STUDENT POLICIES
WELCOME!
Bravo Academy for the Performing Arts is committed to providing high quality performing arts education to students of all ages and levels. Our mission is to inspire artists, create music and help students realize their dreams! We provide a creative and inclusive environment, which allows students to explore their passion and build confidence. Our aim is to assist students in building confidence through the development of skills in music, acting, and dance, and to provide a positive and enjoyable learning environment in which to practice these skills. Bravo Academy’s administration team members are readily available to parents and students to answer any questions or concerns.
The purpose of this handbook is to provide parents and students with a detailed list and outline of school policies, events, holidays and school closures.
Private lessons operate on a 36 (Monday) or 38 (Tuesday-Saturday) lesson academic year. Private Lessons are held from September through June.
Group programs are held in four sessions, Fall (September-December), Winter (January-April), Spring (April-June), and Summer (July-August).
Troupe programs are a year-long program, September through April/May. The program is broken up into two terms, with one performance in the fall and one in the spring.
Student’s Corner is a password-protected area of our website for students involved in our Troupes. In Student’s Corner, you will find class schedules, show information, teacher contact details, and other important information pertaining to your program. Students are expected to check Student’s Corner on a regular basis. Please find the link for Student’s Corner in the upper-right-hand corner of the Bravo Academy homepage.
The Customer Portal is a password-protected section of our website where families can update and check their accounts, class details, school policies, the calendar and print out receipts. Please find the link for the Customer Portal in the upper-right-hand corner of the Bravo Academy homepage. To access your account, enter the e-mail used upon registration, and it will prompt you to create your own password.
Bravo Academy is closed on all statutory holidays. Lessons that fall on Statutory holidays will be made up by each instructor.
2024/25 School Year
Labour Day – September 2 – NO CLASSES
Lessons Begin – September 3
Thanksgiving Day – October 14 – NO CLASSES
Winter Private Lesson Recital – Nov/Dec
Private Lesson Makeup Week – Dec 17-20
Winter Break – December 21 – January 3 (inclusive) – NO CLASSES
Classes Resume – January 4
Family Day – February 17 – NO CLASSES
March Break – March 10-16 (inclusive) – NO CLASSES
Victoria Day – May 19 – NO CLASSES
Spring Private Lesson Recital – June
Private Lesson Makeup Week – June 21-22, June 23-27 (inclusive)
Bravo Academy for the Performing Arts reserves the right to use photographs/video material of the participants for promotional purposes such as website, brochures, displays and in-house archives (staff, students, parents).
Free parking is available for all students and parents located on the south end of our building.
Bravo Academy does its best to be a peanut, nut and gum-free facility, and kindly asks students and families to refrain from bringing these items to the facility. Bravo Academy does not guarantee the absence of allergens at any given time. No food or drink is to be consumed in the studios; only water.
For Group Classes and Troupe Programs, Bravo Academy supplies all main costume pieces. Students are responsible for footwear and supplementary items, as required and as outlined in advance of performances.
Outdoor shoes are not permitted in the studios at Bravo Academy. Bravo Academy asks that all outdoor shoes and boots be removed at the front of the school and placed in the coat/boot room. Students are responsible for their own appropriate footwear for the different classes or shows. Footwear requirements will be shared with students based on class needs. Proper footwear is essential to ensure students’ safety in musical theatre, acting and dance.
Students, parents and guardians agree to release, indemnify and hold harmless Bravo Academy for the Performing Arts and the employees and contractors, from and against all claims of injury, damage or loss of any kind whatsoever arising out of the participation in any activities associated with Bravo Academy for the Performing Arts.
SNOW DAY
In the event that the school is closed due to inclement weather:
- Private Lessons will move to an online format when possible. If the instructor and/or student is unable to move online, an in-person make-up lesson will be provided at a later date and organized directly with the instructor.
- Group Classes will be re-scheduled outside the regular class schedule.
- Troupe Rehearsals will be re-scheduled to the best of our ability.
RELIGIOUS HOLIDAYS
All private lessons will be made up by a student’s instructor in the event of a Religious Holiday. Students must notify their private instructor at least 24 hours in advance of the absence to take advantage of this policy. Please refer to Holidays and Special Events above for days which Bravo Academy is closed.
