BALLET HELP DESK

Summer Intensive Reviews

Programs Reviewed: 223
Total Reviews: 1727

Ellison Ballet International Repetoire LA

Summer Intensive Reviews

General

Dancer age

1
1
2

First time at a summer intensive?

4

Year of SI

1
1
2

Weeks available

4

Weeks attended

1
3

Reviewer

1
3

Curriculum

Techniques taught

1
1
1
4

Partnering (based on age)

1
3

Dedicated men's program?

2
2

# of boys in level

1
1
2

Other dance genres

1
1
2

Quality of other classes

Not Helpful
2
2
Helpful

Injury Prevention

Strength classes?

1
3

PT offered?

2
2

Extra fee for PT?

4

Injury rate

2
2

Teaching

Who taught?

1
3

Guest teachers

2
2

Year-round teachers taught

1
1
2

Attention from teachers

Very Little
1
2
1
A Lot

Technique improved?

No
1
2
1
Yes - Tremendously

Studios

Dance floors

4

Studio space

Cramped
1
3
Lots of Space

Studio cleanliness

Dirty
1
3
Spotless

Schedule

Classes per day

1
2
1

Saturday classes

4

Saturday class duration

4

Leveling

Leveling

3
1

Leveling type

1
2
1

Did students move levels?

2
1

Leveling fair?

4

Students per class

3
1

Performance

Performance?

1
1
2

Rehearsals happened

1
1

Casting equitability

Uneven
1
1
Even

Rehearsals detracted from class?

Completely
1
3
Not At All

Housing - General

Housing provided

3
1

# of roommates

2
1

Bathrooms

1
2

Coed bathrooms

3

Air conditioning

3

Housing comment

  • Dorms were very nice. There were two double rooms that shared a common area and bathroom. It was very new and clean and had AC. The USC campus is beautiful!
  • housing was fantastic - right in the USC village with Target, Trader Joe's and lots of fast food restaurants right on site.
  • Very nice dorms. Dancer had a roommate and two suitemates.

Where did they stay?

1

Housing - Supervision

Curfew

3

Curfew reasonable?

3

Room check

3

How strict were dorms?

2
1

Infraction handling

1
2

Housing - Cleanliness

Laundry available

3

Laundry free

3

Housing cleanliness

Dirty
2
1
Spotless

Cleaning required

3

Meal Plan

Meal plan

1
2

Food quality

Gross
2
Excellent

Enough food

2

Dietary needs?

2

Activities

Weeknight activities

3

Weekend outings

4

Attended weekend outings

3
1

Favorite

  • Disneyland -- it was the only outing during the SI
  • Disneyland (only outing offered)
  • Disneyland - the only outing offered
  • Disneyland

Least favorite

  • N/A
  • N/A - Disneyland was only outing

Logistics

Quality of handbook

Spotty
1
2
1
Comprehensive

Program communication

Limited
1
2
1
Comprehensive

Transportation

4

Neighborhood safety

Not Safe
1
1
1
1
Very Safe

General Comments

Overall recommendation

Definitely Not
2
1
1
Absolutely

Best aspect

  • This program was different than a typical SI. It's straight up variations and DD had never done anything like this before. DD loved the intensity of the training. She’s never had 5 hours of just ballet per day and she really enjoyed it.
  • Learning/preparing classical rep
  • Having Mr. Ellison teach all of the men's technique classes with the exception of 1
  • Going to Disneyland on the weekend.

Least liked about program

  • Leaving early- DD wasn’t able to stay the full two weeks and leaving early was hard. She loved her roommate/suitemates, and really loved the training.
  • Each group does only one type of rep (I.e., if you are placed in Bournonville group, that’s all you’re going to work on for two weeks)
  • Late lunch break - 3:30-4:30pm with a class start at 12pm
  • That we only had one teacher the whole time.

Suggested changes to program

  • Each group would work on rep in each genre
  • more dorm programming + truth in advertising about most girls not taking a class with Mr.Ellison unless they signed up for a private
  • I wish we had Mr. Ellison more.

Culture of program

  • Intense but supportive and fun
  • intense
  • Tough but also beneficial

Other comments

  • Be prepared for a lot of pointe work. Definitely go in strong, don’t take a big break before attending. Two weeks to focus solely on artistry and learning variations for hours per day was a unique and fun experience for my DD. DD felt this program was appropriate for ages 12+, but would recommend for 14+. It is a lot of dancing en pointe per day, and requires some independence to procure your own meals. Because it’s summer, the college campus is very quiet. If you are hesitant to try Ellison NYC due to the level of independence required, the Ellison LA program is a great way to get to work with the Ellison faculty on a more secure/contained campus.
  • The standards here are very high and the atmosphere is one where dancers are not encouraged to clap (etc.) for other dancers.
  • N/a
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