BALLET HELP DESK

Summer Intensive Reviews

Programs Reviewed: 255
Total Reviews: 2236

Boston Ballet Junior Summer Intensive

Summer Intensive Reviews

General

Dancer age

3
3
2
3

First time at a summer intensive?

3
8

Year of SI

3
3
5

Weeks available

11

Weeks attended

11

Reviewer

2
9

Curriculum

Techniques taught

3
1
7
1

Partnering (based on age)

11

Dedicated men's program?

8
3

# of boys in level

11

Other dance genres

11
1
4
10
1
7
4
1
1
1
1
1

Quality of other classes

Not Helpful
2
2
7
Helpful

Injury Prevention

Strength classes?

3
8
1

PT offered?

7
3
1

Extra fee for PT?

1
10

Injury rate

7
4

Teaching

Who taught?

1
6
4

Guest teachers

7
4

Year-round teachers taught

1
10

Attention from teachers

Very Little
1
3
1
6
A Lot

Technique improved?

No
2
5
4
Yes - Tremendously

Studios

Dance floors

10
1
1

Studio space

Cramped
4
7
Lots of Space

Studio cleanliness

Dirty
1
10
Spotless

Schedule

Classes per day

1
1
9

Saturday classes

11

Saturday class duration

11

Leveling

Leveling

11

Leveling type

6
1
4

Did students move levels?

6
4
1

Leveling fair?

1
10

Students per class

1
9
1

Performance

Performance?

1
9
1

Rehearsals happened

1

Casting equitability

Uneven
1
Even

Rehearsals detracted from class?

Completely
6
Not At All

Housing - General

Housing provided

9
2

# of roommates

7
2

Bathrooms

9

Coed bathrooms

8
1

Air conditioning

9

Housing comment

  • "Very nice rooms with the Boston Ballet JSI having the whole building for JSI students."
  • "My daughter roomed with a friend from home, but roommate information was provided before arrival so the dancers could contact each other before meeting."
  • "You can room with 2 or 3 girls."
  • "Beautiful dorms, excellent common area"
  • "The tech policy was lax and was not enforced - too much tech use including after bedtime."

Where did they stay?

1
1

Housing - Supervision

Curfew

9

Curfew reasonable?

9

Room check

9

How strict were dorms?

7
1
1

Infraction handling

2
6
1

Housing - Cleanliness

Laundry available

9

Laundry free

9

Housing cleanliness

Dirty
4
5
Spotless

Cleaning required

9

Meal Plan

Meal plan

9

Food quality

Gross
4
1
4
Excellent

Enough food

1
8

Dietary needs?

7
2

Specific needs

  • "Vegetarian"
  • "Nuts"

Dietary options

Limited
2
Lots

Activities

Weeknight activities

9

Weekend outings

11

Attended weekend outings

2
9

Favorite

  • "Duck Boat"
  • "Duck Tour, Dave and Buster's"
  • "Duck boat ride around Boston"
  • "Circus de Oila"
  • "Lake Canobie Amusement Park"
  • "Aquarium, Boston Ballet HQ"
  • "Canobie Lark Park"
  • "Duck tour, Dave and Busters"
  • "Boston Aquarium"

Least favorite

  • "none, all were good. The aquarium was a little boring, but still enjoyable."
  • "None all were great, but it was not an option to not go unless you picked up your child and brought them back at the end of the weekend."
  • "n/a - they were part of the program (no opt out) and my dancer enjoyed all of them"
  • "Dave and Buster's"

Logistics

Quality of handbook

Spotty
1
3
7
Comprehensive

Program communication

Limited
2
1
8
Comprehensive

Transportation

1
4
6

Neighborhood safety

Not Safe
1
10
Very Safe

General Comments

Overall recommendation

Definitely Not
1
10
Absolutely

Best aspect

  • "The faculty was top-notch. Corrections were well explained and demonstrated."
  • "N/A"
  • "Thoughtful and intentional teaching and engagement, teachers that strike a perfect balance between caring and correction, supportive environment, residential counselors are a highlight of the program - they genuinely care about and invest in the kids"
  • "My daughter loved the teachers, dorm life and meeting other dancers."
  • "Great for younger age lots off supervision"
  • "The teachers were top notch and all of the dancers attending the program were very motivated and friendly."
  • "Character offering, contemporary teacher was top notch, campus and dorm amazing"
  • "Well-rounded, high-caliber program for young dancers; gorgeous facilities at Walnut Hill; excellent faculty and RAs; strong programming for residential students"
  • "The food was impeccable for a summer course and the facility was goregous."
  • "RC activities and campus beautiful"
  • "Perfect first ballet intensive"

