Arts Academy Policies and Student Handbook

General INformation

Silambam Houston is a 501 (c) 3 tax-exempt arts organization and a premier Indian classical arts school in the Houston area, with classes offered in Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Kuchipudi, Odissi, Mohiniattam, Carnatic music (vocal and violin), mridangam, and Hindustani vocal music. Silambam aims not only to impart arts education, but also to turn out well-rounded, artistically sensitive and culturally refined individuals. Students receive a holistic education, which includes firm grounding in arts theory and cultural history, basic Indian classical music instruction, fitness and body conditioning, and rigorous fundamental training and technique refinement. Much emphasis is placed on mental and physical discipline, and on the importance of practice, passion, dedication, and perseverance. Senior dance students and graduates of Silambam Houston Arts Academy are eligible to audition for the Silambam Houston Dance Company, a professional dance company that regularly creates and performs original productions at high-profile venues and events throughout Houston.

Policies

Attendance: Attendance at every class is compulsory, except in the case of extenuating circumstances (this does not include birthday parties, weddings, or play dates!). Your musician or dancer will progress fastest when classes are attended with regularity.

Absences and make-up lessons: If absence is foreseen but unavoidable, please submit an absence request through the student portal. Classes missed can be made up by attending another class at the same/similar level. Missed classes should be made up within a month.

Punctuality: At Silambam, we teach the importance of punctuality. Please come to class ON TIME, preferably five minutes ahead of time. Each class will begin and end on time.

Attendance at Performances: Observing good dancing is an integral part of your dancer’s education. Please make every effort to attend as many performances by local and visiting artistes as possible. Attendance is mandatory at one performance in the Fall and one performance in the Spring semesters. A brief written or video report must be submitted on the Student Portal for each performance attended. A list of performances to choose from will be supplied throughout the year. Attendance at such performances is one of the criteria to be considered for the Honor Roll.

Proper attire: Every dance student must wear black ankle-length stretchy tights or loose salwar, comfortable enough to dance in, and a cotton, short-sleeved (no long or puff-sleeves) kurta/kameez. A cotton (not synthetic material) dupatta/angavastram must be brought to tie around the waist. Older students must wear a dance saree tied over a salwar or black tights. Please wear a bindi unless you have religious/cultural reasons not to.

Hair: Loose hair (short or long) bothers and distracts the dancer; hair must be pulled back neatly from the face, short hair pinned back, long hair in a ponytail or braid. Bangs, if any, must be pinned back.

Practices: Every student is required to practice regularly at home, at least two times a week, 30 minutes each. Prenatyam/Beginner students must upload practice videos to Flipgrid. Other students must virtually attend at least one same or lower level class each week in addition to home practices.

Binder: All students are given a 3-ring binder upon registration, and are required to bring this to each class. Practice log sheets, class notes, homework assignments, research papers, performance reports, and reading material must be filed in this binder.

Observing classes: Parents are requested not to sit in on classes, as this is typically distracting to the students and to the instructor. Parents may watch the class through the viewing windows in the studio, and may request to sit in on one class every two to three months; this should be arranged in advance.

Website: The Silambam website contains information on arts academy policies and class schedules, other Silambam programs, and upcoming cultural events in Houston. The web address is www.silambamhouston.org

Class notes and resources: Class notes, audio recordings, dance theory notes, etc. can be found on the Student Portal. Please contact your teacher for access to this resource, which is available to registered students only.

Recital: We typically present a student showcase annually. Some years, this is a smaller, in-studio event, and occasionally, it is a larger-scale event. Parents are also invited to watch their children perform at the annual Navratri/Dussehra open house; see below.

Open House: Every year during Navratri/Dussehra, an annual open house will be held. Parents, family and friends are welcome to this event. This is your opportunity to see your dancer’s progress, as well as interact with the teachers.

Performance Policy: Dance students who have reached a certain level (varies by discipline) and have learned several repertoire items will receive their salangai/ghungroo (bells). To maintain our high standards and our responsibility to the art forms, the time to Arangetram/Ranga Pravesham/Manch Pravesh (solo stage debut) will be at least 7-8 years, and will depend on the ability and quality of the student. Arangetram-track and post-arangetram students will be offered various performing opportunities at cultural events through the year. If you want quick results and/or frequent performing opportunities during the learning stages, this is not the right school!

Curriculum: Silambam follows a comprehensive syllabus, for each artistic discipline offered. Please refer to the Arts Academy page for more details.

Payments: Tuition may be paid via recurring automatic monthly payments, or in a single annual payment. Recurring payments will be processed on the 1st of each month. Any changes or cancellations to recurring payments must be communicated by the 15th of the previous month. The fee structure is as follows:

Registration Fee: An annual registration fee of $25 is due on registration each year; this covers administrative expenses. The registration deadline for each year is July 15. For registrations received after July 15, the registration fee is $50/year, and placement will be based on availability only.
Tuition: Our tuition is based on an eleven-month dance year.
- Tuition may be paid at the beginning of the year in full, to receive a discount. It may also be paid in installments.
- Tuition installments are for budgeting convenience only; we do not allow pauses or reductions in installment payments due to absences. Instead, students may attend makeup lessons.
- A family/multi-class discount (5% for two family members/classes taken; 10% for three or more family members/classes taken) is available; this cannot be combined with the annual discount.
- All students must be registered with Silambam and have paid the annual registration fee of $25 ($50 for those registering on or after July 15). We are not set up for drop-in and pay-by-the-lesson students.
- Please use the calculator on this page to estimate your tuition.