BALLET HELP DESK

Summer Intensive Reviews

Programs Reviewed: 231
Total Reviews: 1850

Russian Masters Ballet: Spain

Summer Intensive Reviews

General

Dancer age

1
2
1
1

First time at a summer intensive?

5

Year of SI

1
1
3

Weeks available

5

Weeks attended

5

Reviewer

1
4

Curriculum

Techniques taught

5

Partnering (based on age)

1
1
1
2

Dedicated men's program?

5

# of boys in level

2
1
2

Other dance genres

1
5
5
1

Quality of other classes

Not Helpful
1
1
3
Helpful

Injury Prevention

Strength classes?

4
1
1
1
1
2
1

PT offered?

1
1
3

Extra fee for PT?

2
2
1

Injury rate

1
3
1

Teaching

Who taught?

5

Guest teachers

3
2

Year-round teachers taught

5

Attention from teachers

Very Little
2
1
2
A Lot

Technique improved?

No
2
3
Yes - Tremendously

Studios

Dance floors

1
3
1

Studio space

Cramped
1
2
2
Lots of Space

Studio cleanliness

Dirty
1
1
2
1
Spotless

Schedule

Classes per day

2
3

Saturday classes

5

Saturday class duration

1
4

Leveling

Leveling

5

Leveling type

3
2

Did students move levels?

3
2

Leveling fair?

5

Students per class

2
3

Performance

Performance?

4
1

Rehearsals happened

1
3

Casting equitability

Uneven
1
1
1
1
Even

Rehearsals detracted from class?

Completely
1
1
1
2
Not At All

Housing - General

Housing provided

4
1

# of roommates

4

Bathrooms

3
1

Coed bathrooms

3
1

Air conditioning

4

Housing comment

  • AC not the best, but maintenance did respond. Housing needs updating but typical for coastal city it was located in.
  • It’s a bad part of a decent resort specifically reserved for all kinds of summer programs.
  • swimming pool, beach

Where did they stay?

1

Housing - Supervision

Curfew

4

Curfew reasonable?

4

Room check

4

How strict were dorms?

1
1
1
1

Infraction handling

1
1
1
1

Housing - Cleanliness

Laundry available

4

Laundry free

3
1

Housing cleanliness

Dirty
1
1
1
1
Spotless

Cleaning required

4

Meal Plan

Meal plan

4

Food quality

Gross
1
1
1
1
Excellent

Enough food

4

Dietary needs?

3
1

Specific needs

1

Dietary options

Limited
1
Lots

Activities

Weeknight activities

4

Weekend outings

1
4

Attended weekend outings

1
1
2

Favorite

  • Day trip to Valencia
  • Alicante city tour
  • Beach

Least favorite

  • NA
  • Any one as long as you have time & energy
  • Valencia, too far

Logistics

Quality of handbook

Spotty
1
1
1
2
Comprehensive

Program communication

Limited
2
3
Comprehensive

Transportation

5

Neighborhood safety

Not Safe
1
4
Very Safe

General Comments

Overall recommendation

Definitely Not
1
1
3
Absolutely

Best aspect

  • True Russian taught Vagonova (NOT the US variety). Be prepared for a real intensive with lots of hard work. This is not a “money-making” intensive. Your child will most definitely work hard. End of the year gala was with professional dancers from all over the world in incredibly beautiful theater. Spectacular.
  • 1. Small class (16 dancers max). 2. Dancers get stronger if not injured.
  • Dancer got stronger and learned
  • a lot of comments
  • Teachers really give all they have with passion

Least liked about program

  • Coastal city means lots of sea food. Not every child’s favorite. Menu was an adjustment at times. Hotel buffets were good, studio meals were less than optimal if your child is a picky eater.
  • 1. Teachers do not speak English and the translators were not helpful. 2. Teacher only paid attention to a handful of students trained under Vaganova. 3. Poor communication with parents when dancer was injured or sick. I was taken out of class and asked to rest for two days due to cold. My mom was never informed by camp staff.
  • Favouritism obvious. If you don’t speak Russian, you will be ignored
  • the quality of English translation
  • Show was not fair for our class only 1-4 girls got to perform rest was barely dancing

Suggested changes to program

  • Studio facility wood flooring was a huge adjustment, but our daughter did fine. Good practice because in the professional world they will encounter this. Alicante is a very old city not accustomed to excessive heat or necessarily prepared for it. This was a very warm intensive. Lots of hydration is important. Given the excessive heat most countries are experiencing right now, not much could really be done when you’re in a town not used to needing a lot of air conditioning. Studios would get warm quickly. This program does however offer a winter intensive in Spain.
  • English speaking teachers.
  • More technique, fair attention to all , we have paid the same amount ,but most importantly, competent interpreters, please
  • translator needs to learn ballet terms better
  • Show so that the class made a group performance it was really bad this year for our class

Culture of program

  • Excellent.
  • Very Russian. Very rigid. Very arrogant.
  • Favouritism obvious
  • intensive, no time for rest
  • Hardworking students and teachers

Other comments

  • My daughter absolutely enjoyed it. The students were wonderful toward each other, and she had met lots of other dancers. So many great memories made and fun outside of ballet class made as well.
  • There was one open class for parents to observe. Only one parent is allowed. There was one recital and one gala on two nights at two different theaters. Certain levels got a lot more stage time and there were clearly favorites. Teachers were asked to pick “the best” dancers and prizes were given at the end of gala. It felt more like a competition than education.
  • very intensive program with 2 shows in the end, one of them with ballet stars
  • Not for the soft because a lot of training so for hardworking students it is good
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