This Agreement is made and entered into agreement between (Dancer) and The Dance Centre, 5100 Union Station, Northport, AL 35473

All soloists agree to prioritize group routines, maintain a positive attitude, show strong class attendance, and continue working hard throughout the season. Selection is at the full discretion of the TDC Faculty and is non-negotiable. Dancers who miss more than two company group rehearsals per semester, or who fail to consistently attend their required weekly technique classes, will forfeit the opportunity to perform a solo even if they were previously assigned a solo spot at convention.

Services Provided

The Instructor agrees to:

• Provide private lessons when available
• Provide guidance one on one
• Help with costume design for solo

Location

All lessons will take place at The Dance Centre. NO solo lessons are allowed outside of The Dance Centre unless you have permission from Melissa or Morgan.

Selection

Competing a solo at a group competition as a representative of TDC is a significant honor. We take great care in selecting dancers who reflect the values, standards, and excellence of the TDC brand. These selections are made thoughtfully and are non-negotiable.

We ask that all soloists prioritize their group routines above their solos. Being selected as a "competition soloist" comes with clear expectations: a minimum of one hour of solo rehearsal per week, consistent class attendance, and a positive, resilient attitude—even when not selected to represent TDC at a given event.

As you may be aware, conventions often limit the number of solo, duo, and trio entries. Our selections for these competitions are made based on a combination of seniority, prior performance scores, and overall readiness. However, strong technical ability alone does not guarantee a spot. We also expect each dancer representing TDC to be well-prepared and thoroughly rehearsed. While private lessons are not required, soloists not working regularly with a teacher must take personal responsibility for their training. This includes rehearsing independently in the studio multiple times each week. If, after evaluating your schedule objectively, you find that you are unable to dedicate the necessary time and focus in the coming weeks, please let us know as soon as possible. We want to ensure all solo opportunities are filled by dancers who are fully committed and prepared. If you are unable to participate at this time, we have other dancers ready and eager to step into these roles.

Choreography

Choreographers must consult with TDC Directors before beginning choreography. Solo choreography rates range from $350–$800 with TDC faculty and $500–$1200 with guest choreographers. This includes 3–5 hours to set the piece and typically covers the studio rental fee ($10–$20 per hour) within the total cost. All payments for choreography are made directly to the choreographer.

Guest Choreography

Company members interested in having a solo, duo, or trio choreographed by guest faculty must have all TDC balances paid in full—including Summer Intensive fees and any other outstanding charges—before moving forward. All arrangements for choreography must go through the TDC office and receive approval from the Company Directors. Please do not reach out to guest choreographers directly. Our guest faculty members prefer to coordinate through studio leadership, and this includes any choreography, rehearsals, or private lessons.

Rehearsal Process

Private Lessons:
Standing Private Lessons will be scheduled FOR YOU if you were selected as a COMPETITION SOLOIST to compete for the 2025-2026 Season. You will be personally contacted if you are a competition soloist when your lessons will be held.

Each soloist must have their weekly rehearsals logged by their rehearsal coach through the studio's room reservation system. TDC staff reviews rehearsal hours weekly and maintains a solo rehearsal log to help guide future group competition selections. Even dancers competing only at optional competitions are encouraged to rehearse weekly for success.

Weekly solo rehearsals (also known as "cleaning sessions") are essential for a successful performance. These can be scheduled with any TDC faculty member. Rehearsals with outside coaches must be approved in advance. Faculty members charge between $40–$75 per hour, which includes the required $10–$20/hour studio fee. This fee should be paid directly to the instructor at the time of the lesson, as the TDC office does not bill studio time separately. Solos must be well-rehearsed in order to be eligible for competition. Readiness will be evaluated by the Company Directors prior to registering for any event.

If your account is past due, your dancer will not be permitted to schedule private lessons or compete until the balance is current.

*PRIME TIME slots will be given to the competition soloists (2:30-5:30 Monday-Friday). To make this most fair to all of our competition soloists, dancers can give this will be assigned by TDC Faculty. You will be given several options of times for your standing solo lesson that fits into your schedule and our instructors schedules. This will begin September 16th and will continue through the entire year. Parents will not need to request an instructor, as we will be assigning each student a rehearsal coach. **Reminder** We are still logging rehearsal hours to make sure that you are completing a minimum of one hour a week if you are a chosen soloist for any of the listed conventions above.

Responsibilities:

Instructor:
Will arrive on time and be prepared for each lesson.
Will provide materials necessary for each lesson (unless specified otherwise).

Student:
Will arrive on time and be prepared for each lesson.
Will complete any assignments or practice work given by the instructor.
Student will practice a MINIMUM of one hour a week; failure to do so will result in lack of preparedness and the possibility of forfeiting a spot in competition registration.

Payment for private lessons:
The fee for each lesson is specific to the individual teacher rate per hour/session. Payment is due upon time of private lesson however the teacher prefers. Teachers have to pay room fees once a week back to The Dance Centre.

Cancellation of Private Lessons Policy
Cancellations must be made at least 24 hours in advance. Failure to do so will result in a cancellation fee of the teachers full rate, along with the student responsibility of paying the room fee.

Costume

Families are responsible for covering the cost of solo costumes. Choreographers may suggest designs, but in some cases, you may be asked to help with sourcing or designing. If you prefer to purchase your own costume, it must be approved by the Company Directors before ordering.

