BALLET HELP DESK

Summer Intensive Reviews

Programs Reviewed: 256
Total Reviews: 2340

Annarella Conservatory - Portugal

Summer Intensive Reviews

General

Dancer age

1
5
6
5
4
2
1
1

Gender

25

First time at a summer intensive?

22
3

Year of SI

1
6
4
14

Weeks available

1
1
13
9
1

Weeks attended

1
9
1
11
3

Reviewer

8
12
5

Curriculum

Techniques taught

1
16
9

Partnering (based on age)

6
5
4
6
4

Dedicated men's program?

1
4
20

# of boys in level

8
1
12
4

Other dance genres

1
1
1
13
2
24
24
1
6
1
1
1
1
9
1
1
1

Quality of other classes

Not Helpful
2
1
7
3
12
Helpful

Injury Prevention

Strength classes?

1
16
1
1
1
4
5
20

PT offered?

6
12
7

Extra fee for PT?

18
6

Injury rate

15
10

Teaching

Who taught?

9
6
10

Guest teachers

1
2
22

Year-round teachers taught

4
2
15
4

Attention from teachers

Very Little
4
4
4
5
8
A Lot

Technique improved?

No
5
2
2
3
13
Yes - Tremendously

Studios

Dance floors

1
3
19
1
2

Studio space

Cramped
4
8
4
9
Lots of Space

Studio cleanliness

Dirty
7
4
14
Spotless

Schedule

Classes per day

1
7
17

Saturday classes

19
6

Saturday class duration

1
4
17

Leveling

Leveling

18
7

Leveling type

10
9
6

Did students move levels?

2
3
20

Leveling fair?

7
18

Students per class

8
11
4
1

Performance

Performance?

24
1

Rehearsals happened

13
6
5

Casting equitability

Uneven
6
2
4
3
9
Even

Rehearsals detracted from class?

Completely
5
1
4
2
12
Not At All

Housing - General

Housing provided

8
11
6

# of roommates

1
7
3

Bathrooms

1
6
4

Coed bathrooms

9
2

Air conditioning

3
8

Housing comment

  • "No RA No adult supervision even though we were told there would be. No night time checks. No laundry facilities Convenient to theater yet far to studio"
  • "Location of the Eurosol was close proximity to a small grocery store, laundry facilities, and theater. We had to uber to the studio."
  • "Dancers part of the American group mostly stayed at the Eurosol. It's a short walk to the theatre, and about a 10 minute Uber to the studio. The facility was perfectly serviceable and a great option for the four weeks."
  • "The program didn't provide housing directly. We traveled through https://www.usadanceinternational.com/, and the coordinator, Ms. Louise, arranged housing. The housing was wonderful: spacious, clean, and with gorgeous views. Dancers were expected to pick up daily and leave their kitchen clean before leaving. A wonderful breakfast was provided each monring. The rest of the meals were on their own. My dancer typically bought lunch daily and cooked dinner in her room's kitchen."
  • "very convenient to grocery and downtown activities A nice breakfast was provided daily"
  • "Hotel living organized by Louise(USA liaison)"
  • "There were two apartments, my daughter was in one of them, the bigger one."
  • "The housing occurs in self-managed apartments for the older students and a hotel room for younger students or whoever else prefers the hotel option. It requires a high degree of responsibility and maturity if students go alone. But many dancers were there with at least one family member."
  • "Private apartment through the conservatory, 5 min walk from academy"

Where did they stay?

1
4
1
1
6
1
1

Housing - Supervision

Curfew

7
4

Curfew reasonable?

5
6

Room check

10
1

How strict were dorms?

3
1
7

Infraction handling

2
9

Housing - Cleanliness

Laundry available

4
7

Laundry free

7
3

Housing cleanliness

Dirty
1
3
7
Spotless

Cleaning required

2
8

Meal Plan

Meal plan

10
1

Food quality

Gross
1
Excellent

Enough food

1

Dietary needs?

