BALLET HELP DESK

Full-Time Training Reviews

Programs Reviewed: 90
Total Reviews: 306

Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory

Full-Time Reviews

General

Who is Reviewing?

2
1
2

Program

5

Season Attended

1
1
1
2

# Of Levels In School

  • They have undergrads levels then they have their highest levels of those who go year round during the day. Separated by age
  • Levels are based on ability with some consideration for age.
  • There are three levels. Groups 1-3 (one being the highest level). Groups 1 and 2 consist of boarding students and some full-time day students. Group 3 is the day student level.
  • 3 levels - Level 3 is for after school students, Level 2 includes day/boarding prepro and post grads, Level 1 alsncludes prepare and postgrads
  • There were 3 levels. Some post-graduates are in level 1, which is the most advanced.

Dancer Age

2
1
1
1

Hours of Dance Each Week

2

Gender

3
1
1

Company Affliated?

5

Was Student Scholarshipped?

5

Please Describe Scholarship

  • Financial consideration
  • His scholarships covered about 95% of tuition, room, and board for each of the 4 years he attended.
  • Scholarships for the year-round program are most likely to be given after attending the Summer Intensive
  • They offer generous scholarships based on talent and need. The school is private about scholarships.
  • Not allowed to specify the amount, but it covered a portion of tuition.

Years At School

2
1

Full time or after school?

2

Curriculum

Days Per Week

5

Classes Per Day

3
2

Weekend Classes?

5

Weekend Schedule

5

Students Per Class

2
3

Weekly Repertoire or Variations?

5

Pointe Classes Per Week

2
3

Live Music in Technique Class?

1
4

Dedicated Men's Program?

5

Men Taught by Male Teacher?

2

Men Taught Batterie?

2

Boys In Level

1
3
1

Separate Technique Class for Boys

3
2

Techniques Taught

2
5

Technique Teacher Rotation

3
2

Did School Director Teach?

1
1
3

Classroom Corrections

4
1

Attention From Teachers

Very Little
1
4
A Lot

Quality of Instruction

Poor
1
4
Excellent

Did Technique Improve?

Not at all
1
4
Tremendously

Curriculum Comments

  • Strengthening, classical technique, men's classes, variations, rep, rehearsals, modern
  • Nutmeg teaches Classical ballet with a strong Vaganova influence. They are also exposed to neoclassical repertoire with inspiration from William Forsythe. The Dailey schedule starts with ballet technique, then pointe and the rest of the day is dedicated to repertoire/variations until 5:45/6pm. Sometimes there will be Pilates and modern class.
  • Strong classical ballet curriculum with guest artist who teach modern, jazz, etc. The guest artist seem to teach class frequently - at least one time per week there is a guest artist. The dancers get regular partnering classes, and there is a dedicated men's class. There is also pilates, yoga, and sound healing offered. Pilates and yoga are regularly taught each week, and sound healing was offered a few times during the year. The dancers perform a full Nutcracker production in Hartford and Torrington. The dancers get lots of performance opportunities and the production is run for 7 shows over two weekends. The dancers perform excerpts of classical ballets, and have pieces choreographed on them for the Spring shows. The school provides a warm and welcoming environment for their dancers, and the teachers are approachable.
  • Each day there were ballet and pointe classes. Partnering took place 1-3 times a week depending on rehearsal schedules. Depending on the time of year, there will be rehearsals, or otherwise Repertoire/Variations classes. Pilates was at the end of the day on Fridays.

Partnering

Frequency of Partnering Class

1
3
1

Partner Ratio

1
4

Who Taught?

1
1
3

How Much Partnering Improved

No
2
3
Tremendously

Quality of Pas Teaching

Poor
1
4
Excellent

How Were Corrections Given?

5

Description of Partnering Class

  • 3 to 1 male
  • Based on ability, lifts, facial and upper body, safety, etc
  • Partnering classes usually have a 2:1 ratio (2 girls per boy). Often these classes are taught by Mr. Melady and Mr. Tchernichov. Mr. Melady teaches lots of basic techniques sometimes choreography for partnering. Mr. Tchernichov brings a strong Vaganova influence within his partnering classes.
  • As with most programs, there are more female identifying students than male. The school does a good job balancing partnering. The boarding and day students all get a healthy amount of partnering.
  • Usually each boy had 2, sometimes 3, partners. Going through combinations such as pirouettes, jumps, etc. Some classes we'd learn a portion of a simple pas de deux like Bluebird or Diana and Acteon.

