The Arts Castle Dance Academy (ACDA) Enrollment & Information
The ACDA accepts dancers at the beginning of the dance year (August) and mid year (January). Both enrollment periods begin with a free trial period, allowing dancers to explore the class before commitment!
Our dance curriculum is designed to cover 34 weeks of material and culminate in our annual Winter and Spring Recitals. Dancers must attend 70% of their classes in order to participate in the recitals.
Please contact Chelsea Carbary, Dance Coordinator, at dance.artscastle@gmail.com with any questions.
Registration
Registration for classes is on a first-come, first-served basis. Most find it easiest to register online, but you may also register in person or by phone at 740-369-2787 during office hours Monday-Friday, 9-5 p.m.
Tuition
The ACDA offers all-inclusive pricing, with no separate recital fees and no registration fee! We also offer 10% off each additional ACDA class the dancer or a family member enrolls in.
Payment options include paying the full amount prior to the start of the dance year or making monthly payments towards each class. It is easy to select your payment type when registering online! If you choose the monthly payment option, your first payment will occur at registration and the remaining payments will occur around the 22nd of the following months.
Payment can be taken with Mastercard, Visa, Discover or American Express (debit or credit), also cash or checks (checks made out to The Arts Castle). The ACDA class fees are excluded from The Arts Castle membership discount.
In the case of a withdrawal from class, tuition will be refunded when written notice of withdrawal is received by our office. The amount refunded will reflect classes not taken after the postmark date on the written notice.
Scholarships
Scholarships are available for dancers who qualify, based on financial need or artistic aptitude. Applications are available at The Arts Castle or on our website. Please submit scholarship applications by September 1st for the 2025-2026 dance season.
Class Attire
Class Observation
The ACDA and Pre-Academy classes are structured as instructor-child classes, as family and friends in the Ballroom can cause distraction to the learning environment. Parents/guardians can wait outside the Ballroom and may peak in through the glass doors as desired! We also offer a fall and spring Step Into Class week where family and friends can observe class and may be asked to participate as well!
For our Pre-Academy program, we strive to support healthy parent-child separation and family will be asked to sit outside the Ballroom for these classes as well (with the exception of our Parent & Me programming). Parents/guardians may be temporarily invited into the Ballroom at the instructor’s discretion to support learning goals as needed. All families and friends are invited to observe a class showcase in the Ballroom on the last day of the Pre-Academy class session!
Class Cancellations and Absences
Early registration helps ensure classes run! The ACDA leaves registration open throughout the dance year with prorated tuition, based on class size and instructor discretion. If a class has already begun working on their recital piece, dancers enrolling mid-season may be asked to sit out for the performance. The Arts Castle reserves the right to cancel classes or substitute teachers if the need arises. Notifications will be sent through our ACDA communication group and to the email used at registration.
Classes that do not meet minimum enrollment may be cancelled. Dancers will be notified and we will try to place them in a comparable class. If no arrangement can be made, a prorated refund will be issued.
If the ACDA is required to close due to local or state regulations, a prorated refund will be given. If a class is cancelled due to weather or instructor illness, the instructor will notify dancers of a make-up date.
In the care and courtesy of our dancers, we ask that students do not attend class if they are sick or feeling unwell to prevent the spread of illness.
Inclement Weather Policy
The ACDA follows Delaware City School’s closing and delay schedule. However, classes will be held if the weather clears up and is safe to travel prior to the start of classes. If a level 2 snow emergency is in place for Delaware, The Arts Castle will not hold classes. If classes are cancelled, we will ensure you are notified via our ACDA communication group, email and Facebook.