1

Specific needs

  • "dairy-free"

Dietary options

Limited
1
Lots

Activities

Weeknight activities

3
8

Weekend outings

7
18

Attended weekend outings

1
4
14

Favorite

  • "Only weekend outing offered was the beach or the mall. To the mall the girls went on their own unsupervised via uber."
  • "Weekend outings was the beach, market."
  • "If you are with Louise's group there were occasional group outings to the market or beach but not on an every weekend basis. My daughter enjoyed the beach."
  • "Beach outings, shopping outings, reception/pool party with Annarella, ballet performances, local dance store party, dancer photoshoot all arranged through https://www.usadanceinternational.com/"
  • "Nazare beach"
  • "Beach"
  • "Nazare beach was beautiful and so so fun also Lisbon !!"
  • "Pool and party"
  • "Social lunch"
  • "Nazare beach(was beautiful)"
  • "Beach and castle"
  • "going to the beach and villages with friends"
  • "Academy Party, dance store party"
  • "Nazaré"
  • "Building closer relationships with her friends and creating memories :)"
  • "Beach outings."
  • "Leiria Castle"

Least favorite

  • "None"
  • "N/A"
  • "None, town is safe and walkable"
  • "N/a"
  • "I do not have one"
  • "None- all outings were fun and safe"
  • "Beach and castle"
  • "nothing, everywhere in Portugal is so beautiful"
  • "Nazaré"
  • "The beaches, the girls had really bad sunburns."
  • "If part of Louise Taitz’s group, she organized various outings before or during the intensive. They were mostly beach outings but not only. All of them were great opportunities to have fun and bond."

Logistics

Quality of handbook

Spotty
10
2
2
5
5
Comprehensive

Program communication

Limited
7
3
3
5
7
Comprehensive

Transportation

1
1
1
1
2
1
6
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
3
1

Neighborhood safety

Not Safe
2
4
19
Very Safe

General Comments

Overall recommendation

Definitely Not
4
1
2
4
14
Absolutely

Best aspect

  • "The international aspects. My daughter met dancers from around the world."
  • "Meeting other dancers from around the world. Being in a foreign country."
  • "Traveling abroad and meeting dancers from other countries."
  • "Getting to know other dancers from around the world."
  • "Full days, lots of classes. Huge stamina builder and body conditioning. While I wouldn't say the hands-on corrections were consistent, my dancer did experience some incredible growth. Class sizes were pretty great, depending on the level. It was amazing to meet other dancers from around the world. There are some phenomenal next generation ballerinas who are currently training at Annarella, and my dancer was inspired by this and expects that one day soon she will be able to look at Prix de Lausanne cohorts and say that she danced with some of them in Portugal!"
  • "Intense, inspiring, serious training with renowned teachers and students from all over the world"
  • "The best aspects of this program are the quality of instruction and the opportunity to meet dance friends from around the world. Also, the chance to live in a new country and gain independence and growth from dancing abroad in this enchanting and safe environment (A castle to hang out in every weekend, incredible fresh local foods, a slower quality of life). The amount of dancing was appropriate, with full days. However, this program is not American. Families will need to understand that it is incredibly safe and organized, but because of language and cultural differences, some aspects require adaptability and flexibility. Our coordinator, Ms. Louise, was always there to help when it mattered. There were multiple opportunities to perform, including two galas and a community event at the castle. My dancer was in several group pieces in both galas. They brought in alumni as special guest soloists. My daughter enjoyed meeting the talented alumni who are now professional dancers. Also, sign up for the photoshoot. The photos are wonderful. She really enjoyed her main teacher."
  • "Made lots of friends from lots of different countries and backgrounds"
  • "Louise from the U.S. who organized the program is very organized and always available to students as needed. She checked on my dancer several times when she sprained her ankle ( injury not related to dance) Leiria is extremely safe and beautiful.. My daughter loved meeting people from all over the world. Her technique improved tremendously."
  • "The whole teaching faculty deserves recognition. They teach willing summer students with the same intention and seriousness as they teach their year-round students. Corrections aren’t just about learning combinations — they work on alignment, port de bras, placement and technique overall. Students who genuinely come to work, listen and cooperate in the teaching process can improve tremendously during this SI. The year-round students are very well trained, extremely capable and remarkably independent. Honestly, just standing in class with them is inspiring and motivating. The older Youth Company dancers are particularly impressive, yet still friendly and approachable. Many speak English, since the overwhelming majority are international students. And the friendships are real. I saw so many tears after the final performances because the kids had become close and genuinely didn’t want to part. Overall, the students are treated like pre-professional dancers in almost every respect — from being expected to pick up choreography very quickly to being told they may be dancing that choreography onstage the same day. It’s deliberately very intense and, strangely, somewhat lax at the same time. They aren’t drilling everything for weeks until a performance is perfectly polished. They expect the dancers to learn to find that level of performance in the moment. After the first show, my daughter said to me, “I want to be like them — I want to be able to dance anything like I’ve rehearsed it for weeks.” That probably describes what Annarella is trying to develop better than I can. Having seen the results of the training, I would say: if you come, trust the process."
  • "The best aspect of this program was all the people that I met and the opportunities I realized could be available to me. After I left I was so so sad because I wished I was there the whole year."
  • "My daughter met new friends from all over the world and improved her skills a lot through this specialized program"
  • "Technique"
  • "My technique improved so much, and I was appropriately challenged. It was an amazing experience meeting dancers from all over the world, and the year-round students were very helpful in translating for the American students. As an unaccompanied dancer, I felt comfortable and safe throughout the program. Louise(USA Liaison) checked in with me regularly, communicated with dancers and parents, and made sure I had everything I needed. Louise always answered my texts right away and even arranged for the ballet shop to stay open late so I could get a pointe shoe fitting that same day."
  • "The best aspect was that students are trained in high standards and teachers are very loving and caring. There were many opportunities giving and the directors and teachers believe in you."
  • "The training was intense, inspiring, and truly transformative"
  • "Training alongside year-round academy dancers and having the opportunity to work and dance together on the same stage."
  • "Very intense, demanding program. My daughter was there for the spring intensive so unfortunately at spring there is no show. Teachers are very strict, but my daughter likes that. She made a lot of friends."
  • "Actually intense in the amount of classes and intense teachers."
  • "Life skills gained because high level of independence and traveling abroad. Partnering for all levels, including younger dancers. Great and safe country. Exposure to great talent from the dancers in the full time pre-pro program. Being part of Louise’s group of US dancers."
  • "Quality of teaching"
  • "Very kind teachers, helpful year round students, clean studios"

