BALLET HELP DESK

After-School Training Reviews

Programs Reviewed: 95
Total Reviews: 171

Pacific Northwest Ballet

After-School Reviews

General

Who is Reviewing?

1
2
8

Program

11

Season Attended

1
1
4
1
4

# Of Levels In School

Repeated Responses:
  • "8" (6 responses)
Unique Responses:
  • "8 in the student division but there are also two levels in professional division which is above student division"
  • "8 levels in student devision. Their Professional division is their bridge program, I think 1-2 years?"
  • "Pre-ballet levels, then 8 levels and then 1-2 year PD program"
  • "1-8 then pre-pro"
  • "The daytime program includes 8 levels. There are younger levels than that for pre-ballet. Level 1 begins in third grade, and the school aims for you to graduate from level 8 at the same time you graduate from high school. Usually dancers spend 2 years in level 7 and 2 years in 8. Next is the PD program and there is PD 1 and PD 2. If you are in PNB school, you won't be chosen for PD until you graduate, but if you attend the summer the youngest you can be picked is in your junior or senior year."

Dancer Age

2
5
2
1
1

Hours of Dance Each Week

3
1

Gender

11

Company Affliated?

7

Was Student Scholarshipped?

8
3

Please Describe Scholarship

  • "We applied for financial aid and received it but I believe it’s partly based on merit because our financial picture improved somewhat from one year to the next but we still received a partial scholarship."
  • "Full tuition scholarship. Had to submit a financial aid packet"
  • "Merit scholarships aren't offered for year round training, only financial aid that you apply for is offered"
  • "It’s based on financial aid application, not merit"
  • "PNB provides mainly financial need based and merit scholarships. You have to apply when you register for financial aid and a good amount of students are on it."

Years At School

3
1
3

Leveling by Age or Skill?

1
3

Teacher Background

4

Parents Required to Volunteer?

4

Parent Volunteer Requirement

  • "Parents can volunteer to help students backstage for productions or for setting up events."

Curriculum

Days Per Week

1
5
5

Classes Per Day

1
9
1

Weekend Classes?

1
10

Weekend Schedule

1
9
1

Students Per Class

2
8
1

Weekly Repertoire or Variations?

6
5

Pointe Classes Per Week

6
1
1
2
1

Live Music in Technique Class?

11

Dedicated Men's Program?

2
1
8

Men Taught by Male Teacher?

4

Men Taught Batterie?

2
2

Boys In Level

4
7

Separate Technique Class for Boys

6
5

Techniques Taught

11
2

Technique Teacher Rotation

10
1

Did School Director Teach?

2
5
4

Classroom Corrections

5
4
2

Attention From Teachers

Very Little
1
2
8
A Lot

Quality of Instruction

Poor
1
3
7
Excellent

Did Technique Improve?

Not at all
1
3
1
6
Tremendously

Curriculum Comments

  • "2-3 classes a day, mostly Balanchine but some teachers more classical. Modern, variation, pas once a week."
  • "Technique Monday through Saturday, modern once per week, variations en pointe once per week, separate pointe classes 3 times per week"
  • "My daughter had technique every day, pointe 3 times a week and modern once per week"
  • "Technique class only, no options to increase or do additional classes"
  • "Technique 5 days per week, pointe 3 x a week, one modern class a week"
  • "Balanchine, with Technique, Variations, Modern, and Choreography"
  • "Tech 5 days a week , pointe 3 days, modern once"
  • "We would have a 1.5 hour technique class everyday, usually fully on pointe, followed by another class that was either pointe, variations, modern, new voices (choreography), or conditioning. Most of the teachers are more Balanchine, but there are a handful that teach more classically."
  • "Varies based on teachers style"

Partnering

Frequency of Partnering Class

3
8

Partner Ratio

1
2

Who Taught?

3

How Much Partnering Improved

No
1
1
1
Tremendously

Quality of Pas Teaching

Poor
1
2
Excellent

How Were Corrections Given?

