"The PTP program had 2 levels and a bridge level at the time. They also have a studio program level for dancers who choose to attend regular high school."
"4"
"3"
"There were two main pre pro levels and some took from both groups"
"Two plus bridging"
"3 levels in PTP, no bridge levels"
"2 Levels in the Pre-Professional Program, occasionally 3, depending on the size of the program that year. There are additionally dancers that are selected to bridge between levels."
"A and B"
Dancer Age
15
16
17
Hours of Dance Each Week
21-25 hours
Gender
Female
Prefer not to say
Company Affliated?
No
Was Student Scholarshipped?
No
Yes
Please Describe Scholarship
Repeated Responses:
"NA" (2 responses)
Unique Responses:
"Was given after auditioning"
"N/A"
"Not on scholarship, but scholarships come with many specific requirements from the student, different from dancer to dancer. Some students are forbidden to go elsewhere for summer intensives, some need permission, some are encouraged to do at least 1-3 weeks at CBC, others are encouraged to go and get experience elsewhere, so very varied. Scholarships are almost always a contract, typically a 2-year one. They range in percents, tuition and residence alike. Director is usually generous, I have heard of many dancers requesting financial aid and receiving it, or being directed to Dancing Angels. From what I know, all boys are on a 25-100 percent scholarship, tuition and housing."
Years At School
1 year
2 years
7 or more years
Full time or after school?
Full-Time
Curriculum
Days Per Week
5
6
Classes Per Day
3
4
Weekend Classes?
No
Yes
Weekend Schedule
Full day
Half day
I did not have weekend class
Students Per Class
10-15
16-24
Weekly Repertoire or Variations?
No
Yes
Pointe Classes Per Week
3
4
5
Daily
Live Music in Technique Class?
No
Yes
Dedicated Men's Program?
No
Yes
Men Taught by Male Teacher?
Yes
Men Taught Batterie?
Yes
Boys In Level
5-10
Less than 5
Unsure
Separate Technique Class for Boys
No
Unsure
Yes
Techniques Taught
Balanchine
General Classical
Vaganova
Technique Teacher Rotation
The school rotated teachers on a fixed schedule
Usually the same every day
Did School Director Teach?
Never (school admin was a designated upper level teacher)
Occasionally
Often
Classroom Corrections
Dancer specific: almost every dancer got specific corrections each day
Dancer specific: detailed but only a few dancers consistently got corrections
Occasionally dancer specific: mostly general corrections were given
Attention From Teachers
Very Little
1
2
3
4
5
A Lot
Quality of Instruction
Poor
1
2
3
4
5
Excellent
Did Technique Improve?
Not at all
1
2
3
4
5
Tremendously
Curriculum Comments
"Ballet and pointe in the morning, contemporary, pbt, etc in the afternoon. Company rehearsal on the weekends. Pay extra for coaching for competition."
"Technique and pointe every morning. Partnering, contemporary, pbt, etc in afternoon"
"Schedule M- F starts at 11 am. Technique 11-12-30, pointe 12:30-1:30, Lunch 1:30-2, coaching 2-4, specialty class 4:30-6 (technique, contemporary, Pilates, PDD, Character etc..)
Saturdays- company class 10-11:30, then rehearsals 11:30-5 depending on upcoming works, etc.
Sundays off unless rehearsals , then Monday off if work on Sunday."
"It was tech, pointe, and coaching. So if you do not compete you have a very light schedule."
"Technique and pointe daily, then coaching if you signed up, followed by an occ PBT, Contemporary, Pas, variations"
"All teachers are VERY coordinated on the syllabus, seemingly with weekly meetings to ensure this. Despite this, all teachers have a unique style and method, which I believe made the dancers well-rounded. Lots of Balanchine repertoire and philosophies, along with elements of Vaganova and Cecchetti styles, but I would say the most prevalent technique at CBC is Cuban. Overall diverse, yet organized."
"M-F: technique, pointe then lunch then one afternoon class (contemporary or pas or variations, pas cancelled many times) (also add in separately additional payment for coaching for comps if doing) Saturday rehearsals for Nutcracker, Spring Show"
Partnering
Frequency of Partnering Class
1x per week
2x per week
Partner Ratio
Everyone had to share a partner.
Most girls had to share a partner.
Who Taught?
Male teacher
How Much Partnering Improved
No
1
2
3
4
5
Tremendously
Quality of Pas Teaching
Poor
1
2
3
4
5
Excellent
How Were Corrections Given?
