Taylor Academy of Dance

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General

Who is Reviewing?

Dancer

Program:

Taylor Academy of Dance

Season Attended:

2025-26

# Of Levels In School:

There are 5 levels of Company, I joined later on a scholarship and did 4 and 5.

Dancer Age:

Hours of Dance Each Week:

16-20 hours

Was Student Scholarshipped?

Yes

Please Describe Scholarship:

I received financial assistance my first few years and then started to assist teaching and eventually taught my own classes which went into paying costumes and tuition.

Years At School:

7 or more years

Leveling by Age or Skill?

Skill

Teacher Background:

Both

Parents Required to Volunteer?

Parent Volunteer Requirement:

We did not have required hours, however for the Jill M. Taylor Dance Company (the nonprofit company that sponsored our Nutcracker production) we did have parents volunteers. Usually the parents would drop off drinks and treats for the concessions, make things to sell at the nutcracker boutique (which is a little gift shop) or be ushers for the shows. We had some parents who did more things, they were our directors (Director of Merchandise, Director of Concessions, stuff like that) those required more hours and usually a monthly meeting, but the people who did that wanted to do it.

Date Submitted:

4/27/2026

Curriculum

Days Per Week:

Classes Per Day:

Weekend Classes?

Yes

Weekend Schedule:

Full day

Students Per Class:

16-24

Weekly Repertoire or Variations?

Yes

Pointe Classes Per Week:

Daily

Live Music in Technique Class?

Dedicated Men's Program?

Men Taught by Male Teacher?

Men Taught Batterie?

Boys In Level:

Less than 5

Separate Technique Class for Boys:

Techniques Taught:

General Classical, Vaganova

Technique Teacher Rotation:

Usually the same every day

Did School Director Teach?

Often

Classroom Corrections:

Dancer specific: almost every dancer got specific corrections each day

Attention From Teachers:


Very Little	A Lot

Quality of Instruction:


Poor	Excellent

Did Technique Improve?


Not at all	Tremendously

Curriculum Comments:

On Tuesdays/Thursdays, we took ballet technique that was a full class (we had technique and then pointe technique) and on Wednesdays we usually also had Pointe Technique and Pre-Pointe Technique where we broke down a lot of stuff. On Saturday mornings we had ballet technique that was dedicated and a fixed class. It was usually our hardest class. We trained with a mix of Vaganova and classical ballet technique, however she would occasionally give us a Balanchine, Cecchetti, etc class. The reason we did this was so if we went and auditioned anywhere and it was a different style, we were familiar with it.

Partnering

Frequency of Partnering Class:

No partnering

Other Classes

Other Dance Styles:

Modern, Musical Theater, Jazz, Horton

Other Class Quality:


Poor	Excellent

Contemporary Offered?

Yes

Types of Contemporary Classes Taught:

Improv, Repertoire, Technique

Contemporary Quality:


Poor	Excellent

Master Classes?

Yes

Master Classes Description:

We've done master classes in Tap, Improv, Choreography/Contemporary, Lyrical, Musical Theatre Jazz, a ton. They bring in some alumni and different dancers usually a few times a year.

Strength & Conditioning

Physical Training Offered?

Yes

Physical Training Types:

Yoga, Pilates (mat or reformer), Body conditioning, Progressing Ballet Technique, Stretch class

Physical Training Schedule:

Several times a week

Were Trainers Certified?

Yes

Physical Training Quality:


Poor	Excellent

Strength & Conditioning Comments:

Our teacher for them was absolutely amazing! Being a dancer herself, she understood what dancers needed not only to make them better, but also to make them stronger and keep them safe for all the intensive dancing they were doing. She also would help us when we were going off to intensives, by giving us stretches at night to do before bed so we were taking care of our bodies.

Injuries/Health/ Mental Health

Are Doctors Available?

How Parents Notified?

School called parent

How Treatment Obtained?

We had a list of places in the triangle area that was compiled to help dancers. If it was an emergency, obviously they would call 911 (but this never happened) and then most every other time, they would be given directions/suggestions on where to go.

PT Available?

Was There a Recovery Plan?

Yes

Describe Recovery Plan:

Not for me, but for my sister. When she fractured her foot, we had her second cast person running the piece while she healed. She was still at rehearsals, watched, took note - but she had to get cleared by doctor and physical therapist before she was allowed to come back. When she did come back, she was not allowed to jump back into choreography. She had to start with barre, then across the floor, then full classes, then choreography. It was agreed upon by her, our parents, the physical therapist, and the director of the school.

