2024 - 2025 Dance Year
Handbook
Dear Club Rince Dance Community
We are delighted to welcome new and existing dancers for the 2024/25 Dance Year. We have an exciting year in store as we celebrate...
10 YEARS of CLUB RINCE!
Classes begin Monday September 16th. Please carefully read over this year’s handbook, which contains all the information you need to navigate studio policies and includes important info related to our schedule, class levels, performances and studio / tuition terms.
Table of Contents
Please Review ALL sections carefully - Please note this is a working document. Please check back for changes and updates.
This is a list of dates accurate as of August 2024 and are subject to change.
Location, Parking, Entry etc
Email, phone, social media etc
Guide to class levels etc
Guide to class levels etc
Drop ins, open studio, workshops, Ceili, Hop Jigs Sip & Step & more!
1. Important Dates
SEPTEMBER 16 - 21 BACK TO DANCE WEEK
All classes start back the week of Monday September 16th. Make sure you're fully prepared and purchase your dance uniform in advance! www.irishdancenj/shop
SEPTEMBER 30 - OCTOBER 5 BRING A FRIEND WEEK
This is for youth dancers 5 & up only. Friends must be of a similar age. All friends must register HERE.
OCTOBER 25 HALLOWEEN CLUB NIGHT
Wear you costume to the studio and have fun playing games, doing Halloween dances. Pizza & dessert included. Online registration required. 6pm - 8pm. www.irishdancenj.com/events
NOVEMBER 27 - DECEMBER 2 THANKSGIVING BREAK
NO CLASSES. HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!
DECEMBER 20 CHRISTMAS FAMILY CEILI
Each class will showcase a special Christmas dance followed by live music and a family Ceili. Festive treats, hot chocolate and A VISIT FROM A VERY SPECIAL GUEST!!! 6:30PM - 9PM Tickets available via www.irishdancenj.com/events
DECEMEBER 20 - JANUARY 3 CHRISTMAS BREAK
NO CLASSES. HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!! (Saturday classes resume 1/4/2025)
FEBRUARY 14 VALENTINES DAY MOVIE CLUB NIGHT
Celebrate valentines day with your besties. We will be watching a movie with lots of fun movie snacks. Pizza and dessert included. 6 - 8:30pm. Online Registration required. A great opportunity for parents to book a romantic dinner while the kids are entertained!
MARCH 1 - MARCH 31 SAINT PATRICK'S DAY SEASON (NO PATTY'S AROUND HERE)
We are busy during the month of March with parades, performances and community exhibitions. Please be prepared for performance opportunities and schedule changes!
MARCH 1 ROXBURY ARTS ALLIANCE
We are working with Roxbury Arts Alliance on a special St Patrick's Day celebration performance. Time and info to follow.
MARCH 11 MORRIS COUNTY ST PATRICK'S DAY PARADE
Raine or shine Club Rince is proud to march, walk and dance this fun parade through Morristown. This will be our 10th year participating!
APRIL 12 - APRIL 19 CLUB RINCE GOES TO IRELAND
Join us on this once in a lifetime opportunity. Our insiders trip to Ireland will be full of opportunities to dance enjoy music and performances from our friends & family around the country and take in the beautiful scenes and sites all from our private luxury bus and beautiful accommodation! Come to our trip meeting to hear more about it Sept ???
APRIL 13 - APRIL 20 STUDIO SPRING BREAK
NO CLASSES. ENJOY YOUR BREAK!
MAY 1 - JUNE 14 HOOLEY PREP & REHEARSALS
We are busy during the month of My putting the finishing touches on our end of year concert. Please be prepared for additional practices including mandatory classes, tech rehearsals and dress rehearsals!
MAY 17 CLUB NIGHT TBA
JUNE 7 LAST CLASS
JUNE 9 - 13 TECH WEEK - NO REGULAR CLASSES
JUNE 14 THE BIG IRISH HOOLEY
Celebrating 10 years!!! The Big Irish Hooley is Club Rince's end of year showcase. We will be featuring Live music and dance performances from all classes and some special guest appearances!
JUNE 24 SUMMER CAMPS & CLASSES
Summer programming begins. Schedule and registration available shortly!
2. Studio Location, Parking, Drop Off & Pick Up
LOCATION
Club Rince - The Irish Dance Club is now part of House of Ireland
Address: House of Ireland
125 Main St
Chester, New Jersey 07930
PARKING
We share the parking lot with The Public House. There is also street parking throughout Chester. Please be mindful of your speed when entering and exiting the lot. Snow removal is controlled by the Public House. We have no control over the timing of their workers and cannot guarantee the lot is always clear during the winter months. Please do not park in the surrounding business parking lots.
