refers to the individual who is participating in Sessions, courses, or workshops
at/with Smikle Dance Studio.
'Studio' refers to the Smikle Dance Studio company itself including the physical space and
the staff members who maintain it. In this case the ‘Studio’ may also relate to any staff
member who works directly for the studio such as administrative or maintenance workers,
chaperones, volunteers, and the creative director.
'Teacher' refers to the teacher, choreographer, or Session leader, who represents
themselves and may be contracted through the Studio to provide their services.
‘Session’ refers to the time spent in the studio. This term covers any movement style
including Ballet or Contemporary and covers the breadth of teachers and choreographers.
This term is inclusive of drop-in Sessions, courses, workshops, intensives, and regular
weekly classes. A ‘Session’ is not subject to a time limit and can refer to time spent in the
studio ranging from 15 minutes to multiple hours.
‘Guardian’ refers to the primary care provider(s) of the Participant. This may be a
parent/guardian/grandparent.
1. Health and Safety
1a. Good Physical Condition
The Participant and their Guardian is responsible for determining that the Participant is in
good physical condition and can participate in a Session without their condition being
aggravated, worsened by active exercise and participation in class.
The Participant and their Guardian must take responsibility to make both the Teacher of
their Session, and the Studio aware of any physical or medical condition, or any disability
which may be affected by participation in class and/or physical exercise.
The Participant and their Guardian commits to providing all relevant information as
accurately as possible in a way which is not misleading. It is important that both the
Teacher and the Studio is aware of these things to ensure that sessions can be presented
safely and accurately for all the Participants in the session and the Teacher.
The Participant cannot participate in a movement Session or any Session at the Studio if
they have an infection, contagious illness, or an open wound, cut or sore. The Participant
may participate in a Session if they have a condition such as a verruca, but the wound must
be covered and treated, and the Participant will be required to cover the foot in a sock or a
ballet shoe. Any injury related to sock-wearing by the Participant is the responsibility of the
Participant and their Guardian. Please see section 1c for further details.
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If the Participant is unable to participate in a Session due to unexpected illness or injury, the
Participant and their Guardian is required to contact the Studio and tell them. The Studio
may consider offering the Participant and their Guardian a refund for missed Sessions on a
case-by-case basis. Please see section 3c for further details.
By electing to participate in a Session, the Participant and their Guardian understand that
the Participant is agreeing to exercise their body in a way which may be physically
strenuous and may exacerbate their physical condition.
1b. Teacher Recommendations
The Teacher can offer recommended adjustments, corrections, and recommendations
according to the needs and abilities of the Participant. However, the Teacher is not
responsible for any harm or damage caused to the Participant as a result of over-exertion
or incorrect technique.
By Participating in the Session, the Participant consents and understands that
recommendations from their Teacher or from the Studio are just that, recommendations
and the Participant remains fully responsible for any injury, strain, or malaise as a result of
participation in the Session or taking on recommendations from the Teacher.
1c. Injury within the Session
If the Participant receives an injury or causes harm to themselves or others whilst in a
Session or as a result of any recommendations or technique adjustments the Studio is not
liable for any injury caused.
1d. Studio Space Safety Precautions
The Studio is committed to providing a safe space for movement practice including but not
limited to the following: safe temperature, music volume, a clean floor, a well-cleaned and
maintained studio, no obvious trip hazards, a sprung floor etc.
The Participant and their Guardian consents and understands that they must report
anything that they feel breaches these safety rules to their Teacher but also to the Studio.
By participating in a Session, the Participant and their Guardian commits to preparing
themselves for their Session. Personal safety measures could include but are not limited to
the following: arriving early to the Session to warm up, wearing warm-ups or layers at the
beginning and the end of class to keep muscles warm, bringing sufficient water and taking
water breaks when necessary, removing any jewellery (including earrings, necklaces,
bracelets, watches etc.) before partaking in any movement, grooming any hair that may
impair vision away from the face.
2. Safeguarding
2a. Physical Contact Policy
By participating in the Session, a Participant and their Guardian commits and understands
that physical contact from Teacher to Participant may be recommended by the Teacher as
a means of safe practice.
If the Participant and/or their Guardian would prefer for physical contact to be strictly
avoided, it is their responsibility to make the Studio and the Teacher aware, the Teacher will
not breach this agreement.
The Teacher understands and is obligated to ask for consent from the Participant before
making contact with the Participant. The Teacher will always approach contact with
students thoughtfully and carefully. Contact with a Participant will never be made by force.
In one-to-one sessions, teachers will take additional care and precaution to ensure the
safety of the student. The Studio commits to ensuring that there is more than one adult
staff member present at all times when there are Participant(s) participating in a Session.
1b. Reporting
If the Participant experiences contact from the Teacher that is not helpful, necessary, or
safe, the Participant is urged to contact the Studio Safeguarding lead immediately.
If the Participant witnesses anything that does not feel right, or they witness behaviour that
is not helpful, unsafe, harmful, or abusive, they understand and consent to reporting it to
the Studio Safeguarding lead.
1c. Bullying and Harassment
The Participant and their Guardian commits to behaving with respect and politeness to
any/all other Participants, the Teacher, the Studio staff, and the Studio space.
The Participant and their Guardian consents to and understands that any harmful, abusive,
or unsafe behaviour from the Participant will not be tolerated.
The Guardian consents to and understands that any harmful, abusive, or unsafe behaviour
from the Guardian will not be tolerated.
The Participant and their Guardian consents to and understands that any harmful, abusive,
or unsafe behaviour may result in exclusion from current and/or further activities. The
Participant and their Guardian understands that they may be banned from premises, events
and/or performances.
