Policies & Procedures
Welcome to the Vancouver Burlesque Company! We are thrilled to have you part of our sassy family learning the art of burlesque.
Before signing up for a class, take a moment to review our terms and policies.
Please note we are a small, independent business, and our policies are reflective (and common practice) of both the local dance and fitness community, and comparable burlesque schools.
We are a small team, so please allow time for a response from our admin, especially around holidays and weekends.
Our goal is to be fair to our teachers, create opportunities for students and ensure we have a positive learning environment for all to make fun, sexy art!
VBC Code of Conduct & Policies
Enrollment
We pride ourselves on curating welcoming, intimate, and safe classes for adults 18 and up.
We recognize that our classes fill up quickly, when you enroll, think of that spot like a room in a hotel. There are only so many spots available, we physically can’t make more space happen in the studio.
We strive to keep our cap our classes smaller capacity for a higher quality learning experience, and a smaller student to teacher ratio. This is unique to the VBC in the Vancouver market.
We cannot afford to issue refunds or transfers unless there is an extenuating circumstance. Ex: death in the family or major injury*
Enrolled students will need to give the VBC 7 days notice to cancel their spot before the workshop or progressive begins.
If you need to cancel within this time frame, we will refund you immediately. You may then stay on our email list to be notified when the class is offered again.
As classes fill up quickly, on time cancellations allows for students who are on our waiting list to get a spot.
We understand that life happens – sickness, pregnancy, change in work schedules, etc. You are also welcome to offer your spot to a friend or another student and have them pay you. Please let us know someone else will be attending in your place.
The Vancouver Burlesque Company is not responsible for collecting from them, they must pay YOU.
*Extenuating Circumstances:
Should you sustain an injury and be unable to participate, we will require a doctor’s note for a refund.
No Shows
If you fail to show up for your workshop or progressive, you will not be reimbursed unless there is an extenuating circumstance.
Your payment will not be credited towards a future term.
Private Lessons
This is just like a dentist or massage appointment – those hours are booked and set aside for you!
For all private lessons and studio rentals, we require 2 days notice to cancel.
You will be charged 50% of your lesson fee should you fail to show up or cancel outside the cancellation window.
This is respecting the time of our teachers and administration team, as well as other people looking to rent our space.
Payment
Payment for progressives is to be completed online via the VBC website, which connects to PayPal.
For your own records, save your Transaction ID number (connected to your class payment) for future reference should need to address any issues related to PayPal.
Unfortunately, without a record, we are unable to solve problems effectively. Please be very clear about which email address and name you wish for us to use for communication if it is different from PayPal e-mail address.
Some of our progressives have payment plans. If you have paid a deposit, please ensure you settle your balance before the classes begin (or whatever the timeline set up by your instructor is).
Failure to do so may result in you losing your deposit and spot in the class.
Attendance
Please note each teacher works independently and may enforce their own attendance policies for their rooms.
As this is a physical activity, we want students to attend their classes to ensure they know the movements involved. We are striving to keep our rooms safe so no one is at risk and potentially creating a dangerous environment for their fellow students.
If you miss 2 classes of a performance progressive, and still want to perform in our student showcase, you will be required to book a choreography catch up session with your instructor. You will be responsible for paying for their time and the studio space.
We know people get sick and have to miss class (thank you for not getting others infected!) you can always share this private class with up to 3 students to split the cost and get caught up.
If you are unable to book a session, your teacher has the right to remove you from the piece completely or from the sections of the weeks that you missed. This is on an individual teacher basis, and again, is based on the safety of all dancers on stage!
Class Cancellations
If we have to cancel a class due to an instructor being ill, weather, or another outside circumstance, we will do everything within our means to correct it.
A cancelled class will be made up based on the schedule of the instructor and studio.
If there was an error on our end (ex: several people thought the class was at a different time, location, etc.) the Vancouver Burlesque Company will take full responsibility and investigate internally. Otherwise, we will assume that we have made our best efforts to communicate and provide the appropriate information.
Class Conduct
We acknowledge we are creating art on the Unceded Territories of the Coast Salish Peoples.
The Vancouver Burlesque Company is a safer space for all adults regardless of their race, gender, body, sexual orientation, ability, class or background and is a place to share, learn and explore together. The VBC values inclusivity as a top priority.
Derogatory language, shaming, or arriving at a progressive class under the influence (and disrupting the class) is not tolerated and you will be asked to leave the room and potentially the school.
Private Parties
We love Stagettes!
A 50% cancellation fee applies to all parties cancelled within 7 days of the event. If your party is cancelled more than 7 days before the event you will receive a refund minus a $50 admin fee.
Without this notice for cancellation, we will be left holding the cost for studio rental, and
the instructors will be unable to book themselves for other classes or events if they reserved their time for you.
If the VBC has to cancel your party for any reason (weather, illness, accident, etc.) we will refund your payment as quickly as we can and take full responsibility.
You Made It!
The Vancouver Burlesque Company is truly a labour of love from a collective of teachers, striving to make greater art and bring their love of burlesque to the city.
We are so thrilled to have a permanent space and have some lofty goals and ideas for the future. Thank you for being a part of it!
Thank you for taking the time to read our policies should you register, and we hope you do, this implies that you understand and are agreeing to our code of conduct.
We aim to be as transparent and personal as we can to each of our clients, and are open to feedback and ensuing we can create a safer learning environment for all.
Thank you!