GOVERNMENT-MANDATED CLOSURE
In the event that the physical building is closed by government or public health mandate, Bravo Academy reserves the right to continue classes in an online format, using Zoom or an alternative video conferencing software. No refunds will be given in the event of government-mandated closure.
PRIVATE LESSONS
REGULAR PRIVATE STUDENTS
A Regular Private Student is a student who has a time slot reserved on a specific day and time each week with the same teacher, for the School Year. Regular students are given the opportunity to perform two recitals per year (Fall and Spring)
Students who wish to enroll in Regular Private Lessons are entitled to one 15-minute trial lesson per instrument of interest.
If you have already requested a specific weekly lesson time, it will be held for 24 hours following your trial. Please confirm your interest in booking with our admin team after your trial, or by emailing admin@bravoacademy.ca.
A regular private student is fully registered once the following materials are complete and submitted:
- Signed Registration Form;
- Annual Registration Fee ($45 per student and $75 per family);
- Required to provide applicable tuition installments (Installment 1: Sept. 1, 2024; Installment 2: Nov. 1, 2024; Installment 3: Jan. 1, 2025; and Installment 4: Mar. 1, 2025).
Note: Music lessons are exempt from HST. HST only applies to dance, acting, musical theatre classes, Troupes, camps, and registration fees.
All Regular Private Lesson students have the opportunity to perform in two formal recitals per year held in Fall and Spring. At all recitals, students are encouraged to invite family and friends to share their performance experience. A non-refundable annual $50+hst accompanist fee is required for all voice students at time of registration.
Four weeks written notice is required if a student decides to terminate lessons for any reason. If a student must withdraw immediately, they will forfeit a fee equal to four lessons from the date of written notice. Bravo Academy will refund any remaining tuition beyond the 4 weeks. All makeup lessons must be made up by this time or the lessons will be forfeited.
For students who sign up during pre-registration (before September), a private lessons deposit of $175 plus applicable fees (annual registration fee, recital accompaniment fee) is due. This is non-refundable.
MISSED LESSONS AND MAKE-UP POLICY
Regular Students can receive up to two make-up lessons per year (September – June) with more than 24 hours notice for any reason. (Note: If a student registers after Jan 1 they receive only one +24 hours notice make-up lesson. Summer Private Lesson Students receive one +24 hours notice make-up lesson.) If a make-up lesson is not possible, the fee for the lesson will not be refunded. If a student misses or needs to cancel a scheduled make-up lesson, another one will not be scheduled.
All student sicknesses are subject to Bravo Academy’s 24 hours notice policy. Out of consideration for our teachers, who are performers and educators, as well as other students in the school, we ask that students who are sick consider staying home. In the event of ongoing or major illness, please contact the administration immediately to make appropriate arrangements.
All private lessons will be made up by a student’s instructor in the event of a Religious Holiday. Students must notify their private instructor at least 24 hours in advance of the absence to take advantage of this policy.
CASUAL PRIVATE STUDENT
For students who are not registered in Regular Private Lessons at Bravo Academy, but want to take occasional lessons, the “casual student” option is available. A student can purchase a minimum of 4 lessons with a specific Teaching Artist. Lessons are then booked with that Teaching Artist based on their availability.
A casual student is fully registered once full fees have been paid and a class policies accepted on their Customer Portal. Fees must be paid 72 hours in advance of the lesson to confirm the time slot.
Due to the additional administration required, a 5% Fee is applicable to all casual lesson packages.
A casual student is not guaranteed a specific time slot and books lessons on a casual basis with the Teaching Artist as available. A casual student lesson time can be confirmed and guaranteed 3 business days in advance.
A Teaching Artist’s schedule is subject to change. Days and/or times they are available may differ week to week based on their teaching schedule with their regular students.
Casual lesson packages are booked with the Bravo Admin Team, and individual lessons are scheduled directly with the Teaching Artist.
No lesson time will be made up if a student arrives late for a lesson.
Any casual lesson booked will not be made up, and fees will be forfeited if cancelled with less than 48hrs notice. If it is cancelled with more than 48hrs notice, the lesson can be rescheduled. If a rescheduled lesson is cancelled, no further time will be made up, and fees will be forfeited.
