BALLET HELP DESK

Summer Intensive Reviews

Programs Reviewed: 234
Total Reviews: 1882

Next Generation/Patel Conservatory

Summer Intensive Reviews

General

Dancer age

1
4
2
2
4
2
1

Gender

12
4

First time at a summer intensive?

12
4

Year of SI

1
1
8
3
3

Weeks available

16

Weeks attended

4
6
6

Reviewer

4
11
1

Curriculum

Techniques taught

7
1
1
1
7
6

Partnering (based on age)

5
3
4
4

Dedicated men's program?

1
1
14

# of boys in level

3
1
9
3

Other dance genres

10
14
8
1
13
4
3

Quality of other classes

Not Helpful
3
5
8
Helpful

Injury Prevention

Strength classes?

5
3
3
13
1
9

PT offered?

3
7
6

Extra fee for PT?

2
14

Injury rate

10
6

Teaching

Who taught?

5
11

Guest teachers

1
15

Year-round teachers taught

10
2
4

Attention from teachers

Very Little
1
1
3
5
6
A Lot

Technique improved?

No
2
2
5
7
Yes - Tremendously

Studios

Dance floors

1
16
1
1

Studio space

Cramped
3
5
8
Lots of Space

Studio cleanliness

Dirty
6
10
Spotless

Schedule

Classes per day

2
10
4

Saturday classes

16

Saturday class duration

16

Leveling

Leveling

16

Leveling type

15
1

Did students move levels?

13
3

Leveling fair?

2
14

Students per class

7
7
2

Performance

Performance?

13
2
1

Rehearsals happened

9
3
2

Casting equitability

Uneven
1
2
4
7
Even

Rehearsals detracted from class?

Completely
4
7
5
Not At All

Housing - General

Housing provided

12
4

# of roommates

12

Bathrooms

10
2

Coed bathrooms

11
1

Air conditioning

12

Housing comment

  • "All residential students are housed at the Hotel Barrymore which is right across the street from the Patel Conservatory; 2 persons to a hotel room."
  • "It’s in an old historic hotel across a small street from the conservatory building."
  • "The housing was in a hotel across the street and there were issues with palmetto bugs in many of the rooms"
  • "Housing was in a hotel across the street from the SI which was super convenient, but the down side was that the rooms didn’t have a lot of space for storing clothes and other items. It was ok, but definitely not perfect. The hotel also had some issues with bugs. My dancer said that the food was really good and very accommodating of her dietary restrictions and allergies. The RAs were fair in terms of handling issues, but I will say that as a parent, some of the RAs were a little lax about allowing opposite genders in rooms late at night and such. My dancer is 16 and mature/responsible, and so things might have been handled a little differently with younger students on different floors, but I did want to note this in my review."
  • "Hotel"
  • "Hosted in a hotel, not exclusive for dancers. There was security on the dancers floors during night hours"
  • "In a hotel across the street from Patel Center"
  • "Few problems with bugs throughout stay, we were originally told housekeeping would come once a week, but all they did was fix the towels."
  • "Was in the Barrymore Hotel across the street from studios."
  • "Housing located directly across the street from the training facility and a quick walk with nice view. Housing was located in a hotel shared with other guests but two floors were solely for NGB dancers. Plenty of RAs. Pool available for use."
  • "We were in a hotel and not dorms."

Where did they stay?

1
3

Housing - Supervision

Curfew

12

Curfew reasonable?

12

Room check

1
11

How strict were dorms?

3
4
2
2
1

Infraction handling

1
6
2
4

Housing - Cleanliness

Laundry available

12

Laundry free

5
7

Housing cleanliness

Dirty
6
5
1
Spotless

Cleaning required

11
1

Meal Plan

Meal plan

12

Food quality

Gross
4
4
4
Excellent

Enough food

12

Dietary needs?

8
4

Specific needs

  • "vegetarian"
  • "Gluten free plus other food allergies"
  • "Wheat/gluten, dairy and nut allergies"
  • "Gluten Free, Dairy, Egg, Nut Allergies"

Dietary options

Limited
1
3
Lots

Activities

Weeknight activities

12

Weekend outings

16

Attended weekend outings

3
8
5

Favorite

  • "All of the amusement parks - Universal Studios, Walt Disney World (2X), Busch Gardens"
  • "Clearwater Beach for July 4"
  • "Universal studios"
  • "Busch Gardens or the beach"
  • "Universal Studios"
  • "Busch Gardens"
  • "Disney World"
  • "Disney"
  • "amusement parks"
  • "Disney’s magic kingdom"
  • "Her favorites were Disney Animal Kingdom and Disney Magic Kingdom. Also went on 2 mall trips (had a blast), Universal studios, the beach and Busch Gardens."
  • "Bush Gardens Tampa Bay"

Least favorite

  • "The mall was kind of “meh” but still fun to go on that trip."
  • "None"
  • "They were all good, but very long days"
  • "N/A"
  • "The mall."

