CLASS ENROLMENT INFORMATION

Programs, Fees, Payments, Policies

Irish Dance classes with Manitoba's largest, longest established, and most successful Irish Dance school.

McConnell Irish Dance provides an encouraging, positive learning environment where students achieve individual goals and learn the value of working as a team in safe, family atmosphere.  Our teaching methods are based on Irish tradition and incorporate modern techniques to accelerate learning. ​ Class sizes are limited for individual focus and do not exceed an 8 -1 student to teacher ratio. Dancers receive one-on-one time with certified instructors and a team of caring teaching assistants.  Students are encouraged to seek their personal best through training, hard work, with support from their instructors and classmates.

Now in our 77th year of Irish dance excellence in Canada, spanning three generations!

ENROLMENT QUESTIONS? 

Please see below for information on registration, tuition, policies, and payments.

Still have questions? Let us assist by filling out an on-line 

Contact Form - Click Here 

or call  (204) 793-8557 during regular business hours.

WHICH TYPE OF IRISH DANCE IS RIGHT FOR YOU?

Whether you are looking for a weekly Recreational class for fun and exercise or an intensive Competitive Irish dance program designed for World Championship levels, McConnell Irish dance has the class for you.  We offer students the unique opportunity for local and international performances and competitions.

RECREATIONAL CLASSES

Recreational classes are ideal for those who wish to dance for fun, fitness, develop new skills, meet friends and maintain cultural connections.  Recreational classes include warm-up, technique, drills, and choreography. Recreational classes perform at St. Patrick's, Recital, and have the option to participate in Folklorama (summer classes).  Recreational students also have the opportunity to compete at Canada Féile (we recommend competing dancers also attend a full season or session based competitive class to properly prepare for competition).  Recreational students may choose to attend one or multiple classes per week and we offer week-night and weekend scheduling options.

• All ages from 2 to Adult
• All levels form Beginner to Advanced (CRN Levels 1 - 5)
• Performances include St. Patrick's, Recital, and Folklorama (optional with summer classes)
• Compete in Canada Féile
• Recreational Class & 1 Recital Costume

COMPETITIVE CLASSES

As a registered member of Cumann Rince Náisiúnta CRN, students have the option to compete in any Open Platform Irish dance competitions, including our local Canada Féile held in June.  McConnell Irish Dancers compete at Regional, National, and World Championship levels in both solo and team competitions.  CRN Competitive Irish Dance is comprised of graded 5 Levels and competitions are held in North America and abroad.  Digital (virtual) competitions are also offered as a more economic alternative to travel.

Our competitive classes focus is on training dancers to develop strong foundations with good technique and style for championship levels.  Competitive classes do no participate in performances.  Competitive dancers who wish to perform are encouraged to enrol in our Recreational classes or join our Performance Team.

• All ages from 5 to Adult
• All levels form Beginner to Advanced (CRN Levels 1 - 5)
• Compete in Canada Féile, Regional, National, and World Championships
• Non-performing classes 

PERFORMANCE TEAMS

Performance dancers are dedicated and willing to commit to dance above other extracurricular activities.  Dancers achieve the highest standard of Irish dance, gain confidence, learn valuable performance skills and work together as a team.  Dancers in our Performance Teams become dance family, make life-long friendships, and benefit from experiences beyond a standard dance class.

Performance Team enrolment is 12 months and dancers commit to classes and performances for the entire year.  Placement in Performance Division teams is determined by age and ability, but all dancers are welcome to join our team. Performance Teams dancers perform at over 40 local shows throughout the season, including St. Patrick’s, Year End Recital, and Folklorama. Performance dancers may also be invited to participate in International festivals.

