BALLET HELP DESK

After-School Training Reviews

Programs Reviewed: 98
Total Reviews: 175

Ballet Virginia

After-School Reviews

General

Who is Reviewing?

4
1

Program

5

Season Attended

5

# Of Levels In School

  • "7"
  • "Children’s program- mommy and me through ballet C Lower school- level 1 through level 4. Upper school- level five through BVII( preprofessional company)"
  • "There is the children’s program, levels A and B, followed by the lower school, levels 1-4, and then the upper school, levels 5-6, which is then followed by a possible invite to the pre-pro program."
  • "6 levels, then the second company and then the professional company"
  • "9"

Dancer Age

1
1
2
1

Hours of Dance Each Week

4
1

Gender

5

Was Student Scholarshipped?

5

Years At School

1
1
3

Leveling by Age or Skill?

4
1

Teacher Background

2
2
1

Parents Required to Volunteer?

5

Parent Volunteer Requirement

  • "room mom"
  • "Volunteering at the boutique or when handing out merchandise"

Curriculum

Days Per Week

2
3

Classes Per Day

4
1

Weekend Classes?

5

Weekend Schedule

1
4

Students Per Class

3
2

Weekly Repertoire or Variations?

4
1

Pointe Classes Per Week

2
3

Live Music in Technique Class?

1
4

Dedicated Men's Program?

5

Men Taught by Male Teacher?

1

Men Taught Batterie?

1

Boys In Level

1
4

Separate Technique Class for Boys

1

Techniques Taught

5
1

Technique Teacher Rotation

4
1

Did School Director Teach?

5

Classroom Corrections

2
2
1

Attention From Teachers

Very Little
1
3
1
A Lot

Quality of Instruction

Poor
1
1
3
Excellent

Did Technique Improve?

Not at all
2
3
Tremendously

Curriculum Comments

  • "Cecchetti, ABT curriculum"
  • "5 classes a week, 4 of which consisting of 1.5 hour ballet technique classes followed by 1 hour of pointe/rehearsals. Every Friday consists of 1.5 hours of contemporary."
  • "We have technique a point class on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, and then have contemporary class on Wednesday"
  • "Ballet, point, contemporary, and conditioning"

Partnering

Frequency of Partnering Class

5

Other Classes

Other Dance Styles

3
1
5

Other Class Quality

Poor
1
1
3
Excellent

Contemporary Offered?

5

Types of Contemporary Classes Taught

1
3
5
4

Contemporary Quality

Poor
1
4
Excellent

Master Classes?

1
4

Master Classes Description

  • "Balletx Birmingham Royal ballet"
  • "Master classes but Ballet X taught by Laine Jackson"
  • "We had a masterclass with BalletX. Previously, we were offered masterclasses taught by dancers from the Birmingham Royal Ballet and any other traveling companies in the area."
  • "Professional dancers who were in town for performances would come in a teach master classes, and sometimes former teachers would come back to teach a masterclass."

Strength & Conditioning

Physical Training Offered?

5

Physical Training Types

4
1
3
2
2
1

Physical Training Schedule

4
1

Were Trainers Certified?

1
4

Physical Training Quality

Poor
1
1
3
Excellent

Strength & Conditioning Comments

  • "Plenty of girls got injured from them, and the classes were not required."
  • "The class helped me get stronger for other things i had to do in class and it made me stringer over time"

Injuries/Health/ Mental Health

Are Doctors Available?

1
4

How Parents Notified?

1
1
1
2

How Treatment Obtained?

Repeated Responses:
  • "Physical therapist on site" (2 responses)
Unique Responses:
  • "We have a physical therapist that comes ever other wednesday"
  • "We have a physical therapist next door who comes in every other Wednesday to offer help to students. If it is needed, we are given referrals to visit her."

PT Available?

2
3

Was There a Recovery Plan?

1
4

Describe Recovery Plan

  • "Pt with chkd"
  • "I broke my foot, and while I got checked by a pediatrician and orthopedics, I was given a plan to be regularly checked by physical therapy during my recovery."
  • "Told to sit out and modify."
  • "Rest and stretch"

Mental Health Therapists Available?

4
1

Were Students Given Fat Talk?

4
1

Staff Made Comments About Bodies?

4
1

Were Students Weighed?

5

Was "Coded Language" Used?

1
2
2

Communication

Formal Orientation?

5

Handboook & Paperwork

3
1
1

Quality of Communication?

Poor
1
1
2
1
Excellent

Who Received Communication?

5

Exams

Formal Exam?

5

School Culture

How Supported Did Student Feel By Staff?

Not
1
2
2
Completely

How Supportive Were Students of One Another?

Not
1
1
1
2
Completely

Describe School Culture

  • "Community, encouragement, friendship, hard work."
  • "Warm, family, home, hardworking, professional"
  • "Caring, family-like group"
  • "jealousy and looking out for yourself"
  • "Challenging and supportive"

Placement Notification Timing

  • "Towards the end of the school year"
  • "At the end of the academy season."
  • "Near the end of the school years, depending on your level, you receive either an evaluation letter or attend a meeting with directors and teachers."
  • "In an evaluation"
  • "A week before the end of the school year"

How Dancer Was Notified

4
1

Dancer Had Mentor?

2
3

Mentoring Details

  • "Teachers in the school and the professional company serve as mentors"
  • "My teacher acted as a great mentor helping my improve confidence, technique, and quickly learn contemporary as it was a new style to me."
  • "A few teachers choose a specific few dancers as favorites and mentor them"
  • "Mentoring is stronger at higher levels"

Overall School Culture

Lord of the Flies
1
1
3
Warm & Inclusive

Building & Surrounding Area

Security Around Building

2
3

Safety of Area Around School?

