Ballet de Catalunya

#1 of 1

General

Who is Reviewing?

Parent

Program:

Ballet de Catalunya

Season Attended:

2023-24

# Of Levels In School:

2 levels

Dancer Age:

Company Affliated?

Yes

Was Student Scholarshipped?

Yes

Please Describe Scholarship:

Reduction of fees

Years At School:

1 year

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?

Pointe Classes Per Week:

Daily

Live Music in Technique Class?

Dedicated Men's Program?

Boys In Level:

Less than 5

Separate Technique Class for Boys:

Techniques Taught:

General Classical

Technique Teacher Rotation:

Usually the same every day

Did School Director Teach?

Often

Classroom Corrections:

Occasionally dancer specific: mostly general corrections were given

Attention From Teachers:


Very Little	A Lot

Quality of Instruction:


Poor	Excellent

Did Technique Improve?


Not at all	Tremendously

Curriculum Comments:

Classes for Trainee 1s are with the company. Trainee 2s had separate classes for some

Partnering

Frequency of Partnering Class:

1x per week

Partner Ratio:

Most girls 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?

The teacher focused on one or two couples and the rest of the students were on their own

Description of Partnering Class:

There was only one male trainee. There were several male company members but they danced with the female company members.

Additional Comments:

Other Classes

Other Dance Styles:

None of the above

Other Class Quality:


Poor	Excellent

Contemporary Offered?

Yes

Types of Contemporary Classes Taught:

Choreography workshops

Contemporary Quality:


Poor	Excellent

Master Classes?

Strength & Conditioning

Physical Training Offered?

Injuries/Health/ Mental Health

Are Doctors Available?

How Parents Notified?

Student told parent. School not involved

How Treatment Obtained?

My daughter had to seek out treatment herself. The company did not assist in any way.

PT Available?

Was There a Recovery Plan?

Mental Health Therapists Available?

Were Students Given Fat Talk?

Staff Made Comments About Bodies?

Yes

Were Students Weighed?

Unsure

Was "Coded Language" Used?

Maybe

Additional Comments:

The company does not have any interest in the dancers health and wellbeing. There is no company health and wellbeing officer. There is no company physiotherapist. The person who is in charge of the trainees provides no assistance at all.

Performances: Winter Show/ Nutcracker

Performance Opportunities:

2-3

School Winter Show?

Yes

Company or School Show?

Company affiliated production and the students perform certain 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?

Performance: Ballet Season

Cast in Company Productions?

Yes

Kind of Part Given?

I had both types of parts

How Chosen:

Students are chosen to audition by Artistic Staff

Was Casting Fair?

For some but not all

Did Rehearsals Impact School Schedule?

Perfomance Opportunities:

Trainee 1s perform with the company. Some trainee 2s are asked to perform. Due to the many trainees and company members that left throughout the season most trainees performed

Were You Paid?

Competition

School Does Competitions?

Communication

Formal Orientation?

Handboook & Paperwork:

No handbook provided

Quality of Communication?


Poor	Excellent

Who Received Communication?

With dancers only. Parents not involved

Exams

Formal Exam?

Yes

Written Feedback?

Yes

Exam Adjudicator:

Internal

Exam Rubrics Clear?

Neutral

Who Attends Exam Meeting?

Yes, dancer only. The meeting was with my teachers.

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:

Some trainees very competitive and unpleasant

Placement Notification Timing:

After assessment

Overall School Culture:


Lord of the Flies	Warm & Inclusive

School Outcomes

Is Student In Upper Levels?

Yes

Highest Levels of School?

Trainee

How Many Promoted Internally to Bridge Level:

How Many Come From Outside to Bridge Level?

As many as are prepared to pay!

Where Graduates Who Do Not Get Bridge Level Go:

A few find positions elsewhere but most leave ballet

How Many Left and Went to College?

Nil

Career Support:

Received no help - I was on my own

Describe How School Helped:

Auditions

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?

Yes

Did Dancer Stay in Provided Housing?

Yes

Type of Housing Provided::

Apartment of some type

Housing Minimum Age:

# of Roommates::

Adequate # of RA's?


Not at all	Absolutely

Type of Bathrooms::

One big bathroom on the floor

Curfew?

Curfew Reasonable?

Nightly Room Check?

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?

The preference was to ingore them until they could not

Housing Cleanliness:


Dirty	Spotless

Students Required to Clean Room?

Yes

Laundry Available?

Yes

Laundry Free?

Yes

Evening Activities?

A/C In Room?

Weekend Outings?

Transportation Between Housing and Studios?

Walked without chaperone

Safety Around Housing:


Not Safe	Very Safe

Overall Rating of Housing:


Poor	Excellent

Additional Comments:

Not equipped as the was advised it would be. Pay up front for entire season - no refunds even for injury. Accommodation deposit also paid and retained until the next season commences and then they will try everything not to return it.

Meal Plan

Meal Plan?

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:

Career Support and Placement:

Emotional Support:

Housing & Food:

Performance Opportunities:

Overall Comments

Program's Best Aspect:

Performing in the corps de ballet with the company

Program's Worst Aspect:

The Company Director - unprofessional and unethical. The treatment of some of the dancers was completely wrong. The fees are far too much for the experience obtained with the company. They only do two shows in the whole season. None of the trainees are paid even though they sell tickets

What Changes Would Be Helpful?

Remove the Company Director. The Artistic Director is quite good. Employ a health and wellbeing office and a proper trainee coordinator to assist the trainees. Pay the trainees when they perform with the company

Anything Else We Should Know?

I would not accept a trainee position with the company unless their practises change considerably

Loading…