COACHINGS
Bravo Academy offers individual coaching sessions in voice, acting, and dance, for all Group Class, Troupe Program, and Regular Private Lesson students. These sessions must be booked through Administration and paid in advance. Fees are available upon request, and differ by instructor and length of coaching session.
Coaching is confirmed once the following actions have occurred:
- Contacted administration and confirmed instructor and time availability.
- Payment has been received.
Payments can be made cash, cheque, or credit card. Fees must be paid 48 hours in advance of the coaching in order to confirm the time slot.
Any coaching booking will not be made up, and fees will be forfeited if cancelled with less than 48hrs notice. If it is cancelled with more than 48hrs notice, the lesson can be rescheduled. If a rescheduled lesson is cancelled, no further time will be made up, and fees will be forfeited.
VIRTUAL LESSONS
Bravo Academy is committed to maintaining a safe and positive learning environment for all students. As we have made the transition to online learning, we’ve experienced so many wonderful moments with our students and staff! We are excited to continue the learning in this format and to be able to support our students in their continued performing arts education.
All our Virtual Lessons will be held over Zoom. Each class has a unique link and password to keep your meetings private. We have enacted a number of extra security features to maintain your privacy such as:
- Disabling the chat function that allows users to chat with each other privately; students may only chat with the meeting host (either an instructor or Bravo Academy administrator).
- Disabling the option for meeting participants to change their display name.
- Creating a waiting room so that only approved participants may enter the meeting.
- Disabling the option for meeting participants to record their own copy of the lesson.
- Enabling the option for the meeting host to “lock” the meeting room, which does not allow any new participants to join the meeting once it has started.
- Enabling the option for the meeting host to expel a participant from the meeting if necessary.
- Enabling the meeting host to mute participants or turn off participants’ videos.
- Disabling the option for meeting participants to share their screen or computer sound during the lesson.
- Recording lessons for safety and quality control.
- Set up your lessons in a supervised area, as opposed to a closed room. This allows parents to easily monitor their children’s learning.
- Clear the immediate area around your device to allow for a neutral background.
- Show your child how to turn off their microphone and video, should they wish to do so at any time.
- Make other family members aware that your child will be participating in a Virtual Lesson, so they may avoid appearing in the background, if desired.
- Talk to your children about appropriate conduct in a Virtual Lesson. Bravo Academy has a zero tolerance policy for inappropriate language and behaviour, included but not limited to swearing, discriminatory language, adult or discriminatory images, or any other conduct deemed inappropriate for participants under the age of 18. Any such conduct will result in the student’s removal from the Virtual Lesson.
GROUP PROGRAMS
Please note: group program policies do not apply our Advanced Musical Theatre Troupe Programs. Please see our Troupe Program policy section.
Written notice is required for all group program withdrawals. Any student who wishes to withdraw from a group program before the first day of class may apply their account credit to another class or private lessons, provided they enrol in the new program within the same school year.
Refund policies:
- Withdrawal before first day of class: A refund, minus an Administration Fee of $25 and the Annual Registration Fee of $45, will be available.
- Withdrawal before the second class: A refund, minus the fee of one class, an Administration Fee of $25 and the Annual Registration Fee of $45, will be available. Note: No refunds will be issued after the second class of the session.
Attendance is an important factor in all of our group programs, as all productions are ensemble-based, and each student carries an equally important weight in the show. It is recommended that students not miss more than two classes per session.
1) Students should arrive dressed and ready to start class on time;
2) If a student will be away or late for a class, we request that the student call or email the school prior to the class so that adjustments can be made to the rehearsal schedule.
Note: Bravo Academy reserves the right to cancel any group class or camp due to insufficient enrollment. All tuition fees will be fully returned to the enrolled families.
CONDUCT
Participants are expected to attend all classes with enthusiasm, positivity and an eagerness to learn. Respect for fellow students, teachers and Bravo Academy staff is very important. There will be zero tolerance for bullying or inappropriate behaviour. In the event of any serious misconduct, the participant will be removed from the program with no refund of tuition fees.
SUMMER & MARCH BREAK CAMPS
All payments for camps are required in full in order to hold a space.
- If a student withdraws from a camp eight weeks in advance of camp start date they will receive a refund minus a 5% non-refundable administration fee.
- If a student withdraws from a camp four weeks in advance of camp start date they will receive a refund minus a 15% non-refundable administration fee.
