FAQ

1.Do I have to buy the uniform straight away?

We advise  new students  not to buy the uniform straight away. We are happy for them to wait a few weeks in order to see if they like the classes and will commit to attending each week. Correct footwear  ( leather or satin ballet shoes) must be worn at all times though to ensure the students safety. All shoes and uniform can be ordered through us or from www.danceworld.ie . Our students wear the Royal Academy of Dance regulation uniform only. We recommend that by the second term all new students should have their full uniform.

 

2.I have an older child who has never done ballet before, is it to late for her to start?

It is never to late to start learning ballet.  We take students from all ages and abilities. We usually try to keep younger students within their own age group – we may audition an older beginner to help us decide the most suitable class for them.

 

3.Can parents watch the class?

At present parents are not permitted into the class due to Covid 19 restrictions. 

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4.How does payment of tuition work?

Our school year runs alongside the academic year.  We have three terms a year and each term is ten weeks long. Term fees are due before the child attends the first day of term. You will be given a date on which to pay in order to secure your place in the ballet school. Fees can be paid via online banking.  Please contact the teacher for bank details.

 

5.Can I pay on a weekly basis?

Fees are by paid by term only. However, if you start mid-way through a term, you will be charged only for the weeks remaining. 

 

6.What age do you take students?

We have a baby ballet class designed for three & four-year-olds.  This class is an introduction to classical ballet and focuses on coordination,  use of imagination, and social skills. When students are five they progress into the Royal Academy of Dance Pre-Primary in Dance syllabus and will then have the option of taking class awards or examinations. The RAD grade syllabus continues up to grade eight. We also offer the RAD vocational program for selected students.

 

7.How long is the class?

Most of our classes are 45mins long, however, some of our senior classes are longer.

 

8.Can my 5-year-old and 8 years old be in the same class?

All our classes are structured by age range or ability. The teacher will advise you on which class is most suitable for your child.

 

9.Do you do shows or competitions?

We do a show every four years. We don’t enter our junior students for competitions. Our senior students have the option of competing at the National Dance Awards each year. We have won many awards including the junior and the senior cup at these competitions.

 

10.Do you enter your students for examinations?

We teach the Royal Academy of Dance syllabus from Pre Primary to Advanced 2 level and we successfully enter many of our students each year. Our examination results are consistently high and this program means that our students have a very high standard of technique and artistry. Whilst we love doing shows we feel that good technique is learned by consistent quality teaching on a regular basis and we reserve shows for a special treat once every so often!

 

11.What teaching qualifications do you hold?

All the teachers in our school are RAD registered teachers. Trisha & Clare are also qualified teachers of the ISTD modern theatre syllabus. We have completed many years of training and are committed to renewing our skills and training on a regular basis. We don’t have student teachers conducting any of our classes.

 

12. Do you have a code of conduct?

Yes! Please click here. For more information email here or call 090 6627033

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13. Fees

It is very important to us at the Mc Dermott School of Classical Ballet & Dance to make good quality classical ballet lessons as accessible as possible . We have structured our fees to the amount of rent we pay at each of our venus. The majority of our students haven’t had a fee increase since 2005 and we would hope to keep fees at the current rate for as long as we can. We offer a sibling discount of up to 10% and 4th and subsequent children from each family are taught for free.

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For more information on fees for each venue please contact us at.

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