Alabama School of Fine Arts

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General

Who is Reviewing?

Parent with dancer input

Program:

Alabama School of Fine Arts

Season Attended:

2024-25

# Of Levels In School:

7-12 grades

Dancer Age:

Hours of Dance Each Week:

16-20 hours

Company Affliated?

Was Student Scholarshipped?

Please Describe Scholarship:

There are no scholarships as this is a public high school. It is free for students in the state of Alabama. Students from other states may attend but it is tuition based for them.

Years At School:

1 year

Full time or after school?

Full-Time

Curriculum

Days Per Week:

Classes Per Day:

Weekend Classes?

Weekend Schedule:

I did not have weekend class

Students Per Class:

16-24

Weekly Repertoire or Variations?

Yes

Pointe Classes Per Week:

Live Music in Technique Class?

Yes

Dedicated Men's Program?

Men Taught by Male Teacher?

Men Taught Batterie?

Boys In Level:

Less than 5

Separate Technique Class for Boys:

Techniques Taught:

General Classical

Technique Teacher Rotation:

The school rotated teachers on a fixed schedule

Did School Director Teach?

Often

Classroom Corrections:

Dancer specific: almost every dancer got specific corrections each day

Attention From Teachers:


Very Little	A Lot

Quality of Instruction:


Poor	Excellent

Did Technique Improve?


Not at all	Tremendously

Curriculum Comments:

ABT style instruction - ballet, technique, rep, rehearsals; Modern class, technique, other dance styles incorporated such as Latin Dance, Jazz, African Dance, Contemporary, Native American Dance, Broadway - 3 classes per day with at least one being technique, one rehearsal, and one rotating style or dance related studies

Partnering

Frequency of Partnering Class:

1x per week

Partner Ratio:

Everyone had to share a partner.

Who Taught?

It varied based on the week

How Much Partnering Improved:


No	Tremendously

Quality of Pas Teaching:


Poor	Excellent

How Were Corrections Given?

Attention and corrections were evenly distributed between the males and females

Description of Partnering Class:

Partnering was primarily done as part of rehearsals - the dancers who had partnering in the shows rehearsed with their partners.

Additional Comments:

Partnering opportunities rotated through the dancers, but not everyone had a partnering role over the course of the year, so not everyone got much in the way of partnering rehearsals.

Other Classes

Other Dance Styles:

Modern, Jazz, African

Other Class Quality:


Poor	Excellent

Contemporary Offered?

Yes

Types of Contemporary Classes Taught:

Improv, Choreography workshops, Technique

Contemporary Quality:


Poor	Excellent

Master Classes?

Yes

Master Classes Description:

Master classes in Jazz, Broadway, Native American Hoop Dance, Latin Dance and Afro-Caribbean were held during the year, with instructors doing a short stay to choreograph and teach a performance piece.

Strength & Conditioning

Physical Training Offered?

Yes

Physical Training Types:

Yoga, Pilates (mat or reformer), Progressing Ballet Technique, Body rolling, Stretch class

Physical Training Schedule:

Once or twice a week

Were Trainers Certified?

Yes

Physical Training Quality:


Poor	Excellent

Strength & Conditioning Comments:

These were sprinkled throughout the week, but always a few days of Pilates or yoga following a show for rest and recovery.

Injuries/Health/ Mental Health

Are Doctors Available?

Yes, for everyone

How Parents Notified?

School called parent

How Treatment Obtained?

Pt came to the school

PT Available?

Yes, it is part of fees

Was There a Recovery Plan?

My dancer did not get injured

Mental Health Therapists Available?

Yes, for everyone

Were Students Given Fat Talk?

Staff Made Comments About Bodies?

Were Students Weighed?

Was "Coded Language" Used?

Additional Comments:

Teachers are VERY supportive of students physical and mental health, often allowing or encouraging them to rest or take a break (if needed) during rehearsals/class instead of forcing them to push through. NO petty retaliation for speaking up and saying “I need to rest my ankle-“ Genuine concern for the well being of the kids.

Performances: Winter Show/ Nutcracker

Performance Opportunities:

4-5

School Winter Show?

Yes

Company or School Show?

School puts on it's own production and students dance all the parts

Cast in Winter Show?

Yes

How Chosen:

Chosen by school director or the company artistic staff

Winter Show Role:

Dancing part

Were You Paid?

Rehearsal Impact on Classes:

Rehearsal Hours:

3-5

Performance: Ballet Season

Cast in Company Productions?

Yes

Kind of Part Given?

Dancing part

How Chosen:

Students chosen for roles by staff - NO AUDITIONS

Was Casting Fair?

Yes

Did Rehearsals Impact School Schedule?