Least liked about program

  • "Absolutely NO communication with parents. There was no handbook, no schedule, ending time changed regularly. Very overt body shaming/ fat shaming Americans received very little attention unless negative All instructions were given in another language and there was NO translation of corrections If a dancer or parent complained, they were gas lit The teachers yelled at the students There were “shows” at the castle which were a cool experience but there was very little communication about it. The dancers performed pieces they already knew versus they learned at the program but there was no credit given. The costumes that the dancers rented were dirty The days were really long… 8:45 am - 7:30 pm, sometimes later. The only break was for lunch at 1:30. The studios were very hot There was significant inconsistency in American dancers who attended- some were very serious ballet students with professional aspirations. Some barely had any ballet exposure. This may have contributed to the negative sentiments about the American dancers. I am so glad that we went with our child. There was little to no supervision. The unaccompanied dancers were not checked on, were out all night, drinking, with local boys/ men. Louise was not available to help with things, she was on vacation. The “tours” that she arranged were very expensive. We understood that partnering would be a big part of the program but my dancer had it once over 2 weeks. She has had partnering experience before so she was prepared to do it. The Americans were told that “they were too heavy for their (the year round) boys and they were getting hurt…” and therefore they would not have additional pas class."
  • "Parents did not have the opportunity to visit the studios much less meet the teachers. No handbook and One email a week. Inconsistent class schedules, sometimes they end at 5 sometimes at 9. Limited communication if any at all. Placement was based on age not ability from day one. One PAS class a week. No corrections given. Focused on the gala rather than technique. No growth. The Americans did not get any attention in class and they featured their own dancers in the gala. It was obvious who the favorites were and there was no rotation of the dancers. The teachers humiliated the Americans, smoked, and constantly yelled. My daughter along with many students hated it yet they were able to bond over the negative experience. The director was awful. They charge a lot of money to rent dirty costumes which is mandatory and a lot of money for videos and photos of the gala. There is a language barrier."
  • "Limited attention to the American students. Focused on the gala rather than providing technique or Pas. Lots of yelling and body shaming. We were told we “are fat and lazy”. We didn’t get the schedule until the day off."
  • "The overt abusive nature of the program."
  • "As an American part of the USA group, this was a wild ride. Notably because of parents who came with a set of expectations that were incompatible with a global program in this specific country culture. There are some very legit points of feedback, but overall there were some pockets of negative mindset that I think would have been happier staying state-side as they were unable to adapt. Specific things that we liked the least: 1) USA Group - The coordinator of this group was not organized. It made the experience more difficult, creating work effort to try to figure out what was happening. - Of greater note was the lack of the group coordinator/liaison's willingness to accept feedback and to help when concerns were brought to her. There was a strong level of defensiveness that I witnessed when she was faced with feedback, and that energy was wasted when it could have been focused on solutioning. 2) Annarella Studio - Variability in levelling was unacceptable. Some dancers were placed way too high, others way too low, and others bounced around each week. The process felt rushed and lacked a system or strategy."
  • "Lack of communication in some parts. You only receive the daily schedule the day of and rehearsals to learn pieces for the galas can be rushed. However, it’s understandable that when new students are arriving week-to-week or day-to-day, it’s nearly impossible to set choreographies early. It’s part of the experience to learn how to handle this fast paced environment if you want to someday become professional. Annarella makes it clear that you are there to improve and work towards being professional as opposed to having a fun, chill summer. Annarella herself can be harsh at times and I notice that especially the visiting Americans may struggle to adjust to this new culture. I find that sometimes what Annarella has to say can be harsh yet necessary, although there are times where I disagree with her. It’s worth noting that Annarella usually only takes class for the youngest groups and the rest of the teaching staff are excellent."
  • "This is an awareness note for parents: It's important to talk about personal choices and values before traveling. Groups of students had different priorities; some were more dance-focused, party-focused, or somewhere in the middle. Parents should be aware that the drinking age is 18 and that teens are allowed in clubs. Although the country is incredibly safe, there are opportunities to drink if your teen is looking for that. I would be sure to establish expectations ahead of time. Ms. Louise stated her rules: no drinking, no clubbing, and meet curfew, but not everyone followed these rules. My husband wished the chaperone would do nightly check-ins, and we also know teens could go out after curfew checks if they really wanted to."
  • "No corrections, if they thought something was wrong they made you do it over and over, favoritism, fat shaming, severe dieting, no communication, no explanation of how to do steps properly, many dancers talked of partying, drinking, and relations with local men, overall humiliation and disrespect towards dancers"
  • "Studio's communication could be better.... it is the culture of Europe and different from what Americans are used to... so we did not look at this as a negative. However Louise communicated with students and parents very well and kept us informed the best she could."
