Ballet Arts Academy - Montana

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General

Who is Reviewing?

Dancer

Program:

Ballet Arts Academy - Montana

Season Attended:

2024-25

# Of Levels In School:

7; Primary levels A, B, and C, and academic levels 1-7

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?

Curriculum

Days Per Week:

Classes Per Day:

Weekend Classes?

Weekend Schedule:

I did not have weekend class

Students Per Class:

10-15

Weekly Repertoire or Variations?

Pointe Classes Per Week:

Live Music in Technique Class?

Dedicated Men's Program?

Men Taught by Male Teacher?

Men Taught Batterie?

Boys In Level:

Less than 5

Separate Technique Class for Boys:

Techniques Taught:

General Classical

Technique Teacher Rotation:

The school rotated teachers on a fixed schedule

Did School Director Teach?

Often

Classroom Corrections:

Occasionally dancer specific: mostly general corrections were given

Attention From Teachers:


Very Little	A Lot

Quality of Instruction:


Poor	Excellent

Did Technique Improve?


Not at all	Tremendously

Curriculum Comments:

The main teacher (artistic director) teaches RAD, but teachers come from and teach different styles (mostly ABT, with Cecchetti, Vaganova, French)

Partnering

Frequency of Partnering Class:

1x per week

Partner Ratio:

Everyone had to share a partner.

Who Taught?

Male teacher

How Much Partnering Improved:


No	Tremendously

Quality of Pas Teaching:


Poor	Excellent

How Were Corrections Given?

Corrections were general and there was little attention paid to any specific person

Description of Partnering Class:

Usually 5-6 guys and 3 girls per guy; only one guy was a dancer from our studio, the rest were either gymnasts or dancers from the University.

Additional Comments:

We didn’t learn very advanced skills since most of the guys were fairly inexperienced. This was the first time partnering was offered and it was only the last 2-3 months of the year.

Other Classes

Other Dance Styles:

Modern, Jazz, Hip-Hop

Other Class Quality:


Poor	Excellent

Contemporary Offered?

Yes

Types of Contemporary Classes Taught:

Technique

Contemporary Quality:


Poor	Excellent

Master Classes?

Strength & Conditioning

Physical Training Offered?

Yes

Physical Training Types:

Yoga, Pilates (mat or reformer)

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

Injuries/Health/ Mental Health

Are Doctors Available?

How Parents Notified?

Student told parent. School not involved

How Treatment Obtained?

Responsibility of student and parent unless it was an emergency

PT Available?

Was There a Recovery Plan?

Mental Health Therapists Available?

Were Students Given Fat Talk?

Staff Made Comments About Bodies?

Unsure

Were Students Weighed?

Was "Coded Language" Used?

Maybe

Additional Comments:

There’s one specific teacher who will sometimes make obscure comments about people’s bodies

Communication

Formal Orientation?

Handboook & Paperwork:

No handbook provided

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:

Welcoming, slightly competitive, more recreational

Placement Notification Timing:

June

How Dancer Was Notified:

Written communication via email or regular mail

Dancer Had Mentor?

Mentoring Details:

Very informal, most students will connect more closely to one instructor

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:

Students can audition in August for the community (city-wide) Nutcracker in December through a separate organization, students audition for the Studio Company in January with performances in May, full-studio recital in May or June includes everyone

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

Summer Intensives

School Holds an SI?

Yes

School's SI Required?

Outside SI OK?

Yes, it's strongly encouraged

How Did School Help?

Teachers are great at helping film video materials and taking audition photos, and they’re happy to suggest summer programs. Always excited and encouraging for both acceptances and rejections.

Outcomes

Percent That Went Full-Time:

10%

Percent That Went To College:

10%

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


No support	Lots of support

Support Description:

They helped with applications, recommendations, and everything else

Program Grades

Overall Dance Instruction:

Continuing Ballet Placement:

A+

Emotional Support:

B+

Performance Opportunities:

Program Comments

Program's Best Aspect:

The support from the faculty

What Changes Would Be Helpful?

Ballet class more times a week

Anything Else We Should Know?

It’s encouraged for older girls to also take the adult ballet classes or even a level below if they want more ballet

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