"They go to Year 12 and then offer 1 or 2 years post graduate training"
"Junior levels, Senior levels X's 3"
Dancer Age
16
Hours of Dance Each Week
16-20 hours
Company Affliated?
Yes
Was Student Scholarshipped?
No
Yes
Please Describe Scholarship
"Scholarship/financial aid based on merit and financial need. Not sure on how common scholarships are, but definitely knew of others with scholarships."
Years At School
1 year
Full time or after school?
Full-Time
Curriculum
Days Per Week
5
Classes Per Day
4
more than 6
Weekend Classes?
No
Weekend Schedule
Half day
I did not have weekend class
Students Per Class
10-15
16-24
Weekly Repertoire or Variations?
Yes
Pointe Classes Per Week
3
5
Live Music in Technique Class?
Yes
Dedicated Men's Program?
Unsure
Men Taught by Male Teacher?
Yes
Men Taught Batterie?
Unsure
Boys In Level
Less than 5
Separate Technique Class for Boys
No
Yes
Techniques Taught
Balanchine
General Classical
Vaganova
Technique Teacher Rotation
The school rotated teachers on a fixed schedule
Usually the same every day
Did School Director Teach?
Never (school admin was NOT designated as an upper level teacher)
Classroom Corrections
Dancer specific: almost every dancer got specific corrections each day
Attention From Teachers
Very Little
1
2
3
4
5
A Lot
Quality of Instruction
Poor
1
2
3
4
5
Excellent
Did Technique Improve?
Not at all
1
2
3
4
5
Tremendously
Curriculum Comments
"Academic education from 8am - 12noon. From 12.30pm until 5pm (one day finish is 5.30pm) they do a variety of classes; ballet, pointe, contemporary, variation, movement, stretch"
Partnering
Frequency of Partnering Class
1x per week
2x per week
Partner Ratio
Most girls had to share a partner.
Who Taught?
It varied based on the week
Male teacher
How Much Partnering Improved
No
1
2
3
4
5
Tremendously
Quality of Pas Teaching
Poor
1
2
3
4
5
Excellent
How Were Corrections Given?
Attention and corrections were evenly distributed between the males and females
Description of Partnering Class
"Safe practice, focus on not just technique but also the artistic qualities of partnering"
"Rotated partner, good partnering instruction"
Additional Comments
"If the boy number were higher it would have been amazing"
Other Classes
Other Dance Styles
Character
Contemporary
Modern
Other Class Quality
Poor
1
2
3
4
5
Excellent
Contemporary Offered?
Yes
Types of Contemporary Classes Taught
Choreography workshops
Improv
Repertoire
Technique
Contemporary Quality
Poor
1
2
3
4
5
Excellent
Master Classes?
No
Yes
Master Classes Description
"Short programs attended by people not currently students"
Strength & Conditioning
Physical Training Offered?
Yes
Physical Training Types
Body conditioning
Pilates (mat or reformer)
Physical Training Schedule
Once or twice a week
Were Trainers Certified?
Yes
Physical Training Quality
Poor
1
2
3
4
5
Excellent
Injuries/Health/ Mental Health
Are Doctors Available?
Yes
Yes, for everyone
How Parents Notified?
My student did not get injured
How Treatment Obtained?
"School arranged appointments"
PT Available?
Yes, for extra fee
Was There a Recovery Plan?
My dancer did not get injured
Yes
Describe Recovery Plan
"The director meets with the family and receives medical notes. This is reviewed on a regular schedule"
Mental Health Therapists Available?
Yes
Yes, for an extra fee
Were Students Given Fat Talk?
No
Staff Made Comments About Bodies?
No
Unsure
Were Students Weighed?
No
Was "Coded Language" Used?
No
Yes
Additional Comments
"They managed this better than others, although room for improvement. Regarding injuries they were excellent and never “write off” a child if they demonstrated commitment to recovery"
Performances: Winter Show/ Nutcracker
Performance Opportunities
2-3
4-5
School Winter Show?
Yes
Company or School Show?
Company affiliated production and the students perform certain parts
School puts on it's own production and students dance all the parts
Cast in Winter Show?
No, my level typically does not perform in winter show
Yes
How Chosen
Chosen by school director or the company artistic staff
Winter Show Role
I had both types of parts
Were You Paid?
No
Performance: Ballet Season
Cast in Company Productions?
No
Yes
Kind of Part Given?
Dancing part
How Chosen
Students are chosen to audition by Artistic Staff
Was Casting Fair?
Yes
Did Rehearsals Impact School Schedule?
5
Perfomance Opportunities
"Winter showcase, contemporary showcase, ajudication performance, end of year performance, 2 x opportunity to dance with company"
Were You Paid?
No
Competition
School Does Competitions?
