KS Dance (Kate Simmons)

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General

Who is Reviewing?

Parent with dancer input

Program:

KS Dance (Kate Simmons)

Season Attended:

2024-25

# Of Levels In School:

3 year training advanced to professional graduate

Dancer Age:

Hours of Dance Each Week:

More than 26 hours

Company Affliated?

Was Student Scholarshipped?

Yes

Please Describe Scholarship:

Full fee scholarship and small bursary for living expenses. They are awarded based on individual merits and the amounts decided by means-testing.

Years At School:

3 years

Full time or after school?

Full-Time

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:

Daily

Live Music in Technique Class?

Yes

Dedicated Men's Program?

Yes

Men Taught by Male Teacher?

Yes

Men Taught Batterie?

Yes

Boys In Level:

Less than 5

Separate Technique Class for Boys:

Techniques Taught:

General Classical

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:

British and Cecchetti Ballet Technique, Pointe, Male Virtuosity, Pas de deux, Spanish, Contemporary/Modern, Jazz, repertoire, performance, tour production. Full-time study with check-in at 8am, and check-out at 5:30pm, Monday to Friday and optional Saturday mornings for Cecchetti syllabus work. Trinty Level 6 (BA) Diploma on completion of 3 year training.

Partnering

Frequency of Partnering Class:

3x per week

Partner Ratio:

Most girls had to share a partner.

Who Taught?

Male and female teacher together

How Much Partnering Improved:


No	Tremendously

Quality of Pas Teaching:


Poor	Excellent

How Were Corrections Given?

Females were the main focus

Description of Partnering Class:

Usually 3 ladies to each male in classical pas de deux. Contemporary partnering also taught

Other Classes

Other Dance Styles:

Character, Musical Theater, Jazz

Other Class Quality:


Poor	Excellent

Contemporary Offered?

Yes

Types of Contemporary Classes Taught:

Improv, Repertoire, Choreography workshops, Technique

Contemporary Quality:


Poor	Excellent

Master Classes?

Yes

Master Classes Description:

Masterclasses with industry professionals in Ballet, Contemporary Ballet, Contemporary and Jazz

Strength & Conditioning

Physical Training Offered?

Yes

Physical Training Types:

Weight training, Body conditioning, Stretch class

Physical Training Schedule:

Several times a week

Were Trainers Certified?

Yes

Physical Training Quality:


Poor	Excellent

Strength & Conditioning Comments:

Each dancer received their own programme personal to their requirements

Injuries/Health/ Mental Health

Are Doctors Available?

Yes, for everyone

How Parents Notified?

My student did not get injured

How Treatment Obtained?

Provided by college

PT Available?

Yes, it is part of fees

Was There a Recovery Plan?

Yes

Describe Recovery Plan:

Related to the severity of injury.

Mental Health Therapists Available?

Were Students Given Fat Talk?

Staff Made Comments About Bodies?

Unsure

Were Students Weighed?

Was "Coded Language" Used?

Maybe

Additional Comments:

Generally the college are supportive of student needs and refer students for additional support if they are unable to offer it themselves.

Performances: Winter Show/ Nutcracker

Performance Opportunities:

2-3

School Winter Show?

Performance: Ballet Season

Cast in Company Productions?

Yes

Kind of Part Given?

Dancing part

How Chosen:

Students chosen for roles by staff - NO AUDITIONS

Was Casting Fair?

For some but not all

Did Rehearsals Impact School Schedule?

Rehearsal Hours:

More than 10

Perfomance Opportunities:

Productions are part of the college curriculum.

Were You Paid?

Competition

School Does Competitions?

Yes

Competitions Required?

% of Students Who Performed:

30%

How Chosen?

Chosen by director

Competitions Cost Extra?

competition entry fee

Separate Competition Rehearsals?

Competition Interfered With Training?

Depended on the competition, coaching only given for Cecchetti competitions. So for others it was very difficult to prepare

Communication

Formal Orientation?

Yes

Handboook & Paperwork:

Vague and incomplete

Quality of Communication?


Poor	Excellent

Who Received Communication?

With dancers only. Parents not involved

Exams

Formal Exam?

School Culture

How Supported Did Student Feel By Staff?


Not	Completely

How Supportive Were Students of One Another?


Not	Completely

Describe School Culture:

Focused

Placement Notification Timing:

In final year

How Dancer Was Notified:

In-person meeting with school director/staff

Dancer Had Mentor?

Yes

Mentoring Details:

Senior teachers act as mentors to students

Overall School Culture:


Lord of the Flies	Warm & Inclusive

School Outcomes

Highest Levels of School?

There are no bridge levels (If you chose this answer, please skip next question)

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?

None

Career Support:

Received some help

Describe How School Helped:

CV and Showreel help

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?

Where Did Dancer Live?

Rented an apartment alone or with other dancers

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:

B+

Career Support and Placement:

C+

Emotional Support:

Housing & Food:

N/A

Performance Opportunities:

Overall Comments

Program's Best Aspect:

Best of the available programs in the UK

Program's Worst Aspect:

too far from home

What Changes Would Be Helpful?

Less Jazz and commerical training

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