Attention and corrections were evenly distributed between the males and females
Corrections were general and there was little attention paid to any specific person
Males were the main focus
The teacher focused on one or two couples and the rest of the students were on their own
Description of Partnering Class
"Usually taught by a male, mainly for the boys growth. Girls had to share and partnered each other."
"Not enough boys, girls routinely partnered each other."
"Once a week for sure +/- cosching for competition PDD, +/- rehersing for upcoming works PDD"
"We sometimes had it. There aren’t many boys."
"Only boys got corrections, multiple girls paired with each boy"
"Each girl rotated through the male partners."
"2 male teachers taught partnering, both fairly different classes. Most boys had 2 girls per class."
"Cancelled a lot; shared partners"
Additional Comments
Repeated Responses:
"No" (3 responses)
Unique Responses:
"Lots of injuries"
"N/A"
"Level A received the most partnering time. Level B (my dancer's level) often had their pas class canceled. If there was a guest teacher then Level A replaced Level B for all partnering classes. Other than level A most of the other levels were not a priority."
"We did a good ratio of turns, to lifts, to jumps, to partnered adagio"
Other Classes
Other Dance Styles
Contemporary
Jazz
Modern
None
None of the above
PBT
twice a week
Other Class Quality
Poor
1
2
3
4
5
Excellent
Contemporary Offered?
Yes
Types of Contemporary Classes Taught
Choreography workshops
Improv
Repertoire
Technique
Contemporary Quality
Poor
1
2
3
4
5
Excellent
Master Classes?
No
Yes
Master Classes Description
"Occasional guest teachers."
"Unless it was comp related we had même vers of the staff for class"
"N/A"
"Master teachers came several times. Unless you were in Level A you only saw them once during the duration of their stay."
"I would estimate about 3-5 guest teachers come per school year"
"Master classes were a way for a teacher that they were interested in working with full-time to come and work with students (obviously used as an interview strategy). They also use the same repetitive Master Class instructors so they can use them to train/choreograph their favorite students for comps"
Strength & Conditioning
Physical Training Offered?
Yes
Physical Training Types
Body conditioning
Pilates (mat or reformer)
Progressing Ballet Technique
Stretch class
Weight training
Yoga
Physical Training Schedule
Once or twice a week
Several times a week
Were Trainers Certified?
Yes
Physical Training Quality
Poor
1
2
3
4
5
Excellent
Strength & Conditioning Comments
"No"
"N/A"
"There were two teachers for conditioning. Level A had the more proficient teacher. Level B had a teacher that taught a class with little to no intensity."
"Twice a week, one PBT other Pilates"
Injuries/Health/ Mental Health
Are Doctors Available?
No
Yes
How Parents Notified?
My student did not get injured
School called parent
Student told parent. School not involved
How Treatment Obtained?
"Kid took self."
"House parent took to UC"
"Resident manager coordinated all medical visits, made the appointments and provided transportation"
"By myself"
"Parent took child to Dr"
"Coordinated with residence parents."
"Carolina Dancer Wellness, a physical therapy-like center, about 10 minutes away from the Conservatory, works closely with directors to create strengthening/rehabilitation plans for students"
PT Available?
No
Yes, for extra fee
Was There a Recovery Plan?
My dancer did not get injured
No
Yes
Describe Recovery Plan
"NA"
"Cary works closely with Carolina dancer Wellness and they outline a program to rehab and ramp up to get dancers back in class."
"They shamed dancers when they were unable to participate due to injury."
"Parent worked with Dr and PT on a plan and student communicated that to staff"
"Dancer would be encouraged to go to PT, Injury culture was very "This competition is not worth being forever crippled""
Mental Health Therapists Available?
No
Unsure
Yes
Were Students Given Fat Talk?
No
Staff Made Comments About Bodies?
No
Unsure
Yes
Were Students Weighed?
No
Was "Coded Language" Used?
No
Yes
Additional Comments
"Dancers actively had ED. Known by students. Those dancers received prime roles, extra attention."
"Several students threatened or atteself harm. ED among dancers."
"Cary holds wellness seminars and nutrition counseling and provides resources for individual sessions if needed. Scales are forbidden in the individual apartments, but the resident manager has one if students want to use it once a week,"
"Every dancer from my class of two years has complaints about the environment. We all struggled with the worst mental and physical health. The staff and house parents absolutely contributed to this culture, and when confronted with it, brushed off students. Dancers were put in violating situations in the housing and ignored by the staff when they brought it up with an adult."
