BALLET HELP DESK

After-School Training Reviews

Programs Reviewed: 83
Total Reviews: 138

Dance Training Center San Francisco

After-School Reviews

General

Who is Reviewing?

5
3
1

Program

9

Season Attended

1
1
7

# Of Levels In School

8
1

Dancer Age

1
4
1
1
1
1

Hours of Dance Each Week

1
3
2
2

Gender

9

Company Affliated?

1

Was Student Scholarshipped?

7
2

Please Describe Scholarship

1

Years At School

1
1
1
1
1
3

Leveling by Age or Skill?

8

Teacher Background

8

Parents Required to Volunteer?

7
1

Parent Volunteer Requirement

  • Many, many positions.
  • No requirement, but parents sold flowers, worked on sets, sewed costumes, took tickets etc

Curriculum

Days Per Week

1
1
7

Classes Per Day

5
4

Weekend Classes?

1
8

Weekend Schedule

5
3
1

Students Per Class

3
6

Weekly Repertoire or Variations?

4
5

Pointe Classes Per Week

2
2
3
2

Live Music in Technique Class?

9

Dedicated Men's Program?

4
3
2

Men Taught by Male Teacher?

4
2

Men Taught Batterie?

2
4

Boys In Level

6
2

Separate Technique Class for Boys

4
2

Techniques Taught

9
1

Technique Teacher Rotation

5
4

Did School Director Teach?

2
1
1
5

Classroom Corrections

4
3
2

Attention From Teachers

Very Little
1
2
1
5
A Lot

Quality of Instruction

Poor
2
1
2
4
Excellent

Did Technique Improve?

Not at all
2
1
1
5
Tremendously

Curriculum Comments

  • We take classical technique classes every day for two and a half hours each day. On most weekdays we have an added class of either contemporary, partnering, or rehearsal. On Saturday we have a full day including technique, variations, and rehearsal.
  • We take classical technique classes every day, for 2 and half hours. On mondays we have contemporary class, tuesdays we have partnering. We do point almost every class as well. On saturdays as well as technique we have a longer variations class plus we will have rehearsal for upcoming performances.
  • Each day we have a technique and pointe class that ranges from 1.5 to 2.5 hours. We will then have contemporary, variations, or rehearsal for a show.
  • No variations class. Technique class 4 times a week exactly the same, same recorded music, same exact routine, no individualized corrections even though less than 10 students in class. May as well have been dancing at home to the same YouTube video over and over.
  • My child was in level 3B and technique classes were 3x a week, 1.5-2 hours. Prepointe training 1x week. Rehearsals are extra on Saturdays for shows.
  • There was no clear curriculum. General ballet classes each day which may include pointe, but that depended on the teacher's mood or whether there were rehearsals for a performance.

Partnering

Frequency of Partnering Class

5
4

Partner Ratio

4
1

Who Taught?

1
4

How Much Partnering Improved

No
5
Tremendously

Quality of Pas Teaching

Poor
1
4
Excellent

How Were Corrections Given?

4
1

Description of Partnering Class

  • 1 hour long partnering class, basic skills and rep
  • We had a partnering class each Tuesday where we would learn skills and worked on repertoire.
  • We had a very in depth partnering class every tuesday, where we would learn basic skills as well as work on some repertoire. we all had the same partner but we managed to get a lot done and everyone got specific detailed corrections.
  • We would often work on pas de deuxs from ballets, as well as learning the basics of partnering.
  • We have partnering class once we and have learned rep.

Additional Comments

  • This year we learned shoulder sits, fish dives, finger turns, and whip turns. These skills were all included in the rep that we learned throughout the year.
  • As well as basic technique we learned more advanced partnering like shoulder sits, fish dives, finger turns and whip turns.

Other Classes

Other Dance Styles

1
7
1

Other Class Quality

Poor
1
1
Excellent

Contemporary Offered?

1
8

Types of Contemporary Classes Taught

6
2
4
7

Contemporary Quality

Poor
1
1
3
3
Excellent

Master Classes?

8
1

Master Classes Description

  • There was a “mock audition” offered in the winter to prepare students for summer intensive and company auditions. A panel of local ballet masters and choreographers from prestigious San Francisco companies observed an audition class and repertory section, and each student received written personal feedback and advice from each panel member after.

