BALLET HELP DESK

After-School Training Reviews

Programs Reviewed: 95
Total Reviews: 171

Houston Ballet Academy

After-School Reviews

General

Who is Reviewing?

1
2

Program

3

Season Attended

1
2

# Of Levels In School

  • "1-8"
  • "about the middle of 10 levels"
  • "pre pro, pro 1/2, HB2"

Dancer Age

2
1

Hours of Dance Each Week

2

Gender

3

Company Affliated?

1

Was Student Scholarshipped?

2
1

Please Describe Scholarship

  • "To the best of our knowledge, there are not many merit scholarships. We were notified by the principal of her division (Lower School). She was awarded a 50% merit scholarship for tuition."

Years At School

1
1
1

Leveling by Age or Skill?

1
1

Teacher Background

1
1

Parents Required to Volunteer?

2

Curriculum

Days Per Week

3

Classes Per Day

2
1

Weekend Classes?

2
1

Weekend Schedule

1
2

Students Per Class

2
1

Weekly Repertoire or Variations?

2
1

Pointe Classes Per Week

3

Live Music in Technique Class?

3

Dedicated Men's Program?

2
1

Men Taught by Male Teacher?

1
1

Men Taught Batterie?

2

Boys In Level

2
1

Separate Technique Class for Boys

1
2

Techniques Taught

3
1

Technique Teacher Rotation

2
1

Did School Director Teach?

1
1
1

Classroom Corrections

1
2

Attention From Teachers

Very Little
2
1
A Lot

Quality of Instruction

Poor
1
1
1
Excellent

Did Technique Improve?

Not at all
1
2
Tremendously

Curriculum Comments

  • "Conditioning classes once a week only"
  • "technique four days a week, 6 hrs total; pointe two days a week, 90 min total; jazz/modern one day a week, 60 min total; conditioning 1 day a week, 60 min total"
  • "tech/pointe,rep/var, contemporary/modern"

Partnering

Frequency of Partnering Class

1
2

Partner Ratio

1

Who Taught?

1

How Much Partnering Improved

No
1
Tremendously

Quality of Pas Teaching

Poor
1
Excellent

How Were Corrections Given?

1

Description of Partnering Class

  • "wish it was more than once a week. dancer's favorite class."

Other Classes

Other Dance Styles

3
2

Other Class Quality

Poor
1
2
Excellent

Contemporary Offered?

1
2

Types of Contemporary Classes Taught

1
1
1

Contemporary Quality

Poor
1
1
Excellent

Master Classes?

3

Master Classes Description

  • "Master classes are only offered to the upper school"
  • "Master classes 12 Saturdays in the spring, offered by a variety of faculty from across the school"

Strength & Conditioning

Physical Training Offered?

3

Physical Training Types

3
1

Physical Training Schedule

3

Were Trainers Certified?

3

Physical Training Quality

Poor
2
1
Excellent

Strength & Conditioning Comments

  • "BC is a very strong aspect of this program"

Injuries/Health/ Mental Health

Are Doctors Available?

2
1

How Parents Notified?

3

PT Available?

1
1
1

Was There a Recovery Plan?

3

Mental Health Therapists Available?

2
1

Were Students Given Fat Talk?

3

Staff Made Comments About Bodies?

2
1

Were Students Weighed?

3

Was "Coded Language" Used?

2
1

Additional Comments

  • "would be nice if the upper level of pre pro was also included in therapy/prevention like the pro division. older dancers need support even in the evening program."

Communication

Formal Orientation?

3

Handboook & Paperwork

1
1
1

Quality of Communication?

Poor
3
Excellent

Who Received Communication?

2
1

Exams

Formal Exam?

2
1

Written Feedback?

1

Exam Adjudicator

1

Exam Rubrics Clear?

1

Who Attends Exam Meeting?

1

Well Prepared For Exam?

Not at all
1
Completely

How Heavily Did Exams Weigh in Promotions

Not at all
1
Heavily

School Culture

How Supported Did Student Feel By Staff?

Not
1
2
Completely

How Supportive Were Students of One Another?

Not
3
Completely

Describe School Culture

  • "N/A"
  • "Generally supportive; some faculty much more so that others; some very old school and harsh with criticism"
  • "just ok, lack of commitment in older dancers"

Placement Notification Timing

  • "April"
  • "May"
  • "late april or may?"

How Dancer Was Notified

2

Dancer Had Mentor?

2

Mentoring Details

  • "No mentoring at all"
  • "mixed signals all year for my dancer. not good for a high schooler looking to go on a professional path. felt like more emphasis is on pro division if you are an older student."

Overall School Culture

Lord of the Flies
1
1
1
Warm & Inclusive

Building & Surrounding Area

Security Around Building

3

Safety of Area Around School?

Not Safe
1
2
Extremely Safe

Studio Space

Cramped
3
Lots of space

Studio Cleanliness

Dirty
3
Spotless

Performance Opportunities

Company Affiliated?

2

Programs Performed

2

Shows per Program

1
1

Casting

2

Peformance Calendar

  • "Nutcracker is cast based on auditions - students dance between 4 and 16 shows; Spring show is cast based on school staff placement - students between 1 and 3 shows. Very occasionally students are invited to perform in professional productions with the company. These are mostly walk-on roles."
  • "Nutcracker is an audition. Spring show is placed. Older dancers in pre pro will not get a pointe role in Nutcracker. Spring show is pretty boring for older dancers. Unless you are in pro division, there is not much for performance at all and disappointing."

Private Lessons

Private Lessons Available?

2

Summer Intensives

School Holds an SI?

2

School's SI Required?

2

Outside SI OK?

2

How Did School Help?

  • "Very little guidance provided."
  • "no help. and no one was available to ask questions unless you send a request to an email and we never heard back"

Outcomes

Percent That Went Full-Time

1

Percent That Went To College

1

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

No support
1
Lots of support

Support Description

  • "a few college dance programs held masterclasses in the fall. dancer loved that but not because wants to go the college route, more because offered style variety"

Program Grades

Overall Dance Instruction

1
1

Continuing Ballet Placement

1
1

Emotional Support

1
1

Performance Opportunities

1
1

Program Comments

Program's Best Aspect

  • "Strong technical training"
  • "studios/piano, conditioning program, partnering opportunities"

Program's Worst Aspect

  • "VERY slow progression in ballet technique. Some students are highly driven and desire to dance professionally; others are "community dancers". All students are in the same room. The slow pace can be VERY frustrating for those driven to learn more and advance."
  • "a lot of vague communication about pathways for growth, my dancer left the year sad and questioning if she belonged anywhere"

What Changes Would Be Helpful?

  • "Opportunity to perform more. Opportunity to advance more quickly."
  • "more transparency in evaluations even if no decisions have been made. and to make dancers feel safe to ask questions or attend auditions elsewhere without feeling blacklisted"

Anything Else We Should Know?

  • "good for a season of focused improvement and learning how to take charge of your own body conditioning for injury prevention and life long wellness. still feels old school in support from leadership and very hierarchy/afraid to ask questions"
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Age: 12, FemaleInstruction
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Attended 2024-25
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Age: 12, FemaleInstruction C+
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Attended 2022-23