• Ages 5 & up
• Enrol in at least 1 Recreational or Competitive class
• Class & Show Attendance Requirements
• Local shows St. Patrick's, Recital, Folklorama performances
• Performance Team and Show Costumes

FULL SEASON AND SESSION BASED CLASSES

We offer flexible enrolment with classes for Yearly (12 Month) Full Season (9 Month) or Term (2 - 3 Month) sessions to suit all schedules

• YEARLY: 12 Months.  Sept 9 - Aug 27
• FULL SEASON: 9 Months   Sept 9 - Aug 27

   SESSION BASED CLASSES

• FALL SESSION: 15 Weeks   Sept 9 - Dec 22
• WINTER SESSION: 12 Weeks   Jan 6 - Mar 30   
• SPRING SESSION: 8 Weeks   Apr 7 - Jun 1
• SUMMER SESSION: 9 Weeks   July 2 - Aug 27

HOW TO ENROL

Students register, select classes, payments, and maintain contact information through our secure system called Jackrabbit.  

Jackrabbit can be used On-Line - Click Here or using our Mobile App. 

Our Mobile App provides pupils the opportunity to easily manage their accounts, class registration, and receive push notifications, from the convenience of their mobile phone.  

To Download our App

1. Go to App Store or Google Play Store
2. Search McConnell Irish Dance
3. Select Download

Upon sign-up you will be asked for contact details for students and parent or guardians and payment information.  Multiple contacts may be added to family account so all parents, guardians, dancers, and family members can receive school emails.  Contact information may be updated at anytime through the Jackrabbit system.

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SCHOOL POLICIES AND TERMS OF ENROLMENT

REGISTRATION FEE

A one time yearly, non-refundable registration fee is processed at the time of enrolment confirmation.

New students, registration fees are processed after the trial class is complete and you have confirmed you will continue with enrolment. 

Returning students fees are applied at the time of registration.

Registration fees are only applied once per year and extend through Yearly, Full Season, or Session based programs.

• $35 - 1 Student   
• $55 - Family - 2 Students
• $75 - Family - 3+ Students

 

TUITION PAYMENTS

PAYMENT METHODS

Tuition payments are processed through a secure on-line payment processing system through Jackrabbit called SaveSafe. 

 Pupils must maintain a valid credit card or bank account information in the Student Portal on Jackrabbit.  If your credit card changes or expires, you will need to update your payment information in the Student Portal. 

Accepted methods of payment for 9 Monthly and Session Based Classes include:

1. Visa or MasterCard
2. Bank Draft (ACH)

For Full Season Payments we also accept;

• Cheque 
• Cash
• E-Transfer
• PayPal 

Please contact us at the time of registration if you wish to pay with Full Season Payments by Cheque, Cash, E-Transfer for PayPal.

LATE AND NSF PAYMENTS

Returned payments due to NSF or expired credit cards will be subject to a non-negotiable $25.00 fee.  Pupils will have two weeks to pay the overdue amount or additional late fees of $25.00 per month will be added to accounts.  If you are unable to make a payment, please contact us immediately so arrangements can be made in advance of a payment being declined.

 

FULL SEASON CLASS PAYMENTS

Full Season class fees are offered at a discounted rate to session based classed.  Full Season class fees are calculated by the total number of classes per season (not monthly), taking into account statutory holidays and lessons missed due to major performances or competitions.

• 1 PAYMENT: One full payment for yearly or full season enrolment receive a 5% discount in addition to Full Term, Multi-Class, and Family discounts.  Full Term payments are processed at the time of registration and are non-refundable, with the execution of New Students who have until Oct 15th to receive prorated refunds for early withdrawal.
• 9 PAYMENT OPTION:  Full Season Tuition fees are divided into 9 pre-authorised payments, scheduled for the 1st of each month (Sept - May).  Students receive Full Term, Multi-Class, and Family discounts based on the Full Season Class rates.  Pre-authorised 9 Payment Option fees are non-refundable with the execution of New Students who have until Oct 15th to receive prorated refunds for early withdrawal.

