Tye Chua Dance does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, ancestry, age, religion or religious creed, disability, sex or gender, gender identity and/or expression, sexual orientation, marital status, military or veteran status, genetic information, family/parental status (including pregnancy,) income derived from a public assistance program, or political beliefs in any of its activities or operations in accordance with Federal civil rights law. These activities include, but are not limited to, hiring and firing of staff, selection of volunteers and vendors, and provision of services. We are committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all members of our faculty, students, families, volunteers and vendors.

Tye Chua Dance is an equal opportunity employer. We will not discriminate and will take affirmative action measures to ensure against discrimination in employment, recruitment, advertisements for employment, compensation, termination, upgrading, promotions, and other conditions of employment against any employee or job applicant on the basis of the terms set forth above.

The safety of our students is very important to us and we want to ensure that Tye Chua Dance is always a safe and professional learning environment. We view our studios as a special place exclusively designed for the serious dance student. Tye Chua Dance upholds a strict code of conduct to help enforce the level of discipline and respect we expect from each student. Our code of conduct includes:

• Dancers must be fully dressed and prepared for class by their scheduled class time

• If you are late to class for any reason, stand at the door of your studio until the teacher acknowledges you and permits you to enter

• If you will need to leave class early for any reason, notify your teacher before the beginning of class

• Dancers must always treat their classmates, other students and all teachers with respect

• No chewing gum permitted anywhere in the building

• Dancers are expected to fully participate in class and demonstrate their best work, attention and effort at all times.

• Young dancers must be fully supervised when they are not in class or rehearsal.

• There is NO RUNNING permitted by anyone in our building outside the classroom for safety reasons. This includes down the hallways, up/down the stairs, and in the dressing rooms.

Student classroom policies and expectations

Creative Movement through Ballet III: We expect students in our children’s division to be follow our rules for the classroom including following our dress code. We expect children to be focused and to fully participate in class. If a child is not willing to fully participate on a given day, we will have them observe the rest of the class. Students who are disruptive may also have to observe the class. Students are not permitted to leave the room during class time unless it is an emergency.

Ballet IV through Advanced: Students are required to come fully prepared for class including caring for their feet so they are able to properly participate in pointe work and must have a useable pair of pointe shoes. If shoes are too broken or do not fit properly, a student will not be permitted to wear them to class. Students in these levels are given corrections and instructions in class and are expected to work outside of class to improve on the assigned issues and to work in class with personals goals in mind. Dancers are expected to retain corrections and lessons from one day to the next. Students should thank their teacher at the conclusion of class. We expect our dancers to work with the highest standard of integrity in every class.

Drop Off/Pick Up

The studio will open 15 minutes prior to the start of the first class of the day. There is ample street parking available. Please do not park in the adjacent parking lot, or you will risk having your vehicle towed. All dancers under the age of 10 MUST be walked into the building and all the way up to the 4th floor, and must be picked up in the same way.

Our Space

Our school is an educational facility and parents and children should be quiet and respectful while in our waiting area and halls, so as to not distract those in classes. Absolutely no one (adults or children) may occupy a vacant studio unless given express permission to do so. Please clean up after young children in the dressing room and the bathroom. We request that you do not leave diapers in our trash cans or flush anything other than toilet paper down the toilets. Menstrual products must be placed in the trash cans provided in each stall. Extra menstrual products are available in the bathroom cabinet for anyone who needs them! Dancers are expected to clean up after themselves. Please do not leave any food in the dressing rooms.

We expect all our students to maintain our standard of conduct at all times. Training dancers requires that the student and their teachers work closely together to reach each dancer’s full potential and we believe that a strong sense of discipline allows students to reach their goals. Our code of conduct creates an environment where dancers can pursue their training without distractions and provides a safe and nurturing environment for our students. Please read over our code of conduct with your dancer as we will also do on the first day of class. Thank-you for helping us create a professional environment for our dancers!

At Tye Chua Dance, everyone has a right to learn and develop in a positive, respectful environment. We promote integrity, inclusion, kindness, respect, leadership, and discipline.

Tye Chua Dance is committed to anti-bullying. Bullying will not be tolerated in any form -- direct or indirect, physical, emotional, social, verbal, written, electronic, or otherwise -- and may result in dismissal from the studio.