Strength & Conditioning

Physical Training Offered?

3
6

Physical Training Types

2
5
3
5
1
2

Physical Training Schedule

4
2

Were Trainers Certified?

1
5

Physical Training Quality

Poor
1
5
Excellent

Strength & Conditioning Comments

  • There is a beautiful gyro studio in the DTC building where students can take supplemental classes from trainers if they like.

Injuries/Health/ Mental Health

Are Doctors Available?

5
4

How Parents Notified?

5
1
1
2

How Treatment Obtained?

  • Physical therapy and doctor.
  • I went to physical therapy as well as taking privates with a teacher to help rejuvenate my ingury
  • NA
  • On our own

PT Available?

4
4
1

Was There a Recovery Plan?

5
2
2

Describe Recovery Plan

  • I went to specific ballet physical therapy and teachers gave me exercises and modified classes for me.
  • i took private classes with the directer where we focused on what i could and couldn't do and strengthened and helped me with my injury.
  • NA

Mental Health Therapists Available?

5
4

Were Students Given Fat Talk?

8
1

Staff Made Comments About Bodies?

6
3

Were Students Weighed?

9

Was "Coded Language" Used?

1
5
3

Additional Comments

  • This is such a loving and caring environment while still being a serious training space.
  • This school is so willing to help all the students, if anyone is struggling with anything, even if there is not a professional the teachers will always be there to be someone to talk to or help. Our director is certified in PBT training so she is very helpful with injuries.
  • Yelling, ignoring, all the standard bullying techniques used daily. If anyone complains about this they are accused of having a lack of dedication to dance.
  • Teachers are very approachable and are invested in the success of each student, esp those who are dedicated and focused
  • Although DTC/SF says its mission is to teach all students, there are clear favorites and the top level 6 is the focal point of the staff. The mid levels are not treated well and students can be yelled at, ridiculed and ignored by staff if they are not "liked". Coded language was used in relation to fitting into costumes. Ultimately students who were not liked were determined to be "problematic" and "unable to be taught".

Communication

Formal Orientation?

7
1
1

Handboook & Paperwork

4
1
4

Quality of Communication?

Poor
2
1
1
3
2
Excellent

Who Received Communication?

7
2

Exams

Formal Exam?

9

School Culture

How Supported Did Student Feel By Staff?

Not
2
1
1
5
Completely

How Supportive Were Students of One Another?

Not
2
1
6
Completely

Describe School Culture

  • recreational
  • Community
  • It's very nurturing yet serious.
  • We are a very tightknit community and I feel very supported and loved by all my peers and all my teachers, while still getting very good training from our teachers.
  • Supportive, fun, kind, encouraging
  • Supportive, professional, loving, improvement, happy
  • Bullying, intimidation, total emotional disregulation by the instructors. Lack of performance opportunities. Only a couple of favorites students got any attention or roles even though toy is a small school - growing much smaller due to attrition every year.
  • Supportive, kind yet always striving for high quality
  • Cliquey, toxic, unsupportive in mid levels

Placement Notification Timing

1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1

How Dancer Was Notified

5
1
2

Dancer Had Mentor?

3
5

Mentoring Details

  • Older students that take care of the younger students
  • It is kind and helpful.
  • Upper class students are very kind and kind of serve as mentors to the rest of us. I am now in the top level, and I love being a mentor to the younger students.
  • The teachers at DTC make themselves incredibly approachable and available to students. They are great at supporting their dancers through audition season, and any struggles they may face in the industry. They don’t have a formal mentoring program but the whole culture of the school is focused on the wellbeing and support of their students and alumni.
  • There are older students and teachers that serve as mentors
  • Zero mentoring. In conference the teachers did not know what grade my daughter was in, did not know that she was embarking on her fourth summer intensive - kept referring to this summer intensive as her “first experience” etc. Even though there were literally only seven students in her level. She had danced there for three years, six days a week, in a class of seven students.
  • My daughter is in the lower levels so there isn't a formal program for kids age 9. However, I know there is mentorship that happens at the upper levels.
  • In general, mentoring took place for Level 6 favorites. If parents requested a meeting to review summer placements or other outside dance workshops, they were given one but not much interest was ever expressed in what a dancer accomplished over the summer at a company summer intensive or at programs with other dance forms.

