Frequently Asked Questions

If you are new to the Mareck Center for Dance, your first step in enrolling in a class is to fill out our Pre-Registration Form. In this form, you’ll answer basic questions about age, dance experience (if any), along with any other information you would like us to know. From there, a Mareck Center for Dance staff member will contact you to discuss placement or set up a free trial class (if necessary). This class is designed to be an opportunity for your child to see if he/she enjoys the class, as well as an opportunity for the Mareck Center for Dance director to assess your student to be sure he or she is placed in the correct level. This process is incredibly important to ensure that each student is placed in the correct level, keeping students healthy and learning in the best possible environment. For students under the age of 8, or for students with no previous dance experience, placement can be determined without an assessment. Once placement is determined, you may enroll your student in the appropriate level through the Business Office or your Jackrabbit Parent Portal. 

For fall semester: Enrollment begins July 14th

For spring semester: Enrollment begins December 1st

For summer semester: Enrollment begins May 1st

A waiting list will be made for every class that becomes full. In the event that a student drops out of a class, dancers from the waiting list will be contacted to fill the empty space. If there are no students dropping from a class with a large waiting list, we will try our best to open a new class day and time to accommodate those on the list.

Tuition is based on the number of hours of dance classes per family for our Children’s and Pre-Professional Divisions.

DanceAbility is a flat rate of $70 per semester.

Tuition can be paid monthly or for the entire semester up front. The chart below is based on a 16-week semester and shows both options. If the full semester tuition is paid up front, there is a 10% discount, calculated in the chart on this page

Classes in the Adult & Teen Division are charged per class grouping as illustrated in the following table.  The number of classes paid for must be utilized within the semester; there will be no refunds on missed classes upon completion of the school semester.  Please inquire about student rates.

**Tuition Rates are not subject to a refund. Students are expected to attend or make-up missed classes.

Classes may be paid for online or in the Mareck Center for Dance office by check, credit card, or cash. Tuition is due on the 1st of the month. After a 5-day grace period, a $15 late fee will automatically be assessed to your account, no exceptions granted. All accounts on a monthly payment plan will be required to have a credit card held on file. The credit card will be run on the 15th of the month if payment has not yet been received. Should accounts remain delinquent after 30 days, the student will be unable to attend further classes at the Mareck Center for Dance until payment is brought current, no extensions into makeup classes or refunds for missed classes during the delinquent period will be granted.

Pay-In-Full: Tuition and registration payments made in full before the beginning of the school’s semester will be granted a
five percent (5%) discount on their bill. To receive a 5% discount on tuition, be sure to pay in full before the first week of
classes. Please note that if you do not reach out to us about the discount before paying your full tuition, we will only be
able to offer an account credit for the 5% to be applied to future payments.

Family Discount: Families with more than one student will automatically receive a 10% discount on tuition. This cannot
be combined with the Pay-In-Full discount.

A limited number of scholarships are available through the Mareck Center for Dance for students ages 8 & up who have a strong passion and desire to study ballet. Scholarships are awarded for the entire calendar year, August-May, with amounts based on financial need, talent, and physical potential. Scholarship recipients must be enrolled in a class schedule as recommended by the School Director. Minimum class requirements vary depending on the level and age of the student. They must be exemplary students and respect Mareck Center for Dance’s policies. Please read the Scholarship Contract thoroughly to be aware of all expectations before applying. Scholarship applications for the 2022-2023 school year are now closed. Please check back in Summer 2023 for application information for the 2023-2024 school year.

For students living in the Columbia School District, scholarships are also available through ‘Day Dreams Foundation’. For consideration, please visit Day Dreams Foundation to determine eligibility and complete an application.

History: We were founded in this location in 2011 as the official school of mid-Missouri’s only professional ballet company, Mareck Center for Dance. In advancement of the company’s mission, the school cultivates the artistic and personal development of students by providing a supportive environment of dance study to motivate and inspire.

We would be happy to offer a free trial class prior to enrolling your student at the Mareck Center for Dance. In order to schedule your trial class, please email us at School@mareckcenterfordance.org. A staff member will contact you to set up an appropriate trial class within a few days.

Each season the Mareck Center for Dance performs a Winter and Spring Showcase. Students have the option to participate each semester. Rehearsals are held independently of school classes so that students can continue focusing on technique during class time. Past production repertoire includes Yes, Virginia, The Nutcracker, Peter and the Wolf, Carnival of the Animals & excerpts from Sleeping Beauty. In addition, students have the opportunity to audition to be a part of Mareck Center for Dance’s biennial production of Alice in Wonderland, performing side by side with the professional dancers of Mareck Center for Dance. Students in levels III and higher have the opportunity to audition to become a member of the Mareck Center for Dance Youth Ensemble. The Youth Ensemble aims to provide performance opportunities in a professional atmosphere for Mareck Center for Dance students further to prepare them for a future career in dance. In addition to Winter and Spring Showcases, students are given additional opportunities to perform in the community throughout the season.