We define bullying as any behavior that detrimentally targets another person. Bullying physically or emotionally harms another, targets another for any actual or perceived characteristic, or creates a hostile environment at the studio.

Tye Chua Dance's anti-bullying policy is applicable to our students, dance families, staff, and employees. Each person contributes to creating an excellent dance environment for all participants, and all are expected to adhere to these standards.

Please report any bullying to one of the directors promptly. Each situation is unique and will be addressed with urgency, proactivity, and sensitivity by Tye Chua Dance leadership.

There are no refunds for missed classes. Missed classes can be made up by attending a same-level class or lower level class during the same semester, with instructor approval.

If classes need to be cancelled for any reason, students may attend a same-level class during the same semester.

When your child is absent due to illness or other obligations, you child has the option to make up the missed class in another class of the same discipline. Making up a class is optional, but Tye Chua Dance does not refund for missed classes.

Missed classes for Creative Movement through Ballet III can be made up in another day of the same level or the level immediately below or above the child's level.

Ballet IV & V students may make up a missed class in the level immediately below or about their level.

Advanced students may make up a missed class in any intermediate or advanced class.

Tye Chua Dance follows Kalamazoo Public Schools for all weather closures and for Winter and Spring Breaks. Please join our Remind text notifications to receive updates on all other closures by texting @tyechua to 81010. If you feel unsafe to travel, please feel free to attend a same-level class on another day as a make-up.

Dancers must wear street clothes and shoes to and from the studio. Street shoes are to be left on the landing and are not to be worn inside our studio space. Dance wear should be worn only inside the studio space and should not be worn in any other parts of the building, except for the stage areas.

Please see our dress code for more information on what to wear to class.

Tye Chua Dance strives to minimize injuries to dancers through comprehensive dance training, including anatomy, physiology and technique. Dancers will never be asked to perform steps unsafe for their level of ability, nor will they be allowed to dance en pointe until they pass our rigorous ponte shoe exam after the age of 12.

We encourage dancers and their guardians to take our expert advice seriously in order to avoid injury. Dance is not without risk, so proceeding carefully and thoughtfully is essential.

If you are injured in class, please notify your instructor immediately so we can attend to your injury and take appropriate action.

If you are injured outside of our studio, please let us know as soon as possible so we can accommodate your injury in class. Please be as detailed as possible when reporting your injury.

Students with injuries should seek treatment from a medical professional as soon as possible. Injuries left untreated can cause long-term damage and keep dancers from ever fully healing. Those unable to participate due to short term injury (less than 4 weeks), like strains, sprains, minor fractures, etc., should plan to observe classes and rehearsals and to take notes.

Those who are partially cleared should clarify their specific restriction(s) with the teacher before class and plan to modify or skip combinations as needed.

Tye Chua Dance strives to be a safe and healthy dance environment and follows these guidelines:

Encourage and promote physical health

Younger Students

• Promote a responsible attitude toward general health issues and provide healthy lifestyle role models.

• Give participants information about nutrition and explain its importance to dance training and physical performance.

• Provide access to water and explain the importance of being hydrated before, during and after exercise.

• Provide information on the effects of substance abuse, especially its impact on susceptibility to injury.

Older Students

• Promote a responsible attitude towards dancer health and provide healthy body image role models.

• Teach students about individual body types and the normal changes that occur during growth periods.

• Accept all body types and help students to make realistic career choices.

• Explain the specific nutritional needs of dancers, including different food types.

• Explain the risks of under-eating and excessive exercise known as the Female Athletic Triad.

• Have specialists come to speak on specific areas of health and nutrition.

• Have regular presentations and discussions about health, nutrition and fitness issues with your students.

Encourage and promote emotional well-being

Younger Students

• Develop open and trusting relationships with students

• Appreciate individuality and help build on strengths

• Promote self-esteem, assertiveness, independence and confidence

• Provide referral to relevant health professionals where behaviour or appearance indicates a potential problem

Older Students

• Be aware of, and sensitive to, the external pressures facing students, especially teenagers.

• Accept and work together to manage stress, anxiety or other problems.

• Use motivational strategies to help a dancer through challenging developmental periods, illness, injury and rehabilitation.

Provide a balanced approach to training

Older Students

• Recognise the psychological and physiological symptoms of overtraining and discuss ways to manage, avoid and overcome this.

• Encourage a balance between training and rest.

• Give students information about time management skills.

