Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory

#1 of 1

General

Who is Reviewing?

Parent with dancer input

Program:

Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory

Season Attended:

2024-25

# Of Levels In School:

3 levels in upper school, 3 being the youngest and only after school level. Levels 2 and 1 are in the day program.

Dancer Age:

Hours of Dance Each Week:

6-10 hours

Was Student Scholarshipped?

Years At School:

4 years

Full time or after school?

After School

Curriculum

Days Per Week:

Classes Per Day:

Weekend Classes?

Yes

Weekend Schedule:

Half day

Students Per Class:

Less than 10

Weekly Repertoire or Variations?

Pointe Classes Per Week:

Live Music in Technique Class?

Dedicated Men's Program?

Boys In Level:

There were no boys in my level

Techniques Taught:

Vaganova

Technique Teacher Rotation:

The school rotated teachers on a fixed schedule

Did School Director Teach?

Occasionally

Classroom Corrections:

Occasionally dancer specific: mostly general corrections were given

Attention From Teachers:


Very Little	A Lot

Quality of Instruction:


Poor	Excellent

Did Technique Improve?


Not at all	Tremendously

Curriculum Comments:

Dancer was in highest after school level. There was a 2 hour technique class followed by a 1 hour rehearsal. Teachers often spent the majority of class on barre, leaving little time for center. Many days, certain parts of center (such as allegro) never happened at all. There were no dedicated pointe classes, only 10-20 minutes of pointe work at the end of technique class. Yet students were expected to rehearse and perform classical repertoire on pointe with almost no instruction or chance to build strength. On Saturdays, dancer’s level was combined with upper level(s), forcing younger dancers into classes that were too advanced for them to succeed, and where they were ignored.

Partnering

Frequency of Partnering Class:

No partnering

Other Classes

Other Dance Styles:

Character

Other Class Quality:


Poor	Excellent

Contemporary Offered?

Master Classes?

Strength & Conditioning

Physical Training Offered?

Injuries/Health/ Mental Health

Are Doctors Available?

Unsure

How Parents Notified?

My student did not get injured

PT Available?

Unsure

Was There a Recovery Plan?

My dancer did not get injured

Mental Health Therapists Available?

Unsure

Were Students Given Fat Talk?

Staff Made Comments About Bodies?

Were Students Weighed?

Was "Coded Language" Used?

Additional Comments:

Teacher targeting of dancer and public humiliation in front of classmates seriously damaged her mental health.

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?

School Culture

How Supported Did Student Feel By Staff?


Not	Completely

How Supportive Were Students of One Another?


Not	Completely

Describe School Culture:

Fake, micromanaging, oppressive

Placement Notification Timing:

Shortly before start of school year.

How Dancer Was Notified:

Written communication via email or regular mail

Dancer Had Mentor?

Mentoring Details:

No mentoring available for dancer’s level.

Overall School Culture:


Lord of the Flies	Warm & Inclusive

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

Loading…