FAQ

Dance Department Frequently Asked Questions

Welcome! By enrolling in this dance class, you have become part of an exciting arts program. To help you get started, we have listed the answers to the most commonly asked questions. If you need any further assistance, please call us at 503-408-0604. We will be happy to help.

What do dance students wear to class?
Dancers need to be comfortable and have unrestricted movement. Below is a list of uniform dancewear for weekly classes.  Please do not dress children in costumes such as tutus.  Costumes are distracting to everyone and are not appropriate for class.  If you already have dancewear that is of a different color or style than the class uniform, you may wear that to class.  However, when you need to purchase new dancewear, please keep the class uniform requirements in mind.  Class uniforms are used in weekly classes, during Visitors’ weeks and at the Spring Showcase in June.

Music Department Frequently Asked Questions

Welcome! By enrolling in this music class, you have become part of an exciting arts program. To help you get started, we have listed the answers to the most commonly asked questions. If you need any further assistance, please call us at 503-408-0604. We will be happy to help.
What do music students bring to class?
Lesson books for private music students can be purchased from PMA when needed. The student is also encouraged to bring music they are interested in learning. A plain spiral notebook is helpful for keeping track of lesson assignments. Music is provided for Group Music classes.
Where can you get instruments?
Most of our group classes have instruments provided and we have a limited number of violins available for rental. For private lessons and the Strings Class, we recommend two local places for instrument rentals: David Kerr Violin Shop, (503) 238-4515 and Portland Music Company Eastside, Division store, (503)760-6881.
Where do I park?
Our parking lot is behind the building, with an entrance/exit onto 90th Avenue.  Main entrance to the building is also on 90th Avenue, midway down the building.  Please do not park in the diagonal spaces on 90th against the Filipino-American building.  That parking space is reserved for them.
How early should I arrive before class?
Please plan to arrive 15 minutes prior to class time to allow for heavy traffic and bathroom visits before class/lessons.  Remember that we do not provide supervision, before or after classes, for children not enrolled in our After-School Arts Club.  Please arrange for children twelve and under to be dropped off and picked up not more than 15 minutes before and after their class.   PMA is a busy place and we cannot accept responsibility for supervision of children who are not registered in a PMA program.
What is the PMA class observation policy?
We have set aside several weeks a year for class observations.  Visitors’ weeks are listed on our website calendar.  When a parent is in the classroom on a weekly basis, the child has two authority figures in the room.  A parent’s very presence divides a child’s attention and creates a distraction.  Please mark your calendars and join us. Parent observation of private lessons is at the discretion of the instructor.
Can I make-up a missed private lesson?
Consistent attendance is critical to each student’s progress.  PMA reserves the right to shorten lesson length of students who come late.  We require that students contact our office at least 24 hours in advance of an absence.  If you have given our office at least 24 hours’ notice in advance of an absence, every effort will be made to work with instructor and student to schedule a make-up lesson.  Students are entitled to two make-up lessons during the School Year Term. Missed lessons must be made up within six months of the absence. With less than 24 hours’ notice of an absence, no make-up lesson, rescheduling, class credit or refund will be given.  In situations of sudden illness, family crisis or other unforeseen circumstance, each student will be granted one instance of grace and a make-up class will be scheduled.  Beyond the one exemption, the student will be held financially responsible for the missed lesson. If more than two lessons will be missed or a leave of absence is required, we cannot guarantee that their current instructor, time slot or day will be available upon their return.

Can I make-up a missed group class?
We require that students contact our office at least 24 hours in advance of an absence.  If you have given our office at least 24 hours’ notice in advance of an absence, every effort will be made to work with instructor and student to schedule make-up time in the 15 minutes after the class’ scheduled time, within a month of the absence.
What if PMA cancels a lesson/class?
It is rare, but sometimes an unavoidable situation arises, and we will need to cancel a class/lesson.  When this happens, we call and/or email all registered students to let them know as soon as possible.  It is important that you have on file with us your most up-to-date contact information.  We will then discuss with the students a suitable arrangement to make up the missed class/lesson time.
What Holidays are observed?
Classes/lessons will not be held on Thanksgiving weekend, Christmas, New Year’s Day, and Independence Day.  On all other holidays whether Federal, State, or local, classes will be held.  Any exceptions to this will be listed on the class calendar which is updated online every twelve weeks.  A two-week Winter Break is taken the last of December into early January.  A one-week Spring Break is taken in March. Holidays and vacation breaks may be used for make-up classes/lessons at the mutual convenience of student and instructor.
Will our class/lesson time remain the same all year?
Class and lesson schedules during the School Year Term are set to run from September through mid-June.  Summer camps, workshops, classes, and private lessons are also offered and are listed online separately. Families are often on a different summer schedule and so are we.  Sometimes within a season we do need to make an adjustment in the schedule.  However, we do our best to work with the families to create the least disruption.  Our goal is to maintain an optimal teacher/student ratio in all classes, which provides students with the best opportunity for successful learning.
Who is teaching the class?
Our instructors are among of the finest anywhere. Their ranks include professional musicians, university graduates in music and individuals with rich and varied teaching experiences.  Most instructors have been with PMA for many years and have earned the respect and admiration of students and their families.  The instructors will be happy to answer any questions you may have about your musician’s progress.
Are there any performances?
Performance is an essential part of any music experience. Every student should avail themselves of as many of the following performance options as possible.

