FAQ

(Photo of Howard & Hannah by Largo Richardson)

Note: The list of questions directly below tells you what will be answered further below. In other words, this list has no jump links directly to the question and answer.

!!!NEW!!! How do I set up a home tap practice area during a pandemic?

What is the schedule for Outdoor Tap?

Am I too old?
Am I too young?
Can I just drop in to a class rather than attend regularly?
Do I have to sign up in advance?
Who takes classes?
What is the right level?
I am or might be a beginner. Is the beginner class too hard/too easy for me?
How do I arrange for the extra help right before a scheduled beginners class?
My account seems to be wrong. It looks like I’m being overcharged/undercharged?

How does paying for classes work? 

AND HERE ARE THE ANSWERS

How do I set up a home tap practice area during a pandemic?

Go to the video page on this web site for detailed advice.

What is the schedule for Outdoor Tap?

Outdoor Tap has ended, perhaps until the next pandemic.

Am I too old?

Not if you can climb the stairs leading to the studio. (Note: There are no stairs at the My Gym studio, but there are stairs at our home studio.)

Am I too young?

We have a kids class for beginners in the age range of about 10 to 14. Otherwise, children have to be able to take classes with adults. The youngest current student is 8. (Howard’s daughter started in a class when she was 6.) For most children, it works better to wait until age 10, unless they’ve already had some training elsewhere. However, we understand that you might not want to wait and can provide a referral to a program with all-kids classes for younger students.

Can I just drop in to a class rather than attend regularly?

Yes, although you still need to make a reservation in advance.

Do I have to sign up in advance?

That's the rule, although we try to be reasonable. It’s a really good idea in all cases. For example, if you sign up in advance, Howard would then know to contact you if a class is canceled. And if he sees that a first-time beginner has signed up, he will contact that person in advance and try to schedule extra help for that person. And, believe it or not, we actually plan our classes based on who has signed up.

Who takes classes?

We were hoping you’d ask. Here’s a partial list: true beginners; tap teachers who need a break from teaching or a tap booster shot; children who have artistic interests that are slightly off the beaten path; recreational or serious hoofers who are now retired; people who are now retired who always wanted to tap; parents of young children who need to do something for themselves; magicians who want to add spice to their act; actors/singer who want to add/enhance a skill; refugees from other tap classes; people who like old musicals; drummers; performers preparing for an audition; dancers who need a safer dance form that they can pursue into old age; lovers of jazz; musicians who want to dance; “Broadway-style tappers” who want to transition into rhythm tap; those of various ages who took tap as a kid or youth and want to get back into it; couples who want a fun activity together; tappers who want to learn to improvise; tappers who hate to improvise.

What is the right level?

We’ll figure that out together, but if you guess wrong, you won’t be charged for a lesson.

I am or might be a beginner. Is the beginner class too hard/too easy for me?

Let’s talk. In the past, we have restarted the start-from-scratch class about twice a year. Currently, though, the inquiries have been small in number but steady throughout the year. So, we have shifted to the following approach, which seems to be working. People now have had the choice of 1) jumping in, 2) arriving early (by arrangement) for free extra help for as long as needed and then taking the class the follows, or 3) taking a private lesson or two. If you’re not quite a beginner, it usually helps to start in the beginners class to fill in possible gaps in your technique or learn our building-block approaches. You can get extra help, by arrangement, before the beginning classes on Saturdays and Sundays. 

How do I arrange for the extra help right before a scheduled beginners class?

Follow these steps: 1) sign up for a scheduled class 2) contact Howard by email at least two days before the class and request the extra time 3) wait for his confirmation that he is available 4) show up for the extra help.

My account seems to be wrong. It looks like I’m being overcharged/undercharged?

Alert Howard. We can fix it.

How does paying for classes work?

All Outdoor and Zoom lessons were free to help people out from May through October, 2020. Fnancial aid is available on a case-by-case basis. By all means, please ask if your resources are limited. 

Below are details for paying for Zoom and in-person Outdoor Tap.

Zoom Tap: $10 for one Zoom group class or $15 for unlimited group Zoom classes for 29 days from the time of purchase. No prorations. No extensions or refunds. You can set up an auto-renew payment plan if you like. 

Advance reservations are not required as long as your account is current, but a Zoom class will not take place unless at least two people sign up in advance.

In-Studio classes: $15 per lesson. Reservations required and can be made up to three hours in advance. Can be cancelled up to six hours in advance.

Expiration policy:

Lessons or credits DO expire if you don’t use them within the period allowed.

We can manually adjust expiration dates under extraordinary circumstances or if you mess up every once in a while.

Financial Aid:

Typically available after you have been a continuous student for three months, on a case-by-case basis. Inquire if you need to.

 Note: Below we've crossed out the old, pre-pandemic payment rules, but left them here if/when we need them again.

The payment system could seem complicated at first, but the essence is easy to understand. The full price for classes is $20 per lesson, but you never have to pay that much if you are at least slightly organized. If you are organized enough to make a reservation online AND pay in advance, a single group class is $15. When you buy two or more lessons, group classes are discounted to $10 apiece. The maximum rate for any one day is $20. So, for example, you could take three lessons on one day and the cost would be $20.  To get unlimited classes for 28 days, you pay $61.

Some financial aid is available. There are some penalties for paying late. 

Read on for details. 

Individual lesson price if paid in advance: 

$15 per lesson, expires 15 days after purchase 

Individual lesson price if you buy more than one lesson: 

$10 or less, see below for expiration dates 

The maximum cost per day, regardless of how many lessons you take on that day: $20 

No show fee: You will be charged for a lesson if don’t take the class and don’t cancel the reservation at least six hours before the class. 

Group Lesson Packages: $20 for 2 lessons (must be used within 16 days of purchase) $40 for 4 lessons (must be used within 32 days) $75 for 8 lessons (must be used within 64 days) 

Unlimited Lessons for 28 days, with auto-pay: $61 If you have an unlimited package, you don’t have to make reservations, but you should in case the class fills up. To get this rate, you have to be on a monthly auto-pay plan through your credit card. You can cancel at any time, although there are no prorated refunds for unused time.

Unlimited Lessons for 29 days, without auto-pay:

$71

If you don't want to sign up for auto-pay, you can still get four weeks of unlimited lessons for the higher but still discounted rate of $71. This plan is good for 29 days from the time of purchase so that you can purchase your package the day before you first use it and still get a full four weeks of use. There are no prorated refunds for unused time.

Late Payment Penalty:

You are not late if you buy a multi-lesson package before or immediately after a lesson. But otherwise, unpaid lessons will be charged at the full rate of $20 per lesson or charged as TWO lessons deducted from your multi-lesson package when you get around to buying your next lesson package. (Two lessons in a multi-lesson package works out to a total of $20.) This could be the reason why your lesson package runs out sooner than you expected.

If you have an unpaid lesson and then buy an unlimited package, the expiration date of your package will be backdated two days for every one day you were late in payment. This could be the reason why your unlimited package doesn't last quite as long as you expected.

You can also just catch up for unpaid lessons by paying the day rate of $20 for those unpaid lessons days.

One reason that there is a penalty for late payments is that the software doesn't manage late payments easily and when you pay late you are creating hours of extra office work.