SESSION BASED CLASS PAYMENTS

FALL, WINTER , SPRING, SUMMER SESSIONS

Session based tuition payments are processed at the time of registration confirmation and session fees are non-refundable.  Early withdrawals will receive a refund if refund is received in writing (email) up to 14 days prior to the start of the class.  To receive Term, Multi-Class, Family Discounts, and 5% FulL Season Payment Discount, students must enrol in Full Season Classes.

 

TUITION FEES 

Irish dance is a specialised form of dance which requires a high degree of skill developed through proper training as good technique is important to maintain cultural traditions. McConnell Irish dance classes maintain a high teacher to student ratio to insure students receive sufficient one-on-one with instructors to properly develop.  Our Irish dance classes have a smaller number of students than other disciplines of dance. Due to the nature of Irish dance a large studio floor space and specially designed sprung flooring is required for dancer's safety.  For these reasons, Irish dance tuition may be priced slightly higher than typical dance classes. 

YEARLY &  FULL SEASON CLASS RATES

• FAMILY DISCOUNTS: To assist pupils, we offer a family discount for students within the same household.  The 2nd enrolment receives 5% off tuition, 3rd enrolment 10% off tuition, 4th or more enrolment 25% off tuition.  Fees are applied to the student with the lowest monthly rate.​
• MULTI CLASS DISCOUNTS: To assist dancers who enrol in multiple classes, we offer a reduce hourly rate.  Multi Class discounts are only offered for students enrolled in Yearly and Full Season Classes   

HOURLY & MULTI CLASS RATES  *GST not included           

SESSION BASED CLASS RATES

Session based classes class fees are determined by the length of class and the number of lessons in each term.   Please see Session Based Class enrolment for individual class fees.  To receive Term, Multi-Class, and Family discounts, students must enrol in Full Season Classes.

DROP IN CLASS RATES

Drop in class rates are offered for students who do not wish to enrol in the full session or for those who would like to drop in to a class or extra practice from time to time. Family and multi-class discounts are not available for Drop-In classes.

•   .30 hr $20.00 / Class
• 1.00 hr $25.00 / Class
• 1.25 hr $30.00 / Class
• 1.50 hr $40.00 / Class
• 2.00 hr $45.00 / Class
• 2.50 hr $55.00 / Class
• 3.00 hr $60.00 / Class

 

MISSED CLASSES

Regular attendance is essential for dancers to progress along with their class. Students who miss classes and fall behind may be asked to take private lessons to catch up or may not be included in all performance routines at the discretion of the instructor.

Students are asked to advise us in advance of any missed classes by scheduling the absence in the Student Portal on the McConnell Mobile App

1. Click on Student in Jackrabbit Portal
2. Select Schedule Absences
3. Select Date(s)
4. Indicate Reason for Absence
5. Select Next Step
6. Check Classes Missing
7. Click Submit

Refunds and Credits are not offered for missed lessons, under any circumstances

If lessons are cancelled for any unforeseen reason, such as power outages, inclement weather, etc. we try to offer students the opportunity to make up the time missed but adding additional time on to their weekly class or the option to attend another class scheduled during the week.  No refunds or credits will be offered for any missed classes.

 

CANCELLATIONS

 

If a class is canceled due to inclement weather or other unforeseen reasons, an email will be sent to all registered dancers to the contacts listed in the Student Portal.  Pupils are responsible to check emails or social media during weather advisories to insure classes are going ahead as scheduled.

Refunds are not offered for lessons cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances or inclement weather.  If possible a make-up class will be offered in these circumstances.
If a major performance, competition, or other MSD or MSDSA sponsored event is scheduled during class time, there will be no tuition refunds, adjustments, or scheduled replacement class for any students as these events are factored into the monthly tuition rates.

 

LATE REGISTRATION

We offer Yearly, Full Season, and Session Based terms.  Enrolment is based on our Full Season, Winter Session, Spring Session, and Summer Session however registrations are accepted during the session. 

