Policies & info

Payments & Autopay

Storytellers Dance Co. uses an automatic payment system! All transactions can be processed using the card on file on the first of the month. If you would like to use a different payment method (cash, check, different card), you must notify Miss Lexi via email prior to the due date. Please note: you must enroll in Autopay to complete registration.

Additional payments through the season

Costume Deposits — $45 per costume, early December.
Costume Balance — remaining cost of the costume, due mid-February.
Competition Fees — competitive dancers only; includes registration and media fees for competitions.

You'll receive a calendar in your September welcome email with the exact dates for each payment.

Late payments

Late tuition: payments more than 10 days late incur a $20 late fee added to your account.
Late costume deposit: may result in the costume being ordered late — sizes and styles are not guaranteed.
Late costume balance: costumes cannot be kept or performed in until the balance is fully paid.
Late competition fee: late entry may be required; later registrations are often charged a higher price, for which families are responsible.

What happens if…

Storytellers Dance Co. does not issue refunds for missed classes, whether it is due to personal reasons or weather. Classes are paid monthly regardless of attendance. If the studio closes for weather two or more times on the same day, a makeup option will be provided to those dancers!

Students who sign up mid-season jump right into the class and begin paying tuition on their start date. If it is midway through a month, tuition will be prorated for that month. Regardless of when you start, costume payment deadlines must still be met, as we order costumes early to make sure they arrive in time for recital!

Please note: enrollment in all classes (besides toddler lessons) closes February 15th — by then recital routines have started and costumes are ordered. Toddler dancers may enroll after this date, but some costumes may sell out (totally or in your child's size). We'll always do our best to accommodate new dancers while being transparent about options!

We'll be sorry to see you go! If your dancer changes their mind, you can drop the class through your parent portal. This will automatically remove you from autopay. If you are not sure how to do this, you can always notify the studio by email before the next payment is due. Once we receive written notice at MissLexiSDC@gmail.com, automatic payments stop immediately. We don't offer refunds for tuition already paid. If your child leaves after a costume is ordered, we'll do our best to cancel the order, but costumes cannot be returned once they've arrived. Please note that if it's too late to cancel the costume, you will still responsible for the balance (you'll get to keep the costume, of course!).

At Storyteller’s Dance Co., all morning classes are cancelled if the Wilmington Public School System closes school. For evening and Saturday classes, we do our best to make the call on snow days based on the current weather and predicted weather. To help families prepare, all weekday classes will be cancelled no later than 1:30pm of that day, and Saturday classes will be cancelled no later than 8am. We might not always make the right call, but we appreciate your patience and understanding as we try to do what’s best for our dance families!

Dress Code

Finding proper shoes, tights, and dancewear just got easier with our studio shop through Revolution Dancewear! Shop by your dancer's class to make sure they have the correct tights and shoes — plus any other dance outfits you might want, all in one place.

Note: if your dancer is in a class that requires stirrup tights and a class that requires footed tights, you only need to purchase stirrup tights.

Shop Dress Code

Dress code policies

We keep a flexible dress code so clothing is never a barrier to your dancer's success. While we recommend proper dancewear, comfortable athletic clothes — t-shirts, tank tops, athletic shorts, or leggings — are permitted in all recreational classes.

What NOT to wear

Socks or footed tights without dance shoes — a slipping hazard; dancers will be asked to put on proper shoes or remove socks/tights.
Jeans or stiff fabrics — your dancer won't be able to stretch and move properly.
Buttons, prominent zippers, or hard features — these cause discomfort during movement.
Jewelry (necklaces, long earrings, bulky pieces) — a safety hazard that can get tangled, caught, or broken.

What we recommend

Ballet: leotard (with optional skirt attachment) and tights, OR fitted black shorts with a white t-shirt. Fitted dance shorts or a ballet skirt may be worn over the leotard.
Jazz, Contemporary, Acro & Tap: leotard with tights and dance shorts, OR a fitted solid-color shirt with dance shorts/pants — fitted clothing lets the teacher see alignment and technique.
Hip Hop: comfortable loose-fitting clothing (t-shirt with shorts or sweatpants) and any sneakers (not worn outside, or washed of outdoor dirt before class).
Dance shoes & tights: find required shoes and tights at the studio store above. Tights are required for recital (unless we discuss extenuating circumstances).

For competition team dress code, please see your competition contract.

Studio Policies

1. Always be respectful

Of your classmates: everyone is here to learn — to try new things, make mistakes, and share ideas. A major part of our philosophy is a welcoming, inclusive space, so being kind and listening helps everyone find a safe place at Storytellers Dance Co. to be creative, have fun, and be celebrated for themselves.
Of your teacher: they just want to help you learn! Listen closely and keep side conversations to a minimum. Respectful questions and comments are always welcome.
Of your dance space: avoid touching the mirrors, picking at the floor tape, or damaging equipment.

2. Arrive on time

Students who don't drive themselves won't be penalized for lateness, but may be asked to stretch on their own for up to ten minutes for safety, which may mean missing some class activities. If you'll be more than 20 minutes late without prior notice, please skip class for that week.

3. Stay focused

Keep fixing hair or outfits to a minimum — in class we focus on learning rather than appearance. Everyone's hair gets out of place when we're moving as much as we are!

Other policies

All children 5 and under must have an adult in the building during class. If your child can't use the restroom independently, you must be in the building during class regardless of age.
All children 6+ should be picked up promptly at the end of class. Persistent late pickup may result in being asked to leave the class.
No refunds are given after the start of the month.

Bullying & Inclusion

Bullying

We do not tolerate any form of bullying in our classrooms. We also understand that children are developing emotionally, so we approach issues with compassion and the goal of understanding and educating. If attempts to address an issue are unsuccessful, the child's guardian will be involved. We reserve the right to remove any student whose words or actions make the classroom unsafe for another student.

Inclusion

Storytellers Dance Co. strives to create an environment that is safe and welcoming to students of all identities. We do not discriminate based on race, sex, religion, socioeconomic status, ability, sexual orientation, gender identity, and more. Some of the ways we keep this promise:

Dance history is woven into all classes through lessons, story times, and games — hip-hop curriculum is guided by key figures in the creation and development of hip-hop dance, and every class learns about the cultural influences and famous dancers that shaped the genre, in an age-appropriate way.
Dress code lets students wear tights and shoes that match their skin tone.
Dress code is flexible enough to be gender-inclusive and mindful of students with disabilities.
Pronouns are respected by staff and students.
Families of children with disabilities are always offered a pre-season meeting to optimize their child's learning experience.
Students are never forced to wear costumes that don't match their gender identity.
We support continuous learning for our staff through training, and always welcome feedback from our dance community and families.