BALLET HELP DESK

After-School Training Reviews

Programs Reviewed: 112
Total Reviews: 206

Ballet Arte

After-School Reviews

General

Who is Reviewing?

1
2

Program

3

Season Attended

3

# Of Levels In School

  • "Level 1-8, then pre-pro ( advanced) which are the high schoolers"
  • "6/9"
  • "9"

Dancer Age

1
1
1

Hours of Dance Each Week

1
1
1

Gender

2
1

Was Student Scholarshipped?

3

Years At School

1
2

Leveling by Age or Skill?

3

Teacher Background

3

Parents Required to Volunteer?

3

Parent Volunteer Requirement

  • "Usually help younger kids and sometimes older kids backstage during performances"

Curriculum

Days Per Week

1
2

Classes Per Day

3

Weekend Classes?

1
2

Weekend Schedule

2
1

Students Per Class

3

Weekly Repertoire or Variations?

1
2

Pointe Classes Per Week

2
1

Live Music in Technique Class?

3

Dedicated Men's Program?

2
1

Men Taught by Male Teacher?

3

Men Taught Batterie?

1
2

Boys In Level

3

Separate Technique Class for Boys

2
1

Techniques Taught

3

Technique Teacher Rotation

3

Did School Director Teach?

3

Classroom Corrections

1
2

Attention From Teachers

Very Little
1
2
A Lot

Quality of Instruction

Poor
3
Excellent

Did Technique Improve?

Not at all
3
Tremendously

Curriculum Comments

  • "Vaganova. Technique Class Daily runs 1hr45 min, up to 2 hours. All levels, all classes are taught by husband-wife directors to ensure excellent development of technique. Husband trained at same academy Baryshnikov trained, and he is a retired NYCB dancer. Incredible institutional knowledge. Wife trained at Academie de Princesse Grace, also lauded former professional dancer. Both take an anatomy informed approach. All body types included and demonstrate strength, grace, beautiful lines, musicality. While fun and joyful for the littles, it is serious study with a pre-pro approach at higher levels. We came to this studio when my dancer was 13 for more attention and serious training. 3 of her classes have 8-10 students, the other was 15 ish. All kids can participate in privates, competition is optional. There is 1 contemporary per week, taught by principal and choreographer from City Ballet of San Diego. Rehearsals for shows are outside of technique class. They present an annual Nutcracker and 1 Spring Full Length Classical ballet annually. My daughter grew immensely here."
  • "This is our seventh year at ballet arte and we just completed level six whose kids are, on average 10 years old. For level 6, classes are 3 days per week, 90 minutes per class with opportunities to participate in nutcracker in the fall and the spring show (sleeping beauty, la Bayadere, Cinderella, or swan lake depending on the year). Rehearsals for the show is considered a separate program and take place on Saturdays from 1-5pm three months leading up to the show."
  • "Monday through Saturday there was one technique class, Wendy there was a contemporary class after the technique class, and Saturday when we’re getting ready for performances there is rehearsal after the technique class."

Partnering

Frequency of Partnering Class

3

Other Classes

Other Dance Styles

3

Contemporary Offered?

1
2

Types of Contemporary Classes Taught

1
2
2
2

Contemporary Quality

Poor
1
1
Excellent

Master Classes?

3

Master Classes Description

  • "Guest national and local company present and retired dancers put on master classes, a few times a year"
  • "Winter and summer workshops with professional dancers and choreographers"
  • "Intermediate to advanced technique classes in the morning Monday to Wednesday as well as Friday and Saturday for 1h and 30min from 9:30-11:00"

Strength & Conditioning

Physical Training Offered?

2
1

Physical Training Types

1
1
1
1

Physical Training Schedule

1

Were Trainers Certified?

1

Physical Training Quality

Poor
1
Excellent

Injuries/Health/ Mental Health

Are Doctors Available?

1
2

How Parents Notified?

3

How Treatment Obtained?

  • "My child was injured outside of class, falling out of a tree in our front yard and we were referred to a local doctor who has a two year wait list but bumped my son to the top of the list because he is a ballet Arte student."

PT Available?

1
2

Was There a Recovery Plan?

2
1

Describe Recovery Plan

  • "My dancer was in daily communication about his injury and both directors made sure that the dancing supported his recovery"

Mental Health Therapists Available?

2
1

Were Students Given Fat Talk?

3

Staff Made Comments About Bodies?

3

Were Students Weighed?

3

Was "Coded Language" Used?

3

Additional Comments

  • "Both Sara and Erlunds have the long term interest of their dancers health and well being over and above their performance as dancers"
  • "I can’t believe some of these questions about being called fat!"

Communication

Formal Orientation?

2
1

Handboook & Paperwork

2
1

Quality of Communication?

Poor
1
2
Excellent

Who Received Communication?

2
1

Exams

Formal Exam?

3

School Culture

How Supported Did Student Feel By Staff?

