New England Academy of Dance

#1 of 1

General

Who is Reviewing?

Dancer

Program:

New England Academy of Dance

Season Attended:

2025-26

# Of Levels In School:

Levels range from preschool to high school seniors. In general, dancers are assigned to the level associated with their grade in school. There are no postgraduate levels.

Level Dancer Was In:

Junior company/ 6a/b

Dancer Age:

Hours of Dance Each Week:

11-15 hours

Was Student Scholarshipped?

Years At School:

5 years

Leveling by Age or Skill?

Age

Teacher Background:

Former professional ballet dancer

Parents Required to Volunteer?

Parent Volunteer Requirement:

There are no requirements, but there are expectations. Volunteering can include catering, chaperoning, and helping with advertising.

Date Submitted:

7/8/2026

Curriculum

Days Per Week:

Classes Per Day:

Weekend Classes?

Yes

Weekend Schedule:

Full day

Students Per Class:

10-15

Weekly Repertoire or Variations?

Pointe Classes Per Week:

Daily

Live Music in Technique Class?

Yes

Dedicated Men's Program?

Boys In Level:

There were no boys in my level

Techniques Taught:

General Classical, Vaganova, Balanchine

Technique Teacher Rotation:

The school rotated teachers on a fixed schedule

Did School Director Teach?

Occasionally

Classroom Corrections:

Dancer specific: detailed but only a few dancers consistently got corrections

Attention From Teachers:


Very Little	A Lot

Quality of Instruction:


Poor	Excellent

Did Technique Improve?


Not at all	Tremendously

Curriculum Comments:

On weekdays, only technique/ pointe classes took place. A variety of teachers taught, some are hit or miss.

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?

Females were the main focus

Description of Partnering Class:

Partnering classes are offered to upper levels once a week for 5-8 weeks. Teachers of the school often act as partners for females as there are not enough boys in the school. Guests are sometimes brought in as extra partners. Each boy was assigned with 3-5 girls on average. Once basics are taught, most teachers focus on repertoire for this class.

Other Classes

Other Dance Styles:

Modern

Other Class Quality:


Poor	Excellent

Contemporary Offered?

Yes

Types of Contemporary Classes Taught:

Repertoire, Technique

Contemporary Quality:


Poor	Excellent

Master Classes?

Yes

Master Classes Description:

Occasionally, guest teachers are invited to teach masterclasses to upper levels.

Strength & Conditioning

Physical Training Offered?

Yes

Physical Training Types:

Stretch class

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

Strength & Conditioning Comments:

A 45-minute stretch class is offered once a week at an additional cost.

Injuries / Health / Mental Health

Are Doctors Available?

How Parents Notified?

My student did not get injured

PT Available?

Was There a Recovery Plan?

Describe Recovery Plan:

PT took charge of recovery, while the school was minimally involved.

Mental Health Therapists Available?

Were Students Given Fat Talk?

Staff Made Comments About Bodies?

Were Students Weighed?

Was "Coded Language" Used?

Communication

Formal Orientation?

Handboook & Paperwork:

Vague and incomplete

Quality of Communication?


Poor	Excellent

Who Received Communication?

With parents only

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:

The school is small, and it shows.

Placement Notification Timing:

You are only notified about placement if it was a special circumstance. Otherwise, it is assumed that you would move up one level.

How Dancer Was Notified:

Written communication via email or regular mail

Dancer Had Mentor?

Mentoring Details:

No mentoring took place.

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:

Everyone auditions for parts

Peformance Calendar:

Each year a Nutcracker and a spring show production is scheduled. In addition, students may be required to participate in other productions such as lecture demonstrations.

Competition

School Competes?

Yes

Competitions required?

Did Dancer Compete?

Yes

Competition Categories:

Solos, Ensembles

Competitions Attended:

YAGP, Connecticut Classic, UBC, Jewels Festival

Solo Rehearsals:

Take place outside of regular classes

Pas de Deux Rehearsals:

Our school doesn't have students compete pas de deux

Ensemble Rehearsals:

Take place outside of regular classes

Costume Responsibility:

School provides and charges rental fee

Did School Tution Cover Competition Fees?

What Were the Additional Fees?

Around 6/7 thousand per student per year for solos, less if duet/group.

Competition Fees Clear?

Yes

Competition Fees Reasonable?

Yes

Why?

For what you receive, it seems comparable to other local options.

Experience Description:

School required dancers to audition for the competition team. You may receive 1/2 private rehearsals each week during competition season. Teachers are hit or miss.

Private Lessons

Private Lessons Available?

Yes

Are Private Lessons Encouraged?


Not at all	Strongly recommended

Who Takes Privates?

Anyone who wants them

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?

School was minimally involved in summer intensive auditions. Recommendations are provided.

Outcomes

Top Level of School?

Yes

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