Pacific Northwest Ballet

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General

Who is Reviewing?

Parent with dancer input

Program:

Pacific Northwest Ballet

Season Attended:

2024-25

# Of Levels In School:

13 levels as PNB PD is part of the overall school

Dancer Age:

Hours of Dance Each Week:

16-20 hours

Company Affliated?

Yes

Was Student Scholarshipped?

Please Describe Scholarship:

Scholarship and Stipend but not merit based.

Years At School:

1 year

Full time or after school?

Full-Time

Curriculum

Days Per Week:

Classes Per Day:

Weekend Classes?

Yes

Weekend Schedule:

Half day

Students Per Class:

16-24

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:

5-10

Separate Technique Class for Boys:

Yes

Techniques Taught:

Balanchine

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:

Balancine technique. Taught directly by Balanchine or NYCB/SAB grads. Technique class daily, pointe specific twice a week, but on pointe everyday, modern once a week, conditioning 1 a week and variations 1 a week. 2 technique classes 3 days a week.

Partnering

Frequency of Partnering Class:

1x per week

Partner Ratio:

Most girls had to share a partner.

Who Taught?

Male teacher

How Much Partnering Improved:


No	Tremendously

Quality of Pas Teaching:


Poor	Excellent

How Were Corrections Given?

Attention and corrections were evenly distributed between the males and females

Description of Partnering Class:

It was usually two girls to 1 boy. Basic class exercises and then combinations that were specifc to a rep. Learned 1 full pas de deux.

Other Classes

Other Dance Styles:

Modern

Other Class Quality:


Poor	Excellent

Contemporary Offered?

Yes

Types of Contemporary Classes Taught:

Technique

Contemporary Quality:


Poor	Excellent

Master Classes?

Yes

Master Classes Description:

Christina Johnson, Durante Verzola, Carla Korbes, taught technique class for PDs

Strength & Conditioning

Physical Training Offered?

Yes

Physical Training Types:

Yoga, Pilates (mat or reformer), Body conditioning, Stretch class

Physical Training Schedule:

Daily

Were Trainers Certified?

Yes

Physical Training Quality:


Poor	Excellent

Strength & Conditioning Comments:

Pilates semi-private offered daily for free. As well as access to the pilates room whenever available. Mat/Conditioning/Stretch class happened 1 per week.

Injuries/Health/ Mental Health

Are Doctors Available?

Yes, for everyone

How Parents Notified?

My student did not get injured

How Treatment Obtained?

You can go to PT immediately. Otherwise to the doctor. We did not get injured.

PT Available?

Yes, it is part of fees

Was There a Recovery Plan?

My dancer did not get injured

Describe Recovery Plan:

Mental Health Therapists Available?

Yes, for everyone

Were Students Given Fat Talk?

Staff Made Comments About Bodies?

Were Students Weighed?

Was "Coded Language" Used?

Additional Comments:

10 mental health therapy with a licensed professional are offered for free throughout the year.

Performances: Winter Show/ Nutcracker

Performance Opportunities:

8-12

School Winter Show?

Yes

Company or School Show?

Company affiliated production and the students perform certain parts

Cast in Winter Show?

Yes

How Chosen:

Chosen by school director or the company artistic staff

Winter Show Role:

Dancing part

Were You Paid?

Yes

If Paid, Please Describe:

Paid per part, per act, per show.

Rehearsal Impact on Classes:

Rehearsal Hours:

More than 10

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?

Yes

Did Rehearsals Impact School Schedule?

Rehearsal Hours:

More than 10

Perfomance Opportunities:

PDs have the opportunity in every school and company production. The company puts on 7 different rounds of repetoire per year including Nutcracker. The school puts on 2 shows per year, the PDs have 1 show per year for themselves.

Were You Paid?

Yes

If Paid, Please Describe:

paid per part

Competition

School Does Competitions?

Communication

Formal Orientation?

Yes

Handboook & Paperwork:

Fairly comprehensive but missing a few pieces

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:

Inclusive, Welcoming, Nurturing, Rigorous, Fun

Placement Notification Timing:

Yes meeting in December/January

How Dancer Was Notified:

In-person meeting with school director/staff

Dancer Had Mentor?

Yes

Mentoring Details:

Two company members mentor the PDs and they meet monthly. This is a formal program supported by PNB -- Can ask anything, resumes, auditioning, injury prevention, etc...

Overall School Culture:


Lord of the Flies	Warm & Inclusive

School Outcomes

Highest Levels of School?

Trainee

How Many Promoted Internally to Bridge Level:

20%

Where Graduates Who Do Not Get Bridge Level Go:

All find bridge level positions at other ballet schools

How Many Left and Went to College?

10%

Career Support:

Received lots of help

Describe How School Helped:

The PDs make a list of every artistic director that they want to audition for, Peter invites them to observe class -- about 15 directors from companies across US and Canada observed PD class this year. They offered contracts following class.

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?

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	Definitely supported

Overall Program Grades

Overall Dance Instruction:

Career Support and Placement:

A+

Emotional Support:

A+

Housing & Food:

N/A

Performance Opportunities:

Overall Comments

Program's Best Aspect:

The opportunity to be in company rehearsal and perform in company productions.

Program's Worst Aspect:

How the PDs are between the school and the company.

What Changes Would Be Helpful?

I would like a little better communication and a wider variety of teachers.

Anything Else We Should Know?

I wish the orientation was before the middle of the first week.

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