"Very toxic environment for mental health"
"Like all schools, both directors typically chose students that were usually the thinnest for lead roles, nothing abnormal"
"They may not talk about fat, but they certainly REWARD students who lose weight, who are leaner, come back thinner after a summer, etc. and make claims about them being rewarded as though they became amazing dancers overnight miraculously but everyone knows it’s because they got very skinny. They award better roles to skinnier dancers even when they can’t perform the role"
Performances: Winter Show/ Nutcracker
Performance Opportunities
2-3
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
Audition
Chosen by school director or the company artistic staff
Winter Show Role
Dancing part
I had both types of parts
Were You Paid?
No
If Paid, Please Describe
"Na"
"N/A"
Rehearsal Impact on Classes
5
Rehearsal Hours
6-10
Performance: Ballet Season
Cast in Company Productions?
Yes
Kind of Part Given?
Dancing part
I had both types of parts
How Chosen
All students allowed to audition
All students allowed to AUDITION
Was Casting Fair?
For some but not all
No
Yes
Did Rehearsals Impact School Schedule?
3
4
5
Rehearsal Hours
6-10
Perfomance Opportunities
"Nutcracker, spring show, showcase"
"Nut, spring show, showcase"
"Nutcracker, spring works (mixed contemporary snf story ballet, spring showcase, plus occasional outreach"
"There is nutcracker, a spring show, an end of year recital and many competition related performances."
"Nutcracker, Spring Show, end of year showcase"
"Nutcracker, Spring show and school showcase"
"Nutcracker + a Spring Show, such as a story ballet or a Balanchine work, along with a recital"
"If you are in PTP you are required to “audition” for the Nutcracker and then for Spring Show. Which notes also more money: you pay for the audition fee and the company fee. They already know who they want casted. Don’t think you are going to be Clara for example."
Were You Paid?
No
If Paid, Please Describe
"Na"
"N/A"
Competition
School Does Competitions?
Yes
Competitions Required?
No
Yes
How Many Compete?
All are able to learn solid and be coached for additional fees, but only a percentage are chosen to compete
If you are pre pro you are pressured to participate, even if injured!
Most of PTP and some studio
They initially said students were chosen, but it turned out that anyone who paid for coaching was allowed to compete.
They say that they select students, but almost all students were allowed to compete if they paid, with the exception of perhaps 1 or 2 students
Unknown
% of Students Who Performed
"10%"
"10"
"75%"
"Everyone in pre pro"
"PTP- 99%"
"The majority of the PTP program students chose to compete in either ADC IBC, YAGP or both"
"95%"
"99%? PTP A"
How Chosen?
"Chosen by director"
"Director choice"
"Artistic staff invite students who are ready to compete"
"They expect you if you are in pre pro"
"Director decision"
"Sign up and pay for coaching"
"Class"
"Don’t know."
Competitions Cost Extra?
"Coaching fees, choreography fees, comp fees. It pretty much doubled the tuition."
"Both. Extra classes, performance opportunities. Extra stress, overuse injuries were common."
"Add"
"Add, it was a wonderful experience!"
"It definitely did, I hardly improved because the world revolved around competing. Even then, the coaching sessions were taught with little to no effort."
"Add since there is no variations class"
"Detract. There was a lot of focus on the coaching time every day, but it involved 3 students sharing a 30 minute time slot. If you chose not to participate in coaching you ended up with only technique and pointe on some days. Your day could be as short as 11:00 am-1:30 pm."
"I believe it added, some say otherwise"
"Coaching is built into the afternoon M-Sometimes Saturday. If you aren’t coaching for a comp, you sit around more."
Communication
Formal Orientation?
No
Yes
Handboook & Paperwork
Adequate but missing several key pieces
Comprehensive and complete. I knew what to expect for the year
Fairly comprehensive but missing a few pieces
No handbook provided
Vague and incomplete
Quality of Communication?
Poor
1
2
3
4
5
Excellent
Who Received Communication?
With dancers only. Parents not involved
With parents and students
Exams
Formal Exam?
No
School Culture
How Supported Did Student Feel By Staff?
Not
1
2
3
4
5
Completely
How Supportive Were Students of One Another?
Not
1
2
3
4
5
Completely
Describe School Culture
"Competitive, favoritism, money-focused, thinner is better"
"Favoritism, unhealthy, body shaming"
"Supportive, nurturing, strong team family"
"Abhorrent, inappropriate, abusive, neglectful"
"Toxic, bullying, lots of talk about weight and eating"
"Fake nice. Obviously some real true connections present."