Least liked about program

  • "I have no complaints."
  • "N/A"
  • "Nothing, it is very well done"
  • "My daughter is a picky eater and didn't love the food. I sent snacks so she had things on hand."
  • "No break the schedule was breakfast than class than lunch than class than dinner"
  • "Little corrections, cancelled Chinese fan dance"
  • "The lower levels seemed to have some unfocused students (maybe more of a summer camp vibe?) who were commuting"
  • "The lack of pointe classes"
  • "Since short program didn’t really get to do electives and conditioning more than 3x overall."
  • "Some dancers reported not being challenged enough in ballet"

Suggested changes to program

  • "I thought the program was very well run. I can't think of something I'd like to change."
  • "N/A"
  • "Nothing"
  • "My daughter would have stayed longer if that had been an option"
  • "More corrections, allowing 2 sessions instead of 1"
  • "I would include more pointe classes"
  • "Child didn’t like fan dance."
  • "Opportunity to learn from the year-round faculty who know the curriculum progression well"

Culture of program

  • "The culture felt warm, but the expectations were high. The kids were expected to perform to a rigorous standard, but the staff and faculty treated the dancers with an age-appropriate gentleness."
  • "N/A"
  • "Supportive, encouraging, challenging"
  • "Welcoming and age appropriate for a first intensive while still being technically challenging."
  • "Very positive and inclusive."
  • "Fun, safe, and gentle"
  • "Warm, joyful, dedicated"
  • "Uplifting, strengthening, and social."
  • "Heartwarming, nurturing"
  • "Lively and supportive"

Other comments

  • "My daughter (10) had a wonderful experience. The program ran for two weeks at a truly beautiful facility at Walnut Hill in Natick (a suburb in the Boston Metrowest). The dancers begin their first morning with a placement class. There are three groups (pre-pointe, pre-pointe/pointe, pointe), each with roughly 20-25 dancers. The JSI includes daily technical class, pre-pointe/pointe, and corps de ballet. Modern, contemporary, character, and Chinese fan dance rotate through their schedules, as well as PBT. Yesterday was parent observation day, and I was so impressed by what I saw. The faculty was incredibly knowledgeable, as you would expect, and the quality of the corrections really stood out to me. The teachers didn't simply say what they wanted to see change (e.g., elbows forward), but instead took the students through the proper way to engage the muscles to bring the elbows forward without losing alignment elsewhere. It was only two weeks, but the improvement I saw in my daughter's dancing was incredible. Her form looks much cleaner and stronger than when she started. From my standpoint, it was worth the (not insignificant) investment. The culture was welcoming, and my daughter made a lot of friends, too. In addition to the dance faculty, the staffers who monitor the kids between classes and at lunch were very kind. This mattered a lot to me, and I imagine to other parents, since the dancers at JSI are quite young. As an aside, my daughter also really enjoyed the cafeteria's daily offerings."
  • "For ages 9-13 can board or dorm"
  • "A perfect first dorming experience for my nine year old. Kudos to BB for the care they took with these young dancers."
  • "The best first intensive I could of had"
  • "Loved the PBT/Conditioning class"
Reviews
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Age: 10
Overall Rating

Attended 2026
5 out of 5 rating
Age: 9
Overall Rating

Attended 2026, Stayed In Housing
4 out of 5 rating
Age: 12
Overall Rating

Attended 2026, Stayed In Housing, Special Diet
5 out of 5 rating
Age: 11
Overall Rating

Attended 2026, Stayed In Housing
5 out of 5 rating
Age: 10
Overall Rating

Attended 2026, Stayed In Housing
5 out of 5 rating
Age: 9
Overall Rating

Attended 2025, Stayed In Housing
5 out of 5 rating
Age: 10
Overall Rating

Attended 2025, Stayed In Housing
5 out of 5 rating
Age: 9
Overall Rating

Attended 2025, Stayed In Housing
5 out of 5 rating
Age: 11
Overall Rating

Attended 2024, Stayed In Housing
5 out of 5 rating
Age: 11
Overall Rating

Attended 2024, Stayed In Housing, Special Diet
5 out of 5 rating