Midwest Dance Center

Welcome to our studio! We consider our four walls our home away from home and hope that you will enjoy it as much as we do. We like to think we have lots of character, are a little crazy at times, and really love growing with young people as they find their spark in life through dance.

Dance Forms

We specialize in Tap, Contemporary, Lyrical, Jazz, Hip Hop, and Musical Theater. We also offer combination (Combo) classes for ages 3-4 and 5-7. Combo classes will mix Tap and Ballet/Lyrical and possibly sprinkle in a little Jazz.

Combo classes are great introductions to dance as they give a wider dance experience for young dancers and offers a quicker way to learn basic dance skills. Typically dancers in these classes will learn one dance form one week and then switch to the other dance form the following week. Combo classes for 3-4 year olds are 30 minutes and 45 minutes for the 5-7 year olds.

We do offer regular (non-combo) dance classes starting at age 5 if a dancer is ready to commit to a single dance form and begin their specific dance journey earlier.

As dancers get older or progress in their dance development, we prefer to group dancers according to their skill mastery rather than strictly on age. We are flexible and will do our best to meet the needs of each and every dancer.

Dance Sessions

We have three dance sessions per year:

Spring session -  January to May

Summer session -  June to July

Winter session - late August/beginning September to December

The month of August is set aside for our competitive program choreography so we do not have regular dance classes most of that month.

Because we divide the dance year into sessions, you will need to register your dancer or tumbler at the beginning of each one. The respective schedule and online registration will be available as early as possible before each session.

Registration for new dancers is then open for 4-6 weeks after a session starts. After this time we will close class registration for new signups. We close class registration for any new dancers as we are getting a little more serious about fine-tuning the performance for the upcoming recital.

New dancers coming into the "practice" time later into the session can be a little challenging for everyone; but please still reach out to us if you are interested!

Registration for tumbling classes stays open longer into the session as those classes are not working on a recital routine.

Recreational Program

Dance: We offer recreational dance experiences for ages 3-18. Dancers in the recreational program will work on skills, learn to be a part of a dance group, and perform on stage for recital. We have two recitals per dance year. Winter recital is in the middle of December and the Spring recital is in the middle of May.

You are not required to sign any contracts in the recreational program but know that the dance group is working on choreography together and each person will play an important role at performance time. But if you cannot stay for the entire session; that is okay as we know life events and schedule changes happen. We just ask that you let us know if you are unable to stay for the entire session.

Technique: All dancers taking Contemporary, Lyrical, or Jazz classes will be “required” to take a technique class either before or after their regular dance class. It is required in that the cost of taking the technique class is already included in the tuition fee for those dance classes.

Technique classes are a great way to learn how to become a better dancer by working on turns, leaps, and jumps associated with those dance forms.

Tumbling: We also offer beginning tumbling classes for ages 3-7. Tumblers will learn basic skills appropriate for their age group. Little ones work on balance, coordination, body awareness, and having fun. The next step is cart wheels, round offs, bridges, hand stands, and more.

After age 7, we switch to an Acro (acrobatics) focus that is more suited for dance. Advance tumblers will learn to perform the same floor skills as they would in a gymnastic program but will learn to do them on a hard (dance) floor instead of a spring floor. Gymnastics and acrobatics are very similar in their skill development but differ in where the power for each move comes from.

Competitive Program

Our competitive program competes in the Tap, Contemporary, Lyrical, Jazz, and Hip Hop dance forms. Dancers will be required to take technique and skill development classes as well as their choreography classes for each dance form.

We have four levels of teams:

Mini (5-8 year olds)

Youth (8-12 year olds)

Junior (12-14 year olds)

Senior (14-18 year olds)

We may also have a combination of dancers from a mixture of teams. Dancers can compete just one dance form or any combination of forms but must make each team.

We hold tryouts in April/May for the next competitive season that starts in August and finishes in May. Based on tryout performance, dancers are placed on the appropriate team based on their skill level as well as for the dance form they qualified for. Again, the ages listed earlier are just guidelines as placement on a team is at the discretion of the competitive coaches.

If a dancer does not qualify for a particular team or for a specific dance form, we will help the dancer prepare for the next competitive season if this occurs. Dance is a progression and we will do our best to help each dancer along their dance journey.