2
1

Description of Partnering Class

  • "Pretty basic because first year of pas. Did some combinations on pointe."
  • "Gives corrections to girls and boys. Challenging."
  • "Our partnering class is very challenging as it is usually taught by a teacher who demands a lot. The class is usually split into 2 groups and gets pas every other week. It is really great training though and has made a more versatile partner. We sometimes will learn a pas de duex from a ballet and learn the variations and coda. There aren't a great deal of guys, around 5, but both the women and men get corrections."

Additional Comments

Repeated Responses:
  • "No" (2 responses)
Unique Responses:
  • "Incredible training; difficult at first but has helped me in other environments tremendously"

Other Classes

Other Dance Styles

1
10
1

Other Class Quality

Poor
1
3
1
6
Excellent

Contemporary Offered?

9
2

Types of Contemporary Classes Taught

1
2

Contemporary Quality

Poor
1
1
Excellent

Master Classes?

9
2

Master Classes Description

  • "Tina Johnson came as guest teacher"
  • "A lot more gets offered in lvl 6 & above"
  • "There were no conditioning classes in person. Just pre recorded videos that students were expected to practice at home. However the conditioning videos were incredibly basic and easy exercises that didn’t really do much even if done daily."
  • "Christina Johnson taught a week"

Strength & Conditioning

Physical Training Offered?

8
3

Physical Training Types

2
2
1
1

Physical Training Schedule

3

Were Trainers Certified?

2
1

Physical Training Quality

Poor
3
Excellent

Strength & Conditioning Comments

  • "No"
  • "More advanced levels have conditioning once a week. Pilates reformer is offered for students but you have to pay for it. Only the PD's have complete access to the pilates room."

Injuries/Health/ Mental Health

Are Doctors Available?

5
3
3

How Parents Notified?

8
3

How Treatment Obtained?

  • "Personal physician of PT"
  • "Own medical practitioners"
  • "Find local physical therapy that specializes in dance."

PT Available?

3
2
6

Was There a Recovery Plan?

9
1
1

Mental Health Therapists Available?

1
1
5
2
2

Were Students Given Fat Talk?

11

Staff Made Comments About Bodies?

8
1
2

Were Students Weighed?

11

Was "Coded Language" Used?

1
8
2

Additional Comments

  • "School takes body talk and mental health very seriously and promotes healthy practice as much as possible."
  • "Several students got injured, and teachers could be cruel. A number of classmates quite mid year"
  • "School takes mental health and healthy nutrition seriously"
  • "Students here, level VI & up have seminar classes where they meet with a specialist to discuss mental health etc."

Communication

Formal Orientation?

9
2

Handboook & Paperwork

1
9
1

Quality of Communication?

Poor
1
3
7
Excellent

Who Received Communication?

8
3

Exams

Formal Exam?

11

School Culture

How Supported Did Student Feel By Staff?

Not
1
2
2
6
Completely

How Supportive Were Students of One Another?

Not
2
2
2
5
Completely

Describe School Culture

  • "Supportive, committed to diversity, excellence"
  • "Competitive, catty, technical, hard,"
  • "Friendly, relaxed, not competitive"
  • "Supportive, nurturing, challenging, attentive, thoughtful"
  • "Out of date"
  • "Inclusive, supportive, safe"
  • "Chill. Students are friendly, supportive"
  • "Supportive, caring, inclusive, tough (but in a good way),"
  • "Recreational, after school activity, few interested in pursuing a career"
  • "Supportive, calm, warm, progressive, smart"
  • "Recreational"

Placement Notification Timing

Repeated Responses:
  • "March" (2 responses)
Unique Responses:
  • "Usually during annual student/parent conference but officially by letter after year is over"
  • "During conferences"
  • "May"
  • "Often in Conferences and by a letter at end of year"
  • "Typically June"
  • "During conference mid year and at end of year"
  • "Spring conference and formal letter at end of year"
  • "June"
  • "At the end of the previous school year(May or June) through email, but older levels are told in their spring conference (March-May)"

How Dancer Was Notified

3
1

Dancer Had Mentor?

