Arrais Ballet

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General

Who is Reviewing?

Parent with dancer input

Program:

Arrais Ballet

Season Attended:

2024-25

# Of Levels In School:

Beginner to “pre pro”. 7 levels total

Dancer Age:

Hours of Dance Each Week:

16-20 hours

Company Affliated?

Was Student Scholarshipped?

Years At School:

1 year

Full time or after school?

Full-Time

Curriculum

Days Per Week:

Classes Per Day:

Weekend Classes?

Yes

Weekend Schedule:

Half day

Students Per Class:

16-24

Weekly Repertoire or Variations?

Pointe Classes Per Week:

N/A

Live Music in Technique Class?

Dedicated Men's Program?

Boys In Level:

There were no boys in my level

Techniques Taught:

General Classical

Technique Teacher Rotation:

The school rotated teachers on a fixed schedule

Did School Director Teach?

Often

Classroom Corrections:

Dancer specific: detailed but only a few dancers consistently got corrections

Attention From Teachers:


Very Little	A Lot

Quality of Instruction:


Poor	Excellent

Did Technique Improve?


Not at all	Tremendously

Curriculum Comments:

For this level there is one class per day that includes pilates and stretching and then ballet technique. There is no contemporary offered. The pre-pro classes are offered 4 times a week for 3 hours each and then the pre pro students are combined with the intermediate dancers on the weekend.

Partnering

Frequency of Partnering Class:

No partnering

Other Classes

Other Dance Styles:

The my learned one contemporary dance.

Other Class Quality:


Poor	Excellent

Contemporary Offered?

Master Classes?

Yes

Master Classes Description:

Master classes were offered at an additional charge even if they were offered during scheduled class time. The classes were also open to the public. Very high quality instructors were brought in.

Strength & Conditioning

Physical Training Offered?

Yes

Physical Training Types:

Pilates (mat or reformer)

Physical Training Schedule:

Several times a week

Were Trainers Certified?

Yes

Physical Training Quality:


Poor	Excellent

Injuries/Health/ Mental Health

Are Doctors Available?

How Parents Notified?

My student did not get injured

How Treatment Obtained?

N/A

PT Available?

Was There a Recovery Plan?

My dancer did not get injured

Describe Recovery Plan:

N/A

Mental Health Therapists Available?

Were Students Given Fat Talk?

Staff Made Comments About Bodies?

Were Students Weighed?

Was "Coded Language" Used?

Performances: Winter Show/ Nutcracker

Performance Opportunities:

2-3

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:

I had both types of parts

Were You Paid?

Rehearsal Impact on Classes:

Rehearsal Hours:

1-2

Performance: Ballet Season

Cast in Company Productions?

Yes

Kind of Part Given?

I had both types of parts

How Chosen:

Students chosen for roles by staff - NO AUDITIONS

Was Casting Fair?

Did Rehearsals Impact School Schedule?

Rehearsal Hours:

1-2

Perfomance Opportunities:

Nutcracker and year end showcase (in studio)

Were You Paid?

Competition

School Does Competitions?

Yes

Competitions Required?

% of Students Who Performed:

99 precent

How Chosen?

Depends on the competition. Director will only invite select dancers to select competitions.

Competitions Cost Extra?

Private lessons, master classes, uniforms

Separate Competition Rehearsals?

Competition Interfered With Training?

Detracted a lot

Communication

Formal Orientation?

Handboook & Paperwork:

Adequate but missing several key pieces

Quality of Communication?


Poor	Excellent

Who Received Communication?

With parents and students

Exams

Formal Exam?

Yes

Written Feedback?

Exam Adjudicator:

Internal

Exam Rubrics Clear?

Strongly disagree

Who Attends Exam Meeting?

Well Prepared For Exam?


Not at all	Completely

How Heavily Did Exams Weigh in Promotions:


Not at all	Heavily

School Culture

How Supported Did Student Feel By Staff?


Not	Completely

How Supportive Were Students of One Another?


Not	Completely

Describe School Culture:

Friendly, competitive parents, favoritism

Placement Notification Timing:

N/A

How Dancer Was Notified:

In-person meeting with school director/staff

Dancer Had Mentor?

Mentoring Details:

Dancers filmed their own audition videos, some help was provided identifying potential opportunities but only for some dancers.

Overall School Culture:


Lord of the Flies	Warm & Inclusive

School Outcomes

Highest Levels of School?

There are no bridge levels

How Many Promoted Internally to Bridge Level:

Unsure

How Many Left and Went to College?

Unsure

Career Support:

Received some help

Describe How School Helped:

Notified dancer of opportunities

Building & Surrounding Area

Security Around Building:

Safety of Area Around School?


Not Safe	Extremely Safe

Studio Space:


Cramped	Lots of space

Studio Cleanliness:


Dirty	Spotless

Housing

Was Housing Provided?

Where Did Dancer Live?

Lived at home

Academics

How Did Academics Work?

Separate e.g. online, independent study, etc.

Academic Support:

There were no formal study requirements. Students were on their own

Did the School Support Academics?


Didn't support	Definitely supported

Overall Program Grades

Overall Dance Instruction:

A+

Career Support and Placement:

Emotional Support:

C-

Housing & Food:

N/A

Performance Opportunities:

Overall Comments

Program's Best Aspect:

Class instruction

Program's Worst Aspect:

This is a new school that is turning out to be one of many competition focused schools in the area. A pre pro program was offered this year but pre pro students were not a priority. After-school/recreational students were cast above pre-pro students in productions despite representation that pre pros would be given casting priority .Rehearsal for productions happened during class time. Pre pro only offered 3 hours a day 4x a week and is very expensive for what you get. (Comparably priced to Ellison which offers a full day program.) On weekends, pre pro students take class with intermediate dancers (10 hours). .Different standards for different students. For pre pro the “exam” seemed to be optional and no metrics were set or explained and no consequences for not doing “exam”. Good partnering instruction offered sometimes but not on a set schedule. No contemporary class. 5 out of 6 pre pro students are not returning next year. Good training but unfortunately cannot recommended to a serious dancer who wants to dance professionally. School is just not set up for them - maybe this will change over time. Recommend the afternoon program for (recreational)dancers who want to do many competitions and take many private lessons. Summer programming and master classes are excellent.

What Changes Would Be Helpful?

Please see previous comment

Anything Else We Should Know?

Despite good instruction, do not recommend pre pro program for serious pre pro dancers looking to dance professionally. Pre pro students are not a priority of the school. They are not guaranteed to get good performance opportunities or get invited to perform in competitions. Casting is unfair. There are favorites and there is nepotism. Casting is done secretly and some dancers are told their roles well in advance of everyone else and begin working on their parts in their private lessons before casting is announced. Intermediate students are given more prominent roles than pre pro students who came to the program because they were told that they would have these opportunities. Parents are very competitive. Most students take at least 2-3 private lessons per week all year (some do more) and many will do 3 classical and 1 contemporary variation at competitions. If you do not take private lessons, you will not be considered for a large role in spite of statements to the contrary. Master classes/guest teachers are excellent but are open to dancers outside the studio (even if they occur during class time) and come at an additional cost.(even if they occur during class time). 5 out of 6 pre pro students are not returning next year. Some regret giving up other opportunities to come here and are moving on. This is a new school. Maybe pre pro will grow and strengthen over time but would not recommend the current program to serious students given many other options that are out there for comparable cost or less. Recommend the after-school program for recreational dancers who want to do many competitions. Also recommend to younger dancers. Summer programming and master classes are excellent with high profile guest artists.

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