• Encourage complementary activities like meditation, swimming or yoga for stress relief and balance.

Teach dancers to take responsibility for their own training

Older students

• Encourage independence and the development of adult identity.

• Encourage students to understand and accept physical limitations and challenges.

• Encourage students to set and attain realistic personal goals.

• Teach students about self-monitoring and training decisions (e.g. decreasing the pace, intensity or nature of training).

Provide a safe physical environment

Provide a Safe Dance environment which includes

• a venue that is free of obstacles such as furniture, building support structures, shoes and clothing

• sprung, non-slip floors (NB concrete floors are not safe for repetitive physical activity even with wood or carpeted covering)

• approximately 6 square metres minimum space per participant (depending on the movement style/genre)

• adequate lighting and ceiling height for dance activity

• enough ventilation and heating for weather/climate conditions and number of participants

Use knowledge of anatomy, kinesiology and physiology to support performance and Safe Dance practice

Apply knowledge of anatomy (musculoskeletal system)

Younger Students

• Use correct anatomical terminology.

• Demonstrate correct anatomical alignment for the dance genre/style.

• Identify and resolve incorrect alignment.

• Teach students to self-correct.

Older Students

• Describe common skeletal and muscular variations and/or limitations (scoliosis, lordosis, kyphosis).

• Explain the challenges that various congenital or medical conditions can cause for a dancer and outline what can be done to overcome or work with these challenges.

• Identify muscle imbalances caused by injury or prolonged functional misuse.

• Explain how to avoid muscle imbalances and prevent injury.

• If needed, refer students to professionals for advice about remedial work.

Apply knowledge of kinesiology (anatomy and mechanics)

Younger Students

• Use safe mechanically correct movement patterns specific to the dance style/genre.

• Use exercises and choreography that are mechanically safe and efficient.

• Identify incorrect, inefficient and potentially dangerous movement patterns.

• Demonstrate and teach safe, mechanically correct movement.

• Adapt exercises and/or choreography that may be risky.

Older Students

• Demonstrate movement mechanics for balance, weight transfer, weight taking, lifting techniques and partnering, suitable for the dance style/genre.

• Make sure lifts, throws, balances, falls and weight support movements are suitable for gender, physical development, age, experience and skill level.

• Emphasise preparation in learning lifts, falls and cooperative work involving trust.

• Make sure that correct hand positions and alignment are used for support in lifts.

• Match body shape and weight for partnering exercises.

Apply knowledge of physiology (cardiovascular, respiratory and nervous systems)

Younger Students

• Explain fitness requirements (eg: strength, muscular endurance, cardiovascular endurance, flexibility) for the genre/style.

• Monitor student fitness.

• Recognise limitations and understand the dangers of pushing the body beyond safe limits.

• Match exercises and choreography to participant ability/fitness level.

• Consider offering alternatives such as ‘own pace’ or ‘level’.

Older Students

• Explain how to develop cardiovascular endurance and find ways to combine aerobic and anaerobic training in technique and conditioning programs.

• Explain how to develop strength and muscular endurance and find ways to safely combine them in technique and conditioning programs.

• Explain the types of flexibility training.

• Teach students about the role of metabolism in diet and conditioning responses.

• Explain the neuromotor required for the dance style/genre.

• Explain and develop ways to challenge all three neurological systems (visual, vestibular & somatosensory).

• Explain motor patterns, their development and the effect on training.

• Use imagery to help development correct sequencing and to re-learn incorrect motor patterns.

Apply knowledge of physical variables (gender, age, development and level of control)

• Understand issues relevant to age, gender, physical development and skill level, and how each affects the approach to training.

• Match exercise/choreography length, type, intensity and duration with age, gender, physical development and level of control.

• Create programs and training strategies specific to participant physical, social and psychological development.

• Consider age, development and level of control for activities that require maximum strength and power (eg: lifts).

• Use injury prevention and management strategies

Use strategies to enhance training and prevent injury

Younger Students

• Make sure students dress safely for the dance style/genre.

• Make sure space and floor surface is suitable for the style/genre being taught.

• Manage space use to reduce accidents.

• Encourage individuals to take responsibility for their safety and the safety of others.

• Structure the class so that exercises progress.

• Make sure that exercises are suitable in type, intensity and duration for the group’s age, development and level of control.

