STUDIO POLICY & CODE OF CONDUCT

Studio Policy & Code Of Conduct

A Welcome From The Owner

Welcome to The Salsa With Silvia Dance Studio (“SWS” or “the Studio”)! SWS takes great pride in being the Largest Latin Dance Studio in the DMV area. Our ability to maintain SWS’s reputation and to continue to grow and prosper is directly related to our staff members’ expertise, loyalty, performance, and professionalism as well as our students’ passion for dance, satisfaction with our services and loyalty to the Studio.

Studio Policy

It is the policy of the Salsa With Silvia Dance Studio to maintain a positive, healthy, productive learning and working environment for all students, staff and dancers. As part of the students’ training, SWS staff and students are expected to behave in a responsible and disciplined manner and to adhere to the Studio’s Code of Conduct and Policy, both inside the SWS facility and outside in the greater community as representatives of SWS.

STUDIO RULES

Applicable To Staff Members And Students/Clients

Please note these are only examples of common sense rules, which experience has shown to be both necessary and most effective in maintaining sound working and teacher-student relationships. They are only typical of cases, which can result in disciplinary action ranging from verbal warning to discharge and are not to be construed as limiting or restricting disciplinary action to only the specific cases listed.

Be respectful of the staff by keeping noise levels to a minimum in the lobby areas.
Students are expected to treat SWS staff with respect and maintain a positive attitude. If a student is unable maintain the proper etiquette in class, the instructor may excuse the student from the class. If a student is excused from class, he/she will be given a clear explanation of the reasons.
SWS reserves the right to suspend or dismiss any student whose conduct or attitude is found to be unsatisfactory.
Please respect the expertise and decisions of the SWS staff.
Food and drinks are not allowed on the dance floor.
Students are responsible for disposing of their garbage and are expected to treat the Studio, furniture and equipment with respect.
Dress respectfully, no nudity and overly provocative clothing.
No touching of the Studio curtains unless their use is allowed by an instructor and/or a staff member.
No touching of the Studio’s mirrors.
Keep the bathrooms clean.
No sitting or hanging on the ballet barres.
Protect our beautiful floors! No spilled drinks. If anything is spilled, it should be wiped immediately or a staff member should be informed to take action.
No smoking on the premises.
Reporting to work or coming to take classes intoxicated or under the influence of non-prescription drugs, and the illegal manufacture, possession, use, sale, distribution or transportation of drugs will result in asking you to leave the premises immediately. More serious disciplinary actions will be taken against staff members in such cases.
Bringing or using alcoholic beverages to the Studio is not allowed, except when authorized during events and private client’s events with the proper alcohol license.
Use of vulgar language and jokes is prohibited.
No physical intimidation or injury, verbal harassment, theft, destruction of Studio property or property of others, verbal abuse, lewd, vulgar conduct, profanity, sexual harassment or coercion, firearms or weapons of any kind, self-destructive behavior, willful destruction or misuse of SWS or another person’s property, inappropriate use of the internet and improper use of cell phones.
No staff is allowed to have any communication with students/clients by email, text, Twitter, Facebook, etc. unless it is strictly a Studio related matter or with the student/client consent.
Staff is not allowed to use the Studio’s registration system to obtain any personal information and contact students/clients unless it is a Studio related matter or with the student/client’s permission.
No treating a student/client or co-worker in a demeaning manner.
Theft of property from co-workers or students/clients of the Studio is strictly prohibited.
Being in the Studio without permission from the Owner is not allowed.
Soliciting gratuities from students and clients is prohibited.
Staff members are forbidden from having any Salsa With Silvia student in their cars for any reason.
The SWS Studio has a strict “no dating policy” in terms of instructors and staff dating students/clients.

WHAT ARE THE CONSEQUENCES?

Consequences for not abiding Studio rules may include (but are not limited to):
- Dismissal from the Studio
- Suspension from classes
- Fines
- Probation

DISCLAIMER

Dance education requires “hands-on” instruction, as well as verbal instruction. Instructors will regularly correct students by touching their arms, legs, feet, hips, back and head or dance in close position. Instructors will also verbally correct students during class. If a student feels uncomfortable with this, they should communicate that directly with the instructor and/or escalate the issue to the Owner.

BATHROOMS, CHANGING AREAS, DANCE SHOES

Please avoid flushing excessive amount of toilet paper. Place all feminine products in trash cans. There are no designated changing rooms in the Studio. Please use bathrooms to change. We recommend that students arrive dressed for classes. Shoes can be changed inside the Studio. Cubbies should be used to place personal belongings and keep them away from the dance floor to avoid clutter and injuries.
Proper dance shoes are recommended. If a student does not have dance shoes, they should make sure they wipe the bottom of their shoes before entering the dance space.