Overall School Culture

Lord of the Flies
1
1
1
6
Warm & Inclusive

Building & Surrounding Area

Security Around Building

4
5

Safety of Area Around School?

Not Safe
1
2
2
4
Extremely Safe

Studio Space

Cramped
2
4
3
Lots of space

Studio Cleanliness

Dirty
1
4
4
Spotless

Performance Opportunities

Company Affiliated?

8

Programs Performed

4
4

Shows per Program

5
3

Casting

8

Peformance Calendar

  • Fall Classic fundraiser: October, Nutcracker: December, Spring Concert: June
  • We have fall classic (in studio), nutcracker, student choreography, and spring show.
  • We have a fall classic which is an in-studio show where we show some technique as well as some rep and variations. after we have nutcracker, which is pretty much the full length nutcracker. we have the student choreography showcase where students choreograph pieces on their peers and we show them to parents and others, and then we have spring show where we do part of a rep and well as showing contemporary pieces and other rep from outside choreographers
  • This year, the students performed in the fall, in Nutcracker, and in the spring.
  • We have multiple shows a year and spend a lot of time rehearsing for them.
  • Literally only two shows a year. Nutcracker and a “spring show” that is only a show for the upper two levels and is really just a recital for the rest of the school. The school offers NO parent observations either, so Literally the 60 seconds the non-favored students dance twice a year is the only time you will be able to see your student dance all year
  • Lower levels have fall classic (in studio observation), nutcracker, and spring show. Upper levels have student choreography showcase and the chance to learn from external renowned choreographers.
  • Fall Classic (primarily levels 5 and 6, with a little for levels below), Nutcracker (2-3 shows), Choreography Showcase (all student directed, level 4-6, with no input from staff), and Spring Concert (mostly focusing on upper levels), 2 shows

Private Lessons

Private Lessons Available?

2
6

Are Private Lessons Encouraged?

Not at all
2
2
2
Strongly recommended

Who Takes Privates?

6

Private Lessons equally available to all students?

Strongly disagree
1
1
4
Strongly agree

Explain

  • N/A
  • Not many kids choose to have them because we have many classes already.
  • They are equable if you want them you can just talk to the teachers and then you will find a time and they will do them
  • Anyone who requests a private lesson would be provided with one
  • They were equable
  • Private lessons were not the norm for lower levels, usually upper levels. However, my dancer was invited to additional small group training in the summer with a specific teacher.

Summer Intensives

School Holds an SI?

8

School's SI Required?

8

Outside SI OK?

1
7

How Did School Help?

  • Info Seminar, Mock Auditon, 1 on 1 Meetings
  • We had a seminar and a mock audition. We also had private meetings.
  • We had a information meeting with the parents about them, we had a mock audition available to anyone, and we had meetings with out teachers to talk about where we got in and where would be a good fit for us.
  • The teachers incorporate audition preparedness into their daily class curriculum. They’re eager to provide any guidance on resumes and decision making that a student asks them for, and they are also very willing to help students film their audition videos and coach variations. They’ve really supported me through the ups and downs of my audition seasons and helped me make decisions based on my options.
  • - Summer intensive and auditions seminars - One on one meetings - Mock audition
  • We were provided zero guidance or encouragement for summer intensives. In fact, my daughter was derided for missing three Saturday classes in January for the three days she was auditioning for summer intensives. When she got back from her summer intensive last year they were surprised to see her and asked her where she had been all summer. Again, there are only seven students in her class.
  • My dancer is too young to experience this
  • Although most upper level students auditioned for summer programs, there was little guidance given. There was also a strong recommendation that students come to DTC in the summer instead, as many company affiliated programs were thought of by staff as "money makers" with no real interest in the students.

Outcomes

Percent That Went Full-Time

1
1
4

Percent That Went To College

1
4
1

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

No support
1
1
4
Lots of support

Support Description

  • Filming assistance, recommendations on where to apply or audition
  • They supported me by encouraging me and talking with me.
  • They are very involved in the audition process, filming videos, and talking to the older dancers about where they want to go for the next year.
  • The teachers have made themselves available to me via text/phone calls, and encourage me to reach out anytime I have news, questions, or need advice, or just someone to talk to.
  • Our teachers provided guidance for students and helped them film audition videos.
  • Zero support. They have no interest whatsoever in helping place students in college programs. Claim to be focused ONLY on professional placements, but in the three years we were there only a single student who had trained there for more than a single year (ie:hadn’t come from San Francisco Ballet training) actually got a trainee position with a professional company - and that was for Ballet Idaho.