Older Students

• Create training plans (e.g. school term, annual, course length) that gradually increase the load and intensity of training based on age, physical development, alignment and level of control.

• Create annual training plans that include a limited number of ‘peaks’ and sufficient rest periods.

• Create annual training plans that ensure progression in training load and intensity aimed at ‘peaking’ .

• Use the principle of periodisation to achieve a balance between technique, fitness training, conditioning, rehearsal time, rest and recovery.

• Use foundation training (ie: aerobic fitness, skeletal stability and development of base strength) to maintain fitness during breaks and prepare for the training period ahead (eg. a term).

Understand common injuries for the dance style/genre you are teaching

Younger Students

• Be aware of common injuries, their causes and prevention

• Use injury terminology suitable for age and understanding

• Empower participants with the knowledge to take responsibility for their own safety

• Include preventative conditioning exercises in classes and training programs

Older Students

• Give students conditioning exercises relevant to individual needs.

Understand potential risks in exercises and techniques

Younger Students

• Identify and adapt potentially dangerous exercises and choreography to suit the age, physical development and level of control.

• Discuss the potential risk of some movements, caused by lack of fitness (e.g. strength, mobility etc).

• Adapt exercises or choreography to match fitness levels.

Older Students

• Develop conditioning programs to help participants meet the fitness level (e.g. strength, muscular endurance, cardiovascular endurance, flexibility) needed for the genre/style.

Understand the risk of over-training and fatigue

Younger Students

• Adapt exercises and choreography where students show obvious signs of fatigue.

• Teach students about the risk of fatigue and empower them to take responsibility for their safe training and rehearsing.

Older Students

• Check participants have developed enough aerobic capacity in their foundation training.

• Use techniques such as mental imagery for students suffering from fatigue.

• Modify the frequency and intensity of activities to avoid overtraining and fatigue.

• Make sure there is a balance between activity and rest during rehearsals, a performance or examination season.

• Use recovery techniques and include them in a training program—be aware of things that inhibit recovery from training.

Understand the risk of repetition and high impact activities

• Make sure you have the correct floor for the style/genre.

• Teach techniques that are mechanically safe and efficient.

• Structure your teaching and rehearsal to avoid excessive repetition and overuse of body parts—vary the intensity, volume and activity.

Understand the risk of inadequate warm-up and cool-down

• Explain the reasons for warm-up and cool-down exercises.

• Include all warm-up and cool-down stages.

• Make sure the warm-up and cool-down time is suitable for the planned content and participants.

• Explain the potential advantages and/or disadvantages of stretching types (passive, assisted, ballistic and PNF).

• Empower participants with the knowledge to take responsibility for their own warm-up/cool-down.

If students want a career as a dancer, use safe and relevant screening or pre-testing and auditioning procedures

• Use suitable assessment procedures.

• Assess the dancer’s physiology to give a realistic evaluation of career suitability.

• Make sure the dancer’s self-esteem is protected during the process.

If students need out-of-class practice, use a safe environment

• Make sure the tasks are limited to activities that are safe in the chosen environment (e.g. flooring, space).

• Give clear instructions for out-of-class exercises, with the main points available in written form.

• Remind participants about the importance of warm-up/cool-down to prevent injury.

• Check that your Professional Indemnity insurance covers you if a student has an accident.

Use current injury recovery and rehabilitation procedures

• Be prepared and know how to deal with or refer accidents, injury and illness.

• Encourage students to report their illness and injuries.

• Encourage students to get professional advice where necessary .

Use strategies to help participants through illness and injury

Younger Students

• Encourage participants to rest when they need to.

• Find ways for participants to join classes—to maintain interest, fitness, strength, knowledge or to rehabilitate.

• Find suitable rehabilitation and/or alternative techniques to help participants keep active.

Older Students

• Put together a recovery program using specialist advice that includes underlying weakness correction, an incremented return to training and alternate activities to maintain fitness and motivation.

• Adjust the dancer's movement to avoid repeating the injury.

• Empower students with the knowledge and motivation to self-correct.

• Use imagery and mental rehearsal as a tool for re-learning movement patterns and to re-develop physical confidence after injury.

Tye Chua Dance allows Service Animals into our studio, based on the laws of the State of Michigan and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

In accordance with these laws, Service Animals at Tye Chua Dance must:

• Be trained to provide a specific service to those with qualifying disabilities, and a description of those services explained to Tye Chua Dance upon request (Please note that no one will ask about, nor do you have to disclose your disability. The question pertains only to what training and what service the animal provides.)

