Online Classes

We are excited to host a range of online classes & events, nearly every day of the week, beginning right away. We are offering affordable classes in Jazz, African, Caribbean, House, Sweetheart Swing, and Fitness. Options to drop-in, take a 2-3 weeker, or package of 8+ weeks. Social and interactive, using Zoom, video conference style.

Interim Schedule

Register

Our usual setup allows for a better-quality video and audio feed through a fast fiber optic wired connection. We use a sophisticated audio setup that allows a strong, balanced audio feed to you where you get decent music and more clearly hear the instructors voices. We use a good camera in a well-lit, sizeable room. A tech person monitors the feed too, and if you have any issues, call us at 587-786-6554 or 780-604-7572.

Satisfaction Guarantee

First off, we want you to be happy with your choice to do an online class, with no regrets. If you join an online lesson and it just isn’t for you, we will happily defer that lesson (a freebee!) and the remainder of that series to any other future class offering.

New Registrations

We’re able to offer a range of new classes online! All online class fees are about 25% less than our in-studio classes to help encourage you to give it a try. Plus, anyone from anywhere in the world can now join us. These drop-in, 2-3 weeker, and 8+ week package classes will take place over March through May 2020

Registering

You may register & pay online at sugarswing.com/register for any class of 2 or more weeks. If you wish to drop-in, the rate is $15 for a 1hr lesson and $19 for a 1-1/4hr lesson; message dance@sugarswing.com a day before and we will send you the Zoom invite & invoice payment link!

New Student Satisfaction Guarantee

Nervous about how it’ll go? Don’t worry, we got your back. If you sign up to a new online class and it just isn’t for you, let us know within a week and we can either a) give you a refund, or, b) happily defer that class (a freebee) and the remainder of that series to any other future class offering, online or offline

Current Students

For those that have expressed interest in continuing with an online offering, or already doing so, we will technically have to do a conversion of your registration.

If you are already taking an online class, shoot us a message at dance@sugarswing.com and our admin staff will work out your registration woes
If you just stopped taking class but now want to hop back in, not a problem. Again, message dance@sugarswing.com and we’ll work it out!

Bonus for switching online

You will receive bonus credit to Sugar Swing, in the value of 25% per class, if you decide to continue with an online class instead of deferring them.

For example, if you registered & paid for a 4-week 1-1/4hr in-studio class ($83), and then now attend all 4 online classes, you may claim $20.75 worth of credit when registering & paying for a future class.
Another example, if you registered for a 6-week 1hr in-studio class ($99), attended 1 class in-studio, and then took the remaining 5 classes online… even though you technically attended all classes, you would still get a $20.63 credit for future use! (Pro-rated credit = $99 x 5/6 x 25%)

Future In-Studio Classes

We will begin to put classes up for registration for both online & in-studio classes in April, though we are not planning for those until June 2020

Schedule

March, April, May 2020 Online Classes
June 2020 onward In-Studio Classes

The in-studio classes are not planned to start until June 2020. If restrictions become lifted sooner than expected and we are able to have students back in the studio in April or May, then those online classes will, by default, become dual online and in-studio classes. If the restrictions are not lifted by June, then we will likely have to cancel those classes or move them online

Important Notes

Online Class Tips

Please read this page on how to get setup nicely to do your online class!

Online Class Tips

Technical Recommendations

It does not take much tech to take a class – a laptop, tablet, or smartphone with an internet connection will do the trick. However, here are some suggestions of how to have an optimal experience.

Larger screen (bigger the better)
Fast, wired internet connection
Wireless earbuds or decent speakers
Wide-angle camera, well-lit area
Close your apps

Video Participation

We encourage you to turn on your video feed so that our instructors can interact with their students, give feedback, etc, but it is not a requirement! We only record the instruction, and do not record the students.

Physical Distancing

You will need a partner for Sweetheart Swing; most people who take this series are couples or family, though some are not. If you are not already physically close with your dancing partner, it isn’t recommended that you take this class!

For everyone else, when taking an online class, please practice safe physical distancing of 2 meters from anyone you’re not already close with!

Disruptions & Cancelled Classes

Many subsequent things can cause a class interruption or cancellation due to the pandemic. For example, instructors & staff may need to self-isolate; they could become infected; Alberta may go into a further lockdown or other restrictions. If that happens, where possible, we will try continue the classes with substitute teachers. If not already happening, we could try running the feed from each instructor’s homes. These may not be always feasible options, and we may conclude that it’ll be better to postpone/cancel the classes until the situation changes. We thank you in advance for your patience!

Credit & Refund Policy

If you need to cancel your registration or if we need to cancel a lesson due to Covid-19, we are happy to defer the credit for those lessons to a later series. We are unable to offer refunds due to the extreme financial strain we are under.

Missed Classes

Missed a class? We may send you a link to a recording of the class, which only features the instructor and their audio. Upon request for registered students

Updates

April 8, 2020: We are aware of recent privacy issues regarding Zoom that have come up this week. At this time, we feel the issues are of concern, but believe the platform is still appropriate and optimal for our classes. 1) We configure our meeting settings to make it extremely difficult for zoom-bombing to happen, and will swiftly kick people out if necessary. Regarding reported end-to-end encryption issues, the issue appears to be minimal in respect to how we’re holding classes. Zoom appears to be working on it, and the feed is, reportedly, mostly encrypted. Few people have the skills to take advantage of this issue, and even if they did, it shouldn’t be a huge issue so long as participants aren’t unnecessarily exposing themselves (sharing secrets, confidential information/videos/pictures/etc). Nonetheless, we will look into Zoom alternatives and consider switching to another platform in the coming weeks! In the mean time, if you are still concerned, please let us know about it by messaging dance@sugarswing.com