Additional Comments

  • Was ok
  • As a parent I am not qualified to answer!
  • Partnering classes are often organized by height and your typical partner will most likely also work with you on repertoire for shows of casting permits. Nutmeg does a great job introducing partnering to their students and by graduation most have achieved a mastery level of success.
  • Mr. Melady is a great teacher and helps the dancers to learn how important it is to communicate with, and have grace for, your partner as both dancers are learning something new.
  • I would imagine this class would be difficult for beginners, since the teacher doesn't go through the technique behind the step, and what the male/female should do to ensure success.

Other Classes

Other Dance Styles

1
4
1
1
3
5

Other Class Quality

Poor
1
4
Excellent

Contemporary Offered?

1
4

Types of Contemporary Classes Taught

2
4
3
3

Contemporary Quality

Poor
1
3
Excellent

Master Classes?

1
4

Master Classes Description

  • Guest artists
  • There are not often guest teachers. Everything is mostly taught and repertoire is set by the Nutmeg Faculty.
  • A few times in the year choreographers teach class and choreograph pieces on the dancers. The experience is really valuable. There are also various teachers who come in and teach modern, improv, and jazz.
  • Guest teachers would come, usually Nutmeg alumni or friends of the Artistic Director.

Strength & Conditioning

Physical Training Offered?

5

Physical Training Types

2
4
2
3
1
2

Physical Training Schedule

1
3
1

Were Trainers Certified?

5

Physical Training Quality

Poor
5
Excellent

Strength & Conditioning Comments

  • There was an in house gym available to the students.
  • Pilates is the prominent strengthening class however, there is some gym equipment available to boarding students in the basement. (Includes yoga mats, small barre, yoga balls, weights, tred mill/elliptical, other arm muscle specific equipment)
  • Great offerings that are included in the program. There is definitely an emphasis on building a strong body with a lot of positivity.
  • Occasionally, we'd end partnering classes early and do Theraband exercises.

Injuries/Health/ Mental Health

Are Doctors Available?

1
1
3

How Parents Notified?

1
1
2
1

How Treatment Obtained?

  • As the parent I could choose what provider we wanted, although the school had suggestions and would provide transportation.
  • Nutmeg does provide Physical therapy for an extra cost
  • There's a physical therapist a couple of doors down from Nutmeg. If it was a severe injury for residents, the residential staff could take you to urgent care/hospital if needed.

PT Available?

1
4

Was There a Recovery Plan?

1
1
3

Describe Recovery Plan

  • Set by the doctor and rehab professional. School adhered to this and allowed student to stay on site or return home during the duration.
  • I continued PT with Hospital for Special Surgery in New York. Then returned the following year ready to dance again.
  • The physical therapist gave exercises to help with injury. The school generally played no role in recovery.

Mental Health Therapists Available?

1
2
2

Were Students Given Fat Talk?

5

Staff Made Comments About Bodies?

4
1

Were Students Weighed?

5

Was "Coded Language" Used?

2
2
1

Additional Comments

  • The teachers and all staff are concerned about the welfare of the students, not just the dancing.
  • The school offers a very positive atmosphere for the dancers. If an injury or a mental health crisis were to occur, I trust that everyone there would rally around us and offer support. Most students use their own insurance to secure care that works within their health plan. Though not injury related, when asked Nutmeg did recommend a local physical therapist to us who had a great knowledge of dance. She provided wonderful care and was helpful.

Performances: Winter Show/ Nutcracker

Performance Opportunities

1
4

School Winter Show?

5

Company or School Show?

5

Cast in Winter Show?

5

How Chosen

1
4

Winter Show Role

4
1

Were You Paid?

5

Rehearsal Impact on Classes

1
1

Rehearsal Hours

1
1

Performance: Ballet Season

Cast in Company Productions?

5

Kind of Part Given?

2
3

How Chosen

1
2
2

Was Casting Fair?

1
4

Did Rehearsals Impact School Schedule?

