Sarasota Cuban Ballet

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General

Who is Reviewing?

Parent with dancer input

Program:

Sarasota Cuban Ballet

Season Attended:

2022-23

# Of Levels In School:

Levels 1-5 are after school and then a morning pre-pro program. There is a trainee level as well.

Dancer Age:

Company Affliated?

Was Student Scholarshipped?

Years At School:

2 years

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:

Daily

Live Music in Technique Class?

Dedicated Men's Program?

Boys In Level:

Less than 5

Separate Technique Class for Boys:

Techniques Taught:

General Classical

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:

Cuban style: technique class, pointe class, contemporary class and conditioning. Repertoire was on the schedule, but did not happen.

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, Technique

Contemporary Quality:


Poor	Excellent

Master Classes?

Strength & Conditioning

Physical Training Offered?

Yes

Physical Training Types:

Body conditioning, Stretch class

Physical Training Schedule:

Once or twice a week

Were Trainers Certified?

Some were certified and some were not depending on class

Physical Training Quality:


Poor	Excellent

Injuries/Health/ Mental Health

Are Doctors Available?

How Parents Notified?

My student did not get injured

How Treatment Obtained?

Separately from the school.

PT Available?

Was There a Recovery Plan?

My dancer did not get injured

Mental Health Therapists Available?

Were Students Given Fat Talk?

Staff Made Comments About Bodies?

Unsure

Were Students Weighed?

Was "Coded Language" Used?

Yes

Performances: Winter Show/ Nutcracker

Performance Opportunities:

2-3

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?

Performance: Ballet Season

Cast in Company Productions?

Yes

Kind of Part Given?

Dancing part

How Chosen:

A few students are chosen by the Artistic Staff

Was Casting Fair?

Yes

Did Rehearsals Impact School Schedule?

Perfomance Opportunities:

Fall ballet production in the black box, a Nutcracker (one show downtown, two in black box) and a spring showcase.

Were You Paid?

Competition

School Does Competitions?

Yes

Competitions Required?

How Many Compete?

A select few.

% of Students Who Performed:

20%

How Chosen?

The director invites the dancer to participate.

Competitions Cost Extra?

Yes, fees for privates, contemporary choreography, competition fees and the teacher's travel expenses.

Separate Competition Rehearsals?

Yes

Competition Interfered With Training?

Added, as the curriculum wasn't quite complete without this training.

Communication

Formal Orientation?

Unsure

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:

Game-playing, back-stabbing, competitive.

Placement Notification Timing:

It changes year to year. Not formal.

Overall School Culture:


Lord of the Flies	Warm & Inclusive

School Outcomes

Is Student In Upper Levels?

Yes

Highest Levels of School?

Trainee, Studio Company

How Many Promoted Internally to Bridge Level:

All of them.

How Many Come From Outside to Bridge Level?

A few.

Where Graduates Who Do Not Get Bridge Level Go:

A few find positions elsewhere but most leave ballet

How Many Left and Went to College?

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?

Where Did Dancer Live?

Lived at home

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:

B+

Career Support and Placement:

C+

Emotional Support:

Housing & Food:

N/A

Performance Opportunities:

Overall Comments

Program's Best Aspect:

The small size made for lots of individual attention.

Program's Worst Aspect:

The small size allows the toxic student culture to thrive. The Director inadvertently encourages this through game playing, favoritism and a lack of transparency.

What Changes Would Be Helpful?

The general lack of professionalism in the running of the school and the toxic culture.

Anything Else We Should Know?

The after school program is sweet and encouraging. The morning pre-pro program has lots of issues.

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