Welcome to The Dance Center, members of Dance Masters of America and The Cecchetti Council of America.
Our philosophy encourages all dancers to grow emotionally and physically through the discipline and continuity of the art of dance.
We emphasize the development of disciplined dancers: our beginner classes practice to live musical accompaniment so that our teacher can fully focus the needs of her students, allowing her to reinforce technique and instruction while encouraging the students’ self-confidence. Most of our year-round classes culminate in a June recital.
We train our dancers using the Cecchetti Method of classical ballet technique, a rigorous curriculum that develops essential dance qualities: balance, poise, and strength. We believe that ballet is the cornerstone of dance, forming a strong foundation for all other styles of dance that our older students may choose to pursue in our studios.
In this same tradition, we teach Broadway-style classic tap to our dancers. We focus even our youngest dancers on musicality, rhythm, and technique. We use tap as a secondary building block: it gives our dancers a different style of movement, allowing them to transition more easily to other styles of dance as they continue their training.
We offer a wide array of dance programs, from a classic studio program to recreational dance classes and socials. Our established studio program continues to offer some of the best classical training in the area with experienced instructors who teach proper technique in ballet, tap and jazz.
The recreational dance programs offers classes, workshops, and events for all ages and skill levels. From ballroom to ballet to hip-hop, dance as a social activity is emphasized throughout the curriculum. Workshops and socials are scheduled throughout the year.
Discover Our Dance Programs
The Severna Park Community Center hosts nearly 50 classes each week in our studios, which are specifically designed to meet the requirements of the classes held within. Most studio classes culminate in a June recital while session classes culminate in a classroom performance.
We also offer private dance lessons. If you are interested in scheduling a private session, please reach out to kgreer@spcommunitycenter.org.
Leadership
Our highly credentialed staff has years of experience to help our dancers learn proper technique while gaining self-confidence. Most of our teachers grew up locally and trained under the artistic vision of Carter School of Dance founder Mary V. Carter, whose passion for excellence is ingrained in our program today.
Kellie Greer, the director of the Dance Center of Severna Park, grew up dancing at Carter School of Dance where she is certified to teach Cecchetti student Grades I-VI. She spent time studying in Cleveland, Ohio with the Cecchetti Council of America and SUNY in Buffalo, NY with Dance Masters of America Teacher Training School. She is a member of both the Cecchetti Council of America and Dance Masters of America Chapter 17.
Mrs. Greer's choreography has been nationally recognized and some of her students have gone on to dance in Los Angeles, Boston, and New York. She has passed her Teachers Cecchetti Exams I-IV and is currently working on Grade V. Kellie teaches ballet, tap, jazz, pointe and Cecchetti.
Resources
REGISTRATION
- Students must be registered to participate in class. Please ensure all registration forms have been submitted and payment made to DCSP prior to attending any class. With the exception of session registrants, all students must register for a combination class.
- Students may be assigned to a comparable class if class size minimums are not met. Reassignments will be first discussed with the financially responsible party.
- Program and recital fees are not refundable unless an Act of God prevents make up services. Costume fees are not refundable after January 1, 2025.
- Credits for medical conditions are considered.
YEAR AROUND CLASSES
Lessons:
- Most classes will receive 36 lessons during the regular dance season. Non-recital classes will receive 32 lessons. In some instances, certain classes may have more or less than 36 weeks depending on recital dates.
- Make-up classes: In studio classes cancelled for inclement weather may be made up in a comparable class. Please contact kgreer@spcommunitycenter.org for comparable classes.
- Hip Hop participation is limited to students with at least 1 year of Jazz experience; Lyrical class participation is limited to those students in 4th grade or higher and at least 2 years of ballet/tap/jazz experience.
- Registration for Cecchetti Syllabus class or Pointe class is provided on an invitation only basis. Continuation in the program for subsequent years is based on teacher discretion.
- Inclement Weather Closures: The Dance Center of Severna Park will follow AACPS for full day closures, early dismissal, and late openings due to weather. DCSP will make decisions if AACPS cancels after school activities Classes during weather closures can be made up in a comparable class. Please contact kgreer@spcommunitycenter.org for comparable classes. Please check spcommunitycenter.org or www.facebook.com/TheDanceCentrerofSevernaPark for updates on all cancellations.
- DCSP does NOT follow the AACPS holiday schedule. A schedule of holiday closings will be posted on the website and is included with registration materials.
- Severna Park Community Center policy requires students to be accompanied to/from class by an adult or other responsible party. *Parents please do NOT wait at the SPCC entrance in your car - this causes a backup in the parking lot and makes for an unsafe situation.