DROP OFF
All dancers should enter the studio through the side porch. Please walk your dancer from the lot to the door. Unless otherwise stated we do not allow parents or other family members to enter the studio. Dancers should not enter the studio more than 5 mins prior to the start of their class or while another class is still in session. If you need to speak with a teacher or the directors please wait until class has ended. Email is always best.
PICK UP
All dancers under the age of 18 must be picked up from the side porch door promptly at the end of class. A parent or guardian must be physically present for your child to be dismissed. We cannot provide supervision after class finishes. Parents who are late for pick up may be charged a fee at the rate of a private lesson.
PLEASE USE CAUTION IN THE PARKING LOT. The parking lot is shared with (and maintained by) Public House Bar and Restaurant. It can be dark during the winter months. Your dancer will not be dismissed until a parent or guardian are physically on the porch.
The toilet is for the use of DANCERS ONLY. Please do not cross the studio/dance floor while class is ongoing.
3. COMMUNICATION
EMAIL info@clubrince.com
General inquiries and questions can be directed to our email info@clubrince.com
Please be sure to check your spam folder. Also add both info@clubrince.com and clubrince@gmail.com to your email contacts.
TELEPHONE 908-955-3454
Our business number can be reached between the hours of 11am - 2pm. Please refrain from calling or texting outside of these hours. While we appreciate being notified of absences etc we may not always respond.
Emails and texts are not being checked during class times.
PLEASE DO NOT CONTACT US REGARDING DANCE VIA OUR PERSONAL NUMBERS. THANK YOU
SOCIAL MEDIA
Please follow us on social media. In some cases we may post updates for weather and other events here as well as email. While we can be reached via private message/dm here it is not always the best way to get in touch.
facebook.com/clubrince
instagram @clubrince
INCLEMENT WEATHER & CLASS CANCELLATIONS
CLASS CANCELLATIONS: Club Rince reserves the right to cancel classes due to weather or any other reason with reasonable
notice.
INCLEMENT WEATHER: We generally follow chester school district but will also take into account the safety of our teachers and dancers travelling from other areas where roads may not be safe.
Canceled classes will not be made up with additional classes unless excessive weather cancelation has occurred
in a season.
Dancers may make up missed classes for reason such as illness or injury etc up to 2 times per semester. Make ups attended more than twice per semester will be billed at a drop in rate of $30 per class. There are no make up opportunities during the months of March or May. You must contact us via email prior to attending a make up class. Please note emails, texts or calls sent during class times will not be seen until the following business day.
WE ARE A SMALL FAMILY BUSINESS AND ARE ALWAY STRIVING TO BE AS FORTHCOMING AND TIMELY WITH OUR COMMUNICATION AS POSSIBLE. WHILE SOMETIMES IT MAY FEEL THAT YOU SHOULD HAVE CERTAIN INFORMATION SOONER PLEASE WAIT PATIENTLY FOR OUR COMMUNICATION. RECEIVING EMAILS AND MESSAGES CAN SLOW THE PROCESS!
Please do not contact us regarding anything dance via our personal numbers. THANK YOU!
4. CLASS DESCRIPTIONS (YOUTH)
More info coming soon. Please refer to class descriptions in the online portal for now
5. CLASS DESCRIPTIONS (TEEN/ADULT)
More info coming soon. Please refer to class descriptions in the online portal for now
6. ADDITIONAL CLASSES & WORKSHOPS
More info coming soon. Including privates, open studio, drop in classes & more
7. Studio Rules & Dancer Etiquette
GENERAL STUDIO / CLASS RULES
- Arrive to class on time - Students who are late for class MUST warm-up prior to beginning to dance. Dancer arriving more than 15minutes past the start time will not be permitted into class.
- No Food in the Studio. Water Only!
- No street shoes on the studio floor.
- Approved footwear must be worn at all times when dancing; dancers are not permitted to be barefoot or only wear socks, unless per direction of the teacher or the nature of a performance piece. This is for the dancers safety as well as injury prevention.
- Dress code to adheared to for every class unless directed otherwise
- No chewing gum.
- No sitting during class time, unless permitted by a teacher.
- No running inside the studio! Dancers who are disruptive or disrespectful to our teachers, staff or facilities will be asked to leave.
- Upon registering for any Club Rince - The Irish Dance Club program or class, participants (or over 18+ guardian) agree to all enrollment terms & conditions, including a liability waiver and terms that permit us to photograph, video and share relevant class content of participants on our social media platforms and for marketing purposes.
NO CELL PHONES, SMART WATCHES OR SIMILAR DEVICES. If there is a need for a dancer to contact a parent or caregiver for any reason they should notify the teacher or other adult in charge first.
Dancers’ Code of Conduct: Kindness and respect are expected from all, always. Club Rince has zero tolerance policy for bullying. We reserve the right to dismiss any dancer or family that does not comply with all rules and policies of Club Rince, or at any time creates an unsafe environment, or who otherwise, in our judgment, disrupts the harmony or reputation of Club Rince. All dancers will review and sign a commitment to our Code of Conduct at the start of the year.
