Everything You Need to Know
Where Every Step Counts
If you're looking for a quick answer, it's probably on this page. If it isn't, email hello@509collective.com and we'll add it.
Which class is right for my dancer?
Our classes are organised by level, not by age alone — so a dancer joins where their training is, and moves up when they're ready.
| Level | Who it's for |
|---|---|
| Level 1 | New to the style, focused on foundational skills |
| Level 2 | Moderate experience, building on foundations |
| Level 3 | Extensive experience, developing mastery, artistry and precision |
| Level 4 | Pre-professional — the highest level of technical training and artistry |
| Open Level | All levels welcome, unless placement or prerequisites are noted |
Not sure where your dancer belongs? Don't guess, and don't worry about getting it wrong. Email hello@509collective.com with your dancer's age and a sentence about their experience, and we'll recommend a class. If a dancer is placed in a class that turns out to be the wrong fit in the first few weeks, we'll move them — no charge, no awkwardness.
Coming from another studio? Levels don't transfer identically between studios. A Level 2 somewhere else may be a Level 1 or a Level 3 here. Tell us where you trained and for how long, and we'll place from there.
What does it cost?
Full Season classes
The more classes your dancer takes, the less each one costs.
| Classes per week | Per class | Monthly total |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $85 | $85 |
| 2 | $84 | $168 |
| 3 | $83 | $249 |
| 4 | $82 | $328 |
| 5 | $81 | $405 |
| 6 or more | $80 | — |
Session classes
Paid in full at registration. Sessions run separately in Fall, Winter and Spring, so you can enrol one at a time instead of committing to the full year.
| Session | Cost |
|---|---|
| Fall | $255 |
| Winter | $255 |
| Spring | $290 — includes the recital fee |
Spring costs more because it's the session that performs in the Spring Showcase, and the recital fee is built into the price rather than billed separately.
Spring tumbling is $255, not $290 — tumbling doesn't perform in the showcase, so there's no recital fee to include.
Costume fees are on top of every session price. They're never included.
Everything else
| Annual registration fee | $55 per dancer, once a year — not per class. Full Season enrolments only — session classes do not carry it. |
| Adult classes | $60/month, or $20 drop-in |
| Drop-in class | $25 |
| Private lessons | $65/hour |
| Studio rental | $35/hour |
Family discounts
- 5% off for your second family member
- 10% off for the third and each additional family member
- 5% off tuition when you pay for the full year up front
What a season actually costs
This is the question behind most of the others, so here it is in one place. Costs shown for a full season, per dancer.
| Registration | Tuition | Recital fee | Costume | Total for the year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| One Full Season class | $55 | $85/mo × 9.5 = $807.50 | $140 | $50–$200 | $1,053–$1,203 |
| Two Full Season classes | $55 | $168/mo × 9.5 = $1,596 | $140 | $50–$200 each | $1,891–$2,191 |
| Three Full Season classes | $55 | $249/mo × 9.5 = $2,365.50 | $140 | $50–$200 each | $2,711–$3,161 |
| Fall or Winter session | none | $255 | doesn't perform | — | $255 |
| Spring session | none | $290 — recital fee included | included | $50–$200 | $340–$490 |
| Spring session — tumbling | none | $255 — doesn't perform | — | — | $255 |
| Competition program | $55 | See competition materials — fees are separate and substantially higher | |||
Tuition is billed over 9.5 months, September through June — and June is a half month. Classes finish on June 11, so your June charge is half a normal month rather than a full one. That's why the table says 9.5 and not 10.
Costumes are per routine, so a dancer in two performing classes needs two. Family discounts come off these totals — 5% for a second dancer, 10% for a third, 5% for paying the year in full. Recital tickets are bought separately by anyone attending.
When each fee is charged
No surprises — here's the whole year.
| When | What happens |
|---|---|
| At registration | $55 registration fee — Full Season enrolments only. Session classes are paid in full at this point and carry no registration fee. |
| The 25th of each month | Next month's tuition posts to your account — you'll see it, but nothing has left your bank yet. |
| The 1st of each month | That tuition is drafted from your card. Bank holidays can shift this by a day or two. |
| November 15 | Recital fee, $140 — Full Season performing dancers only. It covers the venue deposit, faculty pay for showcase weekend, and showcase administration. |
| February 15 | Costume fees, $50–$200 per routine. |
| Spring | Recital tickets go on sale. We'll announce the date. |
June is a half charge. Tuition runs September through June, and because classes end on June 11, your final month is billed at half. Nothing has gone wrong — that's the last payment of the season.
Tuition posts on the 25th and comes out on the 1st. That gap is deliberate — it gives you nearly a week to look at the charge and tell us if something's wrong before you've paid it. If a charge appears on the 25th that you don't recognise, email accounts@509collective.com and we'll hold it while we check.
Everything is charged to the card on file. You'll see each charge in the Parent Portal.
The two questions we get most about fees
"Is the registration fee per student or per class?" Per student, once a year. $55 covers your dancer no matter how many Full Season classes they take. Session classes don't carry a registration fee at all — if your dancer only takes Fall, Winter or Spring session classes, you never pay it.