  • "The school operates on the go — literally. The schedule changes every day and is posted on a screen in the hallway. Parents can come in and take a picture if they want (something I discovered completely by accident). But even that schedule can change during the day, and classes sometimes run late. Annarella may suddenly decide to add something she thinks is important, and the first a parent hears about it might be a frantic text from their child: “I need my makeup bag! I’m performing my variation at the castle in 30 minutes!” Performance opportunities can appear just as spontaneously. Nobody necessarily asks the parents in advance whether they want their child to participate — Annarella simply assumes the kids will benefit from performing, finds them a costume, and off they go. Of course, you can say no to an extra performance, but realistically… who would? The costumes we received were gorgeous. I saw reviews describing costumes as “dirty,” and I’m honestly not sure what that referred to. Ours were obviously not new, but they were beautiful, quality ballet costumes with no smell or anything else concerning. Rental was €25 per costume. I do agree with other parents, though, that being charged without being asked first rubbed people the wrong way. It wasn’t really about €25 — it was about expecting to be consulted before an additional expense is added. Someone also mentioned that the teachers who originally taught the students their variations weren’t credited. I was puzzled by that at first too, so I actually asked our own teacher about it. Her explanation made sense and was another interesting example of a different ballet mentality. A classical variation isn’t generally treated like a contemporary solo that “belongs” to the teacher who set it. The choreography is established repertoire. Once a dancer knows the variation, she performs it through the technique and artistry she has developed over years of training. Since these weren’t competitions, individual coaching credits simply weren’t given. The performances themselves could be VERY long. Sometimes Annarella wanted to show a long-coveted piece set to live piano — and apparently getting a piano off the stage is a production in itself and can take ten minutes. Or she needed to thank the many people involved with ballet in her town. Annarella is extremely emotional and can speak and thank people for what feels like hours. Unfortunately, none of that was being translated, so for the American part of the audience it could be very difficult to follow. And that brings me to probably the biggest adjustment for American families: the language barrier is real. The secretaries speak English, and the teachers make an effort to speak English or use translation tools, but this is still Portugal. Culturally, I sometimes had the feeling that they sincerely couldn’t understand why American parents needed to know so much — or, for that matter, how we had managed to arrive in Portugal without understanding Portuguese. :-) For the kids, it can be genuinely hard. Some handled it more easily than others. Mine cried from frustration during the first week because she couldn’t understand everything being said to her. By the second week, it was already becoming much easier. The language barrier was actually one of my biggest worries before coming, so I think international parents should know about it. It is a true character builder. It’s not easy for a young dancer to walk into a serious ballet class and realize she won’t understand every correction, every joke, or every instruction. But judging by the amount of international students, they can do it. It was hard for me to watch my child to figure out how to listen differently, watch more carefully, ask for help, adapt, and eventually function comfortably in that environment - but it’s probably part of the education too."
  • "Probably the placement classes they were a little intimidating, mainly because the dancers at Annarella are on another level amazing"
  • "It was a very serious and intense program, so she found it a little challenging at first."
  • "I liked it all"
  • "N/A"
  • "The only thing is attending a Dr visit when my child was sick the local dr did not speak Elisha and luckily we had Google Translate."
  • "nothing"
  • "It is difficult to say whether there was a lack of communication or whether some aspects reflected the European training style. I am familiar with the dance environment in Europe, where students are often treated more like young professionals and are expected to be driven, responsible, and independent. My daughter handled the experience in Germany well, but she described the training at Annarella Academy as the most physically demanding training she has ever experienced. There were a few times when she called home in tears, and she also experienced stomach pain. However, I understand that developing resilience and learning to handle physical and mental challenges are part of pursuing a professional-level dance career, so I do not consider the intensity of the training itself a complaint."
  • "The schedule can change during the day. They expect students to be very flexible."
  • "Language barrier. Most classes were taught in Spanish."
  • "The performances were 4.5 hours long and they mostly showcased the full time, year long dancers (they were part of the intensive but were not a majority). There was a performance in the middle of the intensive and another at the end. Different pieces. The performances felt more like a show off - highlighting disproportionately the great dancers they have in the full time program - since they appeared repeatedly during the entire show in various solos or as leads in the other dances. The other SI students were showcased in an average of 4 dances per performance but they were group/corps kind pieces for the great majority - in stark contrast with the full time students. For every dance they participated in, the SI non full time students spent approximately 1 hour per dance per day in rehearsals so a lot of time was allocated for performance rehearsals - in the detriment of technique classes. There were many guest teachers and Ms Sanchez rotated through teaching the classes but seemed to prefer teaching the young dancers."
  • "Communication could be better"
  • "Long days, separation between year round students and intensive students"

