Dance Arts Academy provides professional dance training in an inspirational, warm and friendly atmosphere. Early exposure to caring, professional teachers with national experience and recognition will shape a dancer’s education from the very start. We have some of the most qualified teachers in the country, and are confident that affiliation with this outstanding faculty will benefit all aspects of a dancer’s life. We feel that progress for both the serious and recreational dancer is best realized in a professional atmosphere where students and teachers are treated with dignity and respect. DAA provides a healthy, positive, and supportive atmosphere for our student’s development of a strong work ethic, grace, poise, and physical and emotional well being.

Everyone that studies at DAA plays a unique and important part in keeping our studio one of the top schools in the country. Our performance company, Company Dance Traverse (CDT) has been selected as Michigan’s representative at the "Dance Excellence" International Dance Festival in Los Angeles for the past five years. In addition, CDT has earned the "Class Act Honor" both Regionally and Nationally in New York City at The New York City Dance Alliance. This is awarded to the group that best displays professional, quality, age appropriate choreography, and performs all of their pieces with class and professionalism. This is a great honor, and one that we share with all of you. We expect all of our students to uphold this honor and abide by all of the Dance Arts Academy rules and procedures. Parents, please help us achieve "Class Act" behavior from all of our students.

We expect all our students to abide by the dress code, and have hair pulled back as detailed in daa etiquette.
We ask that ballet shoes for all Creative Movement, Pre Ballet, and Ballet classes be Bloch, Capezio, Sansha, or Wear Moi brands. Please note – no jewelry allowed in classes!
Creative Movement, Dance Exploration, Pre-Ballet: Light Pink leotard, pink tights and ballet shoes
Ballet Elements: Light Purple leotard, pink tights and ballet shoes
Children’s Continuing Ballet: Light Blue leotard, Light.Blue wrap skirt, pink tights and ballet shoes
Children’s Intermediate Ballet, ITP 1: Navy Blue leotard, pink tights and ballet shoes
Children’s Advanced Ballet, ITP 4: Burgundy leotard, pink tights and ballet shoes
Pre-Teen, Teen, and Adult Ballet (all levels), ITP 8: Black leotard, pink tights and ballet shoes
ITP 12 Ballet: Solid Color leotard, pink tights and ballet shoes
Cecchetti Ballet: Black leotard, pink tights and ballet shoes
Pointe & Variations: Class color as above
Modern: Class color as above (optional dance shorts)
Musical Theater: Class color as above (optional dance shorts)
Jazz, Tap: Class color as above (optional dance shorts), with black jazz/tap shoes thru Continuing levels, tan jazz/tap shoes Intermediate level and above
Hip-Hop (all levels): T-shirts or Hip-Hop attire will be permitted in this class only, with black hip-hop shoes all levels except ITP (NO street shoes)
Guys (all classes): White t-shirt or tank, Black tights, black sweat pants or jazz pants, Black ballet shoes
Pilates: Comfortable clothes you can move in and a pilates mat
Zumba, Cardio Hip-Hop: Comfortable clothes you can move in and supportive indoor shoes (NO street shoes)

We welcome all of you into our lovely dance space! We are SO happy to be able to share our dreams with you. We are excited for everyone to join together and help us ensure that our oasis stays as lovely as it is now. We appreciate your support in the following:

• Gum is not allowed anywhere in Dance Arts Academy.
• Eat and drink ONLY in the designated eating area…front left alcove entry viewing area. Do not bring food or drink (other than water) into any other areas of Dance Arts Academy. Please clean up after yourself.
• Dancers taking class are encouraged to bring a water bottle labeled with their name into the studio (water only). Take this with you when you leave.
• No “street” shoes on our dance floors! Dance shoes are not worn outside.
• Children 12 & under use the purple dressing room. Teens 13 & up use the coral dressing room. These rooms are for female dancers and female parent/supervisors only. No Fathers or brothers.
• There is a men’s bathroom/dressing room at the end of the hall for all of our guys.
• Please leave valuables at home. DAA cannot be responsible for any lost items. Place your name in all of your dance items. All lost & found is put in the laundry baskets in the dressing rooms, and is periodically donated to charity. Please keep track of the things you wish to keep!!
• Siblings/Children need to be supervised at all times in the waiting areas, dressing rooms, and bathrooms. These areas are not play spaces. Running around and playing games becomes an interruption to faculty and dancers. Please keep studio entryways and hallways passable.
• Please make advance arrangements to speak with teachers as class time is limited and classes are scheduled consecutively. Our front desk staff can facilitate this.
• Each child has the opportunity to participate in Dance Art Academy’s Spring Concert in May. Costume fees/deposits are due in January when costumes are ordered. Your account must be current for your child to participate in the Spring Concert.

When Traverse City Area Public Schools (TCAPS) cancels daytime classes due to bad weather, DAA will also close. When Northwestern Michigan College cancels evening classes due to bad weather, DAA will also close. We encourage you to use good discretion when traveling on Northern Michigan roads.