The Studio commits to taking any/all accounts or allegations of bullying and/or harmful,
abusive, or unsafe behaviour seriously and will report and log any incidents how the Studio
sees fit. This can include contact with emergency contacts (as provided by the Participant
and their Guardian), social services, the police, the NHS medical service or other means.
The Participant and their Guardian commits and understands that values and language -
including but not limited to the following: encouragement of negative body image or self-talk
and competition between Participants – will not be tolerated by the Studio. Participants
and/or their Guardian believed to be negatively impacting themselves or other Participants
in the Session may be required to leave the premises.
3. Commitments of the Studio
3a. Safety
The Studio is committed to providing a safe space for movement practice including but not
limited to the following: safe temperature, music volume, a clean floor, a well-cleaned and
maintained studio, no obvious trip hazards, a sprung floor etc.
The Studio commits to requiring Disclosure and Barring Service checks from all members
of the Studio staffing team and the Teachers who lead the Sessions.
To ensure the safety of our Participants, the Studio will not tolerate teaching methods that
could be deemed as ‘traditional’. Methods such as those which encourage negative body
image, competition between Participants and the berating of Participants for making
mistakes will not be tolerated by the Studio.
3b. Quality
The Studio commits to providing Teachers who are well-informed of health and safety
precautions and safeguarding.
The Studio commits to providing high-quality tuition by providing professionally trained
teachers who either/or have undergone professional dance training, professional teacher
training, or have had enough demonstrable experience to lead Sessions with a strong
knowledge of the safety and style of the technique that they are teaching.
3c. Behaviour
The Studio commits to taking any/all accounts or allegations of bullying and/or harmful,
abusive, or unsafe behaviour seriously and will report and log any incidents how the Studio
sees fit. This can include contact with emergency contacts (as provided by the Participant),
social services, the police, the NHS medical service or other services deemed necessary by
the Studio.
The Studio commits to hiring staff and Teachers who will uphold the same behavioural
expectations as dictated above.
3d. Lost Property
The Studio does not accept responsibility for any personal items belonging to the
Participant that are lost or stolen.
Any personal items that are found or obtained will be placed in the lost property basket in
the Studio and can be accessed by the Participant upon arrangement with the Studio.
Items will be stored in the lost property in the Studio for 6 months before being donated to
local charitable organisations or being destroyed.
4. Booking and Payments
4a. Annual Commitment.
The Participant and their Guardian understand that by signing up to participant in weekly/termly sessions at the Studio, that they are committing to participating and paying for the full academic year.
4b. Termination of Annual Commitment
In the event that the Participant and their Guardian wish to terminate this agreement before
the end of the academic year, the Participant and their Guardian must give a minimum of
one term notice to the Studio in writing (via email or letter).
The Participant and their Guardian consent and understand that by committing to a full
academic year, that there will be a financial penalty for early termination of these terms. If
the Participant and their Guardian wish to terminate the agreement before the end of the
Academic year, the Participant and their Guardian are obligated to pay a minimum of one
term worth of fees.
If the Studio or the Teacher ask the Participant to leave a Session thus terminating the
agreement of Annual Commitment, the Participant and their Guardian is not obligated to
pay any further fees and subscription will be annulled.
4c. Booking
Upon booking and committing to an Academic Year, the Participant and their Guardian are
obligated to pay a deposit to secure their place on the course. This deposit will be debited
from the full academic years’ payment, and thus reducing the termly invoice amount.
The Participant and their Guardian understand that the full academic years payment will be
debited via automated subscription, in three instalments throughout the year;
- 30th July – Autumn Term
- 30th October – Spring Term
- 30th January – Summer Term
By committing to the Academic Year, the Participant and their Guardian commits to
attending each Session within the course. The Participant and their Guardian commits to
making the Studio and/or the Teacher aware if they will miss a Session.
The Participant understands that they are not guaranteed a place in a Session until a
deposit has been paid. No Participant can reserve a place on a Course without full upfront
payment.
The Participant and their Guardian understand that will be guaranteed a place on
subsequent Courses, on a rolling annual basis and that they are fully responsible for letting
the Studio know if they wish to terminate this agreement.
4b. Payment
The Participant and their Guardian commits to and understands that a deposit payment is
required at the time of booking.
The Participant commits to and understands that the only method of payment is via
subscription as managed by the Studio.
The Participant understands that the above methods of payment are the only tender that
will be accepted in exchange for participation in a Session.
4c. Cancellation
If the Studio must cancel a Session due to Teacher cancellation, illness, injury or otherwise
or for any other reason, all Participants who have paid to participate in the Session may be
offered either a cash refund or credit towards a future Session at Smikle Dance Studio. The
form of the refund will be determined by the Studio at the time of cancellation and may be
offered on a case-by-case basis.
The Participant understands that they are not entitled to but may be offered and/or may
request a refund or exchange in unprecedented circumstances including but not limited to
the following: serious injury, global or national crisis, pandemic, terminal illness, the death of
a dependent or death of the Participant.
At the discretion of the Studio, the Studio may decide to revoke the cancellation and
exchange policy for the Participant. This may come in the form of a full or partial refund or
credit towards further Sessions at Smikle Dance Studio.
5. Legality
If a court decides that any part of these Terms and Conditions is or becomes illegal, void or
unenforceable, that part is deleted, and this does not invalidate the rest of this Agreement.
If we do not enforce our rights under these Terms and Conditions at any time, it does not
mean that we may not do so in future.
The law of the jurisdiction in which the Studio is located applies in relation to these Terms
and Conditions.
These Terms and Conditions are subject to change at any time.
The Studio commits to and is responsible for making the Participant aware of any changes
to these Terms and Conditions which may affect the participant.
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