There is the main school, the Academy level, Pre- Professional Prograom, then MBII
2
There are 2 groups in the Pre-Professional division.
There are 8 levels then Pre Academy, Academy 1, Academy 2. Then the Postgraduate levels are Pre Professional and then MBII the Second Company.
Dancer Age
17
18
19
20
Hours of Dance Each Week
More than 26 hours
Gender
Female
Company Affliated?
Yes
Was Student Scholarshipped?
No
Please Describe Scholarship
She received financial aid not a scholarships
There are not many merit scholarships offered gor the year round program. They have need based financial aid.
Years At School
1 year
2 years
Full time or after school?
Full-Time
Curriculum
Days Per Week
5
Classes Per Day
5
more than 6
Weekend Classes?
No
Weekend Schedule
I did not have weekend class
Students Per Class
16-24
Weekly Repertoire or Variations?
Yes
Pointe Classes Per Week
5
Daily
Live Music in Technique Class?
Yes
Dedicated Men's Program?
No
Boys In Level
Less than 5
There were no boys in my level
Separate Technique Class for Boys
No
Techniques Taught
General Classical
Vaganova
Technique Teacher Rotation
Different depending on week
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)
Often
Classroom Corrections
Dancer specific: almost every dancer got specific corrections each day
Dancer specific: detailed but only a few dancers consistently got corrections
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
We have ballet technique, and pointe daily. We then have a mix of contemporary, variations, hip hop, African, dance history, career skills, pilates, conditioning, jazz, and musical theater.
M-F ballet with pointe for center, separate pointe class, variations multiple days a week, Pilates 3 days a week, classical and contemporary ballet rep, style classes from a wide range of styles, monthly mental health group session with a psychologist
Technique and point daily. Pirates almost every day. African, musical theater, contemporary and hip hop filled the schedule. One partnering class per week with MB2 men.
Ballet classes were a mix of style depending on the teacher but it was mainly classical. There was daily pointe, variation and rep was several times a week. Style classes were 1 to 2 times a week and some switched per semester and were jazz, contemporary, African, hip hop, musical theater, and flamenco.
Partnering
Frequency of Partnering Class
1x per week
Partner Ratio
Everyone 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
Females were the main focus
Description of Partnering Class
The partnering class was with the MBII Men and was held once a week.
This was maybe the least strong part of the program. 5 dancers per partner so not a lot of time to practice and not a lot of partners able to effectively partner a tall dancer.
I am the parent. I don't know
Partnering is done once a week with the male dancers from the second company.
Additional Comments
We wish that there were guys in the actual pre-professional program, but it seems that they seem to be moved directly to MBII each time. So there is no chance for partnering outside of the 1X time a week or for performances.
NA
I am the parent. I don't know the answer to some of these questions. But my opinion is for a pre-pro program there should have been more partnering classes. I would say the dancers are not prepared to be in a company or second company with so little partnering.
I wish the difficulty was higher in the level of the partnering. It seemed they are concerned with injuring the male dancers so no real difficulty is attempted.
Other Classes
Other Dance Styles
African
Character
Contemporary
Hip-Hop
Jazz
Modern
Musical Theater
Other Class Quality
Poor
1
2
3
4
5
Excellent
Contemporary Offered?
Yes
Types of Contemporary Classes Taught
Improv
Repertoire
Technique
Contemporary Quality
Poor
1
2
3
4
5
Excellent
Master Classes?
No
Yes
Master Classes Description
They brought in Professionals from other programs and choreographers to expose the dancers to other styles and teachers.
Occasional master classes from folks. The ballet ones were better than the style ones.
Professionals were brought in from other companies and from commercial dance.
Strength & Conditioning
Physical Training Offered?
Yes
Physical Training Types
Body conditioning
Pilates (mat or reformer)
Yoga
Physical Training Schedule
Several times a week
Were Trainers Certified?
Yes
Physical Training Quality
Poor
1
2
3
4
5
Excellent
Strength & Conditioning Comments
It was great to start the day but my dancer was not satisfied with content
Injuries/Health/ Mental Health
Are Doctors Available?
No
Yes, for everyone
How Parents Notified?
My student did not get injured
Student told parent. School not involved
How Treatment Obtained?
The school was able to help with giving student recommendation to the medical providers that treat the company dancers.
Since my dancer was living away on her own (no housing) and was 17, she had to use children's urgent care.
Yes on her own
School assisted in obtaining appointment with doctor they contract with if parent approved.
PT Available?
No
Yes, it is part of fees
Was There a Recovery Plan?
My dancer did not get injured
No
Yes
Describe Recovery Plan
The school instituted and carried out the recovery plans that were laid out by the medcal professionals and that students then brought into and then turned into the school.
