Answering your questions
We love receiving your questions, and we want to share answers here to help you feel comfortable in our space. If you have a question that you don’t see answered here, send it to us at wellspring@wellspringdance.org!
What should I wear to class?
Click on the button below to learn what each class requires students to wear!
What are your tuition rates?
We offer a monthly payment tuition option, adult drop-ins, and several discounts for multiple student families, college students, and referrals.
If you are in need of financial assistance, WSDA provides scholarships to low-income families and those suffering temporary financial hardship in increments of 25%, 50%, and 75%. Children and adults may both apply with first consideration given to youth candidates. APPLY HERE!
Why do parents wait outside and not watch the classes?
Some students find an audience to be distracting, especially if someone they care very much about is in that audience (like you!). It’s also good for the student’s social development to have time with other youth and a supportive teacher. We know that parents really want to see how their child is progressing, which is why we have Observation Week. We will send more info about Observation Week out as we get closer to the dates.
In regular class weeks, we like to offer the Epic Center Atrium to parents to wait while class is in session, if you wish. This space is offered free-of-charge to us from the Arts Council. They occasionally host Atrium events at the same time as our classes, and in these cases we are not able to use this space. Please try to keep noise to a comfortable level in the Atrium, as we share this building with other arts organizations who host their own events. Additional space is available on the lower level of the building if the Epic Center Atrium is occupied by an event.
Bathrooms and dressing rooms...
It’s a good idea for students to use the restroom before dance class, as entrances and exits are disruptive. Parents of young children: make sure your youth are taken to the bathroom before class (even though we have built-in bathroom breaks for the youngest classes). There are restrooms down the hall from Wellspring, by the elevators, and you may request a key from us. We also have a dressing room available for changing clothes before and after class, if desired.
PARKING…
There are several parking options downtown near Wellspring’s Epic Center location:
On Lovell Street, which is the street along the south side of the Epic Center, parking is free for 90 minutes.
The Epic Center parking ramp, which is attached to the Epic Center building on the ramp’s lowest level, offers free parking for up to 90 minutes. [NOVEMBER 2025: Construction in the parking ramp through the month limits available spaces and requires slow, careful navigation. Plan extra time if you want to park in the parking structure.]
On South Street, which is the closest street north of the Epic Center, parking is free for 90 minutes.
Along the Kalamazoo Mall and around Bronson Park, on-street metered parking is available, ranging from $1.75/hour to $3/day, with coins or via the ParkMobile app. Parking on the Mall is free after 8 p.m., and it is free after 6 p.m. on other downtown streets. Metered parking is free on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays.
You can find the most up-to-date parking information on the City of Kalamazoo’s website.
If bad weather cancels classes, how will I know?
What are your student policies?
Students age 13 and younger must be accompanied by an adult both on their way in and out of the Theatre. Wellspring instructors will not release children to be picked up in front of the building or in the parking ramp.
Please only bring water into Wellspring’s Cori Terry Theatre. No chewing gum, candy, food, or other drink is allowed. This is to keep the theatre beautiful and to keep our dancers with food allergies safe.
It is unique for our students to rehearse and take class in the same space that not only they perform in, but where our professional company and many other professional artists also perform. Because of this, it is important that you stress to your student that this benefit comes with the responsibility of respecting the space. We have expensive lights, curtains, chairs, floors, and other equipment that we have to maintain. We ask that you establish expectations with your dancer about how to treat the space, including no running, climbing, or playing with the lights or curtains. If your dancer is unable to maintain a respectful etiquette with our theatre space, they may be dismissed from our academy. If anything in our theatre space is damaged as a result of your dancer’s actions, you will be held financially responsible for the damage or replacement.
Students will wait in the lobby until the doors are opened and they are invited in by the instructor. Students must be in full uniform at this time in order to enter into class. Please ensure all bathroom needs are attended to before class. This will ensure that all dancers receive their full time with the instructor and class.
Do you offer scholarships?
Wellspring provides scholarships to low-income families and those suffering temporary financial hardship in increments of 25%, 50% and 75%. Children and adults may both apply, with first consideration given to youth applicants. Although Wellspring would love to award all applicants, scholarship funds are limited, and not all requests can be filled.
If your dancer receives a scholarship, one volunteer hour/month, September through June, is required, for a total of 9 volunteer hours/year. Failure to fulfill the hourly quota will result in your dancer’s scholarship being revoked for the remainder of the academic year. Click here to access our scholarship application form, or request one from the Wellspring office at 269-342-4354 to receive by mail. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis for the 2025-2026 academic year.
To be considered for scholarship support for our 2025-2026 session, please submit your application. Click Here.
Funding for Wellspring's Scholarship Program is provided by donations from individuals, the Arts Council of Greater Kalamazoo, the Harold and Grace Upjohn Foundation, the Irving S. Gilmore Foundation, the Kalamazoo Community Foundation, and the National Endowment for the Arts.