- Students must arrive at and be picked up from class on time. If a parent is not present at dismissal, the burden falls solely to the dance instructor to ensure the student’s safety. Please be respectful of instructor’s schedules. Additional fees may be accrued for continued late pickup.
- If for any reason a student is asked to, or requests to, not participate in class, an attempt to contact a parent or guardian will be made. If a parent or guardian cannot be reached, the student will be required to remain in class until a parent or guardian arrives.
ATTENDANCE
Regular class attendance is required. When a student misses a class, it impacts their progress as well as the progress of the entire class. Please inform your teacher by phone/email if you know you will miss a class. If multiple classes will be missed due to illness, please inform the office as soon as possible. Consistent attendance is required to participate in Cecchetti exams and choreographed recital dances. It is the student’s responsibility to master choreography when she/he is absent from learning.
PAYMENT
- Monthly tuition is payable in 10 equal installments (September – June) for recital classes or in full at the start of the year to receive a 5% discount. If dancers join after the start date, the first month will be pro-rated and the subsequent months will be equal installments.
- Payments should be made by credit card via automatic monthly credit card payment processing. An automatic processing form is included with this registration. By registering online, you are authorizing The Dance Center of Severna Park and The Severna Park Community Center to automatically debit your card each month for payments.
- Payments are due on the 1st of each month. Accounts with unpaid balances after the 8th of each month will be assessed a $10 late fee for amounts up to $200.00 or 5% of the balance for amounts greater than $200.00. Late fees must be settled no later than the 1st payment due following the late payment. The final payment of the year is due on June 1, 2024 and must be received in DCSP offices no later than June 5, 2024. Please contact Dawn Bohny at dbohny@spcommunitycenter.org if the financially responsible party is unable to make a required monthly payment. Students with overdue accounts will not be allowed to participate in the year-end recital.
- Accounts more than 60 days in arrears will be notified by hand-delivered letter or email that class participation will not be allowed until the account is brought current. If an interruption of class participation results from non-payment, the financially responsible party will be expected to pay for all classes during the period of interruption.
- Withdrawal from DCSP or a class: Students wishing to drop, add, or withdraw from a class must notify the DCSP Director in writing (or email) prior to the 25th of the month prior to the change taking effect. Withdrawals not made in writing will result in continued billing.
- DCSP cannot fill class openings held by withdrawn students unless we are aware that they have withdrawn.
- RECITAL COSTUMES: Recital costumes will be purchased by each student. Costume fees are $65 per costume and payable with the monthly tuition in 10 monthly installments (September-June). Costume payments are not refundable after January 1, 2024. Costumes will not be purchased for accounts with outstanding fees. The last costume order date is Jan. 15th..
- RECITAL FEE: A recital fee of $150 will be payable with monthly tuition in 10 equal installments (September – June).
- Students’ accounts must be paid in full to receive costumes and participate in the recital. Recital Fee will include streaming access to recital videos with upload ability – no videotaping or taking of pictures will be permitted at recitals but will be allowed at dress rehearsals.
SESSION CLASSES
- Session classes will run as scheduled for the stated time period.
- Session tuition is based on the number of weeks in each session.
9/3: Year-round classes begin
10/5: No year-round classes this day due to teacher training
10/31: Halloween - Studio Closed
11/26 – 12/1: Thanksgiving Break - Studio closed
12/21 – 1/3: Winter Break - Studio closed
4/13 - 4/20: Spring Break - Studio closed
4/28 - 5/3: In class dress rehearsal week
5/3: Picture day
5/26: Memorial Day - Studio closed
***Recital Dates To Be Announced By March 1, 2025*** - Plan on one of the first 3 weekends in June as possible dates.
Free class registration is for all ages.
Trial Class Registration
Recital fees and costume fees are included in the monthly class fee payment.
Recitals are one of the 1st three weekends in June and in recent years recitals have been held at Annapolis High School.
All year-round classes (except Cecchetti) that are half hour or longer will perform in the recital and receive a costume.
Star Elite performs opening number.
Each dancer in our year-round program receives a streaming link to that year’s recital (password protected) that can be shared with friends and family.
Our recitals are free to the public and you may invite as many guests as you would like.
We hold 4 recitals each year with each recital having its own dress rehearsal. Each combination class will perform once with the exception of our Advanced Combo 4 class which will perform at all 4 recitals.
Our Junior Recitals are usually held in the late morning/early afternoon and our Senior Recitals are usually held in the evening.
Dressing Room monitors are provided so parents may enjoy the show.
Picture day will be held on its own day at the Severna Park Community Center. Group as well as individual pictures are taken.