Alabama Dance Academy

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General

Who is Reviewing?

Parent with dancer input

Program:

Alabama Dance Academy

Season Attended:

2025-26

# Of Levels In School:

ADA is a K-12 program with levels from pre-ballet, Ballet 5-7, Ballet 8-12, Division I-IV and then PTD 1-

Dancer Age:

Hours of Dance Each Week:

16-20 hours

Was Student Scholarshipped?

Please Describe Scholarship:

To my knowledge, there are no scholarships at ADA

Years At School:

7 or more years

Leveling by Age or Skill?

Skill

Teacher Background:

Former professional ballet dancer

Parents Required to Volunteer?

Yes

Parent Volunteer Requirement:

There are Nutcracker and Spring Shows every year. Volunteers are needed for costuming, working backstage, ticket sales, merchandising, laying floors, ushering, etc.

Date Submitted:

5/17/2026

Curriculum

Days Per Week:

Classes Per Day:

Weekend Classes?

Yes

Weekend Schedule:

Half day

Students Per Class:

16-24

Weekly Repertoire or Variations?

Pointe Classes Per Week:

Live Music in Technique Class?

Dedicated Men's Program?

Boys In Level:

There were no boys in my level

Techniques Taught:

General Classical

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:

The program is primarily and after school recreational program that allows the option of more serious training in the highest level "professional training division." Ballet and pointe are the core of the school. The Director was an SAB student through her training and she was hired as a professional dancer at 16. There is some Balanchine taught but the core is general classical. In addition to ballet and pointe other classes taught are: lyrical, contemporary, jazz, tap, hip hop, acro, and stretch and conditioning. There have been a boy or two in the past but there are not enough for a men's only class.

Partnering

Frequency of Partnering Class:

No partnering

Other Classes

Other Dance Styles:

Character, Modern, Musical Theater, Jazz, Horton, Hip-Hop

Other Class Quality:


Poor	Excellent

Contemporary Offered?

Yes

Types of Contemporary Classes Taught:

Improv, Choreography workshops, Technique

Contemporary Quality:


Poor	Excellent

Master Classes?

Yes

Master Classes Description:

Master classes are typically with guest instructors who come for a weekend or Saturday and often also choregraph a group piece and/or solos that are used for competitions. (Prior instructors included Roger VanFleteren, Duncan Cooper and Germaul Barnes)

Strength & Conditioning

Physical Training Offered?

Yes

Physical Training Types:

Pilates (mat or reformer), Body conditioning, Stretch class

Physical Training Schedule:

Once or twice a week

Were Trainers Certified?

Some were certified and some were not depending on class

Physical Training Quality:


Poor	Excellent

Strength & Conditioning Comments:

the director teaches the stretch and condition for the top few levels. The pilates is a Saturday morning class prior to technique taught by a certified instructor who is also a professional ballet dancer.

Injuries/Health/ Mental Health

Are Doctors Available?

How Parents Notified?

Parent was informed same day, in person

How Treatment Obtained?

personal doctor

PT Available?

Was There a Recovery Plan?

Describe Recovery Plan:

The expectation at ADA is that the family medical doctor would provide the course of treatment and the family would keep the ADA director informed of the recovery plan (time away from dance, what is / is not allowed until xyz... etc.).

Mental Health Therapists Available?

Were Students Given Fat Talk?

Staff Made Comments About Bodies?

Unsure

Were Students Weighed?

Was "Coded Language" Used?

Yes

Additional Comments:

My dancer was at this program for 12 years and had a few injuries in the past several years. What is most important is to provide written medical feedback (like a school excuse for PE) so there is no mis-interpretation of what should or should not be done.

Communication

Formal Orientation?

Handboook & Paperwork:

Adequate but missing several key pieces

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, high-quality, versatile

Placement Notification Timing:

While no formal exam, there is a yearly written evaluation from all core teachers which is provided at the end of April each year and gives placement for recommended classes for the next season.

How Dancer Was Notified:

Written communication via email or regular mail

Dancer Had Mentor?

Yes

Mentoring Details:

No official mentoring program but the older dancers support the younger ones. It is encouraged for each performance and recital. There were a couple older dancers (think middle school to high school age) who really were a positive influence and were person's my dancer would reach out to with questions.

