Frequently Asked Questions

No, and we mean that. The Dance Barre Southern Illinois was built specifically for adults at every level, including those who have never taken a single class. Our Beginning Ballet Program is designed for absolute beginners, and every open class is taught with success options so you can work at your own level regardless of background.

Not even close. Adults begin ballet with us at every age and stage of life. What you may lack in early training you more than make up for in focus, dedication, and the ability to understand why you're doing what you're doing. Many of our students say starting as an adult is actually an advantage: you bring life experience, patience, and genuine desire to the studio.

The Beginning Ballet Program is a structured 12-week course that introduces ballet from the ground up. It meets once a week on Sundays and follows a progressive curriculum designed to build your foundation step by step. Open classes are ongoing weekly classes across multiple styles: ballet, jazz, contemporary, modern, and strength. You can attend on a flexible schedule. If you are brand new to dance, the Beginning Ballet Program is the right starting point. Open classes are best for those with some prior experience or for Beginning Ballet graduates ready to keep growing.

If you have never danced before, or it has been many years, start with the Beginning Ballet Program. If you have some prior dance experience or have completed our Beginning Ballet Program, open classes are a great fit. Our instructors offer level-ups and level-downs in every class so you are always working at the right challenge level. Still unsure? Email us at southil@dancebarrebcs.com and we will help you find the right fit.

Open classes are your natural next step. Graduates are encouraged to continue with Beginning Ballet, Open Ballet, and any of our rotating genre classes. Your FREE Premium Membership, included with the Beginning Ballet Program, gives you access to all open classes for the full 12 weeks of the program, so you can start exploring before you even graduate.

All registration is handled through Recess, our online client portal. Visit our Schedule page to view current class times and click Book Classes to get started. You will create a Recess account the first time you register.

Click any registration or booking link on our site and you will be prompted to create an account. You will need your name, email address, and a payment method. Once your account is set up, you can book and manage classes, view your schedule, and track your class pass balance all in one place.

Yes. Our Drop-In option is $20 per class and requires no membership or commitment. It is a great way to experience The Dance Barre Southern Illinois before deciding on a membership or class pass.

We want your commitment to feel right. If you enroll in the Beginning Ballet Program and after attending classes regularly during the first four weeks you feel the program is not the right fit, you may opt out with no further financial obligation. To exercise this guarantee, submit a written request to southil@dancebarrebcs.com before the start of your fifth week. Refunds are processed within 10 business days of approval.

Early bird pricing is a discounted rate available from the time a new Beginning Ballet Program is announced through the date of the Welcome Meeting. For our current session, early bird pricing is $99 per 28 days, a savings of $26 per billing cycle compared to the standard rate of $125 per 28 days. To lock in early bird pricing, simply register before or at the Welcome Meeting. After the Welcome Meeting, pricing returns to the standard rate.

The Welcome Meeting is an optional but highly recommended session held approximately two weeks before each program begins. It is a chance to meet your instructor, learn what to expect, see the studio, ask questions, and connect with fellow students before day one. Attending the Welcome Meeting also locks in your early bird rate if you have not yet registered. It is not required to enroll.

The Premium Membership is $99 per 28 days and gives you unlimited access to all open classes. There is no registration fee and no annual contract. You can start anytime and cancel at any time. Premium Membership is also included FREE with the Beginning Ballet Program for the full 12 weeks of the program.

No. The Premium Membership has no annual contract and no cancellation fee. The 10-Class Pass never expires. Drop-In is pay-as-you-go. The only recurring commitment is the Beginning Ballet Program, which runs for 12 weeks, and even that includes a worry-free guarantee for the first four weeks.

Memberships and the Beginning Ballet Program are billed every 28 days from the date you enroll, not on the first of the month. For example, if you enroll on May 5th, your next billing date is June 2nd, then June 30th, and so on. You will receive a reminder before each billing date.

Online payments through Recess include processing and service fees. To avoid these fees entirely, you can pay in full via cash, check, or Venmo. Contact us at southil@dancebarrebcs.com to arrange payment outside of Recess.

Please reach out to us directly at southil@dancebarrebcs.com if you need to pause or adjust your membership. We will do our best to work with you. Life happens, and we want the studio to feel like a support, not a stress.

Comfortable, fitted activewear works for most classes. Here is a quick guide by class type:

Ballet classes: Fitted activewear or dancewear, ballet flats or socks.
Jazz and Musical Theatre: Breathable activewear, jazz shoes or socks.
Contemporary and Modern: Comfortable activewear, bare feet or socks.
Strength and Stability: Comfortable activewear, socks or bare feet.

When in doubt, wear what you would wear to a yoga or barre class and you will be fine.

For ballet classes, soft ballet flats are ideal but socks work perfectly well, especially when you are just starting out. For jazz and musical theatre, jazz shoes or socks. For contemporary, modern, and strength classes, bare feet or socks are preferred. You do not need to purchase special shoes before your first class. Come in whatever feels comfortable and talk to your instructor about footwear as you settle in.

Our rotating genre class cycles through jazz, contemporary, modern, and musical theatre on a four-week rotation. Each four-week block focuses on one genre, following the same weekly structure: warm-up, center work, across-the-floor, and a short combination. This gives you enough time to build real familiarity with each style before moving to the next. Check our Schedule page to see which genre is currently running.

Absolutely, and we encourage it. The Premium Membership gives you unlimited access to all open classes, so you can attend as many as fit your schedule. Beginning Ballet Program participants also receive a FREE Premium Membership for the full 12 weeks, making it easy to complement your Sunday program class with additional open classes throughout the week.

In the event of a cancellation due to a holiday, emergency, or other unforeseen circumstance, we will notify registered students as quickly as possible via email. For Beginning Ballet Program participants, any cancelled class will be made up to ensure the full 12-week curriculum is completed. For open classes, you are welcome to attend any other scheduled class that week.

All classes are held at Studio 84, LLC, located at 1418 Walnut Street, Murphysboro, IL 62966. We are conveniently located for students from Carbondale, Murphysboro, Carterville, Marion, Herrin, and the surrounding Southern Illinois area.

Yes. Parking is available at Studio 84. If you have any trouble finding us on your first visit, email southil@dancebarrebcs.com and we will make sure you find us easily.

Yes. The Dance Barre Southern Illinois is an adult-only studio. All classes are designed for adults, and the environment reflects that. No recitals, no competitive pressure, no age-based divisions. Just adults showing up for themselves.

Yes. The Dance Barre Southern Illinois is part of the growing Dance Barre family of studios, which began in Bryan, Texas. We share the same core philosophy: that dance is for every body, at every age, and that adults deserve a studio built specifically for them. While we operate independently here in Southern Illinois, we are proud to be part of that broader community. You can learn more about our flagship studio at dancebarrebcs.com.