"What's billed separately from tuition?" Recital fees, recital tickets, and costume fees. These are not included in monthly tuition and are billed on their own schedule. Competition and choreography fees are separate again and are covered in the competition program materials.
Non-refundable: registration fees, session fees, recital fees, costume fees, and summer program fees. Tuition may be prorated where applicable.
How do I register?
- Find your class on the class schedule.
- Click through to the Parent Portal and create an account.
- Enrol your dancer and complete the policy agreement.
- You'll get a confirmation email. If you don't see one within an hour, check your spam folder — then email us, because it means something didn't go through.
A credit card on file and autopay are required for all enrolled families.
Never used the Parent Portal before? Your account is created the first time you register. If you're stuck at the login screen, email hello@509collective.com and we'll send you a direct link — don't create a second account, it splits your family record in two.
When does the season run, and when are you closed?
The 2026/2027 season runs September 2026 through June 2027.
| Closure | Dates |
|---|---|
| Labor Day | Mon, Sept 7, 2026 |
| Non-Student Day | Fri, Oct 9, 2026 |
| Fall Break | Mon–Fri, Oct 19–23, 2026 |
| Halloween — early close 6:30pm | Sat, Oct 31, 2026 |
| Veterans Day | Wed, Nov 11, 2026 |
| Thanksgiving Break | Wed–Sun, Nov 25–29, 2026 |
| Winter Break | Mon, Dec 21, 2026 – Sun, Jan 3, 2027 |
| Martin Luther King Jr. Day | Mon, Jan 18, 2027 |
| Presidents' Day & Mid-Winter Break | Mon–Fri, Feb 15–19, 2027 |
| Non-Student Day | Fri, Mar 19, 2027 |
| Spring Break | Mon–Sun, Apr 12–18, 2027 |
| Memorial Day | Mon, May 31, 2027 |
On Halloween, classes that end by 6:30pm run normally.
Session dates: Fall runs Aug 31 – Nov 21, 2026. Winter runs Nov 30, 2026 – Mar 13, 2027. Spring runs Mar 15 – Jun 12, 2027.
Observation weeks — come and watch
Three weeks a year, families come in and watch class. It's the best way to see what your dancer has been working on, and teachers plan something to show you in the last fifteen minutes.
| Observation week | Dates |
|---|---|
| Fall | Mon Oct 12 – Sat Oct 17, 2026 |
| Winter | Mon Jan 25 – Sat Jan 30, 2027 |
| Spring | Mon Apr 5 – Sat Apr 10, 2027 |
You're welcome at your dancer's regular class time that week. Nothing to book — just come.
My dancer will miss a class. What do I do?
Report it through the Parent Portal, before the class where possible.
Make-ups are available for any absence. It doesn't matter why your dancer missed — illness, a school event, a family trip, a hard week, or a class we cancelled. If they miss, they can make it up.
You have two weeks. A make-up must be taken within 14 days of the missed class, so please book it soon rather than saving it up.
How to schedule one: book it through the Parent Portal, or email hello@509collective.com and we'll find you one.
Which classes can they make up in? Any class at your dancer's level or below, in any style. That often means trying something new — a jazz dancer taking a tap class, or a Tuesday dancer meeting a different teacher on a Thursday. Dancers discover a lot this way, and we like it when they do.
Moving up a level for a make-up needs approval first. Dancers may not make up in a class above their placement without prior approval from our Studio Director. This isn't gatekeeping — a class above a dancer's level moves faster and builds on skills they haven't been trained in yet, and that's where injuries happen. If you think your dancer is ready, email hello@509collective.com with the subject "Make-up approval" and we'll take a look.
Tuition is not refunded or credited for a missed class. Tuition holds your dancer's place in their class for the whole season, the same way it does at every studio. The make-up is how we make it right — so please use them. They cost you nothing and they're already paid for.
If your dancer is missing a lot of classes, please talk to us rather than letting it build up. Sometimes the answer is a schedule change, a different class, or simply a lighter season — and we would much rather help you find that than have a dancer quietly fall behind or feel like they can't come back.
What should my dancer wear?
Ballet is our only class with a uniform. Every other class has a footwear requirement and otherwise just needs clothes your dancer can move in comfortably.
Ballet uniform
| Class | Leotard colour |
|---|---|
| Ballet 1 | White |
| Ballet 2 | Coffee — new this season |
| Ballet 3 | Olive green |
| Ballet 4 | Black |
Brand: Nikolay for Ballet 1, 3 and 4. Wear Moi for Ballet 2.
Tights: pink or skin-tone.
Shoes: canvas split-sole slipper — any brand is fine.
Hair: a secured bun.
Skirts are optional. If your dancer wants one, we ask for the bullet skirt style, in a colour that matches their leotard.
Why we're specific about this: it's a uniform, so it needs to be the same colour and style across the class. If you find something that matches very closely, that's fine. If it doesn't match, faculty may ask your dancer to get something else — and we'd much rather you avoid that purchase than make it twice.
Ballet 2 has changed to coffee this season. If you bought based on last season, or on what Empire had on file earlier this summer, you may have the wrong colour. Contact us before you buy anything else and we'll sort it out.
