BALLET HELP DESK

Full-Time Training Reviews

Programs Reviewed: 91
Total Reviews: 312

Orlando Ballet

Full-Time Reviews

General

Who is Reviewing?

1
1
7

Program

9

Season Attended

5
2
2

# Of Levels In School

  • "Trainee is the highest level of the Academy day program (Academy prep, 1,2,3, and Trainee). OB II is the top level of the school and receives full scholarship and small stipend. There is also young dancer, pre-professional (11+)."
  • "ABT levels primary ABC then 1A1B2AB3AB then academy 1,2,3"
  • "3 academy levels"
  • "The academy is A1 (lowest level), A2 and A3. After A3 there is trainee and then apprentice."
  • "Academy 1-3 (3 being highest)"
  • "3 Academy levels, then trainee, then OBII"
  • "Highest level of school followed by trainee and second company."
  • "6 levels, trainee, OB2 then company"
  • "7"

Dancer Age

1
1
2
1
3
1

Hours of Dance Each Week

1
1

Gender

9

Company Affliated?

9

Was Student Scholarshipped?

5
4

Please Describe Scholarship

  • "She received a scholarship for 1/2 of tuition. Merit scholarships are awarded and families can also apply for financial aid. After applying for financial aid additional need based scholarships can be awarded as well as work studies."
  • "All trainees had full tuition scholarships, OBII's have stipends"
  • "She was required to complete ann application for her merit scholarship. She was also required to “work” at the studio. She chose to assist a younger class once a week."
  • "A partial tuition scholarship"

Years At School

2
1
2

Full time or after school?

2

Curriculum

Days Per Week

1
8

Classes Per Day

1
3
5

Weekend Classes?

9

Weekend Schedule

9

Students Per Class

5
2
1
1

Weekly Repertoire or Variations?

6
3

Pointe Classes Per Week

3
1
2
3

Live Music in Technique Class?

7
2

Dedicated Men's Program?

9

Men Taught by Male Teacher?

1

Men Taught Batterie?

1

Boys In Level

3
1

Separate Technique Class for Boys

3

Techniques Taught

9
4

Technique Teacher Rotation

7
2

Did School Director Teach?

1
8

Classroom Corrections

7
1
1

Attention From Teachers

Very Little
2
4
3
A Lot

Quality of Instruction

Poor
1
2
6
Excellent

Did Technique Improve?

Not at all
1
4
4
Tremendously

Curriculum Comments

  • "Orlando Ballet follows ABT curriculum for the evening program. The Academy day program does not strictly follow ABT- students are also exposed to Vaganova."
  • "Character, modern, ballet/pointe, academy prep, musical theater"
  • "ABT curriculum. Ballet daily, Pilates or PBT Mon, weds, Fri. Jazz, charachter, contemporary and flamenco one hour each week. Pointe and variation 4-5 days a week in addition to ballet."
  • "Curriculum includes ballet technique (mostly classical, but one instructor is Vaganova), pointe, contemporary, modern, character (excellent insteuctor) - the school states that there is a variations class and partnering but those never happen. (Extra ballet time and rehearsals). There is also a rotating class - the year she was in that level it was African and Flamenco. Jazz and tap can be picked up in the evening if they would like."
  • "Each teacher had very specific styles, we had around 4 main teachers. The mornings usually started with PBT and ballet class then after lunch would be alternative styles. The days typically got shorter as the week went on."
  • "ABT NTC"
  • "Orlando Ballet follows ABT curriculum. As students progress into the day program, ABT is not solely taught. There is exposure to other styles as well. Each day there was ballet/pointe along with other classes such as modern, contemporary, Flamenco, character, PBT, mat Pilates, and musical theatre."
  • "Ballet technique 6 days ; PBT x 2 ; character x2 days, modern x 1 day, contemporary x 1 day, variation weaved into ballet classes"
  • "ABT curriculum with added Vaganova technique"

Partnering

Frequency of Partnering Class

9

Other Classes

Other Dance Styles

6
9
1
1
3
5
3
5
9
7

Other Class Quality

Poor
3
6
Excellent

Contemporary Offered?

9

Types of Contemporary Classes Taught

5
2
4
9

Contemporary Quality

Poor
2
7
Excellent

Master Classes?