Suggested changes to program

Repeated Responses:
  • "See above" (3 responses)
Unique Responses:
  • "Increase communication. Placement class based on skills. Separate their own students from those traveling so everyone gets even attention. Balanced casting in the gala. Include photos and videos without a fee. Rental Costumes should be free why are we paying for something they are hosting the show. Don’t smoke in front of students."
  • "Provide a handbook. Weekly schedule to plan ahead. Don’t charge a fee for renting dirty costumes. Free gala photos and videos."
  • "Aside from a few good teachers this entire program needs to be reworked."
  • "- Offer some assistance to the studio to set up a simple handbook for parents. - Establish some basic processes for the studio so they can handle the strain that this SI places on them. Establish some communication norms (eg, a parent information board that includes a daily calendar). - There is a huge sense of pride in celebrating and supporting the phenomenal talent from the family (both daughters and their partners). It feels slightly performative, though, for the SI attendees. The experienced missed a genuine opportunity to elevate these two pairs with mentorship talks or other in-studio interactions vs expectations to buy gala tickets to see them perform."
  • "Ms. Annarella Sanchez taught only the highest level, which my daughter wasn't in. I realize this is how most dance schools work, but she was hoping for a class with her."
  • "Maybe offer longer program"
  • "First and foremost, I think parents need to understand how leveling is done and why their child may be placed in what looks like a “boring” class. I mean… there really is no such thing as an “easy” class if you truly know how to work. But the philosophy behind the placement should be clearly explained so parents understand what they’re signing up for and can trust the process. A clear description of how the school operates would also help avoid confusion between a serious training intensive and what some families may expect from a more typical summer dance camp. Second — the schedule. At the very least, please give us an exact finishing time so we know when to pick up our kids. Even better, send parents the schedule in advance. It would also be very helpful to let families know before the SI begins if there may be additional charges. We’re away from home, international travel is already expensive, and parents need to be able to plan their budget. And finally, I honestly think having a good translator would make a huge difference — someone who translates not just one or two sentences, but really communicates what Annarella is saying. It would allow international parents to understand who she is, where she is coming from, and the idea behind what she is asking of the students. I think that understanding would help parents feel much more comfortable and connected to the process."
  • "Nothing I loved it"
  • "I wouldn’t make any major changes. The program was very intense, but I think that was also a big part of why my daughter was able to grow so much in a short period of time."
  • "Nothing"
  • "N/A"
  • "My daughter had a very good experience and there are nothing I would change."
  • "nothing"
  • "One area that was unexpected was the additional costume rental fee. We had not anticipated this expense, and my daughter needed to ask me to send additional money to cover her daily expenses. Clearer communication about additional costs in advance would have been helpful. Transportation was entirely by Uber and Bolt, which cost approximately €10 per day, although the students occasionally shared rides with others. It would be very helpful if the academy could provide a daily shuttle between the accommodation and training facilities. This would not only make transportation easier for the students, but also provide greater safety and peace of mind for parents."
  • "Possibility to have two weeks for spring."
  • "The performance to be much shorter and with a fairer and more balanced casting."
  • "Nothing really. Can be difficult if you don’t understand Portuguese."
  • "Include housing and weekend outings"