ADVERTISING & SOCIAL MEDIA

Students may be photographed and/or videotaped during classes, rehearsals, workshops and/or events by a SWS Staff/Photographer. SWS will use these images/videos for their archives and/or for commercial and social media purposes and will never pair a student/client’s name with the image, unless provided with permission by the student/client. Every student will sign a waiver form allowing their image/video to be taken and used for these purposes. If a student does not agree to sign their waiver, he/she should let the photographer/videographer and/or the Owner of the Studio know that images and videos of them should not be posted or used anywhere.

PARKING

DC Location: parking limited to street parking (residential and meter parking). SWS is not responsible for any parking fines or violations.
Bethesda location: public garages available nearby. Learn more here.

PERSONAL BELONGINGS

SWS does not provide a locked area for students/clients to store their personal belongings. We recommend that any valuable items be left at home or places in a cubby where they can be seen by the student/client, as Salsa With Silvia will not be responsible for items that may get lost, broken, stolen, etc.

STUDIO EQUIPMENT & FURNITURE

Students/clients are responsible for the proper use, protection of all equipment and furniture and other property furnished or made available to them by the Studio. Unauthorized or abusive use of such property is prohibited. At no time may any Studio equipment or property be removed from the premises without the prior permission of the Owner and/or Director of Operations.

EMERGENCY & HOLIDAY DISCLOSURE

If SWS should have an emergency closure for any reason, students will be notified by email within 12 hours of classes if possible. A notice will be posted on the Studio’s web site and Facebook page.
The Studio is typically closed for the following Holidays (private event rentals and private lessons may be permitted upon request):
- Easter
- Memorial Day Weekend (includes Monday)
- July 4^th (the entire weekend if it falls on a weekend or the day of, if it falls on a weekday)
- Labor Day Weekend (includes Monday)
- Thanksgiving Weekend (starting Wednesday through Sunday)
- Winter Break (starts a few days before Christmas and usually includes the first week of the New Year)

NOTICES & MESSAGES

All SWS notices and messages are received via email and are posted on the Studio’s website and Facebook page. Please make sure SWS has a current email address at all times and that you have allowed us to send you such communication. You can always correct your email within your online profile or contact us to do that for you. If you do not have an email address, it is your responsibility to check with the SWS front desk staff for any posted notices and messages.

INJURIES

The SWS Studio strives to provide the safest possible environment for students to learn and practice dance. Our hard wood floors are installed and maintained professionally so they are not too slippery to avoid slipping injuries.
All areas are cleaned regularly to ensure a healthy environment for our classes and events.
The SWS Studio is not responsible and will not be held liable for any injuries that occur on the Studio’s premises and outside.
- A First Aid Kit is available and will be provided upon request.

ATTENDANCE

While students are allowed to drop in to classes, the SWS Studio strongly encourages that students who choose to attend a series of classes, do so from start to finish to ensure continuous education and solid foundation.
Refunds & Cancellation Policy
The SWS Studio has a NO REFUND Policy. All purchases are final and non-refundable. The Studio may issue store credit if a document from a doctor is presented to prove that the student is not allowed to attend classes prior to the expiration of a package.
Online reservation is required for all adult group classes. Students must reserve every class they plan to attend. If a student has made a reservation for an adult group class and cannot attend, the student must cancel their reservation via their online profile at least 5 hours prior to the class. A No-Show penalty of $5 applies if the reservation is not cancelled prior to the 5-hour window. No show fees are charged 30 minutes after the class has started.
Private lessons have to be cancelled at least 24 hours before the private lesson is scheduled to begin. Late cancellations are non refundable and the student loses both their payment and their credit.
Workshop payments are not transferable and non-refundable.

POLICY ON HARASSMENT

It is the policy of SWS to hire employees and contractors as well as to provide services to students/clients regardless of race, religion, color, national origin or sex. All applicable laws relating to age, marital status, disability and discrimination will be strictly adhered to.
The Studio expressly prohibits any form of unlawful staff, student/client harassment based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or status in any group protected by state or local law.
Staff members, students/clients who wish to register a complaint regarding any harassment based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability or other protected factor should follow the procedure set forth in the Sexual Harassment policy.
It is the Policy of SWS to maintain a safe and professional work environment free of harassment for all of its staff as well as students/clients. To that end, the Studio has adopted the following policy:
The Studio strictly prohibits sexual harassment of any staff member and or student/client. The Studio strictly prohibits all other forms of harassment of any staff member and student/client based upon that person’s race, color, religion, ethnicity, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation or pregnancy. The Studio is committed to the prevention of any and all impermissible harassment.

WHAT IS CONSIDERED HARASSMENT?

Harassment includes ethnic slurs or racial epithets, name-calling, jokes, cartoons, pictures, gestures, unwelcome physical touching, and other conduct based on a person’s sex, race, color, religion, ethnicity, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation or pregnancy.

Harassment can occur between staff members as well as between a staff member and a student/client. Our Studio will not tolerate harassment of students/clients or harassment by students/clients.

Sexual harassment is defined as: unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature.