Competitive dancers are also encouraged to take recreational dance classes for dance forms they did not qualify for if they are interested in trying out for that dance form the following year. We also encourage everyone to take classes that we do not compete in to become a more rounded dancer and to have a little more fun.

In order for a competitive dance team to be successful, it requires dedication from the dancer as well as the families. Because of this commitment, families with competitive dancers are required to sign a contract for the competitive season. To help with this decision, we put together a tentative but very realistic fee projection for the dance season so that families have a good idea of the financial costs associated with this program before having to sign the competitive dance contract.

We compete on the adjudicated dance circuit which consists of local, regional, and national venues. We like to travel with all our competitive teams. The Mini team may have one to two competitions in the nearby region like Omaha. Otherwise, we will stay very local with this team. The three older teams may travel a little further but we like to stay no more than a day’s drive in one direction.

We do compete at the national level but only compete at these venues every two to three years since they require more travel and, of course, costs. We make National competition decisions prior to the competitive year so everyone is prepared for this venture.

Competitive dancers may also choose to compete a solo, duet, or trio routine or routines at competitions. Solos, duets, and trios are not mandatory but we do prefer dancers to compete their routines in the dance form(s) they have qualified for.

If your dancer is interested in these performances, it is advised the family and dancer sit down and talk about this choice with Jen our Studio Director and Head Competitive Dance Coach.

MDC605 does not offer scheduled solo, duet, or trio classes or practice times so it is up to the dancer and family to find time at the studio to practice. Choreography can be provided by any of our accomplished coaches or can be sourced outside the studio. There is a fee for choreography but that is between the family and the coach/choreographer. Again, the coaches will only choreograph the routine but will not be at practices or lead practices unless otherwise agreed upon.

Appropriate Dance Attire 

For all classes (dance and tumbling), the person’s hair needs to be pulled back and out of their eyes.  No dangling earrings or necklaces are allowed for any of the classes as well. No gum is allowed during practice and each person should bring their own water bottle. Water, Gatorade, and snacks are available for purchase in the studio store.

Lyrical, Contemporary, Technique, and Jazz students should wear standard dance attire such as tights or leotards or any tight-fitting athletic wear such as leggings, dance shorts, sports bras, tight tank tops, etc. We recommend half-sole shoes which can be purchased at the studio. We sell leather shoes as canvas ones do not last as long. We do not recommend the traditional jazz shoe. For younger dancers please see the Combo-class guidelines.

Hip Hop dancers are encouraged to wear athletic attire as well. Sweatpants are acceptable. Jeans are not appropriate dance wear! An extra pair of shoes are required for Hip Hop as no street shoes will be allowed on the studio floors.

Tap dancers may wear any of the aforementioned attire. For recreational Tap dancers, we do have some Tap shoes on hand at the studio that can be rented. We can also help you buy your dancer’s Tap shoes if you like.

Competitive dancers will be required to wear the approved “uniform” when at dance competitions as well as purchased approved dance bags and any other clothing.

Tumblers/Acro students need to wear tight-fitting athletic attire as well. Also keep in mind that tumblers may be upside down so shirts must be secured as to not rise up or fall down over the eyes. Definitely NO JEWELRY will be allowed. Tumblers can wear either socks or go bare foot.

Combo-class dancers (3-4 year olds) should wear standard dance wear or leotards and leggings. Tutus and similar dance wear is acceptable for this age group. Hair should still be pulled back if possible. 5-7 year old Combo dancers can follow the previous guidelines.

Drop Off/Pick Up 

Please drop your dancer or tumbler off as close to class start time as possible.  Dropping your student off to early (or late) puts a burden on the MDC605 staff.  Furthermore, no student will be allowed to leave without a responsible adult being present for the pick up.  We take the safety of each dancer or tumbler seriously.

There are two Handicap parking spaces just outside the studio door.  Please do not park in them unless you have the appropriate signage.

There are a few 10-minute parking spaces for quick drop off/pick up so please be respectful of these spaces and their time allotment as well. Even if these dedicated parking spaces are close to the studio, we do not own them but share them with the other businesses. If you anticipate having to wait more than 10 minutes or spending any length of time at the studio, please consider parking in the “regular” packing spaces further from the studio. 

Lobby: Waiting For Dancers/Tumblers

You are not required to stay at the studio while your dancer or tumbler practices. If not staying at the studio, please be mindful of the class ending time and be back to the studio to pick up your dancer or tumbler on time. We do open studio doors 5 minutes before class ends so that you can watch what your dancer or tumbler has worked on.