Culture of program

  • "It was like training in Russia circa 1975… lots of yelling, fat shaming, yelling to do something over and over with no actual corrections. The Director was very harsh, openly referring to specific dancers as “fat.”"
  • "Negative culture. I spoke with many families who regretted this experience."
  • "I was hoping for amazing training yet no corrections were given. The classes were not remarkable nor useful. I would have loved to receive more feedback from teachers (weakness/ strengths). It was not challenging or competitive."
  • "Morale was low across the board, among both the year-round and intensive students, and it was especially apparent with the older kids. The kids talked openly with each other about it, and the year-round students in particular were candid about their struggles with the program. The overarching theme was that they were miserable. If anything, the shared hardship seemed to bond the kids together as they'd essentially trauma bonded over the experience. Overall, it's an abusive culture, which is beyond disappointing to see in this day and age."
  • "The culture is both laid back and intense. Laid back because that's frankly the Portuguese culture, and intense in that the Annarella studio offers top notch training with firm expectations for dancers. There is immense pride in the community in the contributions of the studio to the city and Portugal overall, and it's so lovely to see."
  • "The year-round dancers are all very talented and serious about becoming professional, and this is a result of the schools culture. If you are a visitor looking for a fun, easy-going intensive this may not be for you. Days can be long but personally it was the kind of intensive I was looking for and thrive in."
  • "Rigorous dancing, laid-back town. My daughter said her word for the summer was adaptable. She was really proud of her ability to be fully present and roll with things (new languages, new foods, new cultures with people from all over the world). There were many opportunities for fantastic surprises if you could go with the flow."
  • "Intense and humiliating"
  • "excellent"
  • "A very friendly (but very European!) community with incredibly independent kids who welcome summer students easily. If you truly come to improve, you’ll grow tremendously — even if that growth is “only” learning to deepen your plié correctly or finally understanding how to connect your shoulder blades to your back ribcage."
  • "I was with Louise taiz’s group for the American students and with her she made us feel very safe and like we could come to her if we had a problem she was great!"
  • "Very serious and focused, with a strong emphasis on hard work and training. The international environment also made it a great experience for the dancers."
  • "Very good"
  • "Challenging and inspiring"
  • "Very intense and long but fun as well. Meeting lots of internationals students and did three years of summer I believe from 2022-2024."
  • "very unique and truly world professional dance team"
  • "I was not there in person, so it is difficult for me to fully describe the culture. Based on what my daughter shared, the intensive was very focused, disciplined, and demanding, with an emphasis on independence and professional-level training. The teachers and training were at a very high level, and she felt that the program was best suited for dancers who are serious about pursuing dance at a professional level. She would probably not recommend it for someone who dances primarily as a hobby or prefers a more consistently positive and compliment-based training environment. She felt that the program expects students to be serious, committed, and willing to work hard. Overall, she came home having gained a strong sense of independence and a deeper understanding of what professional-level training requires."
  • "Intense and demanding. My student wasn't the best dancer in the room, but she always pays attention and is very hardworking. The teachers really liked this. So for her this was a very rewarding experience."
  • "Very safe location, inexpensive grocery, students got lots of support from organizers."
  • "Friendly and highly talented."
  • "Friendly, students were helpful. Positive environment"
  • "Supportive, encouraging, rigorous"

