Great Technique

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How old does my child need to be to enroll in dance classes?

Classes are offered for children ages 3 and up. Your child must be 3 years old by September 1^st to enroll.

What does it cost to enroll?

Upon registration, you will pay for September's tuition. This guarantees your child’s place in each class. We have no additional registration fees.

Can I register over the phone or online?

Each family must come in to register in person.  Before the nine-month season begins, we like to have the opportunity to meet each of our families.  Additionally, we require each student's parent or guardian to fill out a policy agreement and attendance contract at the time of registration.

Do you offer free wireless Internet in your lobby?

Yes!  For your convenience, we offer free high speed WiFi to our customers.

What if my child does not like the classes? Am I locked in for the whole year?

No. You may withdraw your child at any time during the season. However, if a student withdraws halfway through the month, they are still required to pay the full month’s tuition. We recommend that you give us advanced notice of your withdrawal to prevent you from having to pay for the following month and to allow students on waiting lists to enter the class.

What is the attendance policy?

Good attendance is vital to every student's education.  Our instructors carefully notate when a student is absent, late, or leaving class early.  Students at Great Technique Dance Academy are limited to 5 absences for the entire season.  Each time a student is late or leaves class early, this counts as 1/3 of an absence.  If a student reaches 6 absences, he or she is removed from the class.

Do you have a recital?

Yes. Our 9-month season concludes with a recital in May at Lincoln Park High School.  A dress rehearsal is held the evening before.  Both the recital and dress rehearsal are mandatory for Great Technique students.

Do you offer professional recital photos?

Each spring, Studio One Photography by Vince Palazzolo gives our families a group rate for professional photography.  Your child's class will meet on a Saturday to take individual and group photos in their recital costumes.  To see a selection of images from our past recitals, click here to access the photo gallery.

My child loves to dance, but I’m not sure which class to place her in.

Great Technique offers something for everyone. Our instructors would be happy to speak with you and your child to see which class or classes your child would enjoy the most.

My child has never danced before. Do you offer classes for beginners?

Yes. With the exception of teenagers, we can accommodate beginners of all ages.

Can I watch my child’s dance class?

Yes. We welcome families to stay and watch class from the lobby through our two large viewing windows. However, we do not allow families to watch class from within the classroom. Instructors may occasionally invite family members into the classroom on designated days to view the class's progress.

How many students are in each class?

Students learn best when class sizes are small. Classes are limited to 8 - 10 students each.

Where can I buy dance clothes?

We recommend that your child be fitted by a professional for his or her first pair of dance shoes. Dancin’ Feet of Southgate is our preferred dance apparel supplier for our students. They are located at 16077 Eureka Road, and can be reached by phone at (734)246-8300. More experienced dancers may prefer to purchase their dancewear online. We recommend visiting www.DiscountDance.com or www.DancewearSolutions.com .

Is tuition the same each month?

Yes. Our annual tuition is divided into 9 monthly payments. Regardless of holidays, each monthly payment is the same.

Other than monthly tuition, what additional expenses can I expect at GTDA?

Great Technique keeps additional costs to a minimum. Besides monthly tuition, these are the only expenses you will encounter:

* Before the first class, you will need to buy your child the items required for the dress code. If your child takes more than one class, he or she will need the items for each additional class.

* Monthly tuition paid after the 10th of each month will incur a $10 late fee.  Late costume payments also incur a $10 fee.

*Costumes for the spring recital will be purchased in the fall. For each class your child takes, two payments of $25 each will be due in October and November, totaling $50 (level D and E students pay two payments of $30, totaling $60). If your child takes more than one class, she will need a costume for each class.  These payments are non-refundable, regardless of whether you withdraw from a class before the recital.

*  Tickets for the recital will be available for purchase prior to the recital. Tickets are $6 each, and there is no limit to the number of tickets you may purchase.

Do you offer any discounts for families enrolled in more than one class?

Yes. Students taking multiple classes receive $10 off the first class, and $15 off each additional class. Families with multiple children enrolled receive $2.00 off per child on each monthly payment.  Please refer to our Pricing page for more information.

Does Great Technique participate in dance competitions?

No. Some dance schools form dance teams with select students to compete in regional competitions. While this increases a student’s performance opportunities, in many cases rehearsals for these events take priority over a dancer’s technique. At Great Technique, having fun while improving technique is our primary focus. Our instructors believe that a non-competitive environment is vital to improving the skills of each student. We prefer to allow students to spend the season perfecting these skills so they may be applied properly in class and when they perform in our annual recital.

What style of ballet do you teach?

There are many styles of ballet taught throughout the world. Some of the most popular styles taught in the United States include Cecchetti, Vaganova, Bournonville, and Balanchine technique. Some studios choose to teach one of these styles exclusively. At Great Technique Dance Academy, our instructors borrow aspects from each of these styles. We believe this produces well-rounded ballet dancers.

Do you offer gymnastics or tumbling classes?

We do not offer gymnastics or tumbling.  Please call Downriver Gymnastics at (734)282-1947 or visit their website at www.downrivergymnastics.com .

Do you offer ballroom or salsa lessons?

If you are interested in ballroom or Latin style dancing, please call DeLiz DanceSport at (734)281-1969 or visit www.delizdancesport.com.

Do you offer private lessons?

Private lessons in ballet, jazz, hip-hop, and tap are offered for students who are enrolled in at least one group class at Great Technique.

Do you offer summer classes?

Yes. A two-month program is offered each summer. These classes are designed to focus on having fun while improving technique, without the commitment of a recital.

How old is Great Technique?

Great Technique Dance Academy was established in September 2006. We are excited to be celebrating our eighth dance season.

What are some qualities I should look for in choosing a dance school for my child?

The most important criteria for choosing a dance school are the instructors teaching your child. Great Technique only employs experienced instructors. While some dance schools have their advanced students teach younger students, we only allow our professional faculty to provide instruction. This ensures that all students, from the youngest to the most experienced, receive proper training.

Another thing to look for when making your decision is the facility and equipment your child will be using in class. For example, a hard dance floor can cause lifelong joint injury. Even a soft vinyl surface is dangerous when directly layered over a concrete or ceramic tile floor. Our raised wood floor is custom built to produce a soft dance surface for your child’s safety and comfort.

Finally, most families are concerned about the financial commitment of dance classes. When shopping for dance classes, we recommend you ask what other fees and expenses to expect throughout the season. For example, some schools have registration fees, competition fees, or recital participation fees. Even if monthly tuition is relatively inexpensive, these additional costs can make a significant impact on the amount of money you spend on your child’s dance education. Also, please be aware that some dance schools require students to participate in fundraisers throughout the year. Great Technique never asks students to fundraise for our business expenses.