Mental Health Therapists Available?

Were Students Given Fat Talk?

Staff Made Comments About Bodies?

Were Students Weighed?

Was "Coded Language" Used?

Additional Comments:

The artistic director is extremely anti bullying in the school. She is so picky about who she hires for this reason. She believes that every child should be given the opportunity to dance and the only thing she cares about is our health. As a bigger girl myself - not once did I ever feel uncomfortable in the academy, not once was I ever weighed, told to lose weight, told I was too big - instead she told me the opposite. She told me I was beautiful. I remember one time they had to build a corset into a costume because my rib cage was too wide and I was upset because I felt too big because no other girl had to have an extra corset (I think I was around 13) and the artistic director told me to never think that. She told me that I was a beautiful young girl, that I was an amazing dancer, and that I was gorgeous. (For some context: We reuse costumes and share them among each other so for someone like me, it made sense an extra corset was put in so that it could be used by myself and other dancers and we could adjust it.)

Communication

Formal Orientation?

Handboook & Paperwork:

Comprehensive and complete. I knew what to expect for the year

Quality of Communication?


Poor	Excellent

Who Received Communication?

With parents and students

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:

Kind, Loving, Creative, Comfortable, Disciplined

Placement Notification Timing:

Following our annual Company Auditions and Spring Showcase (so like...three weeks?). There would be information on placement as well as meeting with the faculty individually to discuss progress, levels, etc.

How Dancer Was Notified:

In-person meeting with school director/staff

Dancer Had Mentor?

Yes

Mentoring Details:

It was not a formal program per se. However the girls in Company 4 and 5 (the highest levels) are supposed to be like role models and help the younger students. It is an expectation and requirement. They will get in trouble if ever caught being mean to a younger student. There is a zero tolerance for bullying at the school.

Overall School Culture:


Lord of the Flies	Warm & Inclusive

Building & Surrounding Area

Security Around Building:

Yes

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:

4-5

Shows per Program:

Casting:

Everyone auditions for parts

Peformance Calendar:

Every fall/winter we performed The Nutcracker. The Nutcracker was sponsored by The Jill M. Taylor Dance Company - whose mission was to make the arts inclusive so anyone could audition and receive a part. Company dancers from Taylor Academy of Dance were required to perform in Nutcracker. We did multiple shows, community outreach events/performances, etc. In the spring we had our annual Spring Recital. This consisted of a Demonstration (which was Contemporary Ballet, Modern, Contemporary, Jazz, Tap, etc.) and a classical full length ballet (Coppelia, Alice in Wonderland, Cinderella, etc.) and some times we did a classical ballet that the director choreographed (The Phantom of the Opera ; The Ballet, Maleficent, etc).

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?

Yes

Outside SI OK?

Yes, it's strongly encouraged

How Did School Help?

My dance teacher had alumni help her compile lists of the best places to audition, as well as older students. They encouraged dancers with different strengths to go to different schools or different programs. When it came to handling acceptances, we all celebrated students when they were accepted (especially if it was there first time) and with rejections, my dance teacher had us compare what happened, our strengths and weaknesses, and encouraged them to apply for some different ones.

Outcomes

Percent That Went Full-Time:

More than 50%

Percent That Went To College:

More than 50%

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


No support	Lots of support

Support Description:

My teachers and directors not only technically prepared me, but they also helped me with applications, scholarship applications, helped me create spreadsheets, compare the places I was accepted, help me know what questions to ask, help me look for the "red flags" in a college dance program. If I needed anything - I could immediately ask.

Program Grades

Overall Dance Instruction:

A+

Continuing Ballet Placement:

A+

Emotional Support:

A+

Performance Opportunities:

A+

Program Comments

Program's Best Aspect:

The teachers, we have some of the best teachers in the area. They do amazing work and are so encouraging. Again, as a girl that started late, with wide hips, a larger chest, and was turned away or told I "didn't have the body" from other places, Taylor Academy of Dance was amazing to me. They do not discriminate against anyone, they care for everyone, and they want people who want to dance.

Anything Else We Should Know?

I would tell people to consider this if they want to go professional, especially once you hit middle school. We have recreational programs, but especially within our company - only join if you are 100% ready to go professional. They prepare you, train you, and they work so hard for YOU. It is not about the money, it's about seeing their students succeed. The director takes so much pride when we have an alumni come back and teach a class or something, because she got to help them get to this spot and now they come back and help teach that next group.