School Policies

In-Person Camps & Classes at Echo:

We are following health and safety guidelines closely, creating protocols and procedures, and adapting our camp flow accordingly. We have decreased the capacity of camps to make social distancing possible. There will be 10 students maximum in each camp and we will give each camper their own mats, aerial equipment, and space. We will clean and disinfect all equipment and surfaces between camps, encourage staff and campers to wash their hands regularly, and send any campers and staff showing signs of illness home. Masks are required to be worn by all staff, students, and guests ages 5 years and older.

If it becomes clear that in-person camps cannot take place safely, we will cancel as necessary and contact all registered students. Please let us know if you have questions about a specific camp, class, or student. We are happy to help in any way we can!

INCLEMENT WEATHER POLICY

Echo Theater typically follows Portland Public Schools regarding closures and late starts. In the event of a schedule change due to weather, we will email registered students (at least 2 hours in advance) and post an update on our website and Facebook. There are no refunds or credits issued for classes cancelled due to weather conditions. If we are running classes and you do not feel safe travelling to Echo due to weather, please stay home! We will issue you a voucher for open gym or FUNdamentals. 

WHAT TO WEAR

Please come to class in comfortable clothing that allows freedom of movement and is not distracting. Sweatpants, footless tights, leotards and unitards are all great. Shirts should be tucked in. Classes are taken barefoot. Long hair should be tied back. Skirts, jeans and loose long hair can be dangerous and are not allowed! Eyeglasses are allowed if they are secured. Jewelry should be removed before class or left at home; wedding rings are permitted but can be painful on the trapeze.

All-day campers should wear shoes that they can walk to the park in and dress in layers appropriate for indoors and out. Masks are required to be worn by all staff, students, and guests ages 5 years and older.

OBSERVING CLASS

COVID-19 note: Family and friends of students are invited to observe the first 10 minutes of Monday camp only. If possible, we prefer parents drop off and pick up their camper at the front door of the theater. We will have a staff member checking campers in and walking them from their parent to the theater space. We hope to keep the number of people in the theater space to a minimum. Thank you for understanding.

If you choose to enter the theater with your camper, you are welcome to help your child transition into  camp and watch for a bit. We want you and your child to feel comfortable in camp with us and will support you in any way we can. That said, we will encourage you to leave as soon as you feel comfortable. Experience has taught us that the presence of family members is often a distraction to students and can make it more challenging for campers to focus. 

Additionally, we have replaced our End-of-In-Person-Camp Performance with an End-of-Camp Video! This means that we will film our young circus stars on camp Friday and will email a video link early the next week. We look forward to sharing a little piece of camp with families!

PLEASE BRING

A water bottle with your name on it. We have limited cups!

PLEASE DO NOT BRING

Toys, games, stuffed animals or any other objects that are not essential to camp.

DAY CARE

Unfortunately, we do not have the resources to look after children before or after class. Parents who drop their children off unsupervised more than 10 minutes early or pick their children up more than 10 minutes late will be charged a day care fee of $10 per quarter hour.

OPEN GYM 

Echo Theater Company’s open gym offers an opportunity for established students to train on their own, without instruction, to build strength & flexibility, solidify existing skills and build performance skills at their own pace.

To attend open gym, students must have either:

• Completed a full term of Adult ETC School classes


• OR successfully complete a skills assessment

Students may only use apparatus they have been assessed on or taken a term of study in.

Under no circumstances may a student perform their own rigging. Only instructors may perform rigging. Communicate with the open gym supervisor to request any changes in apparatus.

Although there is a trained ETC School instructor present at all times, this is not an opportunity for instruction from staff or from other students. Students are responsible for their own warm up, conditioning, and general safety at all times.

Skills assessment:

All apparatus

• Ability to demonstrate proper stretching/warming up and cool down


• Ability to demonstrate awareness of personal limitations of knowledge & abilities

Rope & fabric

• 2 upside down straddles without touching the rope/fabric


• Basic rope/silks climb to top and down twice (no thuds down)

Trapeze, lyra, invented apparatus

• Controlled mount and dismount to standing on trapeze and lyra


• Controlled step step kick turn


• Catchers’ hang

Partner acro

• Thigh stand (controlled, unspotted, no wobble)


• Cathedral (controlled, unspotted, no wobble

Solo ground work

• Cartwheel, kick up to handstand, and forward roll.


• For canes: kick up to a controlled handstand alignment & cartwheel out safely on ground.

MISSED CLASSES

Baby Circus Classes: If you are unable to attend a Baby Circus class, you may schedule one (1) makeup class each half-term. Any other regularly scheduled Baby Circus class works as a “Makeup,” but makeup space is limited. Classes must be made up within one (1) term of your missed class.

Youth Classes & Camps: Unfortunately, due to the sequential nature of our youth classes and for the safety of our youth students, we are unable to offer make-up classes or credits for missed classes. We value continuity of instruction and a safe student/teacher ratio and can not accommodate additional students in our series’ classes. Our apologies for the inconvenience.

Adult classes: A student who misses up to two classes per term may schedule a makeup during the following classes:

• Strength & Conditioning Training


• Adult Open Gym

PAYMENTS/REFUNDS/CREDITS

Tuition payment is due at the time of registration.

Account credits can not be viewed or accessed through our online portal. Please contact the office to use your credit.

Discounts and special offers may not be applied after a transaction has been processed.

Once a transaction has been processed, the payment is immediately subject to our refund/withdrawal policy.

If a student must withdraw from a class, camp, or workshop the following applies:

If a student withdraws more than 14 days before class begins, the student will receive: A refund of class tuition less 10% (per each enrollment) in the original form of payment OR an account credit for the full amount of class tuition.

If a student withdraws less than 14 days before class begins, the student is no longer eligible for a refund, but will receive an account credit for the full amount of tuition.

If a student withdraws after class begins, the student will receive a prorated account credit.

If a student withdraws more than 120 days after enrolling but before class begins, we will only be able to issue a refund of class tuition less 50% (per each enrollment) in the form of a paper check OR an account credit for the full amount of tuition.

Private lesson cancellations require notification 24 hours prior to scheduled lesson time. If notification is not given 24 hours in advance full payment is required.

Account credits can be applied to any ETC purchase (including tuition, tickets, merchandise, etc) and expires one year after the date it is applied to the account. To use, please contact our office.

PLEASE NOTE: Classes with fewer than 2 students enrolled will be cancelled 1 business day before the class. In the event of a cancellation, a full refund or credit will be issued. Be sure to register in advance to ensure that your favorite class will not be cancelled.