Other comments

  • "My dancer did not grow at all technically as there was no attention given to the kids who were not year round students. There was an over focus on the end of session performance. My child really enjoyed getting to know kids from all over the world. The dancers quickly bonded due to the extreme circumstances there. We were very disappointed in the American Liason. She was disorganized and more focused on people going on tours than the dancing."
  • "I was lucky to be able to stay locally with my child because for those traveling in the group with Louise it was like traveling alone. Despite of what she tells you. Many parents informed me she was always on tour or at the pool. She sat at the airport lounge while those traveling alone roamed duty free. There was no supervision provided with girls drinking at the pool, the bars, and staying out at all hours of the night. Snapchat tells all and my daughter shared stories.. We do not recommend this program to anyone, yet if you do it travel with your child. I heard countless stories."
  • "Not inspiring, supportive or fun. Students were kind but the environment was not healthy."
  • "We'd done extensive research on Annarella Conservatory and had our sights set on it for the last few summers, even considering it as a year-round option. Both my daughter and I were genuinely excited for what we hoped would be a transformative summer. Unfortunately, it was anything but. Conditions were bad enough that some parents were considering pulling their kids out before the first week was even over. My daughter found Annarella Sanchez harsh from the start. By day two, she'd already witnessed Annarella verbally attacking a student in Spanish (despite being able to speak English, she chooses not to use it). Fat-shaming was a recurring theme, targeted especially at American students, though many year-round kids weren't spared either. It was hard to escape the impression that Annarella was primarily interested in American dollars — from pressuring parents to buy tickets to a ballet starring her own daughter (and calling kids "uncultured" if they declined), to charging 45 euro for a costume that's normally 25 euro during the school year, to tacking on last-minute performances and then charging students to rent costumes that were dirty, under the guise of a "cleaning fee." American families in particular felt nickel-and-dimed constantly. Leveling made little sense. It was supposedly age-based, but clearly wasn't applied that way. Year-round students, who trained at the intensive, got the lion's share of attention. Annarella told the American girls they couldn't take partnering (pas de deux) classes because her boys were getting hurt lifting girls she deemed "too heavy" and body/food commentary toward students was constant. My daughter had exactly one partnering class in four weeks. Overall, the focus felt weighted toward performances rather than actual training, with class time repeatedly cut short for rehearsals — whether for galas or impromptu castle performances. Most classes were taught in Spanish and/or Portuguese, and teachers made disparaging remarks about students in Spanish, which the students who understood would sometimes translate for the others. Students were called names like "fat" and "stupid" by staff. My daughter felt that if Annarella weren't so directly involved with the school, the environment might be better as her negativity and harshness seemed to trickle down and shape the culture of the entire staff. We came in hopeful and left deeply disappointed. I do not recommend this program."
  • "I would never send my child as an unaccompanied minor. The supervision was non-existent. I saw other feedback about body shaming. My dancer did not experience this, nor did she see it. If you are doing this SI, make sure you are able to adapt to an international program. Instruction will not be in English. It can be hot. There are different standards for organization and communication. Your child may not be the star. Now maybe those things can improve, but you are ultimately in a very different culture, so make sure this is something you are capable of embracing as part of the experience."
  • "I saw some other reviews mentioning concerns of student supervision, but I think it’s only fair to mention that the small group of underage kids I noticed partying were all doing so in the early hours of the morning with their parents also in attendance at the intensive. Annarella makes it clear that she does not condone partying, drinking, smoking etc."
  • "The town is incredibly charming. It sounded like it was fun to be there during the World Cup, and you could walk to the town square to watch the games. Her life also included regular walks to the castle, plus views of the castle from both rooms in her apartment. Cellular and wi-fi were easy, and she had no problem texting or calling us."
  • "It was an outstanding experience for my daughter. She has chosen to study year round here."
  • "We came with an American group of dancers auditioned and organized by Louise Taitz. Although we didn’t stay at the hotel with most of the group, we saw firsthand how involved and caring Louise was with the dancers. She has been doing this for years, is well respected at Annarella, and has extensive experience bringing American dancers to Portugal. It’s a lot of pressure, but she genuinely tries to accommodate everyone as much as possible and was always available — even to families like ours who weren’t depending on her for most of the day-to-day logistics. Leiria is a truly safe, walkable European town with a cute historic center. But keep in mind that there is also a cultural difference in how independence is viewed here. Kids are generally expected to become independent earlier than many American families are accustomed to. It seemed to me that Louise understood the environment well and tried to give the dancers exactly the amount of freedom they needed without letting them abuse it. She had a system for keeping track of every dancer and, as far as I know, the kids had a fun and safe experience. Saturdays were usually beach days. One important warning: although temperatures may feel mild and the water can be chilly, the Portuguese sun is unusually strong. Hats, sunscreen and shoes are a MUST — the sand burns! Completely different experience from Florida beaches. Other times, the kids would go to the mall. Shopping here is surprisingly affordable, so leaving some extra room in the suitcase is probably a good idea. The tours Louise organized with Victor were more like “family tours.” Many of the parents had already been there, done that, so the itinerary could change on the go — or Victor might decide that, on the way to the caves, everyone absolutely needed to stop and see his friend’s original Portuguese house. Keep an open mind. ;) One downside was that the organized tours were scheduled on weekdays because it’s summer and the major tourist attractions are packed on weekends. That meant the dancers themselves couldn’t really participate and see many of the historical places because they were in class. So if sightseeing is important to your dancer, I would plan some extra time before or after the intensive rather than count on doing much of it during training."