If you would like to stick around and hang out with us in the lobby while your dancer or tumbler practices, please do so! Just remember that we do not allow parents, families, or friends in the studio rooms while practice is going on. This is even true for the 3-4 year olds too!

We understand you want to support your dancer or tumbler but in all honesty, you are a distraction and being in the room can disrupt the flow of the class. We do not currently have viewing rooms so please trust our reliable, professional, and enthusiastic instructors to keep your dancer or tumbler safe while providing a fun experience. Again, we will open the studio room doors the last 5 minutes of class so that you can show your support and enthusiasm then. This is also the perfect time to take video or any pictures.

The only exception to video recording is that we do not allow any recording of our competitive routines and definitely do not condone posting videos of our current dance routines on social media. If in doubt, DON’T and then ask us for clarification.

We do have four parent work tables available in the lobby so if you want to catch up on some business while you wait for your dancer or tumbler, you may at the detriment of your work/life balance.

Tuition Payment

Monthly tuition is due by the 24th of each month but if you can pay your monthly balance earlier, please do so! We offer a variety of very flexible ways to pay your dance bill starting with good old cash or check. If one of the studio staff is not around, you can drop your paper payment in the black mailbox outside the back office door.

We also accept debit/credit payments which you can make through the SportsEngine MOTION app that we use for your online family account. More on this app and your family account later. There is, however, a processing fee when making payments through the MOTION app.

We also have a studio ACH (Automated Clearing House) process whereby you can select a plan that pays your bill the first half of the month (7th), the second half of the month (20th), or split your monthly bill into first and second half payments. Many of our competitive families use this plan for that program but it is open to all families.

Please also note that MDC605 reserves the right to refuse service for non-payment or lack of prior payment arrangements.

Booster Club

For those dance families in the competitive program, MDC605 is fortunate to have the family support of the MDC605 Booster Club. This non-profit group is not part of the MDC605 studio despite sharing the name. Their focus is to help competitive dance families with fundraising activities to help offset the cost of competing in dance. Booster Club details are provided in July just before dance contracts are due. There may be a registration fee with their club membership. 

Additional Fees 

An Insufficient Funds fee will be accessed for any returned payments.

You will also be charged a Recital Fee before each recital (Winter and Spring). This fee, typically $60-$70, will cover costumes and other expenses for the performance. This fee does not cover the performance ticket price which will be determined at recital performance time. Please also note that recital costumes are yours to keep since you purchased them. 

There will be additional fees, as appropriate for the activity of dance, for dancers that participate in the competitive dance program.  All additional fees, however, will be communicated before assessment and are also explained in the fee sheet before contracts are due.

We do not currently charge a dance registration fee to take classes at our studio.

Closures (Weather or Holiday) 

If the Sioux Falls schools are cancelled due to inclement weather there will be no dance or tumbling classes for that day.  Further consideration will be determined for any other regional school system cancellation and will be communicated appropriately. Please see the Communication section for more details on how we distribute this information.

If inclement weather is forecasted for the evening, we will monitor the situation and make a cancellation/early closure decision as soon as possible, especially if dance classes have already started and we are in the middle of the evening.

If classes are cancelled or we close early, there is typically not a refund offered or a make up day scheduled. Both sessions have one extra day in them that is not charged for so we have a little extra wiggle room. Your account may be adjusted if we have multiple closures or longer cancellations.

For holidays, recreational dance classes will be cancelled in accordance to our holiday calendar posted on our MDC605 website, typically in the Class area. In most cases, the studio WILL BE OPEN on any Monday or single-day holidays and any type of school in-service breaks.

Competitive dance class closures will, for the most part, follow the holiday calendar but there will be exceptions for the Christmas break and other longer holiday breaks. These exceptions will always be communicated well in advanced or as early as possible depending on the circumstances. 

Communication 

As part of the MDC605 studio family, you should always feel like you are “in the know” as we will communicate through multiple avenues giving you up-to-date information. Communication is a two-way street so it will be your responsibility to follow our communication channels : )

We will provide information and details on our MDC605 website. This is where you should go to view a general dance and tumbling schedule as well as register for classes. You will find other important details by checking out the other areas of the website. Critical announcements will be posted in the main heading area as well as in the Social Feed area.

