Welcome to Our Dance Family...

Joan Kathey Dance Center has been a prominent member of the Leesville area for nearly 50 years. Nestled next to our sister community, Fort Polk, we have touched the lives of young dancers around the world.

Here at JKDC we pride ourselves in providing our young dancers with the skills, expertise, and knowledge of multiple forms of dance which will enable them to be their personal best. We strive to provide them with a professional experience through an excellent teaching staff and instill in them a sense of self worth and self efficacy. 

We are affiliated with the Cecchetti Council of America. For more information regarding this national council please visit www.cecchetti.org 

Please click on this link to access a PDF with this year's Policies and Procedures.  Print it out and place it on your refrigerator or somewhere close to serve as a reference for dates, policies, and expectations.

 Important Dates for the 2023-2024 Dance Year

**SOME DATES OR TIMES MAY BE SUBJECT TO CHANGE**

• 1st Day of Dance: Tuesday, September 5th, 2023

• Fair Days: October 5-9, resumes October 10th, 2023

• Costume Fees Due: October 17th, 2023

• Thanksgiving Break (studio closed): November 20-24, 2023 studio opens November 27th, 2023

• Nutcracker Week (studio closed): December 4-9, 2023 studio opens December 11th, 2023

• How the Grinch Stole Christmas Field Trip Shows: Matinee December 10th, 2023 at 2pm and field trip shows December 11-13, 2023

• 11th Annual Nutcracker December 8th, 2023 at 7:00pm and December 9th, 2023 at 7:30pm

• Christmas Break (studio closed) December 19, 2023 - January 2, 2024 studio opens January 3rd, 2024

• Mardi Gras Break (studio closed) February 12-13, 2024 studio opens February 14th, 2024

• Recital Fees due: March 4th, 2024

• Recital Pictures will be scheduled with the dates and location TBA 

• Easter Break (studio closed) March 29 - April 5, 2024 studio opens April 8th, 2023

• Spring Cecchetti Exams and Master Classes: TBA

• Mandatory Recital Rehearsals: May 16-25, 2024

• Dress Rehearsal: May 24th, 2024

• Recital: May 25th, 2024

Registration/ tuition

Our registration days are in the month of August for the upcoming 2023-2024 school year. If you would like to print out a Registration form you can click on this link. During this time, we register new dancers, pass out dance schedules, review policies/procedures, and show our classrooms. There is a registration fee due upon enrollment.

RECITAL/DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY CONTRACT

Upon enrollment you will be asked to sign a contract stating you understand the dates for Recital Practices and Recital and giving us permission to use your child's photograph on this website and our Facebook page. If you do not wish for your child to participate in recital or for his/her picture to appear on the web please let us know.  We aim to please our parents and want everyone involved to have a happy experience.

Absenteeism

Students are permitted 6 unexcused absences from class - which is equivalent to 1 1/2 months of dance. Students who miss more than the allotted classes will not be invited to participate in recital despite the purchase of costumes. Please make every effort to be present. Make up classes are available and can be scheduled through your child's teacher. **To receive perfect attendance a dancer must have perfect attendance in pointe or ballet, tap, AND jazz.

Bad Weather

We will use our own discretion as to whether or not the studio will be closed when Vernon Parish Schools are closed due to weather. We will post our closing on the studio Facebook page "Joan Kathey Dance Center" and announce it on KJAE's radio station. There will also be a voice message on our answering machine. Please check any of the locations when you have a school weather day. Classes cancelled due to weather will not be made up.