- If a student withdraws from a camp two weeks in advance of camp start date they will receive a refund minus a 30% non-refundable administration fee.
- No refunds are issued if a student withdraws with less than two weeks to the start of the camp.
SUMMER PRIVATE LESSONS
Summer private lessons are available through July and August. Please contact Bravo Academy Admin at admin@bravoacademy.ca for more information.
Summer Private Lesson Students receive one +24 hours notice make-up lesson. If a make-up lesson is not possible, the fee for the lesson will not be refunded. If a student misses or needs to cancel a scheduled make-up lesson, another one will not be scheduled. All make-up lessons for the Summer must be used during the Summer lesson period.
INTENSIVES
All payments for intensive programs are required in full in order to hold a space. Note: A fee of $20 will be charged for all NSF cheques.
Written notice is required for all withdrawals. If an artist withdraws more than 30 days prior to start date of the program they will receive a refund minus a $100 non-refundable administration fee. No refunds will be issued to any artist if they withdraw 30 days or less from the start date of the program.
ADVANCED MUSICAL THEATRE TROUPE PROGRAMS
Withdrawing from the fall production (2024/25)
1. Before June 30th, 2024: Refund minus Annual Registration Fee and $200 deposit.
2. After June 30th, 2024: No refund provided.
Withdrawing from the spring production (2024/25)
1. Before November 1, 2024: Remainder tuition will not be charged on November 1.
2. After November 1, 2024: No refund provided after tuition has been charged.
Your November 1, 2024 tuition payment will be automatically billed to the credit card on file. Written notice is required for all Troupe program withdrawals. Tuition fees are not transferable to other programs.
All major costume pieces will be provided by Bravo Academy. Students may be asked to bring in various items (for example white dress shirt, black pants, khaki pants, leggings, hosiery, etc.) A list of which will be provided for each production. Students should be expected to provide an all-black “base” that will be worn under all their costumes: black t-shirt, black leggings or pants, and black shoes, with no logos or markings.
Students are responsible for their own proper footwear. The administration will notify students regarding proper performance footwear, which may include jazz shoes, character shoes, tap shoes, or sneakers. Students must bring a change of (indoor) shoes to wear during rehearsal, suitable for movement.
It is mandatory that all students arrive dressed and ready to start class on time. Students must attend all classes. If a student will be away or late for a class, it is the student’s responsibility to call or email the school prior to the class so that adjustments can be made to the rehearsal schedule. Students may be required to book coaching with an instructor to learn the material missed in class. All coachings are an additional fee. A student may no longer be in a specific number if they miss a major choreography or staging rehearsal and they are not able to catch up before the following class. If a student is repeatedly late or misses two or more classes in a session, they may not be able to continue with the program and take part in the final performances (at the discretion of the artistic team).
Students will be notified in advance of all Sunday rehearsals which will occur throughout the school year. Any Sunday rehearsals which you are called to are mandatory.
Rehearsal schedules are posted online on the Student’s Corner section of our website. The Troupe programs run at an advanced level and in order to maintain a high-quality program students are expected to:
- Have lines memorized before each rehearsal
- Have music prepared and memorized for each choreography and staging rehearsal
- Review staging, choreography and/or music before each rehearsal
CONDUCT
Participants are expected to attend all classes with enthusiasm, positivity and an eagerness to learn. Respect for fellow students, teachers and Bravo Academy staff is very important. There will be zero tolerance for bullying or inappropriate behaviour. In the event of any serious misconduct, the participant will be removed from the program with no refund of tuition fees.
All smartphones, tablets and laptops must be turned off or put on silent while in the rehearsal room, backstage, and during performances (unless otherwise approved by instructors if informed of an expected or urgent call). Any class instructor maintains the right to collect any item of personal technology and hold it until the end of a class. In all cases, there will be no personal technology backstage under public performance conditions. For all students, failure to adhere to the terms and conditions of the policy will result in disciplinary measures.
Performances are the culmination of our hard work all year, and all tech/dress rehearsals are fundamentally important to the safety of our staff and students. Therefore, it is absolutely essential and non-negotiable that students be available for all tech rehearsals and performances. Any conflicts with tech/performance dates that are presented after casting may result in the student’s removal from the program; no tuition fees will be refunded.