• Be under control of the handler (via leash, harness or other secure connection) at all times

• Be housebroken

• Be fully vaccinated and licensed in accordance with the State of Michigan

In accordance with pending legislation (HB-5751) in the State of Michigan, Emotional Support, Therapy or Companion Animals must:

• Be prescribed by a mental health professional (Minimum 30 day provider-patient relationship must be established before prescription of emotional support animal.)

• Be under control of the handler (via leash, harness or other secure connection) at all times

• Be housebroken

• Be fully vaccinated and licensed in accordance with the State of Michigan

Tye Chua Dance welcomes Service Animals, and Emotional Support Animals which follow the laws and guidelines as outlined above. Animals which are not under control at all times will be removed from premises on a permanent basis. Handlers are fiscally responsible for any and all damages caused by their animal.

What is a Service Animal?

A service animal is a dog or miniature horse individually trained to do work or perform tasks that are directly related to and mitigate the handler’s disability. For example, a service animal may be trained to navigate for someone who is blind, retrieve items for someone in a wheelchair, or lead someone with PTSD to a safe location during an episode. All other species of animal, trained or untrained, are not recognized as service animals in Michigan and are not required to be admitted into covered entities under the ADA such as grocery stores, state and local government facilities, hotels, hospitals, etc.

Are Service Animals required to be professionally trained?

No. People with disabilities have the right to train a service animal themselves and are not required to use a professional trainer or training program. Persons with disabilities are responsible for ensuring that their animal is sufficiently trained and under control. Animals that do not meet these requirements may be removed or reported for service animal fraud. In addition, poorly trained animals may be unreliable to their handler as a medical aide.

Are support, companion or therapy animals considered Service Animals?

No. These terms describe assistance animals that are not trained to perform a specific task but may provide other therapeutic benefits. Unlike service animals, emotional support, companion, and therapy animals can include different species other than dogs or miniature horses. Only trained service animals are required to be admitted into public places covered by the ADA. Emotional support and companion animals are not trained to perform a specific job or task that mitigates their handler’s disability.

What is an Emotional Support, Companion or Therapy Animal?

An emotional support animal is a companion animal that provides therapeutic benefits to an individual with a mental or psychiatric disability and is not a pet. An emotional support animal is not limited by species and is not required to have any specific training or to perform a task for its handler. Additionally, emotional support animals are not service animals. An individual may obtain or designate an animal to be an emotional support animal once having received a diagnosis from a health care provider or mental health professional had deemed that an emotional support animal would benefit that individual in relation to his or her diagnosis.

What does “Under Control” mean?

A service animal must be well-behaved in entities covered by the ADA. They must not be allowed to wander away from their handler, jump up on others, obstruct busy walkways, etc. Under control also means that a service dog should not be allowed to bark repeatedly in a lecture hall, theater, library, or other quiet place. However, a service dog that barks just once, or barks because someone has provoked it, would generally not be considered out of control. An animal whose behavior is aggressive could be considered a direct threat to the health or safety of others. These animals should be reported to local law enforcement or other appropriate agencies that respond to complaints of dangerous animals.

What are qualifying disabilities?

Disability is defined by the ADA as a person who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities. Major life activities can include walking, working, sleeping, eating, caring for one’s self, etc. They may also include major bodily functions such as functions of the immune system, normal cell growth, digestive system, bladder, brain, etc. Episodic impairments (i.e. seizures) or impairments that are in remission (i.e. cancer), can also be considered disabilities if they would substantially limit a major life activity when active.

Can Service Animals be restricted from any public places or specific areas of those places?

Service Animals cannot be restricted from any public place, however they may be restricted from certain areas when their presence would result in a fundamental alteration or direct threat.For example, it would be a fundamental alteration and a safety hazard for a service animal to accompany their handler into a hospital burn unit or operating room where their presence would compromise the sterile environment. At a zoo, service animals can be restricted from areas where the animals on display are the natural prey or natural predators of dogs, where the presence of a dog would be disruptive, causing the displayed animals to behave aggressively or become agitated. They cannot be restricted from other areas of the zoo. Public health rules prohibit dogs, including service dogs, in swimming pools. However, service animals must be allowed on the pool deck.