Program Grades

Overall Dance Instruction

3
3
1
1

Continuing Ballet Placement

2
1
4
1

Emotional Support

1
3
2
2

Performance Opportunities

1
5
1
1

Program Comments

Program's Best Aspect

  • The training and teachers.
  • Very good training, our teachers were all professional dancers and know a lot about the professional world.
  • It’s hard to pick one. The training is phenomenal and individualized, the students get opportunities to work on advanced rep which truly improves their capability (which is really lacking from a lot of bigger schools), and the staff is incredibly experienced and focused on the success and wellbeing of each individual student.
  • That community at DTC is the best aspect of the program.
  • We thought the small class size would lead to better high level instruction and individualized corrections. The small class size should have instead alerted me to the huge red flag that there is a serious problem at the studio and the class size is small because of the tremendous attrition because of the bullying, screaming, ignoring etc that is a regular part of the “teaching” that goes on there.
  • Offers warm and supportive training that nurtures each dancer’s growth without compromising the highest standards of classical technique. Excellence and empathy go hand in hand.
  • Originally, the small nature of the program and the increased number of performance opportunities. Nice studios. As DD went up in levels, the culture changed from being open to all kinds of dancers to a more competitive and cliquey environment.

Program's Worst Aspect

  • The lack of boys.
  • not many boys, so partnering was a little difficult
  • The men’s program is still growing, so partnering isn’t as much a part of the curriculum as it could be with more men/boys. I know the teachers would incorporate it more if there were more men in the school. It's more of an issue for the women, because not all of them get as many opportunities to partner, especially in performances.
  • Bullying, ignoring, screaming, favoritism, teachers literally breaking down in tears regularly and running from the room, or screaming at students until the student runs from the room in tears, then screaming at any other student who tries to comfort the attacked student. These are not teachers but mean girls trying to relive the high school “mean girl” experiences they missed because they dropped out of high school themselves.
  • No clear curriculum or enforcing of policies. Different rules for different students. Targeting and humiliating certain students by teachers. Lack of complete communication about leveling. Level 5 was divided into class P (for pre-professional) and R for (recreational), decided by staff. It divided kids and led to a toxic environment.

What Changes Would Be Helpful?

  • I would like more hours and more boys.
  • nothing
  • As I mentioned above, I would like to see more partnering opportunities, which will become possible as more men join the school.
  • I would love for the director to stop the bullying and emotional trauma regularly inflicted on the children under her care. She has had seven parents of students (that I know of) try to talk to her about it and each time she claims “I didn’t know”. She is obviously being bullied herself and doesn’t know how to extricate herself from her relationship with the bullying teachers to protect the children in her care
  • Would love for the intermediate and lower levels a chance to be included in repertory workshops
  • Different teachers. Less yelling and berating of students. Consistent policies as it relates to attendance, participation in performances, etc. Clear curriculum.

Anything Else We Should Know?

  • It is so amazing and great training.
  • We are all a very close community and we get a lot of chance to perform
  • I’ve never seen a healthier atmosphere among young ballet students. The expected competitiveness is lacking, and the students wholeheartedly care for and support each other.
  • Just don’t. There are seven other great ballet studios in San Francisco. Don’t be fooled by the small class size. It will not result in more and better personalized instruction for you. The classes are small because there is a very serious problem there.
  • As a dance parent, it was hard to find truly high-quality ballet training in a genuinely supportive environment. It often felt like you had to choose one or the other. But at DTC, passion meets precision, and every dancer is guided to grow with both joy and discipline.
  • DTC/SF is a very small school that is grounded in its founder's vision. But it has had growing pains and is still finding its niche. If you are a high level dancer coming from SFB you will be welcomed. Likewise if you are a dancer who is in high school and wants to come to ballet a few days a week, you will be welcomed in the recreational program. But students in between those two situations may not quite find their place.
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