The plan was set by the doctor but the school supported the Dancer and assisted in following it.
Mental Health Therapists Available?
Yes
Yes, for everyone
Were Students Given Fat Talk?
No
Staff Made Comments About Bodies?
No
Were Students Weighed?
No
Was "Coded Language" Used?
Maybe
No
Additional Comments
They have a mental health class once a month.
The school has seminars occasionally with a mental health professional and maybe once with a nutritionist.
The students meet as a group monthly with a psychologist.
Performances: Winter Show/ Nutcracker
Performance Opportunities
2-3
4-5
School Winter Show?
Yes
Company or School Show?
Company affiliated production and the students perform certain parts
Cast in Winter Show?
No
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
Rehearsal Impact on Classes
3
Rehearsal Hours
3-5
Performance: Ballet Season
Cast in Company Productions?
No
Competition
School Does Competitions?
No
Communication
Formal Orientation?
No
Yes
Handboook & Paperwork
Comprehensive and complete. I knew what to expect for the year
Fairly comprehensive but missing a few pieces
Quality of Communication?
Poor
1
2
3
4
5
Excellent
Who Received Communication?
With parents and students
Exams
Formal Exam?
Yes
Written Feedback?
Yes
Exam Adjudicator
Internal
Outside adjudicator
Exam Rubrics Clear?
Agree
Neutral
Strongly agree
Who Attends Exam Meeting?
Yes and parents are included. The meeting was with Artistic Director and my teachers
Yes and parents were included. The meeting was with my teachers.
Yes, dancer only. The meeting was with my teachers.
Well Prepared For Exam?
Not at all
1
2
3
4
5
Completely
How Heavily Did Exams Weigh in Promotions
Not at all
1
2
3
4
5
Heavily
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
Very positive, encouraging, Growth Mindset
They believed in my dancer
Female only, clique"y", gossip"y", traditional
Supportive, encouraging, kind
Placement Notification Timing
April
March or April
April?
The Pre Professional Program is an automatoc move up to year 2 and graduation after year 3 unless you are really young and then you can stay longer than 2 years.
How Dancer Was Notified
In-person meeting with school director/staff
Dancer Had Mentor?
No
Mentoring Details
There is no real contact with any dancers that would be mentors outside of the Pre pro program.
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?
Post- Graduate/Graduate
Post- Graduate/Graduate, Second Company
Trainee, Second Company
How Many Promoted Internally to Bridge Level
5 to MBII from the Pre-professional program
I don't know
I'm not sure what you mean by bridge level. The school is a traditional school with levels thru high school. Then there is the Pre-Professional levels. That's the school
30%
How Many Come From Outside to Bridge Level?
I don't know.
I don't know
If bridge is the Pre-Professional level, many are brought from outside. I would say 90% are from outside. If you mean MB2, 60%
Where Graduates Who Do Not Get Bridge Level Go
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 that I know of.
1?
10%
Career Support
I was not looking for new placement; was staying in program
Received some help
Describe How School Helped
Helped with videos and with letters of recommendation.
They have a weekly class helping them with resumes
There were seminars on how to do resumes how to look for auditions, make lists, and audition videos
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?
No
Where Did Dancer Live?
Rented an apartment alone or with other dancers
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-
B
Career Support and Placement
A
A-
B+
C
Emotional Support
A
A-
B+
C+
Housing & Food
B-
N/A
Performance Opportunities
B+
C-
C+
Overall Comments
Program's Best Aspect
The teacher's are very positive in the way that they teach. They teach in a way to build a dancer up and not tear them down.
The head of the Pre-Pro Program, Ms. Tatiana
Full work day of classes, director is very dedicated
The teachers were amazing in their support of the dancers and the growth of the dancers.
Program's Worst Aspect
The lack of more advanced performing options with the company. All of the roles that they were allowed to audition for roles that were not on pointe.
Very few performance opportunities especially for taller girls!! Partnering one day a week or less.
Not enough partnering.
What Changes Would Be Helpful?
I would like to have partnering more than once a week and for the dancers to be able to audition to have the option to understudy for corp roles.
More partnering opportunities
More partnering, more performance opportunities especially in company productions or full shows for prepro level. More dance styles. More conditioning.
More guys!
Anything Else We Should Know?
There is no housing option for the school. All the dancers find apartments. The school does keep a list of those that are looking for new roommates. There is also a parent page that also parents can post on if they are wanting to find a roommate for their dancer.
Downtown Milwaukee is amazing. The Hop is a great form of transportation. The city is very walkable. The studio is beautiful.
It is an amazing program and the dancers truly improve under the instructors.