  • "Ms. Louise is so caring she really wants the best for you and will help you with anything. The program opened my eyes to other possibilities with dance and I feel like I learned a lot!"
  • "My daughter had a wonderful experience at this intensive. The training was definitely intense. The days were long and the dancers worked very hard from morning until evening. It was a little challenging for her at first, but we could really see how much she improved in such a short time. The teachers were very serious about the training and expected a lot from the dancers. I think that was a big part of why she improved so much, both technically and as a dancer. She really enjoyed being around so many talented and hardworking dancers from different countries. It was inspiring for her to see so many dancers who were so passionate and dedicated to ballet. She made some great friends during the program, and having that international experience was very special for her. I also really appreciated Louise and how much she cared about the students. Since I was there with my daughter, I got to see this firsthand. She was always checking on the kids and seemed to know what was going on with everyone. There were so many dancers and so many things to take care of, and honestly, I was impressed by how she managed it all. I really appreciated how much time and effort she put into taking care of the students. I also think it’s important to remember that this is an international program, so the training environment and culture may be different from what we are used to in the U.S. We went in with an open mind and enjoyed experiencing a different approach to ballet training. Overall, we are very thankful that our daughter had the opportunity to be part of this program. She came home with great memories, new friends, and a lot of growth as a dancer."
  • "It is a very good program and I would recommend"
  • "I feel so grateful to have gotten this opportunity, and I most certainly grew as a dancer. As I am back in classes at my home studio, I feel like a different dancer in the best way possible. My confidence as a dancer has grown so much and I credit this to my experience in portugal this summer."
  • "My daughter was invited to this program after a competition from Louise Taitz. We never been to Portugal so it was an eye opener for our family to visit Portugal and explore the beautiful city with tour guide Victor which was organized by Louise. I really enjoyed it while our kids are at the intensive. Parents and students were all connected through group WhatsApp and Louise was always so wonderful to checking on us if there are anything we need and showed us where laundry and groceries stores are. There were weekends outings as well that was fun. There were also restaurants around the conservatory that serve delicious meals. I was very impressed with the end of summer show and she came back couple summers after. We are forever grateful for Louise and Annarella conservatory for their care and believe in my daughter. Without it she will not be where she is now. My daughter came back after her first summer intensive there knowing how much she needs to continue working hard and also told me she wants to dance professionally and all because she sees that is possible with hard work learning from all the students there."
  • "We are deeply grateful to Ms Louise for representing and leading the American dance group. Her organization, dedication, and genuine care for the dancers made the entire trip smooth and stress-free. Navigating an international trip can be overwhelming, but Ms Louise made it feel effortless and created a wonderful sense of community among the group."
  • "It was very thoughtful of Ms. Louise, the American coordinator, to provide additional support beyond her regular responsibilities. She arranged airport transportation, weekly laundry service, a photography session, and helped parents find accommodations when visiting. She also went above and beyond by helping my daughter find the correct gate and make sure she got to her domestic flight back to the West Coast. We truly appreciated her kindness, care, and support throughout the intensive. Thank you, Ms. Louise!"
  • "Very safe city. Students need to be independent and flexible."
  • "There are ACs in the studio but they are rarely turned on, no fans, just open windows. Was a massive change that effected the learning experience, and made the floors sticky and hard to dance on. So you cuu out you not do you best work in class."
  • "Parents can see the Gala concert and spend great time to visit many beautiful sites."
  • "Great program to join for a different kind of summer intensive that has a bit of everything."
  • "Great experience. Got more out of this intensive than any other ones attended in the USA"
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Age: 14, Female
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Attended 2026
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Age: 14, Female
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Attended 2026, Stayed In Housing
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Age: 13, Female
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Attended 2026, Stayed In Housing
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Age: 15, Female
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Attended 2026
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Age: 13, Female
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Attended 2026, Stayed In Housing
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Age: 20, Female
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Attended 2026, Stayed In Housing
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Age: 16, Female
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Attended 2026, Stayed In Housing, Special Diet
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Age: 15, Female
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Attended 2026
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Age: 18, Female
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Attended 2026, Stayed In Housing
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Age: 12, Female
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Attended 2026
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