Pointe and Pre-Pointe
| Class | What's needed |
|---|---|
| Pointe | Pointe shoes, fitted for your dancer. Hair in a bun. |
| Pre-Pointe | Canvas slipper. Hair in a bun. |
Pointe shoes have to be fitted — please don't buy them online or hand them down. Feet differ in width, toe length and arch, and a shoe that doesn't match your dancer's foot puts weight in the wrong place. A proper fitting takes about half an hour at a dance shop. If you're not sure where to start, ask us and we'll point you to someone good.
Footwear for everything else
No uniform — just the right shoes, plus clothes your dancer can move in.
| Class | Shoes |
|---|---|
| Jazz & TJL, Levels 1 and 2 | Jazz shoe, any colour |
| Jazz & TJL, Level 3 | Dancer's choice — whatever they're most comfortable in |
| Tap | Black tap shoe |
| Hip Hop — including Mini Hip Hop and PreK Hip Hop | Clean sneaker |
| Contemporary (all levels, including Open) | Bare feet or half-soles |
| Lyrical | Bare feet or half-soles |
| Acro | Bare feet |
| Tumbling (all levels) | Bare feet |
| Cheer | Clean cheer shoes |
| Ballroom | Ballroom heel or jazz shoe |
| Mini & Pre-K classes — including Mini Motion Series and Dance Together | Ballet slipper, or bare feet |
Hair for every class: secured and out of the face. Ballet, Pointe and Pre-Pointe need a bun; everything else just needs it tied back so it isn't in your dancer's eyes when they turn.
Showcase shoes for jazz haven't been decided yet — we'll let you know well before you need them, so please don't buy anything specifically for the showcase yet.
"Clean" sneakers and cheer shoes means studio-only shoes that haven't been worn outside. It protects the floors, which protects your dancer's knees.
Where to buy
Empire Dance Shop carries everything on this page — but you don't have to buy there. If you find the right colour, style and brand somewhere else, or second-hand, that's completely fine.
If what a shop has on file differs from what's on this page, this page is correct. Please check here first, and if anything looks off, email us before you buy. We've had families buy the wrong colour on a shop's say-so and we'd rather save you the trip.
Is the Spring Showcase required?
For Full Season classes, yes. Performing in the Spring Showcase is part of the class — dancers spend the season building toward it, and the choreography is set on the whole group.
These Full Season classes are the exception and do not perform: TJL, tumbling, and open level classes. If your dancer is only in those, there's nothing to prepare for and no showcase fees.
For session classes, it depends which session. Only the Spring session includes the showcase. Fall and Winter sessions do not perform — so if your dancer takes a Fall or Winter session class and you'd like them on stage in June, enrol them in the Spring session too.
What that means for fees:
- Full Season dancers: the recital fee is billed separately from tuition.
- Spring session dancers: the recital fee is already included in the $290 session price — nothing further to pay for it.
- Costume fees and recital tickets are separate in both cases.
Recital and costume fees are non-refundable once posted.
If something changes — an injury, a conflict, a season that turns out to be too full — tell us as early as you can. We can't refund fees after they're posted, but we can almost always work something out if we know before that point. Email hello@509collective.com.
A group routine is built around the dancers in it. When someone steps out late, the formations, partnering and spacing have to be rebuilt for everyone else. Committing at the start is what makes the whole thing work — and for most dancers, the showcase turns out to be the best part of the year.
How do I see what I owe?
Log into the Parent Portal and open your account.
One thing to know about the balance you'll see: your balance includes charges we've posted ahead of time for the season — costume fees, recital fees, and for competition families, competition and choreography fees. It is not only what's due today. If your balance looks bigger than you expected, that's usually why.
If your balance doesn't look right, email accounts@509collective.com with your dancer's name and what you're seeing, and we'll send you a line-by-line transaction record. We'd rather sort it out than have you wonder.
Are competition dates final?
Competition dates can change, and we want to be honest about that up front rather than after it affects your calendar.
When we publish the season calendar, deposits have been paid and the events are booked — but competition producers occasionally move dates, and adjudication schedules within an event are not released until shortly before. Add the dates to your calendar, and expect that a small number may shift.
When a date changes, we will tell you as soon as we know, in writing, through the competition communication channel — not by word of mouth at the studio.
Who do I email?
- Registration, enrolment, schedule changes, general questions Front desk hello@509collective.com
- Billing, invoices, payments, account balances Accounts accounts@509collective.com
- Competition schedules, deadlines, required items, travel Competition admin competition@509collective.com
- Your dancer's growth, confidence and progress Faculty mentor Ask at the front desk
- A serious concern that hasn't been resolved Studio leadership hello@509collective.com, subject "Leadership"
Please email one person, not several. Messaging multiple staff about the same thing slows the answer down rather than speeding it up.
Response time: 24–48 hours for non-urgent questions. If it's urgent, call the studio at 509.340.9880.
A safety concern, an injury or medical restriction, bullying or harassment, or anything that puts a dancer at immediate risk.
Still haven't found it?
Email hello@509collective.com and ask. If it's a question we should have answered here, we'll add it — that's how this page gets better.