1
2
2

Rehearsal Hours

1
1

Perfomance Opportunities

  • Many
  • All students in all levels cast.
  • For the Winter Nutmeg puts on a “Nutcracker” performance. For the second half of the year students will learn variations, pas, and corps de ballet parts from a prominent classical ballet. The chosen ballet for the second half is often repeated for graduation shows. (My first year we did Nutcracker, le corsaire, and pas sylphide. My second year: nutcracker and Sleeping beauty)
  • Lots of performance opportunities with Nutcracker, community partnerships, Spring Shows and Grad shows. Last year there were 7 Nutcracker shows, the dancers performed 6 shows of Napoli and Don Q, plus two contemporary new works, and 4 graduation shows that included contemporary new works, Napoli, and Don Q. The final performances gave dancers the opportunity to dance different lead roles, etc. Nutmeg does a great job giving each dancer a chance to perform various roles. The dancers get a full costuming experience and learn how to work with stage hands, etc.
  • Some casts were chosen for promotional performances at various places. My cast was not chosen.

Were You Paid?

5

Competition

School Does Competitions?

5

Communication

Formal Orientation?

1
4

Handboook & Paperwork

1
4

Quality of Communication?

Poor
1
4
Excellent

Who Received Communication?

1
4

Exams

Formal Exam?

5

School Culture

How Supported Did Student Feel By Staff?

Not
1
4
Completely

How Supportive Were Students of One Another?

Not
1
2
2
Completely

Describe School Culture

  • Very supportive
  • Serious yet still fun.
  • Family, close-knit, kind, huggy, fun
  • Family atmosphere, inclusive, very welcoming
  • Petty students, some passive aggressive teachers.

Placement Notification Timing

  • In the fall
  • At the beginning of the school year.
  • For acceptance into Nutmeg it usually is 1-2 weeks after an audition. Students will be placed into levels by artist director
  • Dancers learn where they will be placed at the start of the year. It's not a stressful or formal process. They do a good job of making sure dancers are where they need to be to learn and grow.
  • As far as I know, I recieved nothing regarding placement. The first day of classes are an assessment of ability, the next day they put a paper on the board with everyone's level.

How Dancer Was Notified

1
1

Dancer Had Mentor?

2

Mentoring Details

  • Family oriented environment. There is no formal mentoring process, but teachers are very approachable.
  • There were no given mentors. I do believe for the Torrington School of Ballet, some Nutmeg students help out with classes.

Overall School Culture

Lord of the Flies
1
4
Warm & Inclusive

School Outcomes

Is Student In Upper Levels?

3

Highest Levels of School?

4
1

How Many Promoted Internally to Bridge Level

  • Yes
  • 0
  • N/A
  • Unsure
  • Unsure

How Many Come From Outside to Bridge Level?

  • Most
  • 0
  • N/A

Where Graduates Who Do Not Get Bridge Level Go

2
1

How Many Left and Went to College?

1
1
1
2

Career Support

3
1
1

Describe How School Helped

  • One on ones
  • Encouragement, made phone calls to company ADs, excused absences to audition, helped with transportation
  • The artistic director and other faculty have end of year meetings where they help seniors plan for their future, videos and find auditions etc…

Building & Surrounding Area

Security Around Building

1
4

Safety of Area Around School?

Not Safe
1
2
2
Extremely Safe

Studio Space

Cramped
1
4
Lots of space

Studio Cleanliness

Dirty
5
Spotless

Housing

Was Housing Provided?

3

Did Dancer Stay in Provided Housing?

2
3

Where Did Dancer Live?

2

Type of Housing Provided:

2
3

Housing Minimum Age

  • 14
  • any accepted student
  • I’m unsure if there is a minimum age required to board at Nutmeg but the youngest I’ve heard of was a student who started boarding during their 8th grade

# of Roommates:

1
1
1

Adequate # of RA's?

Not at all
2
1
Absolutely

Type of Bathrooms:

  • One big bathroom on the floor
  • Several big bathrooms
  • One bathroom per hallway. There are Two dorming halls each with two toilets and showers.

Curfew?

3

Curfew Reasonable?

3

Nightly Room Check?

1
2

Dorm Strictness

Extremely Lax
2
1
Extremely Strict

How Infractions Handled?

2
1

How Roommate Issues Handled?