We will also communicate to you through the SportsEngine MOTION app. You will need to install the app from your respective app store. Links to the different app stores are available at the bottom of the MDC605 website home page. SportsEngine has several different apps depending on the different sports so you may have another app from them. Dance and tumbling are only available through the MOTION app.

Once installed, please enable notifications for the app as we will send out notifications periodically and for critical information like closures, etc. We would also love to send you text messages for important information which you need to set up within your online family account.

The MOTION app is perfect for the mobile experience but you can also sign into our MDC605 website to see a more traditional layout. You will also need to sign into our website if you want to change family information and other details or any main account settings. The app does not currently allow you to do this.

We also have our social media sites for communication and fun happenings. Critical information will be posted on our Facebook and Instagram accounts so please follow us! Links to our social media sites can be found on our MDC605 website.

We also use the BAND app strictly for competitive communications. If your dancer is on a competitive dance team, you will be required to install this app too. We will typically only use the MOTION app for our recreational dancers and tumblers. If your dancer takes recreational classes then you may need to install two apps!

Lastly, we will occasionally send out emails for longer communications or if you have not installed the MOTION app or enabled text messaging. We prefer not to send emails!

Missing Class 

Dancers/tumblers/parents are responsible for letting the studio or coaches know when a dancer will not be attending a class.  This common courtesy is appreciated for both the recreational and competitive dance programs as well as the tumbling/Acro program.  We do take attendance and may contact you when your dancer has missed a class but, again, please be proactive in letting the studio know for any planned or unplanned absences.

The competitive program will have mandatory, scheduled classes outside the “normal” dance schedule.  We will do our best to give as much advanced notice as possible.  Please just know that before a competition weekend there will be additional classes/nights during that prior week to help prepare for the event.  It is essential to the success of the competitive teams that all dancers attend these classes.  We understand that some additional rehearsals may be short noticed but this just means communication both ways is even more important.

Complaint Handling 

We know, at times, that there may be situations where there are differences of opinions.  If there is a tense situation with a coach or someone else, please contact Jeffrey or Carla first.

MDC605 stands behind the idea that people should treat each other with social respect and deal with situations in a calm and constructive manner.

If you are dissatisfied with the studio or one of our policies or procedures or anything, please contact Jeffrey and Carla first. We value your patronage, and we are completely open to hearing constructive criticism and more then willing to discuss any situation that is important to you.

Social Media 

Social Media is a huge part of our society.  We ask that you keep your posts positive at all times with respect to the MDC605 studio, any dancers, our staff, and any parents at MDC605. Like the saying goes “If you do not have anything nice to say, say nothing at all!”

If there is an issue that needs to be brought to the studio’s attention, please contact Jeffrey or Carla first as outlined in the prior Complaint Handling section. You definitely have the right to express your opinions, but we just ask that you do so in a social responsible manner.

Parents, we highly encourage you to have a honest family discussion around these very important social views regarding Social Media with your dancer too.  Thank you!

Drug Free Zone 

MDC605 has adopted a strict No Drug Use policy.  We reserve the right to conduct a random drug test if there is a suspicion of use.  Parents will be informed if a test is given as well as the result of the test.  If a dancer tests positive for drug use, the person may be asked to leave the dance program.  

Competitive parents, please be aware that any competitive dance contractual obligations will still be honored if this situation would occur.

No Bullying Zone

MDC605 strongly believes in a Bully Free environment and takes this issue very seriously.  The studio will be enforcing a studio wide anti-bullying policy.  If we feel there is an issue, we will follow this procedure:

    1st offense - MDC605 staff will discuss the issue with the dancer and parents will be informed of the discussion.

    2nd offense - Parents and dancers will be called into the studio and the dancer will be suspended from classes or teams for a length of time TBD.

    3rd offense - The dancer will be asked to leave the studio for the remainder of the year/season.  Contractual obligations will be honored.  If the student would like to return to the studio the following year, the person, if allowed to return, will be on probationary terms TBD.

Final Thoughts

We know that was a lot of information to take in at once. Please feel free to review this information as often as you need. We do have a printed copy of this document at the studio if that would be easier for you.

We also hope that you feel confident in our  dance and tumbling programs and feel a little better about your decision to check out our home away from home. If we did not make it clear by now, everyone at MDC605 values your patronage and we would love to start and continue the dance and tumbling journey with you and your family.