"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
12
13
14
15
16
Hours of Dance Each Week
11-15 hours
16-20 hours
Gender
Female
Company Affliated?
Yes
Was Student Scholarshipped?
No
Yes
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
1 year
2 years
7 or more years
Leveling by Age or Skill?
Age
Skill
Teacher Background
Former professional ballet dancer
Parents Required to Volunteer?
No
Parent Volunteer Requirement
"Parents can volunteer to help students backstage for productions or for setting up events."
Curriculum
Days Per Week
3
5
6
Classes Per Day
1
2
3
Weekend Classes?
Yes
Weekend Schedule
Full day
Half day
Students Per Class
10-15
16-24
Weekly Repertoire or Variations?
No
Yes
Pointe Classes Per Week
3
4
5
Daily
N/A
Live Music in Technique Class?
Yes
Dedicated Men's Program?
No
Unsure
Yes
Men Taught by Male Teacher?
Yes
Men Taught Batterie?
Unsure
Yes
Boys In Level
5-10
Less than 5
Separate Technique Class for Boys
No
Yes
Techniques Taught
Balanchine
General Classical
Technique Teacher Rotation
The school rotated teachers on a fixed schedule
Usually the same every day
Did School Director Teach?
Never (school admin was a designated upper level teacher)
Never (school admin was NOT designated as an upper level teacher)
Occasionally
Classroom Corrections
Dancer specific: almost every dancer got specific corrections each day
Dancer specific: detailed but only a few dancers consistently got corrections
Occasionally dancer specific: mostly general corrections were given
Attention From Teachers
Very Little
1
2
3
4
5
A Lot
Quality of Instruction
Poor
1
2
3
4
5
Excellent
Did Technique Improve?
Not at all
1
2
3
4
5
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."
Partnering
Frequency of Partnering Class
1x per week
No partnering
Partner Ratio
Everyone had to share a partner.
Most girls had to share a partner.
Who Taught?
Male teacher
How Much Partnering Improved
No
1
2
3
4
5
Tremendously
Quality of Pas Teaching
Poor
1
2
3
4
5
Excellent
How Were Corrections Given?
Attention and corrections were evenly distributed between the males and females
Males were the main focus
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
A lot of styles are offered in their Summer intensives
Modern
None of the above
Other Class Quality
Poor
1
2
3
4
5
Excellent
Contemporary Offered?
No
Yes
Types of Contemporary Classes Taught
Improv
Technique
Contemporary Quality
Poor
1
2
3
4
5
Excellent
Master Classes?
No
Yes
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?
No
Yes
Physical Training Types
Body conditioning
Pilates (mat or reformer)
Stretch class
Weight training
Physical Training Schedule
Once or twice a week
Were Trainers Certified?
Some were certified and some were not depending on class
Yes
Physical Training Quality
Poor
1
2
3
4
5
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?
No
Unsure
Yes
How Parents Notified?
My student did not get injured
School called parent
How Treatment Obtained?
"Personal physician of PT"
"Own medical practitioners"
"Find local physical therapy that specializes in dance."
PT Available?
No
Yes, but not for my level
Yes, for extra fee
Was There a Recovery Plan?
My dancer did not get injured
No
Yes
Mental Health Therapists Available?
No
Unsure
Yes
Yes, but not for my level
Yes, for everyone
Were Students Given Fat Talk?
No
Staff Made Comments About Bodies?
No
Unsure
Yes
Were Students Weighed?
No
Was "Coded Language" Used?
Maybe
No
Yes
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?
No
Unsure
Handboook & Paperwork
Adequate but missing several key pieces
Comprehensive and complete. I knew what to expect for the year
"Supportive, caring, inclusive, tough (but in a good way),"
"Recreational, after school activity, few interested in pursuing a career"
"Supportive, calm, warm, progressive, smart"
Placement Notification Timing
"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"
"March"
"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
In-person meeting with school director/staff
Written communication via email or regular mail
Dancer Had Mentor?
No
Yes
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."
Overall School Culture
Lord of the Flies
1
2
3
4
5
Warm & Inclusive
Building & Surrounding Area
Security Around Building
Yes
Safety of Area Around School?
Not Safe
1
2
3
4
5
Extremely Safe
Studio Space
Cramped
1
2
3
4
5
Lots of space
Studio Cleanliness
Dirty
1
2
3
4
5
Spotless
Performance Opportunities
Company Affiliated?
Yes
Programs Performed
0
1-3
Shows per Program
1
3
More than 5
Casting
School staff chooses students for roles - no auditions
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."
Private Lessons
Private Lessons Available?
No
Unsure
Summer Intensives
School Holds an SI?
Yes
School's SI Required?
No
Outside SI OK?
Yes, it's strongly encouraged
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."
Program Grades
Overall Dance Instruction
A
A+
B+
Continuing Ballet Placement
A
B
D
Emotional Support
A
A+
B+
Performance Opportunities
A-
C+
D
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."
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."
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"
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."
- "8" (5 responses)
Unique Responses: