How early should I arrive for class or rehearsal?

We all know it's poor etiquette to be late to your dance events, but what are the guidelines for arriving early?  In this post, I'll lay things out.

For young kids' classes (ages 8 and below), there's really no need for dancers to get warmed up before class begins.  Plan on arriving with enough time for a student to calmly put on shoes and be ready for class (about 5 minutes before class begins, or up to 15 minutes if the student has to get dressed at the studio).  Arriving any earlier can cause the young dancer to get bored, and there's more potential for misbehavior before and during class.

For older kids' classes, pre-pro technique classes, and all recreational teen/adult classes, it's good to arrive about 10 to 15 minutes before class starts.  Students over age 8 usually have more autonomy in what they wear and where they stand during class, and it's good to have a chance to work these things out before class begins.  Go to the bathroom, get a drink, put on a skirt, choose a spot at the barre, and do some warm-up plies before the teacher calls class to order.  This will help set dancers up for a successful class.

For advanced/pre-pro pointe or partnering classes, it's smart to arrive 15-20 minutes early to get settled and substantially warm up before class starts (especially if it's the first class of the day).  Students will have much more successful classes if the body and feet are warmed up.

For all rehearsals (excluding those scheduled just after classes), dancers should arrive about 15 minutes early to warm up.  Most of the time, directors start running choreography at the beginning of rehearsal and only stop at the end.  Dancers must be prepared to perform full out, so a few plies and tendus before rehearsal go a long way.

Is it possible to arrive to class or rehearsal too early?  In some cases, yes.  There's nothing wrong with coming to the studio 1 or 2 hours before class if the studio is open and a dancer has something to do (homework, etc.), but sometimes it's not such a good idea.  If a dancer is talkative or tends to get silly, they may distract others.  It's also possible to warm up too much, and dancers who intend to practice for an hour before class may get tired and perform poorly when class time comes.

It can take some experimentation to see what the best routine is for each individual dancer, but arriving a little early for class and rehearsal is always a good thing.