BALLET HELP DESK

Full-Time Training Reviews

Programs Reviewed: 87
Total Reviews: 296

Dutch National Ballet Academie AD Program

Full-Time Reviews

General

Who is Reviewing?

1
1

Program

2

Season Attended

2

# Of Levels In School

  • This is a 2 year Associates Degree Graduate Program
  • There are only two levels in the AD program, taken in order based on when you enter the school. Must have graduated high school.

Dancer Age

1
1

Company Affliated?

2

Was Student Scholarshipped?

1

Curriculum

Days Per Week

2

Classes Per Day

2

Weekend Classes?

2

Weekend Schedule

2

Students Per Class

1
1

Weekly Repertoire or Variations?

2

Pointe Classes Per Week

1
1

Live Music in Technique Class?

2

Dedicated Men's Program?

2

Boys In Level

2

Separate Technique Class for Boys

2

Techniques Taught

2

Technique Teacher Rotation

2

Did School Director Teach?

1
1

Classroom Corrections

1
1

Attention From Teachers

Very Little
2
A Lot

Quality of Instruction

Poor
2
Excellent

Did Technique Improve?

Not at all
2
Tremendously

Curriculum Comments

  • Mix of all styles. Some, but very few, "academic" classes to fulfill Student Visa requirement through the Amsterdam University of the Arts which provides the "reason" for the Visa as a Student.
  • 2-year program leading to Associates Degree in Dance. Technique 1.5 hours 6x/week, Pointe 1 hour 2x/week (separate class for boys, Pas de Deux 1.25 hours 2x/week, Repertoire classical 1.5 hours 2x/week, Repertoire contemporary/neo classical 1.25 hours 2x/week, Solos 1hr/week, Character 1.25 hours/week, Workshops 1.5 hours/week, Modern 1.5 hours/week, Body conditioning/pilates 1 hour 3x/week, Ballet History 1 hour/week, Music Theory 1.5 hours/week, Anatomy and injury prevention 1 hour/week

Partnering

Frequency of Partnering Class

1
1

Partner Ratio

2

Who Taught?

2

How Much Partnering Improved

No
2
Tremendously

Quality of Pas Teaching

Poor
2
Excellent

How Were Corrections Given?

2

Description of Partnering Class

1
1

Additional Comments

  • VERY EFFECTIVE
  • Always felt safe and supported.

Other Classes

Other Dance Styles

2
2

Other Class Quality

Poor
2
Excellent

Contemporary Offered?

2

Types of Contemporary Classes Taught

2
1
2
1

Contemporary Quality

Poor
2
Excellent

Master Classes?

1
1

Master Classes Description

1

Strength & Conditioning

Physical Training Offered?

2

Physical Training Types

2
1
2

Physical Training Schedule

1
1

Were Trainers Certified?

2

Physical Training Quality

Poor
2
Excellent

Strength & Conditioning Comments

  • NO
  • A few free pilates classes were offered at the instructors studio for the kids who have hyper mobile joints so they could learn the basics of how to deal with it.

Injuries/Health/ Mental Health

Are Doctors Available?

1
1

How Parents Notified?

2

How Treatment Obtained?

1

PT Available?

1
1

Was There a Recovery Plan?

2

Describe Recovery Plan

1

Mental Health Therapists Available?

1
1

Were Students Given Fat Talk?

2

Staff Made Comments About Bodies?

2

Were Students Weighed?

2

Was "Coded Language" Used?

2

Additional Comments

  • THE SCHOOL TAKES MENTAL HEALTH VERY SERIOUSLY. MANY STUDENTS SENT HOME IF THE SITUATION WAS TOO MUCH FOR THE SCHOOL TO TAKE ON. TEACHERS ARE VERY OPEN TO PRIVATE MEETING AND ARE VERY CONCERNED WITH THE HEALTH OF THE TOTAL DANCER. VERY NURTURING ENVIRONMENT
  • Students have regular check-ins to see how they are handling everything.

Performances: Winter Show/ Nutcracker

Performance Opportunities

2

School Winter Show?

2

Performance: Ballet Season

Cast in Company Productions?

2

Kind of Part Given?

2

How Chosen

1
1

Was Casting Fair?

2

Did Rehearsals Impact School Schedule?