  • Conflict management
  • Resident (and at times other staff) counseled the students.
  • There are RAs for all the students who can help with conflicts but if there a larger argument it will be notified to the Housing “mom”.

Housing Cleanliness

Dirty
3
Spotless

Students Required to Clean Room?

3

Laundry Available?

3

Laundry Free?

3

Evening Activities?

1
2

A/C In Room?

1
2

Weekend Outings?

1
2

Transportation Between Housing and Studios?

1
1
1

Safety Around Housing

Not Safe
2
1
Very Safe

Overall Rating of Housing

Poor
1
2
Excellent

Additional Comments

  • The Housing Director had an on site apartment where the dorms are. When she had a day off her substitute used the apartment. Usually her door was wide open.
  • The food could be improved but overall it’s great to be able to utilize the studios more often due to the close proximity of the dorms especially during audition season.

Meal Plan

Meal Plan?

3

Food Quality

Gross
2
1
Excellent

Enough Food?

1
2

Late Meals Available?

1
2

Dancer w/ Dietary Needs?

3

What Were Needs?

1
1
1

Dietary Needs Met?

1
1
1

Academics

How Did Academics Work?

4
1

Academic Support

1
4

Did the School Support Academics?

Didn't support
2
3
Definitely supported

Overall Program Grades

Overall Dance Instruction

4
1

Career Support and Placement

2
2
1

Emotional Support

2
2
1

Housing & Food

1
2
1
1

Performance Opportunities

2
3

Overall Comments

Program's Best Aspect

  • Inclusiveness of appropriate developmental stages for students as well as world class training.
  • Nutmeg is a very safe place for students to transition into a higher level of training. All the students are very close since the majority will dorm within the building.
  • Instruction, kind atmosphere, performance opportunities, and student activities like prom and graduation make for a really great experience for those in the program Some students have been with the program for the entirety of their ballet training and others are newbies but the level of love and support feels equitable.
  • The training. A certain teacher gave the most correction, most helpful and fair with regards to casting.

Program's Worst Aspect

  • Teenage drama was present, as it is everywhere there are teens.
  • The provided food is not very popular and most students choose to eat their own meals after dinner.
  • - I personally didn't experience this, but many residential students complained about food. Smelled and tasted off. Some dancers got sick from spoiled milk. - Certain teachers are passive aggressive, had unfair bias towards boys, and showed favoritism (which is inevitable). - A couple of students talked badly about others dancing and their physical appearance (which is against the code of conduct), The teacher was aware and the students faced no consequences. - For Saturdays, Level 3 students are combined with Level 2 students. Some level 3 girls could keep up, but for the majority of them, they're technically challenged to a point of overwhelm. - Guest teachers are brought in to do choreography for contemporary pieces. Once they leave, the dance gets sloppy and teachers get visibly upset with students for it not being as clear as it once was.

What Changes Would Be Helpful?

  • Better food!
  • I wish there were more opportunities for students to connect outside of dancing. This may be because my dancer is not a resident. With school and such intense training this may be difficult, but more trips to other places around the state.
  • - Sometimes it feels like teachers throw things at you, and if you can't do it, it's just 'oh well'. I would like for it to be a more carefully crafted approach on how to do things properly.

Anything Else We Should Know?

  • A dancer can really go far if they are dedicated and serious. You are able to get to NYC and Boston. Parents are welcomed and appreciated.
  • Nutmeg will definitely give you a good taste of what it is like living as a dancer. The long hours, rehearsals and classes prepare students for what it really is like to take on dance as a career.
  • Nutmeg is like a home away from home. They prove that one can have excellent training in an environment that isn't cut throat or over run with toxic controlling parents. Everyone we have met has been kind and well intentioned. There is an open door policy where you can talk without feeling like you are going to be retaliated against. We travel nearly an hour each way for the experience bypassing a few other options on the way. Some dancers who enroll at Nutmeg come from other big name places where they had toxic experiences. They all seem happy and thriving at Nutmeg. As with any place, there will be a little teenage drama, and the food might not be the best, but Nutmeg is home and the people are second to none.
  • - Any promotional photos are from a minimum of 10 years ago. Nutmeg students are expected to perform like past dancers did, but there's a significant difference between the level of ability from then to now.
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