Rehearsal Hours:

3-5

Perfomance Opportunities:

Fall Rep and Spring Rep have a condensed classical ballet performed with solos and corps roles being given to all students. Modern pieces are also performed by all students. Specialty classes/master classes will choreograph for a specific grade and that grade of students will perform that piece during the showcase. The final show of the year is a Senior lead choreography show where each senior auditions, selects dancers, chooses the music, choreographs, costumes, lights, and stages a piece on their fellow students with faculty mentorship as their final project.

Were You Paid?

Competition

School Does Competitions?

Yes

Competitions Required?

% of Students Who Performed:

1/4

How Chosen?

students can opt to compete; those who do have after hours comp rehearsals

Competitions Cost Extra?

comp fees are paid

Separate Competition Rehearsals?

Yes

Competition Interfered With Training?

Added - personal technique instruction is invaluable!

Communication

Formal Orientation?

Yes

Handboook & Paperwork:

Comprehensive and complete. I knew what to expect for the year

Quality of Communication?


Poor	Excellent

Who Received Communication?

With parents and students

Exams

Formal Exam?

School Culture

How Supported Did Student Feel By Staff?


Not	Completely

How Supportive Were Students of One Another?


Not	Completely

Describe School Culture:

Healthy, preparatory, well-rounded, student focused, artistic

Placement Notification Timing:

This school is a Fine Arts High School (modeled after UNCSA), so placement is based on school grade equivalent.

How Dancer Was Notified:

Written communication via email or regular mail

Dancer Had Mentor?

Yes

Mentoring Details:

Opportunity to work one on one with teachers for rehearsals, specific skills, comp training. Teachers were very accessible with questions about what programs to consider for summer, should I compete (YAGP/UBC), future plans/decisions. Phone calls with dancers and parents regarding physical and mental health, goals, opportunities, networking etc. The mentorship at this school is like nothing we’ve ever been a part of!

Overall School Culture:


Lord of the Flies	Warm & Inclusive

School Outcomes

Highest Levels of School?

There are no bridge levels (If you chose this answer, please skip next question)

How Many Left and Went to College?

50%

Career Support:

Received lots of help

Describe How School Helped:

My dancer is a junior, so we’ve only just begun this process, but so far the teachers have been very helpful in navigating the college v company routes for post grad and have been helpful in looking at different programs.

Building & Surrounding Area

Security Around Building:

Yes

Safety of Area Around School?


Not Safe	Extremely Safe

Studio Space:


Cramped	Lots of space

Studio Cleanliness:


Dirty	Spotless

Housing

Was Housing Provided?

Yes

Did Dancer Stay in Provided Housing?

Yes

Type of Housing Provided::

Dorms

Housing Minimum Age:

# of Roommates::

Adequate # of RA's?


Not at all	Absolutely

Type of Bathrooms::

One big bathroom on the floor

Curfew?

Yes

Curfew Reasonable?

Yes

Nightly Room Check?

Yes

Dorm Strictness:


Extremely Lax	Extremely Strict

How Infractions Handled?

My student had no infractions this year (as far as I know!)

How Roommate Issues Handled?

Mediation with the staff, change of rooms when required

Housing Cleanliness:


Dirty	Spotless

Students Required to Clean Room?

Yes

Laundry Available?

Yes

Laundry Free?

Yes

Evening Activities?

Yes

A/C In Room?

Yes

Weekend Outings?

Transportation Between Housing and Studios?

Studios are in the bottom floor of the dorm.

Safety Around Housing:


Not Safe	Very Safe

Overall Rating of Housing:


Poor	Excellent

Additional Comments:

Housing is very old and needs updating. It is adequate, but less than ideal.

Meal Plan

Meal Plan?

Yes

Food Quality:


Gross	Excellent

Enough Food?

Yes

Late Meals Available?

Dancer w/ Dietary Needs?

Academics

How Did Academics Work?

Integrated

Academic Support:

Students attended in person classes provided by school

Did the School Support Academics?


Didn't support	Definitely supported

Overall Program Grades

Overall Dance Instruction:

A+

Career Support and Placement:

B+

Emotional Support:

A+

Housing & Food:

B-

Performance Opportunities:

A+

Overall Comments

Program's Best Aspect:

Teachers were not only highly qualified, but were genuinely good teachers (not just good dancers!). Living at the school and being able to finish a traditional style high school while also training during the day was what my dancer needed. Online school was not for us. The school also works in partnership with other dance programs in the area to allow students performance opportunities outside of the school - for instance, my dancer took evening partnering classes 2-3x a month at a professional company, performed in a production of The Nutcracker and Swan Lake in addition to her performances at school. This was not seen negatively (as it might be elsewhere) but was supported by the teachers as beneficial to her growth as a dancer.

Program's Worst Aspect:

the housing - it needs updating!

What Changes Would Be Helpful?

better housing

Anything Else We Should Know?

This is a school for artists - theater, music, painting, dance, etc., so instead of just being a ballet school, it is an artistic community. These kids will often collaborate on projects and take their academic classes together. It is a really cool environment!

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