STEP 1: Communicate with the choreographer what he/she envisioned for the piece. Next (parent) please start searching online catalogs for these ideas. Once finding costume options then reconnect with the choreographer for approval.

STEP 2: Send picture of costume, company/website link with style #, color, accessories, measurements of child, all the details of costume in an email to the Costume Director: COURTNEY.RICH@THEDANCECENTRE.NET. The Costume Director will have the selection approved and will email you a confirmation.

STEP 3: The costume will be ordered and the cost (+tax, shipping & labor) will be posted to your Jackrabbit Account.

* If you are having a seamstress make a custom costume, then you will handle all of the appointments/ fittings/ payments etc, but still need approval of design from choreographer/ company directors.

* If you are borrowing a previously worn costume or would like to use something you already have, please run this through the approval process as well.

Rhinestones: If you would like to purchase stones, please email COURTNEY.RICH@THEDANCECENTRE.NET. Requests need to be made through email rather than verbally or in a personal text message.

Competition

Competition Fees
Competition fees for individual competitions will be added to your account. If you are unable to attend a competition, you must notify TDC at least one month prior to the event in order to be eligible for a refund.

Backstage Preparation at Competition
The Dance Centre will assign designated faculty members to provide support during group competitions. These faculty members will be responsible for coordinating warm-ups, stretching, and choreography walk-throughs for soloists on the day of competition.

Parents and guardians shall not seek additional assistance from faculty outside of this system. Each soloist will receive equal access to the available support. Due to the number of participants and the structure of competition days, individual one-on-one coaching will be assigned to designated "on-call" faculty members based on the event schedule.

The Dance Centre will exercise reasonable efforts to ensure that all dancers are adequately prepared; however, competition outcomes are inherently uncertain. The Dance Centre makes no guarantee regarding awards, placements, or adjudication results.

Extra Conventions:
Preferred soloists can compete at any extra convention over the season. WAITLIST soloists can compete under the TDC name at any extra convention with permission from directors.

EXTRA CONVENTION PAYMENT:
If signing up for an extra convention, downpayment has to be provided at that time. The conventions are now requiring this deposit and it is NON-REFUNDABLE. If you decide to not attend the convention, you will not be receiving the downpayment back.

EXTRA CONVENTION FORM:
You must fill out an extra convention form if you want to be considered to attend an extra convention. (Texting a faculty member is not sufficient.)

Dancers who are not selected to compete their solo at team competitions are encouraged to perform solos at optional competitions.

If a dancer wishes to attend an additional convention or competition where a teacher must be registered, the dancer will be responsible for covering that teacher fee. When you email company@thedancecentre.net to register a solo at an optional event, the required fee will be posted to your account and must be paid prior to the event. All outside competitions must be registered through the TDC office and under The Dance Centre—not as "independent." TDC Company members are required to compete as representatives of our studio at all events. Extra conventions/competitions are counted as an absence when conflicting with scheduled group rehearsals.

Parents should not pick up score sheets unless your dancer is attending the competition alone. All scores and critiques will be sent to and distributed by The Dance Centre.

Additional Information

All accounts must be in "good standing" to add a solo for group competitions or register for optional events.

Termination:
Either party may terminate this contract with 7 days' written notice. Any prepaid lessons will be refunded if the instructor terminates the contract, or retained if the student terminates without the required notice.

Liability:
The instructor is not liable for any injury or damage that may occur during the lesson time, except in cases of gross negligence or intentional misconduct.

Code of Conduct

TDC Company parents and students are expected to represent The Dance Centre with positivity and professionalism—both within the studio and at all outside events. Respect toward fellow dancers, staff, and others is required at all times, including during competitions and performances. Each dancer should strive to be a role model for our studio community. This includes showing respect, maintaining a positive attitude, dressing appropriately, staying committed to schoolwork, attending class regularly, and leading by example—both in person and online. Demonstrating good practices on social media is an important part of upholding the values and reputation of TDC.

As a TDC Company Soloist, dancers commit to:

• Attending all studio classes and rehearsals consistently.
• Arriving on time, fully prepared, and dressed in proper dancewear with hair neatly secured.
• Treating fellow dancers and faculty with kindness and respect, contributing positively both in and outside the classroom.
• Upholding a team-first attitude by encouraging and supporting other soloists—knowing that a strong, unified team helps everyone grow.
• Maintain a positive, well-mannered social media presence.

TDC Parents commit to:

• Allowing teachers to lead guidance on students training and preparation and rehearsal.
• Maintaining good sportsmanship and encouraging all dancers.
• Taking complaints directly to Directors and Faculty.
• Giving 24-hour waiting period following casting announcements or company events before reaching out to directors and faculty. Exceptions are urgent matters such as injuries, illnesses, or emergencies.
• Refraining from approaching teachers during class time, in hallways, or other informal settings without a scheduled appointment, to allow them the courtesy of addressing your concerns thoughtfully or with appropriate privacy.
• Follow groupme rules of etiquette outlined in the Company Guidelines for this season.

This contract constitutes the entire agreement between the parties and supersedes all prior negotiations, understandings, and agreements. ***There will be no negotiations regarding the soloists picked for the 2025-2026 season***

By signing below, both parties agree to the terms outlined in this contract.

Studio: The Dance Centre