Placement Notification Timing
Repeated Responses:
"At the start of the next year" (2 responses)
Unique Responses:
"When new season begins. Placement classes first few days"
"Will not be returning"
"No"
"Beginning of the next school year at a placement class"
"There is placement audition at the beginning of each year"
"No they don’tTell you until you show up and do a placement class on day one. Good luck!"
How Dancer Was Notified
Written communication via email or regular mail
Dancer Had Mentor?
No
Mentoring Details
"None. They refuse to write recommendation letters unless a school or company directly asks them for it. Dancers were told to stop asking For recommendations because it was getting too overwhelming for them to write so many. Zero resume building. Zero input. Limited to six hours of studio rental to film auditions for colleges/companies. They have helped when asked by certain favorite students. Good luck to everyone else trying to graduate and find a place to go. You are definitely on your own (besides a select few that they hand hold throughout the process). Just be ready to do it alone."
Overall School Culture
Lord of the Flies
1
2
3
4
5
Warm & Inclusive
School Outcomes
Is Student In Upper Levels?
Yes
Highest Levels of School?
Studio Company
There are no bridge levels
There are no bridge levels (If you chose this answer, please skip next question)
How Many Promoted Internally to Bridge Level
N/A
Na
NA
No bridge level
How Many Come From Outside to Bridge Level?
N/A
Na
NA
No bridge
Not sure
Where Graduates Who Do Not Get Bridge Level Go
A few find positions elsewhere but most leave ballet
All find bridge level positions at other ballet schools
Some find positions elsewhere and about half leave ballet
How Many Left and Went to College?
1
1 or 2 a year
3
30-40%
A few
A handful
N/A
Unsure
Career Support
I was not looking for new placement; was staying in program
Received no help - I was on my own
Describe How School Helped
"They did not assist in any way."
"No help"
"On your own unless you are one of the chosen few favorites"
"Wasn't looking for placement, but ended up leaving to go to a bridge program. My dancer was encouraged to consider staying for another year. She was wished well when she left."
"Directors help those graduating very minimally."
"Absolutely zero help. See previous comment about telling students to stop asking for recommendations."
Building & Surrounding Area
Security Around Building
No
Yes
Safety of Area Around School?
Not Safe
1
2
3
4
5
Extremely Safe
Studio Space
Cramped
1
2
3
4
5
Lots of space
Studio Cleanliness
Dirty
1
2
3
4
5
Spotless
Housing
Was Housing Provided?
Yes
Did Dancer Stay in Provided Housing?
No
Yes
Where Did Dancer Live?
Lived at home
Type of Housing Provided:
Apartment of some type
Boarding house
Housing Minimum Age
"13"
"12"
"No set age, when I was there"
"Not sure. I think there was a 13 year old living there."
"13 allegedly, but that has been broken before"
"No minimum"
# of Roommates:
2
3
4
Adequate # of RA's?
Not at all
1
2
3
4
5
Absolutely
Type of Bathrooms:
4 people per bathroom
House, 3 shared among all 16 dancers
Private in room
Private in suite
Curfew?
Yes
Curfew Reasonable?
Yes
Nightly Room Check?
No
Yes
Dorm Strictness
Extremely Lax
1
2
3
4
5
Extremely Strict
How Infractions Handled?
A little harsh
My student had no infractions this year (as far as I know!)
Skewed depending on student
Skewed depending on the RA
How Roommate Issues Handled?
"One student moved out."
"Mediate, try to resolve, resident manager assisting"
"Ignored"
"Encouraged to talk to each other. Advice offered when there was conflict. Didn't need to go to the next level, but felt there was support if it needed to be handled by an adult."
"Students were allowed to switch around to other apartments if agreed."
"Hard to answer this."
Housing Cleanliness
Dirty
1
2
3
4
5
Spotless
Students Required to Clean Room?
Yes
Laundry Available?
Yes
Laundry Free?
No
Yes
Evening Activities?
No
Yes
A/C In Room?
Yes
Weekend Outings?
No
Yes
Transportation Between Housing and Studios?
A mix of above
Walked without chaperone
Safety Around Housing
Not Safe
1
2
3
4
5
Very Safe
Overall Rating of Housing
Poor
1
2
3
4
5
Excellent
Additional Comments
"Very nice apartment complex with students sharing bedroom with one roommate. Full kitchens, furnished, washer and dryer in the units, there is a commons apartment to gather and share dinner nightly. Grocery and staple budget/dancer. 5 minute walk to studios. Pool and gym on site. Scheduled outings weekly plus rides to airport, church, mall, and other destinations,"
"Experienced some prejudice from the dorm parents. They overlooked the obscene behavior of their son and those who shared the same belief system as them, whilst vilifying students who had different political and religious beliefs. They put up microphones and cameras to monitor students with out parental consent and intentionally concealed microphone feature from students. Throughout the year violated the boundaries of students who stayed in the housing and when admin was made aware, they did nothing."
