Boston Ballet @ Walnut Hill

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General

Who is Reviewing?

Parent with dancer input

Program:

Boston Ballet @ Walnut Hill

Season Attended:

2023-24

# Of Levels In School:

Dancer Age:

Company Affliated?

Yes

Was Student Scholarshipped?

Yes

Please Describe Scholarship:

We paid for boarding. The rest was merit scholarship. They were light in boys and it was timing to receive this offer coming off Boston ballet SI

Years At School:

2 years

Curriculum

Days Per Week:

Classes Per Day:

Weekend Classes?

Yes

Weekend Schedule:

Half day

Students Per Class:

10-15

Weekly Repertoire or Variations?

Yes

Pointe Classes Per Week:

N/A

Live Music in Technique Class?

Yes

Dedicated Men's Program?

Yes

Boys In Level:

5-10

Separate Technique Class for Boys:

Yes

Techniques Taught:

General Classical, Vaganova, Balanchine

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:

Contemporary, modern, men’s, weight training, partnering technique

Partnering

Frequency of Partnering Class:

3x 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?

Corrections were general and there was little attention paid to any specific person

Description of Partnering Class:

Similar level boys paired with similar level girls

Additional Comments:

Other Classes

Other Dance Styles:

Character, Modern

Other Class Quality:


Poor	Excellent

Contemporary Offered?

Yes

Types of Contemporary Classes Taught:

Improv, Repertoire, Choreography workshops

Contemporary Quality:


Poor	Excellent

Master Classes?

Yes

Master Classes Description:

Boston ballet master classes

Strength & Conditioning

Physical Training Offered?

Yes

Physical Training Types:

Yoga, Pilates (mat or reformer), Weight training, Body conditioning, Body rolling

Physical Training Schedule:

Several times a week

Were Trainers Certified?

Yes

Physical Training Quality:


Poor	Excellent

Injuries/Health/ Mental Health

Are Doctors Available?

Yes

How Parents Notified?

My student did not get injured

PT Available?

Yes, it is part of fees

Was There a Recovery Plan?

Yes

Mental Health Therapists Available?

Unsure

Were Students Given Fat Talk?

Staff Made Comments About Bodies?

Unsure

Were Students Weighed?

Unsure

Was "Coded Language" Used?

Performances: Winter Show/ Nutcracker

Performance Opportunities:

4-5

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:

"Standing around part" e.g. party attendant, royal guard, etc.

Were You Paid?

Performance: Ballet Season

Cast in Company Productions?

Yes

Kind of Part Given?

"Standing around part" e.g. party attendant, royal guard, etc.

How Chosen:

All students allowed to audition

Was Casting Fair?

Yes

Did Rehearsals Impact School Schedule?

Perfomance Opportunities:

Spring showcase, nutcracker, choreographic experience, spring showcase

Were You Paid?

Competition

School Does Competitions?

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?

Yes

Written Feedback?

Yes

Exam Adjudicator:

Internal

Exam Rubrics Clear?

Strongly agree

Who Attends Exam Meeting?

Yes and parents were included. 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:

Dedicated, passionate, hardworking, friendly, happy

Placement Notification Timing:

At beginning of school

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?

I don’t know

Where Graduates Who Do Not Get Bridge Level Go:

All find bridge level positions at other ballet schools

How Many Left and Went to College?

About half

Career Support:

I was not looking for new placement; was staying in program

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:

Freshman

# 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?

Fair

How Roommate Issues Handled?

Professionally

Housing Cleanliness:


Dirty	Spotless

Students Required to Clean Room?

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

Meal Plan

Meal Plan?

Yes

Food Quality:


Gross	Excellent

Enough Food?

Yes

Late Meals Available?

Yes

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:

Career Support and Placement:

Emotional Support:

Housing & Food:

B+

Performance Opportunities:

Overall Comments

Program's Best Aspect:

Top notch instructors and affiliation with Boston Ballet

Program's Worst Aspect:

Consistent technique instructor vs rotating

Anything Else We Should Know?

The new male director is wonderful - he gives precise corrections and encouragements

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