A collaboration of this scale offers a unique experience for participants, allowing different ages and levels to come together and work as a company. All rehearsals are held outside of precious classroom time, so dancers can focus on improving and developing the skills required for productions in the classroom. Then, the dancer can focus on learning and improving upon the production work in the separately scheduled rehearsals. Through the production process, dancers develop a strong sense of confidence, discipline and self-motivation. Through their exposure to the arts, dancers learn rewarding life skills such as problem solving, memorization, and social interaction.

Since the Mareck Center for Dance is a classical ballet institution, our main focus on dance training is rooted in classical ballet. Our philosophy is that classical ballet is the basis for most forms of dance, so we believe that dancers need to have a solid foundation in classical ballet prior to taking other forms of dance. We offer elective classes as a way to supplement and positively support the ballet training of dancers in Ballet 1 and above. The elective classes we offer include modern/contemporary, jazz, and strength & conditioning. These days, it is not enough for dancers to be proficient in only classical ballet. Dancers are expected to be well-rounded and proficient in multiple styles and techniques. It is highly encouraged that dancers consider adding electives in other styles to supplement their ballet training and prepare them for a future career in dance.

Summer Camps and Intensive During the summer months, we offer various camps and an intermediate/advanced level intensive. These programs, offered at all levels, focus on dance and dance-related topics. The dancers take a ballet technique class daily. Since the dancers are taking daily technique classes, they are able to retain their corrections more easily, allowing them to find a deeper and quicker understanding of them. Additionally, we offer them the opportunity to try different styles of dance as well as give them an education on topics that are helpful in making them well-rounded dancers, such as daily lessons in nutrition, anatomy and physiology, music, drama, choreography, etc. For more information, visit our Summer Programs page.

For Every Class: *Any hairstyle that keeps the hair off of the neck and face is permitted, as long as the hair will not be hitting the dancer in the face when turning.
*No Jewelry

Creative Movement/Pre-Ballet
Girls: pale pink leotard, tights & ballet shoes that most closely match the dancer’s skin tone
Boys: white shirt, black bottoms (preferably black tights), & black ballet shoes

Ballet I-VI
Girls: black leotard, tights & ballet shoes that most closely match the dancer’s skin tone
Boys: white shirt, black bottoms (preferably men’s tights), & black ballet shoes

Modern/Jazz
Girls: solid color leotard and tights
Boys: solid color shirt and tights

Open Classes
Appropriate foot wear (ballet/jazz shoes, etc.)
Athletic clothing granting movement

The Mareck Center for Dance’s dress code is designed to encourage unity and discipline among its students. Instructors are aided by the dress code in that they are able to see the body’s form to ensure that the dancer is moving safely and correctly. A dancer should focus on developing technique and artistry without distraction of loose or cumbersome clothing.

Training on pointe is very individualized. Mareck Center for Dance dancers are invited to begin training on pointe when they display proper fundamentals, strong foundation, and enough core strength for support. Dancers will typically be invited to train on pointe when they reach the Ballet IV level. However, due to age or technical level it is common for dancers to spend a year in ‘pre-pointe’ shoes once they reach level IV before graduating to full pointe shoes.

In order for classes to achieve an optimal learning atmosphere, minimal distraction is required. Parents are invited to observe their child(ren)’s classes through the observation windows. Studio B offers two observation windows (one from the office and one from the hallway), and Studio A offers an observation window with seating in the Range Free café! Feel free to grab a coffee and snack and view your dancers progress! Please do not take pictures through the observation windows as that can be distracting to the dancers.

The Mareck Center for Dance offers several opportunities for adults to get involved in our programming. First, we offer an Adult & Teen Division, which runs on a drop-in basis and is open to teens and adult students. Classes are offered for all levels of experience in ballet, jazz and modern. For more information visit our Adult & Teen Division page. Additionally, as a not-for-profit organization, we have several volunteer and support opportunities throughout the year. To volunteer, please contact us by email at school@mareckcenterfordance.org.

We do rent our studio space! Studio A is available to rent for $50/hour and Studio B is available to rent for $30/hour. Both spaces are used primarily for classical ballet classes and rehearsals, so to preserve our floor absolutely no street shoes are allowed inside the studio. If you are interested in renting, please contact us by email at school@mareckcenterfordance.org.

As a not-for-profit organization, the Mareck Center for Dance depends on volunteers at its performances and special events. We are always in need of volunteers to assist with upcoming productions (costumes, group leaders, fundraising, ushers, etc.). If you would like to volunteer, please contact us by email at school@mareckcenterfordance.org.