For students who miss registration for Full or Session based terms, please contact us at admin@mcconnelldancers.com to discuss registration options.

 

EARLY WITHDRAWAL
Dancers are expected to attend classes for the full term they have registered, however we understand there may be extenuating circumstances where dancers withdrawal from classes prior to the end of the season.  

​YEARLY AND FULL SEASON 

NEW STUDENTS 

New students may withdrawal before Oct 15th. Notification of withdrawal must be received in writing (email) before October 15th. 

• Payments for classes attended will be adjusted to the drop in rate as multi-class and family discounts are only available for Full Season enrolment.

After October 15th, no withdrawals will be accepted and no refunds offered.

EXISTING STUDENTS

Refunds are not offered for returning students who enrol in Full Season classes, unless there are medical reasons.  Students must provide a letter from a doctor or physician for early withdrawal due to medical issues.  Notification must be received in writing (email) and the date of notification is considered the withdrawal date.

• Payments for classes attended will be adjusted to the drop-in rate as multi-class and family discounts are only available for Full Season enrolment.

SESSION BASED CLASSES

Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer (8 - 15 Week Sessions)

Refunds for session based classes will be offered up to 14 days prior to the start of the session's 1st class.  No refunds will be offered after this time.

 

REFUNDS

Tuition refunds are not offered for any reason.  Once processed, all lesson fees are non-refundable and non-transferable. 

Costume Fees are non-refundable.

 

COMMUNICATION

All school communication is sent through email. Students and parents are responsible to check emails regularly and encouraged to follow McConnell Irish Dance on social media to receive important school communication.  School notifications are sent out via email to the address(s) listed as contacts in the Student Portal.  If you miss an email, you may view them in your Student Portal or on our Mobile App

The best method to contact us is email to admin@mcconnelldancers.com

• If you would like to speak on the phone, please call 204-793-8557 during regular daytime business hours.
• If you prefer text, 204-793-8557, during regular daytime business hours.

Please avoid sending messages through social media (Messenger, Instagram, or WhatsApp).  Our social media accounts are monitored by administrators, teachers, and assistants and are not private or secure communication.

We ask you not contact instructors or assistants on their personal email, phone, or social media.  In order to maintain a healthy work-life balance for our staff and professional relationships for our pupils, all communication should be done through the school.

 

SCHOOL CODE OF CONDUCT

The School Code of Conduct exists for the safety and well-being of all. Students and their family members must abide by all McConnell School of Dance rules, policies and procedures including;

• Students are expected to conduct themselves in a manner that does not interfere with other people’s use and enjoyment of McConnell School of Dance facilities.
• Offensive language, harassment, and bullying will not be tolerated at McConnell School of Dance Studios, or any performance venues.
• Students and family members agree that disparaging media publicity of any kind that damages the good name and reputation of the McConnell School of Dance is prohibited.
•  Students agree to use common sense and respect when using the McConnell School of Dance name, logo, or related imagery on social media platforms.
• Students are required to respect the privacy of McConnell School of Dance staff and other students and may not post any content on social media without permission from all individuals pictured and/or named.
• Photography, audio, and video recording is not permitted while students are in class, rehearsing, or performing. Photography, audio, and video recording at other times is not permitted except with express permission of all individuals pictured and/or named and/or present.
• Students are encouraged to use McConnell School of Dance hashtags to connect with the organisation (#mcconnellirishdance).
• McConnell School Dance reserves the right to insist content be removed from social media if it does not comply with the School Code of Conduct.
• Any printed material, products, or promotional activity referencing the McConnell School of Dance and/or using the McConnell School logo must be pre-approved by McConnell School of Dance

 

STUDIO AND CLASSROOM ETIQUETTE

Students and parents/legal guardians are expected to at courteously and respectful towards instructors, students, and dancer's family members both inside and outside of the studio and on social media.