Not Safe
1
1
2
1
Extremely Safe

Studio Space

Cramped
1
1
3
Lots of space

Studio Cleanliness

Dirty
1
3
1
Spotless

Performance Opportunities

Company Affiliated?

5

Programs Performed

3
2

Shows per Program

2
1
2

Casting

3
2

Peformance Calendar

  • "two school shows, two matinee three evening shows the highest level does not need to audition because they are considered a second company but all other levels audition"
  • "2 professional company and preprofessional company shows Nutcracker and spring show for everyone and end of the year show case"
  • "Rehearsals took place M-S depending on certain roles. From September to December, we rehearse and perform The Nutcracker. From January to March, dancers above a certain level rehearse and perform in the company’s selected spring show ballet. If the dancer chooses, they are a part of the Academy Showcase at the end of the year."
  • "Company affiliated shows include a Fall performance, the Nutcracker, Winter Performance, and Spring Ballet. Interns and second company members can be invited to dance in the Fall and Winter performances, and everyone (ages 5+) can audition for the Nutcracker and Spring Ballet. There is a show at the end of the year around late May for the school only."
  • "Nutcracker a week before holidays with 2 weekday performances for schools to promote ballet. Spring show was geared towards children and had 2 shows on Saturday. End of each school year, each class performa in the academy showcase as a class"

Competition

Competitions required?

5

Did Dancer Compete?

2
3

Competition Categories

3
3

Competitions Attended

  • "NBC UBC YAGP"
  • "National Ballet Competition"
  • "YAGP, NBC, UBC (we do not compete every year, directors choose certain dancers and competitions may be replaced by other activities)"

Solo Rehearsals

3

Pas de Deux Rehearsals

3

Ensemble Rehearsals

3

Costume Responsibility

1
2

Did School Tution Cover Competition Fees?

3

What Were the Additional Fees?

  • "Privates and sign up some danced buy their own costumes and others rent with a fee"
  • "Unsure"
  • "Registration and masterclass fees"

Competition Fees Clear?

3

Competition Fees Reasonable?

3

Why?

  • "privates are reasonable and sign up is fine too"
  • "It is the normal cost that you would need to pay to compete."
  • "There were no additional fees from the school, only those for the competition"

Experience Description

  • "coaches check on and support ever dancer"
  • "Excellent, wonderful experience."
  • "I was provided with extensive training in privates to prepare for my solos, and was given rehearsal time with my peers to rehearse our ensemble with our choreographer"

Non-Competing Dancers Left Out?

1
1

Why?

  • "Dancers were selected unfairly and based on body type. They also kicked people out of the group dance to put seniors into it even though the group of girls for the group dance had already learned it over the summer."
  • "Competitions not asked at this level"

Private Lessons

Private Lessons Available?

5

Are Private Lessons Encouraged?

Not at all
1
3
1
Strongly recommended

Who Takes Privates?

3
2

Private Lessons equally available to all students?

Strongly disagree
1
1
2
1
Strongly agree

Explain

  • "privates are mainly for competition and in normal classes you get good corrections"
  • "A student must ask and have a reasonable purpose to need a private"
  • "They are quickly booked or reserved for the favorites"

Summer Intensives

School Holds an SI?

5

School's SI Required?

1
4

Outside SI OK?

1
4

How Did School Help?

  • "They are very supportive and are proud no matter what"
  • "Recommendations are made"
  • "They recommend certain schools to certain students, and make sure that they focus on what the schools look for to prepare them"
  • "They only allowed a few people to audition for certain programs, such as Houston Ballet. Other than that they encouraged all dancers to audition for summer intensives but did not give much guidance."
  • "Teachers educate parents on schools to avoid and options others have experienced"

Outcomes

Percent That Went Full-Time

1
2

Percent That Went To College

1
2

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

No support
1
1
1
Lots of support

Support Description

  • "The school has supported me to find success"
  • "They support me in finding a school to attend in the future and suggest certain intensives to make sure i’m ready and confident enough for the future"
  • "They did not encourage dancing after graduation unless you join their own company."

Program Grades

Overall Dance Instruction

2
2
1

Continuing Ballet Placement

3
2

Emotional Support

1
1
1
1
1

Performance Opportunities

1
2
2

Program Comments

Program's Best Aspect

  • "the teachers are so kind and have great corrections good studio soace"
  • "The support and the mentors and the family that is built through the program"
  • "They make sure each dancer has a good understanding of their technique and how to improve it, and are very supportive of whatever path their dancers decide to take"
  • "The best aspect of the program is that the directors teach class daily and that there are different locations in our state to take class."
  • "The classical teaching"

Program's Worst Aspect

  • "nothing"
  • "I can’t seem to find a negative."
  • "What I like least is that there are no partnering or variation classes offered during the school year."
  • "Wish competitions were more encouraged from an earlier stage. Need more teachers"

What Changes Would Be Helpful?

  • "maybe more performance opportunities"
  • "I wouldn’t change anything about the program"
  • "I would like there to be more conditioning classes available, specifically by a licensed professional."
  • "Add more teachers to be able to accomodate more competitions and coaching"

Anything Else We Should Know?

  • "be prepared to work really hard"
  • "The ballet school offers a wonderful family that you were stepping into with incredible teachers with incredible backgrounds and unique performance opportunities."
  • "Their children's program has a great environement."
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