Harbour Basin Dance
Info for Dance Families
2026 Timetable
Tuesday, Diamond Harbour Community Hall
3:30-4:00 Me & My Buddy
4:00-5:00 Grade 2 Ballet
5:00-6:00 Grade 3 Ballet
6:00-7:00 Grade 5 Ballet
7:00-8:00 Grade 8 Ballet
8:00-9:00 Senior Jazz
Wednesday, Allandale Hall
3:45-4:30 Level 2 Jazz
4:30-5:30 Grade 3 Ballet
5:30-6:30 Intermediate Jazz
Thursday, Diamond Harbour Community Hall
4:00-5:00 Level 3 Jazz
5:00-6:00 Grade 5 Ballet
6:00-7:00 Grade 8 Ballet
7:00-7:30 Pre-Pointe/Conditioning
7:30-8:30 Senior Ballet
8:30-9:00 Private Lesson Available
Friday, Allandale Hall
4:00-4:30 Private Lesson Available
4:30-6:00 Senior Ballet
Saturday, Trinity Hall in Lyttelton Rec Centre
2:45-3:15 4.5-6 Pre-Primary Dance
3:15-3:45 3-4 Beginner Dance
Uniform
The basics:
Each student needs a leotard, tights and shoes as basic uniform. Skirts, shorts, warm-ups, accessories, etc, are optional.
Boys' uniforms:
Boys should wear a white/class colour leotard/t-shirt with black shorts/leggings. Boys ballet shoes are traditionally white/black, but if your boy prefers pink, that's fine.
Where to buy:
Limited second-hand gear is available on request.
Uniforms can be purchased from PW dancewear, as can shoes for younger dancers (up to grade 3), unless recommended otherwise by your teacher.
Senior Dancers should get Ballet/Jazz flats from either Stage Door Dancewear or MDM Shoes. (MDM must be ordered online).
Demi Pointes & Pointes should be discussed with Georgina before purchase
Grooming:
As a safety precaution, students should not wear jewellery to class, though an exception is made for studs/small hoop earrings.
Hair long enough to ponytail should be tied back for class.
Ponytails, braids etc are allowed for younger students, but students grade 4+ need to have their held against their head; a traditional bun can be used, as can a bun cage, claw clip, milkmaid braids etc.
Shorter hair and fringes should be held off the face using clips/a headband.
Very short hair is fine left as is.
Underwear: Underwear should be skin coloured with a high leg line that doesn't peek out of a leotard.
Boys may want to look into a dance belt.
Dancers hitting puberty may want an 'undertard' (skin coloured leotard, some have a shelf bra) before needing a bra.
Bras should be skin coloured with clear straps (and ideally, the back strap should also be clear). PW dancewear stocks these without underwires; if the dancer needs/prefers an underwire, they should look at brands like Capezio or Energetiks, or search for 'backless bra' if buying online.
Important Dates 2026
Term Dates:
Term 1: Tues Feb 3 - Thurs April 2 (no classes Waitangi Day or over Easter)
Term 2: Tues April 20 - Sat July 4 (no classes ANZAC Day, Sat June 20)
Term 3: Tues July 20 - Sat Sept 26
Term 4: Tues Oct 12 - Sunday Dec 6 ( classes WILL run on Halloween and Show Day)
Venue Changes: This is where you can find any one-off venue changes throughout the year.
Currently none
Choreography Challenge (Mid-year Performance) at Lyttelton Arts Factory
Sunday June 21st
Class Presentations (AKA Exams): For Grade/Level 1 and up, at Allandale Hall
Saturday 29th and Sunday 30th August.
Recital (our big end-of-year performance) at Diamond Harbour Community Hall
Friday 4th December
Saturday 5th December,
Sunday 6th December.
Class Policies
New Students
New students are welcome to try a class. You should contact us before trying a class to discuss which class would be best for the potential student. Older students may be asked to take private lessons or start in a slightly lower-level class but move up to their age group once they have grasped the basics.
Attendance
Please let us know via email/text if your dancer is going to be away. This is especially relevant if they will be away multiple weeks in a row, or will be missing an exam/performance.
Our classes for Novice students (ages 3-6) are designed to let them easily slot back in if they miss a few lessons. Junior, Intermediate and Senior classes can be a bit harder to catch back up with after missing several classes; you will be contacted regarding options to help your child if they are struggling to catch up.
Spectators
Families are welcome to watch novice classes (ages 3-4, 4-5), and we work with you to gently introduce young dancers to having classes without family present as they head into the older grades.
We have a no-spectator policy in our grade level classes and have been delighted by how it benefits the students. Concentration and behaviour are improved and students learn and improve technique faster if distractions are less common. One of the most beneficial ways we can help students focus is by minimising spectators.
We realise that visiting family may want to watch a class and don't have a problem with this; we simply ask that the spectators do not distract the students during class.
Parents of new students are welcome to view their child’s first lesson or two as it is important that children settle comfortably into their class without anxiety.
Private Lessons
Private lessons give the opportunity for one one-on-one coaching with specific attention to what you require. Private lessons are available to any student who requests extra coaching; if you need help with a tricky step, have missed a class, or want regular personal coaching. If group class times do not suit your schedule, or if your skill level does not fit into any available group classes private lessons are the perfect way to get started.
Lessons can be booked as either a single lesson or as a series of lessons. Lessons can be for an individual or a pair of students in the same class. We welcome the opportunity to discuss group lessons for those who have a special requirement.
Fees
Options
Classes can be paid for either by term or per lesson.
Students in Grade 1+ are expected to pay per term unless they are travelling for an extended time or miss several lessons due to extenuating circumstances.
Students in Me & My Buddy, Pre-Dance, Pre-Primary and Primary levels can choose to pay per term or per lesson, however if paying per lesson, they will need to pay a minimum of a half term's costs to reserve their place in the class.
Per Term Fees
30min - $125
45min - $175
60min - $200
90min - $250
Per Lesson Fees
30min - $15
45min - $25
60min - $30
90min - $35
Discounts
Discounts are available to dancers taking multiple disciplines, families with multiple dancers, and dancers taking multiple classes for the same discipline each week. All discounts are per term.
Multiple Dancers in a family - $30 per extra dancer
Multiple Discipline (jazz/ballet) - $30
Multiple classes in the same discipline - $66 per extra class
Conditioning Class (currently only available to seniors) - $100