NO photos or videos may be taken in class without teacher’s permission. Distribution or posting of photos or videos taken during class is strictly prohibited.
TEAMWORK & SPORTSMANSHIP
- Attendance
- Practice
- Progress
- Fun
- Promoting independence
- Open Communication
- Teamwork skills
DANCERS
In our dance classes, we emphasize teamwork to create a supportive environment where students can learn from each other and improve together. It's important for parents to understand these expectations so they can help reinforce their child's commitment and ensure a positive, cohesive learning experience for everyone.
Our dancers are taught at a pace that is right for the individual however, as a performing arts organization a certain level of team effort and sportsmanship are required. Attendance in all classes is immperative to making sure we are there for our class / team mates so that we can focus on our choreographies especially in the creative stages and the lead up to performances. When one dancer does not show up it lets the whole team down. This also goes for practice and knowing your steps and dances. The primary focus of dance should be fun however there is a fine line between having fun and fooling around. Dancers will be addressed directly by teachers and instructors if necessary. If the teacher or instructor thinks it is important the parent will also be informed of behaviour either in person or via email.
PARENTS/CAREGIVERS & TEACHERS
HOW CAN YOU SUPPORT YOUR DANCER?
- ask questions
Ask your dancer questions about their class. What did you learn today? Did you receive any corrections or advise? What dances did you work on?
- provide space and time for practice
Practice makes progress and dancers will see progress if they are supported in their practice at home. Dancers do not need a lot of space but by clearing a small space in your family room, basement garage you are showing commitment to their activity. Help them designate some time a few times a week where they can practice. Download music/apps so that they can become familiar with the music.
- take a class
At Club Rince we offer ongoing adult beginner classes and have a great community of adult dancers of all ages. We offer deep discounts for parents of Club Rince youth dancers. Come and experience a class so that you can learn some of what your dancer is learning.
- attend performances
Much like any sport our opportunity to use our abilities is through performance. Some times these are on stages and in theaters, sometimes they are in the community, libraries, nursing homes etc. These shows are important in building performance skills and inevitably confidence.
-attire
Make sure your dancer has the correct attire including well fit shoes and studio uniform.
COMMITMENT TO TRADITION & CULTURE
8. CLUB RINCE DRESS CODE & COSTUME
DRESS CODE/UNIFORM
For all Youth Program Classes, students will need:
- Black shorts (or leggings/track pants in winter)
- Black top -or- Club Rince apparel (no leotards, crop tops or other logos or slogans)
- Poodle socks (available for purchase in our online store or in the Shop) -or- plain white socks
- Irish dance shoes -or- black ballet slippers (for new beginners only)
- Water bottle (or dancers may purchase water for $2 at the studio)
- Proper shoe wear is required at all times inside our studio! We do not permit socks or barefoot to be worn on our studio floor unless requested specifically by the teacher.
- No jeans, jeggings, baggy track pants or booty shorts
- Dancers who are not in uniform and / or proper foot wear may not be permitted to participate in class and will be addressed directly by the teacher.
- Beginner dancers in our intro sessions and our Adult classes are encouraged to follow our uniform, but it is not required.
SHOES, SOCKS & CLUB RINCE APPAREL AVAILABLE VIA OUR ONLINE STORE.
SHOES/FOOTWEAR
Dancers must wear appropriate well fitted shoes approved by the teacher. Ill fitted or poor quality shoes hinder technique & performance and can also be a hazard to your dancer. You and your dancer are putting a lot of time and effort into Irish dance, don't have your footwear let you down.
We do have shoes in stock and are happy to fit your dancer during shop hours. Amazon and other non Irish-dance retailers will sell knock off/imitation Irish Dance shoes and we do not recommend these.
SOFT/ LIGHT SHOES
Often called ghillies or pumps these shoes are similar to a ballet slipper. All dancers start in these shoes. You can find tutorials online showing how to tie them. They should fit snug around the foot with no extra material past the toe.
HEAVY/ HARD SHOES
These shoes resemble a tap shoe with a slightly larger tip and heel usually made of fiberglass. Again the shoe should be well fitted with no extra space. Once a dancer has mastered the basic Irish technique and dances in soft shoe they will be recommended by their teacher to join our hard shoe classes. This is an exciting milestone for an Irish dancer. Again the shoe should be well fitted with no extra space.
DANCE SNEAKERS
Although not necessary for all dancers we do recommend purchasing a dance sneaker. These offer support during dynamic warm ups and are permissible with permission from the teacher if a dancer feels the need to take a break from their Irish shoes (eg when breaking in heavy shoes). We do not allow outdoor sneakers on our dance floor so this is a great alternative. From time to time they may also be needed for performances/parades. Here is a link to the shoes we like amazon.com
Dancers age 9 & up may be directly addressed in regards to dress code and shoe fit if necessary. If this happens you will also be notified of the discussion in a follow up email as soon as possible. This may be some time in the following days. We aim to promote independence and communication with all our dancers in an appropriate manner.
