Academy of American Dance

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General

Who is Reviewing?

Parent with dancer input

Program:

Academy of American Dance

Season Attended:

2024-25

# Of Levels In School:

A full curriculum—pre-ballet through advanced ballet classes—is offered for children and adults and encompasses eight graded levels. Students are placed and promoted into the appropriate level based on ability.

Dancer Age:

Hours of Dance Each Week:

6-10 hours

Was Student Scholarshipped?

Years At School:

3 years

Leveling by Age or Skill?

Skill

Teacher Background:

Both

Parents Required to Volunteer?

Parent Volunteer Requirement:

Parents whose students participate in the annual Nutcracker performance are asked to volunteer in various roles from production design, set-up, marketing, chaperoning, ushering, fundraising, etc.

Curriculum

Days Per Week:

Classes Per Day:

Weekend Classes?

Yes

Weekend Schedule:

Half day

Students Per Class:

10-15

Weekly Repertoire or Variations?

Yes

Pointe Classes Per Week:

N/A

Live Music in Technique Class?

Dedicated Men's Program?

Yes

Men Taught by Male Teacher?

Yes

Men Taught Batterie?

Yes

Boys In Level:

Less than 5

Separate Technique Class for Boys:

Techniques Taught:

Vaganova

Technique Teacher Rotation:

Usually the same every day

Did School Director Teach?

Often

Classroom Corrections:

Dancer specific: almost every dancer got specific corrections each day

Attention From Teachers:


Very Little	A Lot

Quality of Instruction:


Poor	Excellent

Did Technique Improve?


Not at all	Tremendously

Curriculum Comments:

AAD uses Vaganova Method coupled with exercises to strengthen and increase flexibility. The emphasis of the Vaganova method is to teach dancing as an entire body movement, not just legs and core, and to teach dancers to recognize and analyze their movement. It is a method for all ballet stages, from 4-year-olds to adults. It also is designed not to have the dancer overstretch to the point of injury and pain. AAD combines Vaganova with off-the-floor exercises to strengthen and increase flexibility. AAD has trained Pilates instructors and a Pilates room with four reformers. Students are encouraged to take Pilates classes and to use techniques from EBAS (Elemental Body Alignment System) and Feldenkrais to increase flexibility. build strength, and reduce injuries. AAD's curriculum—pre-ballet through advanced ballet classes—is offered for children and adults and encompasses eight graded levels. Students are placed and promoted into the appropriate level based on ability. AAD offers classes 7 days a week, primarily evenings during the week, throughout the day Saturday, and Sunday mornings.

Partnering

Frequency of Partnering Class:

No partnering

Other Classes

Other Dance Styles:

Modern, Jazz, Hip-Hop

Other Class Quality:


Poor	Excellent

Contemporary Offered?

Yes

Types of Contemporary Classes Taught:

Repertoire, Technique

Contemporary Quality:


Poor	Excellent

Master Classes?

Strength & Conditioning

Physical Training Offered?

Yes

Physical Training Types:

Pilates (mat or reformer), Stretch class

Physical Training Schedule:

Several times a week

Were Trainers Certified?

Yes

Physical Training Quality:


Poor	Excellent

Strength & Conditioning Comments:

Strength & conditioning class required for all dancers at Basic 2 level and above

Injuries/Health/ Mental Health

Are Doctors Available?

Unsure

How Parents Notified?

My student did not get injured

PT Available?

Unsure

Was There a Recovery Plan?

My dancer did not get injured

Mental Health Therapists Available?

Unsure

Were Students Given Fat Talk?

Staff Made Comments About Bodies?

Were Students Weighed?

Was "Coded Language" Used?

Communication

Formal Orientation?

Handboook & Paperwork:

Comprehensive and complete. I knew what to expect for the year

Quality of Communication?


Poor	Excellent

Who Received Communication?

With parents and students

Exams

Formal Exam?

School Culture

How Supported Did Student Feel By Staff?


Not	Completely

How Supportive Were Students of One Another?


Not	Completely

Describe School Culture:

supportive, inclusive, nurturing, disciplined, community-oriented

Placement Notification Timing:

mid summer

How Dancer Was Notified:

Written communication via email or regular mail

Dancer Had Mentor?

Yes

Mentoring Details:

Boys ballet instructor available for private lessons.

Overall School Culture:


Lord of the Flies	Warm & Inclusive

Building & Surrounding Area

Security Around Building:

Safety of Area Around School?


Not Safe	Extremely Safe

Studio Space:


Cramped	Lots of space

Studio Cleanliness:


Dirty	Spotless

Performance Opportunities

Company Affiliated?

Programs Performed:

1-3

Shows per Program:

More than 5

Casting:

Everyone auditions for parts

Peformance Calendar:

The two big performance opportunities are the annual Nutcracker performance (a full performance with intermission, 8 shows). Students audition to take part, and everyone who auditions is guaranteed a role. There is also a June recital that all classes are invited to partake in, with 2 performances. The school's performance company "Ballet America Junior Company" (~25 dancers selected by audition at the high school age and on a more professional training track) has additional performance opportunities throughout the year. The school also participates in Regional Dance America regional and national festivals.

Competition

Competitions required?

Did Dancer Compete?

Non-Competing Dancers Left Out?

Why?

While some of the advanced dancers do participate in competitions, most do not, and students are not pressured to compete, nor is it the norm or expectation that they do.

Private Lessons

Private Lessons Available?

Yes

Are Private Lessons Encouraged?


Not at all	Strongly recommended

Who Takes Privates?

A select few kids

Private Lessons equally available to all students?


Strongly disagree	Strongly agree

Explain:

Because of limited time and space, our understanding is that specific students who reach a certain level are invited to add on private lessons, however, the school feels quite inclusive and I imagine that any requests for private lessons would be considered. They are just not broadly offered to everyone.

Summer Intensives

School Holds an SI?

Yes

School's SI Required?

Outside SI OK?

Yes, it's strongly encouraged

How Did School Help?

N/A - no experience with this yet.

Program Grades

Overall Dance Instruction:

Continuing Ballet Placement:

Emotional Support:

Performance Opportunities:

Program Comments

Program's Best Aspect:

The school feels very inclusive and supportive of all students at all levels. We first learned of the school by attending their annual Nutcracker performance, in which they guarantee parts for all students who wish to perform. At all levels, there are dancers of varying shapes and sizes, and I think compared to other environments, there is more acceptance of differences among dancers. From the boy dancer perspective, one of the best aspects is the school is the boys' ballet program and having access to an advanced level male instructor to provide training to boys, starting at age 8.

Program's Worst Aspect:

Communication overall about the long-term opportunities and track that students can take could be improved for younger dancers.

What Changes Would Be Helpful?

The school has an excellent male instructor who teaches the most advanced students, as well as boys' ballet. However, the boys' ballet class is still quite small, and it would be great if there could be more of an effort to increase the number of boys in the class as it is an excellent and unique opportunity for boys just trying out ballet to dance with other boys and receive instruction from a highly-qualified male instructor who danced professionally as a principal dancer for many years.

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