No
Communication
Formal Orientation?
Yes
Handboook & Paperwork
Comprehensive and complete. I knew what to expect for the year
Quality of Communication?
Poor
1
2
3
4
5
Excellent
Who Received Communication?
With parents and students
Exams
Formal Exam?
Yes
Written Feedback?
Yes
Exam Adjudicator
Outside adjudicator
Exam Rubrics Clear?
Strongly agree
Who Attends Exam Meeting?
No
Yes and parents were included. The meeting was with my teachers.
Well Prepared For Exam?
Not at all
1
2
3
4
5
Completely
How Heavily Did Exams Weigh in Promotions
Not at all
1
2
3
4
5
Heavily
School Culture
How Supported Did Student Feel By Staff?
Not
1
2
3
4
5
Completely
How Supportive Were Students of One Another?
Not
1
2
3
4
5
Completely
Describe School Culture
"Supportive staff"
"Very positive, supportive and hardworking"
Placement Notification Timing
"March (year starts in September)"
"At the start of the next year"
How Dancer Was Notified
In-person meeting with school director/staff
Dancer Had Mentor?
No
Mentoring Details
"No specific mentoring program, but very valuable feedback from teachers/school on progress & technique to work on."
Overall School Culture
Lord of the Flies
1
2
3
4
5
Warm & Inclusive
School Outcomes
Is Student In Upper Levels?
Yes
Highest Levels of School?
Post- Graduate/Graduate
Trainee, Post- Graduate/Graduate
How Many Promoted Internally to Bridge Level
3 (from 16)
50%
How Many Come From Outside to Bridge Level?
7
Where Graduates Who Do Not Get Bridge Level Go
All find bridge level positions at other ballet schools
Some find positions elsewhere and about half leave ballet
How Many Left and Went to College?
10%
Not sure
Career Support
Received lots of help
Received some help
Describe How School Helped
"Meetings to discuss and provide guidance with the director. Filming and photos arranged by school."
"Guided through selecting programs, helped with audition video"
Building & Surrounding Area
Security Around Building
Yes
Safety of Area Around School?
Not Safe
1
2
3
4
5
Extremely Safe
Studio Space
Cramped
1
2
3
4
5
Lots of space
Studio Cleanliness
Dirty
1
2
3
4
5
Spotless
Housing
Was Housing Provided?
Yes
Did Dancer Stay in Provided Housing?
Yes
Type of Housing Provided:
Dorms
Housing Minimum Age
Repeated Responses:
"12" (2 responses)
# of Roommates:
1
Adequate # of RA's?
Not at all
1
2
3
4
5
Absolutely
Type of Bathrooms:
1 bathroom for 4 students
Private in suite
Curfew?
Yes
Curfew Reasonable?
Yes
Nightly Room Check?
Yes
Dorm Strictness
Extremely Lax
1
2
3
4
5
Extremely Strict
How Infractions Handled?
Fair
How Roommate Issues Handled?
"Really well"
"Assisted with resolving conflicts, open to roommate changes"
Housing Cleanliness
Dirty
1
2
3
4
5
Spotless
Students Required to Clean Room?
Yes
Laundry Available?
Yes
Laundry Free?
No
Yes
Evening Activities?
Yes
A/C In Room?
No
Yes
Weekend Outings?
No
Yes
Transportation Between Housing and Studios?
Private bus
Safety Around Housing
Not Safe
1
2
3
4
5
Very Safe
Overall Rating of Housing
Poor
1
2
3
4
5
Excellent
Additional Comments
"Every Christmas they rotate room mates if needed"
Meal Plan
Meal Plan?
Yes
Food Quality
Gross
1
2
3
4
5
Excellent
Enough Food?
Yes
Late Meals Available?
Yes
Dancer w/ Dietary Needs?
No
Yes
What Were Needs?
"Allergies"
Dietary Needs Met?
4
Academics
How Did Academics Work?
Integrated
Academic Support
Students attended in person classes provided by school
Did the School Support Academics?
Didn't support
1
2
3
4
5
Definitely supported
Overall Program Grades
Overall Dance Instruction
A
Career Support and Placement
A
B+
Emotional Support
A
A-
Housing & Food
A-
Performance Opportunities
A
Overall Comments
Program's Best Aspect
"This program has the balance of quality training with high academic education"
"Excellent instruction in a nurturing open environment"
Program's Worst Aspect
"NA"
"20 minute bus ride from housing to school"
What Changes Would Be Helpful?
"NA"
"More male dancers"
Anything Else We Should Know?
"They focus on embracing the dancer, so demonstrate commitment. They are less interested in the dancers that only come for one year or are not participating in the “full” program offering (eg doing their own academics)"
"Very plugged into the overall ballet industry, attracting many international dancers, overall extremely positive experience"