HAIR, JEWELLERY & OTHER WEARBALES
- All Hair must be pulled back off the face and tied in a neat ponytail, braid, or bun.
- No heavy makeup, lipsticks, lip glosses or eyeshadows.
- No long necklaces , large, or hoop earrings.
- Smart watches and other devices must be left in bags. Much like phones they are not permitted in the studio during class time. Watches must be kept in a dancer's bag and silenced during class time. Dancer's are not permitted to use their watches without teacher notification and approval.
COSTUMES
COMMUNITY SHOWS
Parades, community performances etc
All dancers are required to purchase a School Costume. We work closely with specialist costume makers to design and produce these costumes both in Ireland and here in NJ. These costumes will need to be ordered at the start of the year.
Costumes will vary depending on age and level. Generally they will consist of the following:
Tiny Tots/Pre-Beginners - Satin skirt, white blouse/black leotard, white poodle socks, Blue Hair Bow, Black dance shoes (caregivers black leggings/pants, black Club Rince performance T-shirt, sneakers)
Youth Girls 5&up - Black Embroidered Skirt/prime design costume, white blouse/black leotard, white poodle socks/black tights, blue hair bow, dance shoes
Youth Boys 5&up - Black dress pants, black/blue button down shirt OR Club Rince t-shirt, embroidered cumberband or vest, black socks, dance shoes
Teen/Adult Dancers - Prime design class costume, lace sleeved leotard, black tights, dance shoes OR black skirt, black leotard/top, blue plaid sash and Celtic brooch.
From time to time we may be invited to perform at special events that require additional costuming such as event specific t-shirts etc. Advance notice will be given on how to go about purchasing these items.
It is the dancer/parents responsibility to care for and replace any parts of the costumes as and when necessary. Any dancer who is not in full costume for an event will not be permitted to participate. This includes hair and other parts of the "look".
Costume items must be purchased through our online store before the cutoff dates.
THE BIG IRISH HOOLEY
Our wardrobe fee for the Hooley will be billed at the time of registration. Each class will wear a specific costume for their themed dance, as well as an Opening Scene, dance drama costumes and a Finale T-Shirt. Girls will also receive new black tights specifically to be worn for this performance. Boys will be issued with black socks and any other pieces as necessary.
Fee: $75 billed at time of registration (non-refundable)
9. EVENTS & PERFORMANCES
More info coming soon. Including parades, club nights, Christmas Ceili & The Big Irish Hooley
10. TUITION / BILLING & ENROLLMENT
Registration Fee
$50 Annual Registration Fee per family. Charged at registration.
Wardrobe Fee (Hooley)
$75 Wardrobe fee billed at time of registration. This fee is non-refundable regardless of changed participation in any performance or event.
Discounts & Savings
Parents who enroll in a beginner session receive 20% off the advertised rate.
Students may also elect to pay tuition balance in full by check to save 5% usually applied in processing fees by our card processor (dance studio pro/stripe). Checks are not accepted for any other payments.
Tuition Payment Options
Tuition fees are billed in 2 installments by default. Once logged into your account in the online portal the total displayed is representative of 1 of 2 installments. For additional payment options please get in touch immediately after registration through the portal. Payment plans available. Save 5% when tuition paid in full in September by check only.
Tuition is non-refundable and non-transferable for any reason. NO REFUNDS. All tuition is billed annually regardless of payment plans offered by Club Rince. Club Rince is a 10-month program with a 10-month commitment. Should you choose to leave before June 2025, all remaining tuition will be automatically charged to your credit card on file.
Billing
All dancers are required to keep a card on file. All card payments and transactions are made securely through dance studio pro (stripe) or Square where previously advised. All charge transactions incur processing fees.
Prorated Class Fees, Freeze Payments
We do not prorate tuition payments before November 1st. Payment freezes for any length of time are not permitted.
Cancellation / Refund Policy:
All payments/purchases are final and we do not issue refunds, credits or exchanges. Outstanding circumstances they may be discussed with the Managing Director. We are a year round program (Sept - June) and any payment plans are offered as a courtesy and under restriction and additional agreement.
SIGNING UP/REGISTERING FOR A CLUB RINCE PROGRAM OR CLASS CONSTITUTES BEING IN AGREEMENT WITH ALL OF OUR WAIVERS, RELEASES AGREEMENTS & POLICIES AND AN UNDERSTANDING OF TUITION RESPONSIBILITY. POLICIES AND OTHER INFORMATION ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
All policies, protocols and other information contained in this document are subject to change at any time.