• Friends and family are invited to observe class during Visitors’ Week which is held several times a year.
• In January we hold our annual Winter Music Showcase, in which all students are invited to perform.
• In June we hold our annual Spring Music Showcase, in which all students are invited to perform.  

How much do performance tickets cost?
All the following PMA student performances are free to students, parents, and the public:

• Little Nutcracker Workshop performance during Winter Break
• Winter Theatre, Visual Arts and Music Showcases held in late January.
• Choreographers’ Showcase held in late January.
• Spring Theatre, Visual Arts, Music and Dance Showcases held in mid-June.
• Summer Theatre, Visual Arts, Music and Dance Camp and Workshop performances from mid-June-August.

Additionally, all PMA students receive one free ticket to:

• Metro Dancers’ Dance Mosaic held in November the weekend before Thanksgiving.
• PMA Theatre Dept. Winter Musical held in January.
• Metro Dancers’ Full-length ballet held in the spring.
  How can parents help ensure a successful experience?
• Help your student arrive on time, with their appropriate music, instrument, and workbooks.
• Make sure your student attends classes/lessons regularly so they won’t fall behind the others.
• Remind your student to visit the bathroom prior to class, so class won’t be disrupted.
• Put your student’s name on their music books.
• Beginning students should practice at home 15 to 20 minutes a day, 5 days a week. More advanced students should consult the instructor about practice times.
• Encourage your student to attend live concerts and performances. You will receive information about performances throughout the year, many of which are low cost, free to registered PMA students or free to all.

Who is Portland Metro Arts?
PMA is a nonprofit arts organization our mission is to provide everyone, particularly youth, an opportunity to learn, perform and experience the arts.  We provide meaningful access to quality arts education, performance programs and serve as a cultural resource to our community.  We began as a Portland Park Bureau program in 1952 and have evolved over the years into an independent nonprofit, overseen by a volunteer Board.  The scope and scale of the programs have expanded as well to create the interdisciplinary entity that we are today.  We rely on the financial and volunteer support of the community to maintain the excellence of our programs.
The PMA sponsored programs include:
· PMA School—Dance, Music, Theatre and Visual Arts classes for all ages and all levels.
· PMA Outreach—In-school and after-school programs in area public and private schools.
· PMA Performance Companies—Metro Dancers, 3 repertory concerts and 1 full-length ballet each season.
Once Upon a Time Family Theatre—monthly interactive interpretations of fairy tales, the first Saturday of the month at Noon.
· PMA Center—A bustling facility with studios, meeting spaces, theatre and rehearsal spaces used by community groups, individual artists, families and is home to several resident tenant arts organizations.  We welcome rental requests and encourage everyone to contribute, whether financial or of their time, to continue the legacy of arts enrichment for generations to come in our community.

Theatre Department Frequently Asked Questions

Welcome! By enrolling in this dance class, you have become part of an exciting arts program. To help you get started, we have listed the answers to the most commonly asked questions. If you need any further assistance, please call us at 503-408-0604. We will be happy to help.

What do theatre students bring to class?
All theatre students need to bring to most classes is their imaginations but as we prepare for performances they will have lines to learn and we ask that if they take their scripts home to practice, they bring them back to class. As we approach rehearsals for performances they are encouraged to make any personal props or costumes out of things they have at home and bring them to rehearsal. 

Where do I park?
Our parking lot is behind the building, with an entrance/exit on 90th Avenue, midway down the building..  Also on 90th is the Filipino-American building.  Please do not park in the diagonal spaces on 90th.  That parking space is reserved for them

How early should I arrive before class?
Please plan on arriving 15 minutes prior to class time to allow for heavy traffic and bathroom visits before class.  Remember that we do not provide supervision for children not enrolled in our After School Arts Club before or after classes.  Therefore, arrange for children twelve and under to be dropped off and picked up not more than 15 minutes before and after their class.   PMA is a busy place and we cannot accept responsibility for supervision of children who are not registered in a PMA program.

What is the PMA class observation policy?
We have set aside four weeks a year for class observations.  Visitors’ weeks are listed on our website calendar.  When a parent is in the classroom on a weekly basis, the child has two authority figures in the room.  A parent’s very presence divides a child’s attention and creates a distraction.  Please mark your calendars and join us.