"Dancers are required to use the food provided to make their own breakfast and lunch. Dinner was prepared and provided for them. The food for dinner was not the healthiest and was frequently missing vegetables. Dancers were allowed to make requests for food. They often had to repeat their requests multiple times before getting basic items like milk, bagels."
"Room Manager is a big complainer, too old for the job"
Meal Plan
Meal Plan?
No
Yes
Food Quality
Gross
1
2
3
4
5
Excellent
Enough Food?
Yes
Late Meals Available?
Yes
Dancer w/ Dietary Needs?
No
Yes
What Were Needs?
"Multiple food allergies"
Dietary Needs Met?
3
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
1
2
3
4
5
Definitely supported
Overall Program Grades
Overall Dance Instruction
A
A-
A+
B+
C
D
Career Support and Placement
A
A-
B
B+
C
Emotional Support
A-
A+
B+
C
C-
D
Housing & Food
A
A-
A+
B
B+
C-
D
N/A
Performance Opportunities
A
A-
A+
B
B+
Overall Comments
Program's Best Aspect
"Technique"
"Technique, friends"
"Dancers are truly a family and very supportive of each other. Strict policies - zero tolerance for drugs, tobacco, alcohol, or sexual misconduct. Students can be expelled and it has happened."
"The name, and the students"
"performance opportunities"
"Warm environment where the students were supportive of each other. Residence parents weren't perfect, but clearly liked and supported the students. Performance opportunities and networking. The two main teachers were strong in technique."
"The safety of NC, the overall homeyness of the residency, the supportive staff and students"
"Performance opportunities"
Program's Worst Aspect
"Culture"
"Favoritism"
"Too many top level dancers. No one left after my dancers first years hopefully done will leave this year!!"
"The housing and the director. The director of the program taught class with her nose in her computer and cared little about the well being of the students."
"Toxic teachers and kids, only a few get attention, unfair casting"
"Poor food options for dinner. So much focus on competition detracts from training."
"The room manager needs to be changed."
"Favoritism is rampant and obvious"
What Changes Would Be Helpful?
"Lack of support for all but favorite dancers"
"Housing"
"Option for additional privates - one on one and would love master classes in contemporary"
"The director and the housing."
"Teachers not ignoring all but a few students, stepping up in bullying situations"
"More opportunities for increased class time. More opportunities for private/semi private lessons not focused on variations for competitions."
"More focus on the Spring show, it is usually underrehearsed"
"The artistic director should probably teach classes and not only when a short stay student comes around. Stop giving scholarship money to straight up bullies that you are blind to. Support all graduating students and celebrate their successes. Whoever handles social media should probably stop posting the same 4 students over and over and over again. We get it. They go to Cary. Help graduating students find programs before they are stuck. Stop with the flagrant and borderline inappropriate favoritism. The director will comment on dancer IG’s who don’t even go to Cary yet won’t comment on some of their own dancers IG. Cast people into roles that they are capable of dancing by skill, artistry and technique; Nutcracker 2024 highlighted serious casting concerns by audience and dancers alike. It was obvious. Complete strangers questioned me about casting!"
Anything Else We Should Know?
"The cost quoted is not even close to what you will actually be required to pay."
"If you like to do your own thing, this is not the place for you! The teachers are awesome and the program is top knotch and very concerned with supporting the whole dancer. Communication is excellent and the rules are enforced very fairly. The resident managers are amazing people and take incredibly good care of the day to day needs of the dancers. I wish my dancer had come to Cary a few years earlier!"
"I don’t recommend the housing and you must be self motivated and able to self correct."
"N/A"
"Bottom line this is a great school. Every school could have improvements. You will be paying a lot more than it originally looks like on the website unless you opt out of coaching."
"If you know that you DO NOT want to do competitions, DO NOT COME."
"Excellent foundation of dance in general. New building is terrible!! Extremely cramped two studios with no windows and your brain starts to literally feel “off” in those white walled interior rooms (other two studios inside are great sized). Excellent flooring!! It’s in a shopping lot. If you can ignore everything else (no place is perfect), if you are a favorite, if you are well connected in dance with a great IG following, are skinny, then go for it. Be ready to help yourself alone when graduating (resume, auditions, etc.) they have high turnover of faculty."