3
6

Master Classes Description

  • "Ballet and contemporary master classes"
  • "Different instructors came at various times. Hispanic awareness month, Martin Luther king , and choreographers with the company"
  • "A masterclass is usually offered every month and oftentimes they are in 2 day workshops."
  • "Mainly workshops with teachers from the school occasionally workshops with artistic staff of the company"
  • "There were some extra things the school offered if you paid for them, but not many"
  • "Choreographers who set the company would often teach trainees and master classes were offered for rest of school"
  • "SAB guest, directors, modern"

Strength & Conditioning

Physical Training Offered?

9

Physical Training Types

1
6
9
1

Physical Training Schedule

2
7

Were Trainers Certified?

9

Physical Training Quality

Poor
2
7
Excellent

Strength & Conditioning Comments

  • "PBT was definitely the high point of the program"

Injuries/Health/ Mental Health

Are Doctors Available?

6
1
2

How Parents Notified?

3
2
4

How Treatment Obtained?

  • "We live in the area, so we dealt with injuries on our own."
  • "NA"
  • "We facilitated all medical treatment. The dancers do have access to the company PT once per week of injured, however, it is an open time and dancers are seen in order of the hierarchy- company member, apprentices, trainees, then academy. She oftentimes waited so long to be seen that we then got PT outside of the school so she had more control of her time."
  • "School had PT. As far as I know, I had to go to doctors myself."
  • "We had to find treatment on our own"
  • "Yes"
  • "Picked student up and brought to specialized orthopedic center that partners with OBS"

PT Available?

2
2
5

Was There a Recovery Plan?

2
4
3

Describe Recovery Plan

  • "NA"
  • "The recovery plan was crafted by her ortho and PT and then shared with the school. It entailed resting, starting back with only barre and flat, gradually working back in to pointe and then gradual back into jumps."
  • "My dancer saw PT, and would sit out of class, or part of class, but there was no plan."
  • "A PT plan was established with the company’s PT health group. They release letters instructing academy what dancer is released to do until fully cleared"
  • "Physical therapy, attended class with modifications as needed"

Mental Health Therapists Available?

7
1
1

Were Students Given Fat Talk?

6
3

Staff Made Comments About Bodies?

3
2
4

Were Students Weighed?

9

Was "Coded Language" Used?

2
3
4

Additional Comments

  • "There seem to be a lot of students who need support with these issues. There is not a lot at the school and I believe this needs to become more of a priority. The physical and mental health and well being of the students should be of the utmost importance."
  • "Overall, the instructors are very kind. There is one instructor in particular though that does these kinds of things - a number of complaints have actually been filed against the instructor and discipline has happened. The school overall frowns on this but it still eeks through in class."
  • "They had one mental health seminar where the speaker told all the girls they were all mentally ill. And then a teenager told them that if a doctor wouldn't put them on prescription medications, they should keep going to other doctors until someone would medicate them. It was highly inappropriate, and they were required to go to the point of being threatened with their scholarship if they skipped it."
  • "Overall, I believe there should be more support from the school when it comes to injuries and mental health"
  • "Student felt very cared and supported at all times"

Performances: Winter Show/ Nutcracker

Performance Opportunities

3
4
2

School Winter Show?

1
8

Company or School Show?

6
2

Cast in Winter Show?

1
2
5

How Chosen

2
3

Winter Show Role

1
4

Were You Paid?

5

If Paid, Please Describe

  • "not paid"

Rehearsal Impact on Classes

2

Rehearsal Hours

2

Performance: Ballet Season

Cast in Company Productions?

8
1

Kind of Part Given?

1

How Chosen

1

Was Casting Fair?

1

Did Rehearsals Impact School Schedule?

1

Perfomance Opportunities

  • "Either walk on parts in company productions or choreographed contemporary-ish ballet pieces. There was no classical ballet performed by trainees all year, and nothing was ever performed in pointe shoes by trainees."

Were You Paid?

1

Competition

School Does Competitions?

1
8

Competitions Required?

8

How Many Compete?

