BALLET HELP DESK

Summer Intensive Reviews

Programs Reviewed: 223
Total Reviews: 1727

Ballet West Young Dancer Park City

Summer Intensive Reviews

General

Dancer age

3
3
2
1

First time at a summer intensive?

4
5

Year of SI

1
1
4
3

Weeks available

1
8

Weeks attended

1
8

Reviewer

9

Curriculum

Techniques taught

2
6
2

Partnering (based on age)

9

Dedicated men's program?

5
2
2

# of boys in level

9

Other dance genres

7
1
9
3
2
1
3
3
1

Quality of other classes

Not Helpful
1
1
1
2
4
Helpful

Injury Prevention

Strength classes?

3
3
5
1
2

PT offered?

6
3

Extra fee for PT?

1
7

Injury rate

9

Teaching

Who taught?

2
4
3

Guest teachers

1
3
5

Year-round teachers taught

4
5

Attention from teachers

Very Little
3
3
3
A Lot

Technique improved?

No
3
4
2
Yes - Tremendously

Studios

Dance floors

8
1

Studio space

Cramped
1
5
2
1
Lots of Space

Studio cleanliness

Dirty
1
1
4
3
Spotless

Schedule

Classes per day

2
5
2

Saturday classes

1
8

Saturday class duration

4
4
1

Leveling

Leveling

5
4

Leveling type

7
2

Did students move levels?

4
5

Leveling fair?

1
8

Students per class

9

Performance

Performance?

3
2
4

Rehearsals happened

7

Casting equitability

Uneven
2
5
Even

Rehearsals detracted from class?

Completely
1
2
6
Not At All

Housing - General

Housing provided

9

Where did they stay?

2
7
1

Activities

Weekend outings

9

Logistics

Quality of handbook

Spotty
2
3
2
2
Comprehensive

Program communication

Limited
4
4
1
Comprehensive

Transportation

1
1
1
1
2
1
1
1

Neighborhood safety

Not Safe
1
2
6
Very Safe

General Comments

Overall recommendation

Definitely Not
1
3
5
Absolutely

Best aspect

  • Coordinator on site who also was a teacher, class size, neat/clean facilities.
  • Ballet technique class on flat
  • Wide variety of very skilled teachers.
  • Really nice and welcoming teachers and dancers. Moved dancers based on ability.
  • A good first intensive
  • It was a fun and rigorous program that my daughter enjoyed.
  • A lot of good personalized comments and attention. Only 17 in my daughter’s level.
  • The chance for a young dance to experience a summer intensive with students from around the country in a supportive environment with lots of attention from a company school.
  • it was a wonderful 1st intensive and we appreciated the option of staying 2 weeks. It was very doable for a young dancer and for a family who traveled with the dancer. We made a small mini family vacation out of the trip. We also loved Alison DeBona, she is a very special teacher who made the program for the highest level kids the best part of the entire experience. It was REAL training and my dancer improved more in 2 weeks then she did in a full year of classes. We also appreciate the importance the studio puts on the students health, they had a full one hour lunch break, they also had 10 minutes between classes that allowed time for snacks so they could keep their bodies fueled. Really top notch incredible program.

Least liked about program

  • Communication was a bit disorganized at times. Seemed like handbook took forever to be available
  • Pointe work was only beginner, when allowed. Other dance styles were just introductory/beginner level
  • They would sometimes switch a class without any notice and then my daughter wouldn't be properly packed for the day.
  • Too short and one day less due to 4th of July. Also lots of changing teachers.
  • Could have been longer, they favored Ballet West students over the others that traveled
  • The park city campus is small and cramped especially compared to other campuses, I wish they would use another campus. I know Park City is a vacation destination but the campus is small, cramped and hot. It’s very unpleasant to spend all day in.
  • The space was a little cramped. Small hallways while everyone was trying to put on pointe shoes was a little tough.
  • No nutrition or fitness instruction.
  • No complaints really.

Suggested changes to program

  • More pointe work for 12 year olds that were at that level. This year 12 year old were not eligible for senior intensive. I believe this has changed since.
  • Smaller classes with more individual corrections. More advanced contemporary and jazz classes
  • Move it from Park City to SLC for a larger studio.
  • Maybe even one level higher. Ages 10-13 with 4 levels. My 10 year old was in the “top” level. So won’t be challenging enough next year, yet too young for full intensive.
  • Equity in treatment, longer option, smaller class, consistent teachers
  • Move campuses to Trolly Corners/SLC or even Utah County. All of those provide larger classrooms.
  • Wish the studios were a little larger
  • Add introductory fitness and nutrition classes.
  • not sure, we really had an overall wonderful experince.

Culture of program

  • Very warm, welcoming and non-competitive environment. Everyone was valued as a class member.
  • Friendly
  • Very supportive and fun.
  • Very kind and welcoming
  • It was a positive environment
  • Fun, friendly, inviting , and educational great for a first intensive experience
  • Very positive and supportive while not babying them
  • Very supportive and positive. It was only a week but they made the most of it given the ages of the dancers (10-12 years old).
  • Very welcoming, all the girls at the studio from other states and other studios got along so well and just had a wonderful time. The work was very challenging but the girls had a wonderful time doing it. Alison made them want to work hard while having fun.

Other comments

  • Great program for 10-12 year olds that aren’t ready to be in a dorming environment and where parents can be available to stay with the child. My daughter attended two years in a row so that says something. We were from across the country and we made the trek. The second year was a greatly improved experience with the new intensive coordinator. This year the program was not held in Park City as initially planned and advertised. It was moved to Trolley Corners. Therefore, comments on facilities may not be applicable to the current young dancer program.
  • My daughter had been en pointe 2 years prior to the intensive, which was clearly communicated before the intensive. She was not allowed to go en pointe until the second week, after I asked about it. All the girls in her group also went en pointe the whole second week, so it wasn't because nobody else could do pointe work.
  • No
  • If your dancer dances way above their age-level, it may not be challenging enough once they are 11 or 12.
  • Could be better by moving the campus
  • I would recommend this as an intensive option for younger dancers. My dancer is not quite 12 which really limited her options except going to our home studio’s summer intensive which she has done the last 4 years. It was nice to have the option to learn from the caliber of professionals offered in this program while not having to dorm. I feel like she received good training, good feedback, and was able to work hard and make some new connections across the country. She had a year of pointe under her belt coming into this program and I feel like she had growth just in two weeks in her pointe technique. Her pirouettes and bourree were stronger and she learned some new skills as well. The character classes and classical pantomime will be very helpful in her performance quality. Overall I was very happy with this program.
  • My daughter attended the one-week young dancer summer intensive at the main Ballet West studios in Salt Lake City (adjacent to the Capitol Theater where the company performs). This was for 10-12 year olds and consisted of a mix of academic year Ballet West students as well as students from other regions and states. My daughter was originally placed in a pre-pointe program but was moved immediately to pointe once they understood she had some experience en pointe. This was a great move as she enjoyed her pointe classes and fit right in with the more advanced students. She also particularly enjoyed the character dance and performance. The classes were M-F with a parent observation technique class followed by a series of performances by each class on Saturday morning. Each of the 4 groups performed a classical routine with half performing a contemporary routine and half performing a character routine. No housing was offered. We were from out of town and rented a small apartment within walking distance. We found the daily walk to be easy and pleasant despite the July heat in SLC.
  • Allison DeBona is KEY to this program for sure, she's a gem and the total package for Ballet West.
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