Parents and family members are expected to;

• Be responsible for their students in the McConnell School of Dance studio and any performance or event venues.
• Accompany children under 12 years of age to and from the studio waiting for classes.
• Ensure that students are picked up at the time their classes, rehearsals, and events are finished. McConnell School of Dance is not responsible for students who remain in the studio or performance venues after the conclusion of scheduled programming and additional fees may be applied if parents are repeatedly late for pick up.
• Remove outside shoes at the door when entering the studio waiting room.
• Not enter the dance studio unless you are invited by an instructor.
• Not peer through glass or cause distraction to a class in progress.
• Not video tape or photograph a class in session without permission.

Instructors generally do not have time during or in between classes to communicate with parents.  If you have questions, please refer to our website or email us at admin@mcconnelldancers.com

 

Students are expected to:

• Attend all scheduled classes/events to which they are assigned.
• Arrive on time for all classes/rehearsals/events.
• Follow McConnell School of Dance dress code requirements.
• Notify us in advance if they are going to be absent using Jackrabbit Student Portal system.
• Notify the teacher prior to the beginning of class of any injury that prevents full participation.
• Notify the teacher prior to the beginning of class of any need to leave class early.
• Respectful and good behaviour expected at all times.
• Positive attitude, please leave your troubles at the door.
• If you are having a difficult day, notify instructor before class.
• Remove outside shoes at the door.
• No food, gum, or drinks (water bottles only)
• Adhere to School Dress Code.
• No Cell Phones out in studio.
• Turn Smart Watch notifications off
• Proper dance Shoes must be worn in class.
• In the event of injury during the class, notify the instructor immediately.
• Work hard and try your best.
• Be excused personally by the teacher before exiting the classroom.
• Always put their best effort forward, listen to instructor feedback and apply corrections.
• Practice at home and return to class knowing your steps.

 

INJURIES

Irish dance is a demanding physical activity which requires participants to be in good health and fitness. Minor injuries (stiffness, aching muscles, minor bruising, and blisters) can occur. Dancers who have longer lasting issues or isolated pain as a result of Irish dance class will need to
seek treatment from a physician immediately. 

• If an injury or medical issue prevents a dancer from fully participating in more than 2 consecutive classes instructors will require doctor's note explaining the medical issue and modifications recommended by a medical professional.

Dancers who are injured are expected to attend their class(s) to watch from the sidelines so they do not fall behind.  Injured dancers will learn steps from a seated position, even if they are not able to dance with the rest of the class.

There are no refunds offered for dancers who miss lessons due to injury.

Instructors may limit dancer’s activities in class or at performances due to injury or as part of the recovery process.  Depending on the type of injury and severity, some dancers may experience delays or setbacks with the progress in Irish dance. This is normal and should be expected from dancers recovering from an injury.  Dancers who fall behind due to illness or injury may need to take private lessons to catch up to their class.
 

MINOR INJURY OR ILLNESS

Students with an illness or injury that affects their participation in class must inform the instructor at the beginning of lesson. 

Students under 12; parents should email admin@mcconnelldancers.com in advance of the class or speak with the instructor before the lesson begins.

BLISTERS OR SHOE ISSUES
Students who have difficulty wearing their shoes due to injury or blisters should inform the instructor at the beginning of class.  If an issue occurs during the class, please inform the instructor immediately.

Students under 12; parents should email admin@mcconnelldancers.com in advance of the class or speak with the instructor before the lesson begins.

Shoe issues need to be dealt with immediately as it is essential dancers wear well-fitting shoes to class.  Dancers who cannot wear proper footwear will not progress with the rest of their class and this may affect their participation in performances and competitions.

 

BENEFITS OF IRISH DANCE

IRISH DANCE TEACHES US

Discipline

Value of hard work

How to set goals

How to listen

How to win & how to loose

 

IRISH DANCE MAKES US

Better athletes

Better musicians

Better teammates

More confident

 

IRISH DANCE GIVES US 

Good health and Fitness

Life-long friendships

Determination

Perseverance