1
1
1
1
1
1

% of Students Who Performed

Repeated Responses:
  • "25%" (2 responses)
  • "50%" (3 responses)
Unique Responses:
  • "1/3"
  • "Very small"
  • "33%"

How Chosen?

Repeated Responses:
  • "Audition" (5 responses)
Unique Responses:
  • "There is an audition at the beginning of the school year"
  • "Not sure."
  • "There was an audition"

Competitions Cost Extra?

Repeated Responses:
  • "Yes" (2 responses)
Unique Responses:
  • "Yes- students pay an audition fee and then pay per solo/group performance for a specific amount of rehearsal time."
  • "Yes. Fee for hours of learning the variation"
  • "Yes - Overall competition fee ( included set number of rehearsals) Costume hire fee and extra if you wanted to do a contemporary solo"
  • "Yes, huge fees. $2,000, plus competition fees?"
  • "Students had to pay for a certain number of privates. This was approximately $800."
  • "Yes based on how many competitions you select (1-3)"

Separate Competition Rehearsals?

8

Competition Interfered With Training?

  • "It adds to training value because you are receiving 1 on 1 feedback."
  • "Add. Wonderful training"
  • "Added to performance training"
  • "Add - allowed to work one on one with teachers and school director"
  • "I didn't compete. I probably would have gotten more out of the year if I had, but we wouldn't afford it."
  • "Add- it allowed for private instruction"
  • "Added.. the faculty pushed the students"
  • "No"

Communication

Formal Orientation?

4
5

Handboook & Paperwork

6
2
1

Quality of Communication?

Poor
1
1
2
3
2
Excellent

Who Received Communication?

1
8

Exams

Formal Exam?

5
4

Written Feedback?

4

Exam Adjudicator

1
3

Exam Rubrics Clear?

2
2

Who Attends Exam Meeting?

4

Well Prepared For Exam?

Not at all
1
3
Completely

How Heavily Did Exams Weigh in Promotions

Not at all
1
1
2
Heavily

School Culture

How Supported Did Student Feel By Staff?

Not
1
3
5
Completely

How Supportive Were Students of One Another?

Not
1
1
7
Completely

Describe School Culture

  • "intense, well rounded, inclusive"
  • "Very supportive and encouraging"
  • "Students are all very complimentary of each other."
  • "Challenging, supportive, instructive, inclusive"
  • "Diverse, supportive but disorganised"
  • "Deflated, at least for trainees"
  • "Warm, inclusive, favoritism,"
  • "nurturing with expectations of hard work"
  • "Social, supportive, high quality preparation"

Placement Notification Timing

  • "After spring showcase in May"
  • "May"
  • "After spring performance"
  • "End of the school year / however, notifications aren’t given about advancement to trainee or apprentice until end of the summer which makes it quite difficult to plan."
  • "The very last day of the program"
  • "February"
  • "At the end of the year"
  • "After showcase"
  • "After final showcase"

How Dancer Was Notified

2

Dancer Had Mentor?

1
1

Mentoring Details

  • "It was informal, but company dancers would give encouragement and advice regarding their dance paths/ schooling"
  • "Student did not seek a mentor but students can communicate easily with older dancers as it's very community oriented at my student's level"

Overall School Culture

Lord of the Flies
1
2
3
3
Warm & Inclusive

School Outcomes

Is Student In Upper Levels?

7

Highest Levels of School?

8
1

How Many Promoted Internally to Bridge Level

1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1

How Many Come From Outside to Bridge Level?

1
1
1
1
1
1
1

Where Graduates Who Do Not Get Bridge Level Go

1
3
5

How Many Left and Went to College?

3
1
1
1
1
2

Career Support

4
4
1

Describe How School Helped

  • "N/A"
  • "None"
  • "Had meeting (students had to initiate) to talk through options after completing auditions and given advice"
  • "We had to pay for studio time to make audition videos, and if they thought people might be filming for auditions without paying for studio time, they would kick everyone out of the studios, then send out an email making sure they were paying for studio time. It was also very unclear about how to ask off to go audition, and the dancers felt very afraid to ask about it. Dancers missed out on opportunities because they didn't feel like they could ask off to pursue anything else."
  • "Our director/faculty have discussed future recommendations for our dancer in the next year or two"

Building & Surrounding Area

Security Around Building

9

Safety of Area Around School?

