We are very excited to welcome your child to their first dance class with SLH Dance Academy and hope the below FAQ’s will help you prepare for their first session. 

If you have any further questions then please do not hesitate to drop us an email and we will be more than happy to help. 

What should my child wear to their first lesson?

New pupils are not expected to attend their first class in uniform but we do recommend they wear something comfortable that they can move easily in. Leggings/shorts with a t-shirt is ideal. We will ask pupils to go bare foot for their tasters unless they already have ballet shoes and school shoes or trainers are good alternatives to tap shoes. 

Children attending a Pre-School, Pre-Primary or Primary Ballet Class may also like to wear a skirt/dress to hold. 

Where can I buy my child’s uniform from after their taster?

View our full uniform requirements and online uniform supplier information here

Can we watch dance classes?

Parents are unable to watch classes on a weekly basis but we do like to arrange different performance opportunities throughout the year for you to come and watch to see their progress. 

We want every child to have an enjoyable and positive first experience with us. Therefore if your child is feeling particularly nervous then you are more than welcome to bring them into the studio to help them settle on their first class. Parents of children in our pre-school classes are asked to stay on site in the waiting area each week.

Please be reassured that the SLH team are all very well experienced in helping pupils settle and feel comfortable quickly in their first classes. We also have senior class assistants in some of our younger classes which are a great support for any new pupils.

The whole SLH team strive to create a welcoming and happy environment for our dancers which we hope will help ease any nerves. 

What should I bring to a taster class?

• Water Bottle
• Any epi pens, inhalers etc if required
• Pre-School children might like to bring a soft toy/teddy with them as this can provide a good comfort for them coming in by themselves. 

What to do when arriving?

We recommend arriving to your first class 5 minutes early so that your child has time to see the venue and settle. Teachers like to meet the students before the class starts so being on time really helps us spend time welcoming them in properly. Please wait outside the venue for the class teacher and we will welcome pupils in together. It is always helpful if you can encourage younger pupils to use the toilet before their class too!

Venue Specific Information

Malling Community Centre– If your taster is in the main hall please wait outside the first double doors you come to. For room 2 please follow the path around the outside of the building until you see the 2nd studio at the end. There is a cafe in the middle which you are welcome to wait whilst your child dances. 

Kings Church- Please wait in the main foyer entrance to the building. 

South Malling Primary School- For mid week classes the school car park will be out of action so please park on one of the roads nearby and walk down the school drive. Please wait outside the main school reception and do not use the buzzer system at the reception (unless you are late). Your class teacher will meet you at this point before/after classes. Due to other after school clubs happening at the school parents are unable to wait inside the building. 

On Saturdays the school car park is available for you to park in but again please wait outside the building for us to let you inside. 

How do we sign up to the class after the taster?

After your child has completed their 3 taster sessions  we will be in touch by email to see how they enjoyed it and whether they would like to fully enrol. This email will include an invoice for the remaining sessions of the term alongside information on term dates/uniform etc for those wishing to sign up. If you wish to confirm the enrolment all you need to do is settle the invoice to secure their space.  

We are very excited to welcome you to SLH Dance Academy and look forward to meeting you soon!

Sophie 

Principal of SLH Dance Academy x