1
1

Perfomance Opportunities

  • PERFORMED WITH THE MAIN COMPANY IN SWAN LAKE, UNDERSTUDIED MAIN COMPANY MEMBERS, STUDENT CHOREOGRAPHY WORKSHOPS, STUDENT SHOWCASE ON THE OPERA HOUSE STAGE
  • Students in AD1 are allowed to audition for one professional production and there is a large end-of-year performance for all the students with a live orchestra at the Opera House.

Were You Paid?

1

If Paid, Please Describe

  • Paid a flat fee per month, so even if rehearsals were only one week of the previous month, students were payed the full amount.

Competition

School Does Competitions?

2

Communication

Formal Orientation?

2

Handboook & Paperwork

2

Quality of Communication?

Poor
1
1
Excellent

Who Received Communication?

2

Exams

Formal Exam?

1
1

Written Feedback?

1

Exam Adjudicator

1

Exam Rubrics Clear?

1

Who Attends Exam Meeting?

1

Well Prepared For Exam?

Not at all
1
Completely

How Heavily Did Exams Weigh in Promotions

Not at all
1
Heavily

School Culture

How Supported Did Student Feel By Staff?

Not
2
Completely

How Supportive Were Students of One Another?

Not
2
Completely

Describe School Culture

  • KIND, NURTURING, ORGANIZED, PROFESSIONAL, OUTSTANDING
  • Supportive, encouraging, fair, vigorous training

Placement Notification Timing

  • IT IS A 2 YEAR PROGRAM
  • Ballet exam is in April, and you find out within a week. As long as you do well and are passing your academic classes (Music theory, anatomy, dance history) you move up to AD2 the following year.

Overall School Culture

Lord of the Flies
2
Warm & Inclusive

School Outcomes

Is Student In Upper Levels?

2

Highest Levels of School?

1
1

How Many Promoted Internally to Bridge Level

  • 2 BOYS AND 4 GIRLS TAKEN INTO THE JR COMPANY LAST YEAR, HOWEVER THIS YEAR FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE COVID THEY WILL HOST AN AUDITION FOR JR COMPANY. THIS WILL DEFINITLEY CHANGE THE RATIO FROM THE SCHOOL WILL DEFINITELY CHANGE.
  • The Junior Company is not part of the school. Usually about 50% of the Junior Company is made up of students from the school, but that still means only around 4 kids make it, depending on how many spots are available. (People usually spend two years in the junior company, but some get promoted earlier of go elsewhere before the two years is up).

How Many Come From Outside to Bridge Level?

  • ROUGHLY 75%
  • Depends of the year, usually 4-6.

Where Graduates Who Do Not Get Bridge Level Go

1
1

How Many Left and Went to College?

  • THIS IS AN ASSOCIATES DEGREE PROGRAM, THROUGH THE DUTCH NATIONAL BALLET and THE AMSTERDAM UNIVERSITY OF THE ARTS
  • None last year.

Career Support

1
1

Describe How School Helped

  • CLASSES ON RESUME WRITING, HELP WITH PHOTOS AND VIDEO, GREAT PREPARATION
  • In the next level (AD2) the school helps students choreograph their contemporary piece, works with them on their classical solos, hires a videographer and a photographer, helps students with their CVs and records their class work.

Building & Surrounding Area

Security Around Building

2

Safety of Area Around School?

Not Safe
2
Extremely Safe

Studio Space

Cramped
2
Lots of space

Studio Cleanliness

Dirty
2
Spotless

Housing

Was Housing Provided?

1

Did Dancer Stay in Provided Housing?

1

Where Did Dancer Live?

1

Academics

How Did Academics Work?

2

Academic Support

2

Did the School Support Academics?

Didn't support
1
1
Definitely supported

Overall Program Grades

Overall Dance Instruction

2

Career Support and Placement

1
1

Emotional Support

2

Housing & Food

2

Performance Opportunities

2

Overall Comments

Program's Best Aspect

  • PROFESSIONAL LEVEL EUROPEAN TRAINING, THE INSTRUCTION, and THE ARTISTIC GROWTH AS A DANCER
  • Great, supportive environment that also takes seriously the job of training dancers for a professional career.

Program's Worst Aspect

1
1

What Changes Would Be Helpful?

1
1

Anything Else We Should Know?

  • HOUSING IS VERY DIFFICULT TO FIND IN AMSTERDAM AND IS AN ISSUE, BUT WITH SOME TENACITY IT IS DOABLE
  • It’s a really great school but students need to be comfortable living without student housing. The city is great and the students all support one another. It’s a great step if dancers are interested in a career in Europe.
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