Logistics

Quality of handbook

Spotty
1
8
7
Comprehensive

Program communication

Limited
1
4
11
Comprehensive

Transportation

1
1
5
1
1
7

Neighborhood safety

Not Safe
4
8
4
Very Safe

General Comments

Overall recommendation

Definitely Not
1
4
11
Absolutely

Best aspect

  • "I really liked the 2X ballet class for boys, the other styles offered, and the great field trips"
  • "They get a lot of technique in the first 2 weeks, and then the final 3 weeks, they work on technique and choreography toward a final performance. Students can enroll in 2, 3, or 5 weeks. It’s intense but also laid back to some degree."
  • "Supportive atmosphere and positive environment, lots of partnering opportunity"
  • "Built confindence in my dancer."
  • "Very ballet focused; good amount of partnering and also contemporary classes"
  • "Had fun with new friends and enjoyed the classes despite no individual attention/corrections. Show at end was very impressive."
  • "End of summer showcase was incredible. Really well rehearsed program. The dancers were all amazing."
  • "The two technique classes per day and the exposure to the world class instructors in a variety of styles. Loved the affiliation with Ballet West and the additional instructors that brought in additional to the other guests."
  • "The amazing teachers and super sweet students; I was able to make friends very quickly and I’ll miss them all so much!"
  • "Ballet Rep"
  • "Very welcoming, a positive environment, very organized and communicative, a perfect 1st intensive"

Least liked about program

  • "The food wasn’t amazing and the hotel was pretty old."
  • "The year round teachers definitely favored the students that attended the their year round program. One of the year round instructors was very harsh with all the girls."
  • "2 technique classes a day, one usually right after lunch, which was sometimes hard and tiring"
  • "Hotel/dorms"
  • "The last week had a lot of time dedicated to tech and dress for the (well executed) show so for those staying 3 weeks, be aware the last week not as many technique classes. Also, pointe classes in the last 3 weeks was usually a rehearsal for the show."
  • "They used a satellite studio that made pickup delayed some days."
  • "Communication was great but it would be even better to start the communication earlier in the spring and to get confirmation or reminders of the submission of required documentation."
  • "Everything was great!"
  • "The drama"
  • "There are 3 levels with sub groups ABC in each level. The level 3’s hardly had any pointe classes which was a huge disappointment for my daughter who at 13 has been on pointe for 2 years."

Suggested changes to program

  • "I don’t think I’d change anything. It got long for my son because of the longer days during the final 3 weeks to accommodate for rehearsals, but he loved it!"
  • "Pas class was focused around the two and three week students. My daughter was there for 5 weeks and had pas class only twice"
  • "Nothing"
  • "Dorm situation. Loved the location, just would prefer it to be exclusive to the dancers"
  • "No satellite studio."
  • "Start the 5 week program in July rather then June."
  • "I would change the housing. Random people would come up to our floor of the hotel room and bang on our dorms."
  • "Add more pointe for all levels. And maybe a rotation of the other non ballet classes. Students were assigned jazz, flamenco, or character. My daughter’s jazz class was fantastic but she was really hoping to get some time in character."

Culture of program

  • "supportive and fun -- great for boys"
  • "Inclusive amongst the kids. Some of the teachers were known to be personally and outwardly critical of individual dancers in front of the group. Some of the comments I heard about made me sad as they were not really productive. Otherwise, amazing experience!"
  • "The guest faculty was amazing. The year round faculty really tended to favor their year round students."
  • "Supportive and positive, great place to develop"
  • "Amazing!"
  • "Welcoming environment, great faculty, great opportunity to build relationships with other students"
  • "Fun, kids were encouraging and supportive of each other regardless of level."
  • "Teachers were helpful and gave great critiques and corrections throughout the intensive."
  • "The best blend of technique and fun you could ask for, especially for the first "away" summer intensive. My dancer wants to go back. Great location, great instructors, caring, inclusive community."
  • "Inspiring and so fun! The teachers all had amazing corrections and were all very nice, and they cared about us a lot!"
  • "Inspiring"
  • "Very positive. Students were kind, teachers were encouraging but gave solid corrections. A very comfortable and positive environment for my daughter."

Other comments

  • "They give great scholarships for boys!"
  • "The RA’s were wonderful and kind. It was an ok experience. They outings were great. We, however, would not return. This was a one and done for us."
  • "An extraordinary program with amazing faculty"
  • "My DD thoroughly enjoyed this program. She really grew a lot this summer and her technique vastly improved. We would definitely consider this SI again."
  • "2024 was the first year NGB partnered with Ballet West. There was no consistency in instructors, and some of them showed up late or to the wrong room. Obvious growing pains in partnering with another team of new people."
  • "Dorms are at a hotel, but they rent out a whole floor and there are security measures and rules for the students"
  • "Nope"
  • "I think this is a good intensive with a solid focus on ballet technique. I felt it was excellent value for the money. Our biggest disappointment was in regards to pointe. Students in other levels had a lot of time on pointe but the lower levels did not. She was also hoping to learn more about training her body (maybe more of a PBT or conditioning approach)but she really only had yoga each day instead of a true stretching/conditioning. The teaching was all excellent, the feedback was strong and positive and she definitely improved over the summer, but I think this particular program is best for students who are either already more advanced, or younger dancers newer to pointe. The average 12,13,14 year old may find themselves wanting to be pushed a little bit harder. Overall we were very happy, she did make progress that is paying off in her home studio, the intensive was organized, it’s an excellent choice especially for a 1st intensive bc the environment and culture feel safe, but I think next year we know to look for a few specific classes/training models more geared to her level and personal goals."
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