Will my class remain on the same schedule?
Class schedules are set to run from September through mid-June and then mid-June through August.  Families are often on a different summer schedule and so are we.  Sometimes within a season we do need to make an adjustment in the schedule.  However, we do our best to work with the families to create the least disruption.  Our goal is to maintain an optimal teacher/student ratio in all classes, which provides students with the best opportunity for successful learning.

Who is teaching the class?
Our instructors are among of the finest anywhere. Their ranks include professional actors, university graduates in theatre and individuals with rich and varied teaching experiences.  Most instructors have been with PMA for many years and have earned the respect and admiration of students and their families.  The instructors will be happy to answer any questions you may have about your dancer’s progress.

Can I make-up a missed class?
If you miss a class, you may take a make-up class in another section of a comparable class.  If there is not a comparable class, you may drop into a different class of the same level.  Please let the front desk know, in advance, when you will arrive for a make-up class and inform the instructor as well.  Consult our office if you need assistance.

What if PMA cancels a class?
It is rare, but sometimes an unavoidable situation arises and we will need to cancel a class.  When this happens. we call and/or email all registered students to let them know as soon as possible.  It is important that you have on file with us your most up-to-date contact information.  We will then discuss with the students a suitable arrangement to make up the missed class time.

What Holidays are observed?
Classes will not be held on Thanksgiving weekend, Christmas, New Year’s Day and Independence Day.  On all other holidays whether Federal, State or local, classes will be held.  Any exceptions to this will be listed on the class calendar which is updated online every twelve weeks.  A two-week Winter Break is taken the last of December into early January.  A one-week Spring Break is taken in March.  A two week Fall Break is taken the last week of August through Labor Day.

Are there any performances?
Performance is an essential part of any dance experience. Every student should avail themselves of as many of the following performance options as possible. • Friends and family are invited to observe class during Visitors’ Week which is held four times a year.
• Our resident dance company, Once Upon A Time Family Theatre, presents fairy tale play on the first Saturday of the month from September through June.  Students have the opportunity to perform, work on the stage crew and appear as extras onstage several times a season.  This provides them with a rich performance working along side experienced adult actors.
• In January we hold our annual Winter Musical in which all theatre students are encouraged to participate.  It is a complete evening performance that gives young actors a marvelous training opportunity.
• In in June is our Spring Theatre Showcase, in which all students are invited to perform.  It is the high point of the year for our students.

How much do performance tickets cost?
ll of the following PMA student performances are free to students, parents and the public:
• Little Nutcracker Workshop performance during Winter Break
• Winter Theatre, Visual Arts and Music Showcases held in late January.
• Choreographers’ Showcase held in late January.
• Spring Theatre, Visual Arts, Music and Dance Showcases held in mid-June.
• Summer Theatre, Visual Arts, Music and Dance Camp and Workshop  performances from mid-June-August.
• Metro Dancers’ Under the Summer Sky concert at Washington Park Amphitheatre in late July-early August.

Additionally, all PMA students receive one free ticket to:
• Metro Dancers’ Dance Mosaic held in November the weekend before Thanksgiving.
• Metro Dancers’ Full-length ballet held in the Spring.

How can parents help ensure a successful experience?
• Help your child arrive on time,.
• Attend classes regularly so your child won’t fall behind the others.
• Remind your student to visit the bathroom prior to class, so class won’t be disrupted.
• Put your child’s name on their scripts.
• Help you student run lines so they will be confident onstage.
•Encourage your child to attend live concerts and performances. You will receive information about performances throughout the year, many of which are low cost, free to registered PMA students or free to all.

Who is Portland Metro Arts?
PMA is a nonprofit arts organization with a mission to ensure that everyone, especially children, have the opportunity to learn, perform and experience the arts by providing meaningful access to quality arts education, performance programs and serve as a cultural resource to our community.  We began as a Portland Park Bureau program in 1952 and have evolved over the years into an independent nonprofit, overseen by a volunteer Board.  The scope and scale of the programs have expanded as well to create the interdisciplinary entity that we are today.  We rely on the financial and volunteer support of the community to maintain the excellence of our programs.The PMA sponsored programs include:
• PMA School—Dance, Music, Theatre and Visual Arts classes for all ages and all levels.
• PMA Performance Companies—Metro Dancers, 3 repertory concerts and 1 full-length ballet each season.Once Upon a Time Family Theatre—monthly interactive interpretations of fairy tales, the first Saturday of the month, September through June,
• PMA Center—A bustling facility with studios, meeting spaces, theatre and rehearsal spaces used by
community groups, individual artists, families and is home to several resident tenant arts organizations.  We welcome rental requests and encourage everyone to make a contribution, whether financial or of their time, to continue the legacy of arts enrichment for generations to come in our community.

Visual Arts Department Frequently Asked Questions