Palucca University of Dance Dresden

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General

Who is Reviewing?

Parent with dancer input

Program:

Palucca University of Dance Dresden

Season Attended:

2025-26

# Of Levels In School:

Orientation Classes(5th and 6th Grade), Young Talents Program (7th - 10th Grade), BA Program (3 years), MA Program (work-study)

Dancer Age:

Hours of Dance Each Week:

11-15 hours

Company Affliated?

Was Student Scholarshipped?

Years At School:

1 year

Full time or after school?

Full-Time

Date Submitted:

4/20/2026

Curriculum

Days Per Week:

Classes Per Day:

Weekend Classes?

Weekend Schedule:

I did not have weekend class

Students Per Class:

Less than 10

Weekly Repertoire or Variations?

Pointe Classes Per Week:

Live Music in Technique Class?

Yes

Dedicated Men's Program?

Yes

Boys In Level:

There were no boys in my level

Techniques Taught:

Vaganova

Technique Teacher Rotation:

Usually the same every day

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:

Classical ballet every day, modern dance from Tues-Thurs, Improvisation on Fri, in addition rehearsal for shows / performances

Partnering

Frequency of Partnering Class:

No partnering

Other Classes

Other Dance Styles:

Modern

Other Class Quality:


Poor	Excellent

Contemporary Offered?

Yes

Types of Contemporary Classes Taught:

Improv, Choreography workshops, Technique

Contemporary Quality:


Poor	Excellent

Master Classes?

Strength & Conditioning

Physical Training Offered?

Yes

Physical Training Types:

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

Physical Training Schedule:

Occasionally

Were Trainers Certified?

Yes

Physical Training Quality:


Poor	Excellent

Injuries/Health/ Mental Health

Are Doctors Available?

Yes, for everyone

How Parents Notified?

School called parent

How Treatment Obtained?

Treatment was provided by school

PT Available?

Yes, it is part of fees

Was There a Recovery Plan?

Yes

Describe Recovery Plan:

Taking a break from dance classes, received specific exercises by physio, treatment with electrotherapy, taping and massage. After recovery slow integration back into regular training.

Mental Health Therapists Available?

Yes, for everyone

Were Students Given Fat Talk?

Staff Made Comments About Bodies?

Were Students Weighed?

Was "Coded Language" Used?

Performances: Winter Show/ Nutcracker

Performance Opportunities:

4-5

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?

Rehearsal Impact on Classes:

Rehearsal Hours:

3-5

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?

For some but not all

Did Rehearsals Impact School Schedule?

Rehearsal Hours:

6-10

Perfomance Opportunities:

Nutcracker with Semperoper Ballet, Spring Showcase (for Schools in the area), End of Year Performance (Soirée), Guest Performances at events in the area

Were You Paid?

Competition

School Does Competitions?

Yes

Competitions Required?

% of Students Who Performed:

Separate Competition Rehearsals?

Yes

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?

Yes

Written Feedback?

Yes

Exam Adjudicator:

Internal

Exam Rubrics Clear?

Strongly agree

Who Attends Exam Meeting?

Yes, dancer only. The meeting was with my teachers.

Well Prepared For Exam?


Not at all	Completely

How Heavily Did Exams Weigh in Promotions:


Not at all	Heavily

School Culture

How Supported Did Student Feel By Staff?


Not	Completely

How Supportive Were Students of One Another?


Not	Completely

Describe School Culture:

positive, open-minded, cheerful, goal-oriented

Placement Notification Timing:

A few weeks after the exam

How Dancer Was Notified:

In-person meeting with school director/staff

Dancer Had Mentor?

Mentoring Details:

Dancer did not require mentor, but a mentor would be available if needed

Overall School Culture:


Lord of the Flies	Warm & Inclusive

School Outcomes

Highest Levels of School?

Trainee, Post- Graduate/Graduate, Apprentice (only if it is not part of the company)

How Many Promoted Internally to Bridge Level:

30%

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?

Unsure

Career Support:

I was not looking for new placement; was staying in program

Building & Surrounding Area

Security Around Building:

Safety of Area Around School?


Not Safe	Extremely Safe

Studio Space:


Cramped	Lots of space

Studio Cleanliness:


Dirty	Spotless

Housing

Was Housing Provided?

Yes

Did Dancer Stay in Provided Housing?

Yes

Type of Housing Provided::

Dorms

Housing Minimum Age:

# of Roommates::

Adequate # of RA's?


Not at all	Absolutely

Type of Bathrooms::

Private in room

Curfew?

Yes

Curfew Reasonable?

Yes

Nightly Room Check?

Yes

Dorm Strictness:


Extremely Lax	Extremely Strict

How Infractions Handled?

Fair, Skewed depending on student, Skewed depending on the RA, My student had no infractions this year (as far as I know!)

How Roommate Issues Handled?

roommate handled smaller conflicts themselves

Housing Cleanliness:


Dirty	Spotless

Students Required to Clean Room?

Yes

Laundry Available?

Yes

Laundry Free?

Evening Activities?

Yes

A/C In Room?

Weekend Outings?

Transportation Between Housing and Studios?

boarding school is attached to studios / school building

Safety Around Housing:


Not Safe	Very Safe

Overall Rating of Housing:


Poor	Excellent

Additional Comments:

bathrooms in rooms are cleaned by cleaning staff every day from mo-fr, weekly cleaning-service is provided for bathrooms and rooms (floors). furniture needs to be wiped off by students. they also need to take out their own trash / recycling and keep the room tidy

Meal Plan

Meal Plan?

Yes

Food Quality:


Gross	Excellent

Enough Food?

Yes

Late Meals Available?

Sometimes

Dancer w/ Dietary Needs?

Academics

How Did Academics Work?

Integrated

Academic Support:

Students attended in person classes provided by school

Did the School Support Academics?


Didn't support	Definitely supported

Overall Program Grades

Overall Dance Instruction:

A+

Career Support and Placement:

Emotional Support:

A+

Housing & Food:

Performance Opportunities:

Overall Comments

Program's Best Aspect:

the positive energy, which promotes a good learning environment. a mixed dance syllabus.

Program's Worst Aspect:

the food in the cafeteria.

What Changes Would Be Helpful?

the food, more body conditioning (as part of the regular training schedule)

Anything Else We Should Know?

you have to be open to different dance styles and projects (rather than just focusing on classical ballet, for example).