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:

Casting:

School staff chooses students for roles - no auditions

Peformance Calendar:

There is Nutcracker (4 shows), Spring Show (2 shows) and recital (3 but each class in 1 of 3- split roughly by ages) every year. Nut & Spring require Saturday rehearsals outside of normal class time. Recital is rehearsed during class time except for dress rehearsal. Currently all are performed at the Oak Mountain Performing Arts Center.

Competition

Competitions required?

Did Dancer Compete?

Yes

Competition Categories:

Solos, Pas de Deux, Ensembles

Competitions Attended:

My dance attended UBC- Universal Ballet Competition and ADC IBC - both regionals and Finals. Other dancers also competed at BCA- Ballet Championships of America (1st year), Revel and NYCDA. Revel and NYCDA are for dancers more contemporary focused.

Solo Rehearsals:

Take place outside of regular classes

Pas de Deux Rehearsals:

Take place outside of regular classes

Ensemble Rehearsals:

Take place outside of regular classes

Costume Responsibility:

Student responsible for sourcing and paying for costume

Did School Tution Cover Competition Fees?

What Were the Additional Fees?

To clarify costumes: group pieces are sourced by the studio but paid per dancer, solo pieces are aligned with the instructor and either sourced by the family or instructor but the family pays for the costume.

Competition Fees Clear?

Competition Fees Reasonable?

Why?

The reasonableness issue is both with the school and with the overall comp programs. The costs continue to increase each year and the school requires a commitment at the end of the prior year for the next year before the specific costs are known.

Experience Description:

Because this studio is smaller and not company affiliated, the competitions have been a good opportunity to take classes from other outside instructors and be seen by many places that would otherwise not be so easily done. Our experience has been positive with receiving some summer scholarships and year round offers but keep in mind this is never a guarantee and the schools making the offer may not be a place the dancer is interested in.

Private Lessons

Private Lessons Available?

Yes

Are Private Lessons Encouraged?


Not at all	Strongly recommended

Who Takes Privates?

Anyone who wants them

Private Lessons equally available to all students?


Strongly disagree	Strongly agree

Explain:

Private lessons tend to coincide with competitions. Solos and specific work is done in a private. If a dancer is both recreational and not interested in competing, it is unlikely that a private lesson would be offered. However, should a family express interest, I don't believe the dancer would be turned away.

Summer Intensives

School Holds an SI?

Yes

School's SI Required?

Outside SI OK?

Yes, it's strongly encouraged

How Did School Help?

Other summer intensives are always allowed. The dancers in the higher levels are required to go somewhere for at least two weeks every summer. They are encouraged to go away for older dancers who want to pursue dance professionally. The family is primarily on their own for auditioning and deciding on SIs but the staff is willing to provide input and guide if asked.

Outcomes

Percent That Went Full-Time:

10%

Percent That Went To College:

11%-20%

How Much Support Did Dancer Receive in Taking the Next Steps in Ballet?


No support	Lots of support

Support Description:

As for summer intensives, the staff will provide support as requested with a meeting with the family prior to and during (when feedback received) the audition process. The director will be honest if she does not believe a dancer is ready for a particular program or next step being considered.

Program Grades

Overall Dance Instruction:

Continuing Ballet Placement:

Emotional Support:

Performance Opportunities:

Program Comments

Program's Best Aspect:

strong ballet technique training throughout the program which allowed my dance to remain at home and in her local school for as long as possible.

Program's Worst Aspect:

Increasing number of competitions and expectation to participate

What Changes Would Be Helpful?

More clear pricing for group pieces (example: group fee is $xyz per dancer and then after commitment costume fees are added)

Anything Else We Should Know?

For families local to the Birmingham, AL area, it is my opinion that this program is currently the strongest instructional program in our region - stronger than the company affiliated day program at Alabama Ballet and stronger than the state funded arts school ASFA. ADA will allow your dancer to get excellent ballet training while not having to move away at a young age. Do consider the overall cost as tuition is only a percentage as those wanting to possibly dance professionally will be expected to take private lessons and be part of performing groups in competitions which all cost a great deal more. There is not often partnering except for top roles in the performances where male dancers are hired in. It can be overcome by intentionally planning summer intensives with strong partnering opportunities.