Professional Training Program

What performance opportunities are available for the students within the Professional Training Program?
Students have a variety of opportunities to perform throughout the year.  At the start of the term, performances range from the local Arts Walk to Gala fundraising events. Things then build up to The Nutcracker season where students perform in Belleville and other locations throughout Ontario. Community outreach and regional events provide additional opportunities throughout the year. Two final performances of the year are the Spring Showcase and the Summer Dance Showing.

Are students permitted to participate in extra-curricular activities outside of dancing?
QBSC encourages its students to be well rounded.  However, a dancer must always take into consideration safety and avoid high risk sports. Many do participate in a variety of creative extra-curricular activities such as drama, photography, music and voice, and visual arts. It must be taken into account that any extra curricular activities should not interfere with the PTP schedule.

What living accommodations are available for students?
Throughout the school year, QBSC students reside with local families.  Providing a family environment to dance students can be a rewarding experience for all involved in the billeting relationship.  QBSC appreciates and understands that billets play an important role in the development of a QBSC dancer.  To facilitate the finding of suitable billets for the students, QBSC has established a Billet Committee.  In its role as a facilitator, the Committee has established a recruitment and application process to provide parents/guardians with a list from which to select a potential billet.  The Committee has also created a package of guidelines to foster a cooperative and positive relationship between the billets, parents/guardians and students.  Please see Billet System for detailed information about QBSC's billeting process.

Where can I purchase pointe shoes and dancewear during the year?
QBSC orders the class uniform and dress uniform for students at the beginning of each year, as well as throughout the year as needed. For shoe orders, QBSC recommends The Shoe Room in Toronto. 

What do I do during class if I am injured?
Students are encouraged to let their teachers know of any injuries they have, as well as any incidents in class that may feel like an injury has occurred.  The teacher will ensure that the administrative office is informed and contact is made with a member from the Health and Wellness Committee to seek assessment and/or treatment.  If injured, students are encouraged to observe their classes and/or rehearsals and take to take notes.

Is financial assistance available?
Each August, the Finance Committee meets to award tuition bursaries to students who demonstrate  financial need.  Application forms are available upon request once a student's acceptance is confirmed during Summer Dance.  A bursary is awarded for the current school year only.  All applicants will be required to reapply in future years. 

Tuition scholarships are available for male students. 

Please note that Financial assistance is not available for Summer Dance.

How are the dance levels determined?
The level of class that you will  be placed in is based on training background, experience and ability.  QBSC's goal is to ensure that each student is in a class grouping that ensures they are appropriately challenged for optimum success.

How do the schedules at the academic schools and QBSC coordinate?
The academic needs of QBSC students in both elementary and secondary schools are met by the Hastings and Prince Edward District School Board.  QBSC is conveniently located adjacent to Centennial Secondary School, which provides academic training to QBSC students in grades 9 through 12.   Sir Mackenzie Bowell is also near QBSC and provides academics for students in grades 6 through 8.

QBSC, in close coordination with the public schools involved, has developed and implemented an academic program for students that permits attendance at daytime dance classes.  Students are released from their academic classes at scheduled times during the day in order to attend dance classes. 

QBSC/CSS students will earn a credit in dance for each semester, which complies with the ministry guidelines and expectations.  This is a unique agreement between QBSC and the Hastings and Prince Edward District School Board (CSS).

Summer Dance

How many hours per week do the students dance during Summer Dance?
Throughout Summer Dance, whether in the Professional Intensive Program or the Open Program, the students dance from Monday - Friday for approximately 22 hour per week.

What sort of after-class activities are planned?
A full of calendar of activities is planned for the students and are an important part of the complete Summer Dance experience.  These actvities, such as beach excursions, carnivals, house leagues, movie nights, talent shows take place during the evenings and each weekend throughout the month and are instrumental in creating friendships that will last a lifetime.

Can day students participate in after-class activities?
It is very important that all students receive the full Summer Dance experience.  To help achieve this, all day students are encouraged to participate in the after-class activities.  Included in the day student fees is lunch at the Albert College dining hall, however, if a student is participating in an activity, either in the evening or on the weekend, meal tickets may be purchased from the administrative office.

What is the walking distance between Albert College and QBSC?
Albert College is located in close proximity to QBSC, taking the students and counsellors approximately 10 minutes to walk between the two locations.  Students 12 years of age and  under must walk to and from the studios, dining hall and residence with their counsellors.  Residential students 13 years of age and over must walk in groups of at least three when off campus.

What supervision will the students receive outside of dance classes?
A full residential staff is hired to provide supervision for the students at all times.  Additionally, a houseparent is assigned to each residence, providing support not only to the students, but the counsellors as well.  The houseparent also plays an important role of liaison with Albert College and QBSC.

Does QBSC accept roommate requests from residential students?
QBSC does accept roommate requests from the students staying at Albert College.  While QBSC does acknowledge all requests, it does not guarantee that they can honour all of them.  The rooms at Albert College vary between single and doubles, thus making certain requests impossible simply based on bed availability.

Are receipts issued for payment of tuition?
The Government of Canada permits a non-refundable tax credit on eligible amounts of up to $500.00 paid by parents/guardians to register a child - under the age of 16 at any time during the given year - in an eligible program of physical activity.  The dance training provided by Summer Dance qualifies as an eligible program, thus, Children's Fitness Tax Credit receipts are issued to parents/guardians each February.

Receipts for the remaining amount of tuition paid are issued upon request.

Umbrella Dance Program

Does the Umbrella Dance Program participate in competitions?
Gala performances, community outreach performances, the year-end Festival plus other performing opportunities are available for UDP students. 

Are Fitness Tax Credits issued and, if so, when?
The Government of Canada permits a non-refundable tax credit on eligible amounts of up to $500.00 paid by parents/guardians to register a child - under the age of 16 at any time during the given year - in an eligible program of physical activity.  The dance training provided by the Umbrella Dance Program qualifies as an eligible program, thus, Children's Fitness Tax Credit receipts are issued to parents/guardians each February.