2
2

Mentoring Details

  • "Formal program with seminar sessions where 2 ballerinas from the company led their levels sessions and really became mentors throughout the year"
  • "No mentorship for dancers level"
  • "Teachers are very open and caring, mentoring from them is more informal and most students will just talk to them after class. You can set up a meeting with school staff/directors at any time. Company dancers also mentor students through the mentorship wellness program."
  • "None whatsoever"

Overall School Culture

Lord of the Flies
4
1
6
Warm & Inclusive

Building & Surrounding Area

Security Around Building

11

Safety of Area Around School?

Not Safe
1
2
4
4
Extremely Safe

Studio Space

Cramped
1
6
4
Lots of space

Studio Cleanliness

Dirty
1
3
7
Spotless

Performance Opportunities

Company Affiliated?

4

Programs Performed

2
2

Shows per Program

2
1
1

Casting

4

Peformance Calendar

  • "1 school recital, opportunities to be in company productions if chosen, or audition"
  • "Literally no parts for anyone levels 4-6 who are over 5’2”. Boys sometimes can walk around on stage. Level 7 can get a very very easy part. Level 8 if may get simple parts or if you are top of class a few can do snow."
  • "Only really young students can be in the Nutcracker (through audition). There is an all student production once a year that will have long rehearsal periods on Sundays. There is a end of year performance in June and class time is used to choreograph and rehearse for many months. There are in-studio performances for levels 7 and 8 called Petite Finale in May which are excerpts from a ballet. Depending on the company's repertoire, students will get chosen for roles."
  • "End of year performance. Anyone 5’2 or under can try out for nutcracker and do kid roles. Only level 7 and 8 can be chosen for core for a very limited number of productions."

Private Lessons

Private Lessons Available?

3
1

Summer Intensives

School Holds an SI?

4

School's SI Required?

4

Outside SI OK?

4

How Did School Help?

  • "They hold conferences right before audition season"
  • "Not much guidance but gave recommendation at conferences. They usually promoted Balanchine training"
  • "They give guidance on where you should attend."
  • "None"

Program Grades

Overall Dance Instruction

1
1
1
1

Continuing Ballet Placement

1
1
2

Emotional Support

1
1
1
1

Performance Opportunities

1
1
2

Program Comments

Program's Best Aspect

  • "The amount I grew in technique; the teachers; friends. Watching the company rehearse"
  • "The teachers were nice"
  • "The care of the teachers, good training, individual attention, great community."
  • "Mr Yin"

Program's Worst Aspect

  • "Sometimes the commute would get old and would get hike pretty late"
  • "No support or encouragement to pursue a career. Discouraged any additional training . The students are not interested In pursuing a career so they are not motivated. The levels are far behind those in other programs. They do NOT take their own into pre-pro."
  • "Needs injury prevention and conditioning, as well as other styles of dance."
  • "Students are behind nearly all worldwide programs for age groups ."

What Changes Would Be Helpful?

  • "More performance opportunities & strength conditioning & partnering to start in earlier levels"
  • "Add a day program for serious dancers. Develop some local dancers in house for the company"
  • "Wider variety of teachers/styles taught and more classes other than ballet"
  • "More tech and pointe, rep, variations, partnering. It is not a pre pro school it is VERY recreational. Very very few student go through the school and end up in trainee, post grad, appearance or contract."

Anything Else We Should Know?

  • "It’s not a residential program, so it’s a lot of after school classes which sometimes is hard to balance w/ homework etc."
  • "It is recreational."
  • "If you are a serious dancer that wants to dance peofesainally this is not the school for you until post grad and only then of you want to dance ballanchine. They do not appreciate any classical styles."
Reviews
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Age: 14, FemaleInstruction
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Attended 2024-25
Age: 13, FemaleInstruction
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Age: 16, FemaleInstruction
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Age: 13, FemaleInstruction
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Age: 15, FemaleInstruction A-
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Attended 2024-2025
Age: 13, FemaleInstruction A+
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Attended 2022-23
Age: 12, FemaleInstruction A
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Attended 2022-23
Age: 13, FemaleInstruction A
Placement A-
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Attended 2022-23
Age: 13, FemaleInstruction B
Placement B-
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Attended 2022-23
Age: 14, FemaleInstruction A+
Placement B
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Attended 2021-22