Not
3
Completely

How Supportive Were Students of One Another?

Not
1
2
Completely

Describe School Culture

  • "Serious, supportive and comprehensive."
  • "Friends pursuing excellence together"
  • "Welcoming, friendly, shy, perfectionists"

Placement Notification Timing

  • "In early June"
  • "Yes"
  • "At the end of the previous year"

How Dancer Was Notified

3

Dancer Had Mentor?

3

Mentoring Details

  • "Every 10 weeks, director wrote formal evaluation that was helpful, constructive."
  • "The directors both look out for Aaron and track his progress along the expected path from rambunctious little kid to male principal dancer"
  • "Sara and Erlands are very helpful in helping dance better"

Overall School Culture

Lord of the Flies
1
2
Warm & Inclusive

Building & Surrounding Area

Security Around Building

3

Safety of Area Around School?

Not Safe
3
Extremely Safe

Studio Space

Cramped
2
1
Lots of space

Studio Cleanliness

Dirty
1
2
Spotless

Performance Opportunities

Company Affiliated?

2
1

Programs Performed

3

Shows per Program

1
2

Casting

3

Peformance Calendar

  • "Winter Nutcracker, then Spring full length classical ballet ( rotates Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake, Cinderella, and La Bayadere). Small summer intensive show"
  • "Nutcracker, spring show, optional competitions, summer intensive"
  • "Towards the end of the first third of each semester the cast list comes out for the show and rehearsals start, then at the end of the semester there is a warm-up and final run through in the studio followed by 2 days of one run through and one performance each day at the JCC in La Jolla. At the end of each summer intensive there is a performance in the studio for friends and family."

Competition

Competitions required?

3

Did Dancer Compete?

2
1

Competition Categories

1
1
1

Competitions Attended

  • "WBAC, CDC, and YAGP"

Solo Rehearsals

1

Pas de Deux Rehearsals

1

Ensemble Rehearsals

1

Costume Responsibility

1

Did School Tution Cover Competition Fees?

1

What Were the Additional Fees?

  • "I don’t know"

Competition Fees Clear?

1

Competition Fees Reasonable?

1

Why?

  • "Because my mom said they’re much less than at other studios"

Experience Description

  • "It was very good"

Non-Competing Dancers Left Out?

2

Why?

  • "No pressure for competitions, we chose to save finances for Summer Intensive instead"
  • "No kids in my son’s level competed. While they do allow children to compete as young as 8 at the parent’s insistence, we were encouraged to wait until as late as 15. Competitions are no emphasized and all preparation takes place outside of normal class/rehearsal hours"

Private Lessons

Private Lessons Available?

3

Are Private Lessons Encouraged?

Not at all
2
1
Strongly recommended

Who Takes Privates?

3

Private Lessons equally available to all students?

Strongly disagree
3
Strongly agree

Summer Intensives

School Holds an SI?

3

School's SI Required?

3

Outside SI OK?

3

How Did School Help?

  • "Not sure, we didnt request advice"
  • "Audtion signups for other summer intensives are posted in the lobby of the studio in time to sign up; they remind us that ballet is art and that if you get the audition or don’t get the audition, it’s not a reflection of your dancing ability. There is always another audition and the most important comparison that of your knowledge of your best self with how you did on any given day."
  • "They will help you choose arabesque photos as well as advise you on what summer intensives are good based on what they’ve seen with other dancers if you ask"

Program Grades

Overall Dance Instruction

3

Continuing Ballet Placement

3

Emotional Support

1
2

Performance Opportunities

1
2

Program Comments

Program's Best Aspect

  • "Small classes, experienced and qualified teacher/directors ( again with institutional wisdom, pedigree, pedagogy, and past pro careers). They have taught for 20+ years. Students place in top 3 letter summer intensives, and trainee programs. I do not sense favorites, and students of all body types succeed here. They invest heart and soul into students."
  • "The personal attention and mentorship"
  • "Everything"

Program's Worst Aspect

  • "Would love a strength/conditioning class."
  • "No one knows about it"
  • "Not enough students to do 4 shows per semester"

What Changes Would Be Helpful?

  • "Would love strength and conditioning class. They had one pre-covid, but haven’t re-instituted."
  • "More people in the audience for the performances"
  • "More students who are serious"

Anything Else We Should Know?

  • "Hidden gem. Directors don’t market. Small and very attentive class sizes. For older students, teacher goes overtime on classtime if the lesson of the day requires more attention and review. Deep learning. Former professonial ballet dancers bring their children here."
  • "This is one of the best schools in the country for boys to learn ballet and our dancers are willing to drive across the breadth of the county to study here. It’s not your little weekly ballet class/social club. There is a seriousness and intensity at even the youngest levels in which kids of all ages blossom into beautiful dancers."
  • "The students aren’t snobby, they’re very focused on dancing, and some are very shy"
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