Not Safe
4
5
Extremely Safe

Studio Space

Cramped
1
8
Lots of space

Studio Cleanliness

Dirty
1
8
Spotless

Housing

Was Housing Provided?

8

Did Dancer Stay in Provided Housing?

1

Where Did Dancer Live?

6
2

Academics

How Did Academics Work?

9

Academic Support

9

Did the School Support Academics?

Didn't support
3
1
1
1
3
Definitely supported

Overall Program Grades

Overall Dance Instruction

5
1
1
2

Career Support and Placement

3
1
2
1
1
1

Emotional Support

2
1
1
1
1
2
1

Housing & Food

9

Performance Opportunities

1
2
1
2
1
2

Overall Comments

Program's Best Aspect

  • "Variety of dance styles"
  • "The instructors are wonderful in all genre"
  • "Community engagement and opportunity to perform"
  • "Friends made"
  • "The diversity of styles studied"
  • "The PBT was great. There are a lot of teachers that care. When there was access to the artistic team, that was generally a good experience."
  • "The variety of dance styles taught"
  • "The caring faculty and training the dancers receive"
  • "Students, teachers, studio is beautiful, director is great. Love it."

Program's Worst Aspect

  • "No men's program/partnering. Minimal variations taught"
  • "Long hours"
  • "One particular instructor that she had repeatedly"
  • "Lack of performance opportunities"
  • "Trainees are the unwanted stepchild of Orlando Ballet. The academy is well supported, and the second company is reasonably supported. It didn't feel like there was any plan for the trainees. They were barely looked at, and most were cut without ever being evaluated. They also made the trainees, and only the trainees, go in at 8 am two days a week, but since no one was working in the building, they were almost always waiting for 10 minutes, or more, to get in. So for all the "safety" they claimed, they certainly didn't care about the dancers waiting outside, because they insisted on having them in for an early class without having anyone but the one teacher working inside."
  • "The favoritism"
  • "performance opportunities are limited"
  • "No partnering in this level"

What Changes Would Be Helpful?

  • "More men, more variations, support with finding other training"
  • "More men/boys for partnering opportunities"
  • "Better rehearsal schedule which created dancing 7 days a week in order to rehearse."
  • "Replace a particular instructor / promote to bridge levels from the school"
  • "Learning more classical repertoire and add more classes"
  • "There needs to be a much better plan for what the purpose of being a trainee is. If "training" is implied, this should be more than classes. There should be dedicated trainee performances that include classical repertoire, especially since they have a beautiful in-studio performance venue. There should be variations classes, more pas de deux, and there should be a lot more of a plan for the company schedule to include the trainees without having their classes and training sacrificed the majority of the year. Feeling like the main administrators and teachers supported them would go a long way."
  • "Add a men’s program- there were no men in any of the Academy classes last year"
  • "I wish there were a more formal schooling option"
  • "More performance opportunities"

Anything Else We Should Know?

  • "The nutcracker is reserved for trainee, company and the younger dancers."
  • "The leotards chosen as the dress code are “terrible”. Most students live in a couple of apartment buildings that are close by and walk."
  • "The schools website makes it seem like classes like variations, partnering and pointe classes are offered but in reality teachers often just combine these classes to do a 2 and half hour technique class. Often teachers would not show up to class (substitute teacher or a class that hadn’t been assigned a permanent teacher) and we would have to tell school admin that no one had showed up. The communication between company and school was minimum, I never felt like I got to be seen by artistic staff to even be considered for a trainee position. I’m also an international student so being told on the last day what my placement for next year was quite stressful for visa reasons and also things like knowing if I should extend the lease on my apartment."
  • "I simply wouldn't go to Orlando Ballet to be a trainee. Second company has decent potential to get a job with the company, but since almost all the trainees were cut and barely anyone was promoted to second company, you are likely to be wasting a year of your life taking a trainee position."
  • "You will receive great technique work. There is a new school director for summer/next year- not sure how the school will change. Overall great training but they could be better with guiding students as they are moving into bridge programs."
  • "The ballet faculty are amazing and the training is very good. Character, modern and contemporary teachers are fantastic and care very much for the students at the school"
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