BALLET HELP DESK

Summer Intensive Reviews

Programs Reviewed: 222
Total Reviews: 1672

American Academy of Ballet- SUNY Purchase

Summer Intensive Reviews

General

Dancer age

1
1
1
1

First time at a summer intensive?

1
3

Year of SI

2
2

Weeks available

1
3

Weeks attended

2
1
1

Reviewer

4

Curriculum

Techniques taught

1
1
2

Partnering (based on age)

2
1
1

Dedicated men's program?

2
1
1

# of boys in level

4

Other dance genres

1
2
1
2

Quality of other classes

Not Helpful
2
1
1
Helpful

Injury Prevention

Strength classes?

3
1

PT offered?

4

Extra fee for PT?

1
3

Injury rate

2
2

Teaching

Who taught?

1
3

Guest teachers

1
1
2

Year-round teachers taught

1
2
1

Attention from teachers

Very Little
2
1
1
A Lot

Technique improved?

No
1
1
2
Yes - Tremendously

Studios

Dance floors

4

Studio space

Cramped
1
2
1
Lots of Space

Studio cleanliness

Dirty
1
2
1
Spotless

Schedule

Classes per day

2
2

Saturday classes

4

Saturday class duration

4

Leveling

Leveling

1
3

Leveling type

1
3

Did students move levels?

2
2

Leveling fair?

2
2

Students per class

4

Performance

Performance?

3
1

Rehearsals happened

3
1

Casting equitability

Uneven
1
2
1
Even

Rehearsals detracted from class?

Completely
1
3
Not At All

Housing - General

Housing provided

3
1

# of roommates

3

Bathrooms

2
1

Coed bathrooms

3

Air conditioning

3

Housing comment

  • All the dancers were housed in the Outback dorm on SUNY Purchase campus. The dorm is maybe a 2 minute walk to the dining hall and less than 10 minutes from the dance building.

Where did they stay?

1

Housing - Supervision

Curfew

3

Curfew reasonable?

3

Room check

2
1

How strict were dorms?

1
1
1

Infraction handling

2
1

Housing - Cleanliness

Laundry available

3

Laundry free

1
1
1

Housing cleanliness

Dirty
1
2
Spotless

Cleaning required

2
1

Meal Plan

Meal plan

3

Food quality

Gross
1
1
1
Excellent

Enough food

3

Dietary needs?

2
1

Specific needs

1

Dietary options

Limited
1
Lots

Activities

Weeknight activities

3

Weekend outings

4

Logistics

Quality of handbook

Spotty
3
1
Comprehensive

Program communication

Limited
2
2
Comprehensive

Transportation

3
1

Neighborhood safety

Not Safe
4
Very Safe

General Comments

Overall recommendation

Definitely Not
1
1
2
Absolutely

Best aspect

  • International community of dancers. Fun.
  • International students and teachers. Was exposed to many different teaching styles and experiences.
  • My dancer loved the international aspect of this program. There were dancers from something like 18 countries as well as many American dancers from a variety of U.S. states. It was so wonderful to see friendships form in the class groupings in spite of any language barriers. The faculty also represented many different countries. The flexibility of the program is also amazing - dancers can attend just one week and still have a full experience, including a performance. The week my dancer was there, the performance included each class performing in two contemporary and one ballet pieces, with costumes supplied by AAB. We also found that the pricing of this intensive is also fairly affordable. There are scholarships/discounts awarded at the auditions which brought the price down quite a bit for my dancer.

Least liked about program

  • Zero communication and placement was non existent. The kids who were known by the teachers got special treatment and better placement
  • Disorganization
  • Did not like that parents needed to pay to see the weekly performances.
  • The dancers’ schedule of the day was posted each morning. It might have been nicer to know classes ahead of time, but my dancer didn’t seem to mind much. There registration process was quite old-fashioned, using a paper application that had to be filled out by hand - it would be more convenient to have a computer based registration. I also would have preferred that the tickets for the performance at the end of the week be less expensive - even though we all did enjoy the show!

Suggested changes to program

  • Place kids based on their ability and no special treatment for some. More pointe work, there was virtually none.
  • Organize check-in process. Share more details before check-in.
  • My dancer loved having the chance to try partnering and would have loved having that class more than one time during the week. It did seem like the most advanced level did have more partnering classes, however. I also think a bit more freedom to leave the dorm to explore the campus a bit in pairs or groups would be nice

Culture of program

  • Unorganized
  • Fun
  • The teachers, staff and students were all very supportive and friendly.
  • The culture was very inclusive, supportive, welcoming, and fun. It seemed like a very non-competitive atmosphere. There was a variety of dance levels apparent in the performances, and while there were a few featured solo moments here and there, it seemed like generally all dancers were included and celebrated.

Other comments

  • I felt compelled to leave this review because the previous, more negative reviews almost made me not send my dancer to this intensive. But I’m so glad I did! It was a wonderful first away experience for my dancer who had previously only done local day intensives. This is not right the intensive for your dancer if you’re seeking the prestige of a three letter program or a city experience filled with sightseeing outings in the evenings, but if your dancer is perhaps unlikely to be at the level to be accepted at SAB, ABT, etc (though there were lots of lovely dancers at AAB who I’m sure could be accepted at those programs!) but who is looking for days filled with dance, the chance to make friends with kids from all over the world, and the flexibility of staying just one week or all 5 then AAB could be a great fit.
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