Sexual harassment can take the following forms: sexual remarks, jokes, or other sexual conduct that interferes with another person’s personal space or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive environment; display of sexually suggestive objects or pictures; personnel decisions by supervisors or managers regarding promotions, raises or scheduling based on an individual’s submission to or rejection of sexual advances; or submission to a sexual advance used as a condition of keeping or getting a job, whether expressed in explicit or implicit terms.

Harassment can occur between any staff members, male or female, whether supervisor or not, or between a staff member and a student/client.

WHAT SHOULD I DO IF I FEEL I’M BEING HARASSED?

All staff members have a right to work without harassment. All students/clients have the right to take advantage of the services offered by the Studio without harassment.

If any staff member, student/client feels that they are being harassed, they should make an effort to immediately tell the harasser to stop the offending behavior.

If the offending behavior does not stop immediately, any staff member or student/client who feels harassed is required to immediately and personally report the harassment to the Owner.

All staff members are advised that no member of management, regardless of their title, is authorized to condition tangible change of work placement actions – e.g., promotion, demotion, etc. – upon submission or opposition to harassment of any kind.

A threat or an attempt by any supervisor or member of management to take such actions should be reported immediately; if possible, before any tangible change of work placement action takes place.

If any employee, student/client witnesses another person being harassed, that behavior should be reported to the Owner of the Studio.

WHAT WILL HAPPEN AFTER I REPORT HARASSMENT?

Such reports will be investigated thoroughly and promptly. If deemed necessary by the Studio’s Owner, appropriate disciplinary action, up to and including discharge, will be taken if it is determined that a staff member or student/client has violated the Studio’s policy on harassment.

All information regarding any specific incident will be kept confidential within the necessary boundaries of the fact-finding process. Once an investigation is in progress, the involved parties should not be in contact.

The staff member, student/client reporting the allegation of harassment will be kept updated as to the investigative process and the final outcome.

Staff members, students/clients making false claims of harassment will be subject to disciplinary action or dismissal from the Studio and will be banned from accessing the Studio’s premises.

The SWS Studio strives to provide the safest possible environment for students to learn and practice dance as well as for staff and instructors to be professionals. Behaving as adults and following our rules will help build an even more successful environment where students can learn and instructors can do what they are passionate about.

Tips/Feedback:

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3232 Georgia Ave. NW, Suite 104

Washington, DC 20010

Phone: (202) 643 1870

Email: dance@salsawithsilvia.com

4731 Elm Street (Second Floor),

Bethesda, MD, 20814

Phone: (301) 760 4423

Email: dance@salsawithsilvia.com

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Our Reviews

Salsa with Silvia is THE PLACE TO BE. Whether you’re looking to improve your dancing, rent their beautiful studio for your private event, or bring your kids for an experience. You will leave feeling satisfied and happy that you took the step to come in. There is a reason this studio is the #1 Latin Dance studio in the DMV. You can feel the love that was put into the studio from starting out in just a basement to two studios! The staff is extremely friendly and helpful. The teachers are patient, understanding, and energetic.

Salsa with Silvia is more than a dance studio. Lots of magic happens there. You’ve got all the basics- amazing instructors, good variety of classes in style and level, a professional business, and a safe and reliable environment. In addition, you learn how dancing is about much more than just moving your body. By joining the studio you enter a community, so you meet amazing people and make new friends. The owner Silvia is always engaged and she is always willing to help.

The teachers are experienced and patient, and there are different levels that you can choose from. You can either stay at your own level, or try others at the same time, its very flexible. They also teach Bachata and not Just Salsa, so you can enjoy both as I did. The stuff is really nice, and they also have a Social party once a month so you can practice your moves. Best studio I tried!

I took my first salsa lesson with Mario and it was excellent. It was obvious that he is a professional and very good at what he does. I'm an adult male and i was a bit scared because have never been inside a dance studio. He was able to teach me some dance steps and I look forward to having additional classes. The facility is new with a very nice design and professional operation.

My partner and I came here for our first private salsa lesson. I was a little anxious as I have no dance experience/rhythm and also wasn't sure how they'd handle two men learning two dance together. Our instructor, David, was absolutely awesome. He didn't miss a beat (..) and had such an easy way of interacting with us. He made even a nervous nelly such as myself feel calm and confident. The studio was also very nice and modern. We could not have had a better experience with Silvia's, and will be back for another lesson from David soon!

My fiance and I wanted to learn how to dance before our wedding, and we were fortunate to have Jason Potell as an instructor. Jason helped us develop choreography that matched a song we loved, and we had lots of fun working on it. The other great thing was that he helped us figure out our own style, and coached us in a way that enabled us to dance better as a couple, rather than trying to get us to follow a prescriptive routine. Thanks to Jason, we learned a lot, and we also had a blast doing our first dance as husband and wife.

I have now taken lessons at Salsa with Silvia for over 3 months and several classes. I have no hesitation in saying that Salsa with Silvia is one of the best Salsa schools in the Wash DC/MD area. The instructors at the studio are just amazing. I have taken classes with three of them, Kelly, Jennifer and Joffre, and I enjoy each of their classes.