BALLET HELP DESK

Full-Time Training Reviews

Programs Reviewed: 90
Total Reviews: 306

Washington School of Ballet

Full-Time Reviews

General

Who is Reviewing?

1
3

Program

4

Season Attended

1
2
1

# Of Levels In School

  • Professional Training Program has two levels A and B. Those promoted from PTD love to a trainee position which is a bridge between school and company. Trainees dance with both.
  • Professional Training Divion A and B and those promoted into Trainee, Studio Company, and Company
  • Three, PTD B ( lowest), PTD A(middle) and trainee (top level)
  • Academy, Professional Training Division A and B, Trainee

Dancer Age

1
2
1

Gender

4

Company Affliated?

4

Was Student Scholarshipped?

3
1

Please Describe Scholarship

1

Curriculum

Days Per Week

4

Classes Per Day

1
2
1

Weekend Classes?

4

Weekend Schedule

1
3

Students Per Class

1
3

Weekly Repertoire or Variations?

4

Pointe Classes Per Week

4

Live Music in Technique Class?

4

Dedicated Men's Program?

4

Boys In Level

3
1

Separate Technique Class for Boys

2
2

Techniques Taught

2
2

Technique Teacher Rotation

1
3

Did School Director Teach?

4

Classroom Corrections

3
1

Attention From Teachers

Very Little
1
3
A Lot

Quality of Instruction

Poor
4
Excellent

Did Technique Improve?

Not at all
1
3
Tremendously

Curriculum Comments

  • Ballet class, pointe, plus contemporary, rep, character, and musical theater rotated. Rehearsals for performances were in the afternoons.
  • Daily ballet technique 1.5 hours, pointe class most days, 1+ hours, rep/variations most days, character once or twice a week, pas once a week (level B) and twice a week (level A), contemporary three or more times a week, mindfulness once or twice a week, rehearsals in addition to this for nutcracker, company shows, PTD shows
  • typical day of technique, pointe, pointe/variations, contemporary, strength training, pas, men's class, mindfulness, flamenco, character and rep.

Partnering

Frequency of Partnering Class

1
1
2

Partner Ratio

1
3

Who Taught?

2
2

How Much Partnering Improved

No
2
2
Tremendously

Quality of Pas Teaching

Poor
2
2
Excellent

How Were Corrections Given?

4

Description of Partnering Class

  • Unsure
  • general partnering class, lifts, and rehearsals
  • Male dancers from PTD would participate, supplemented by studio company and regular company dancers as needed; would work on basics as well as combinations and variations from classical rep
  • Typical pas class....technique, skill, lifts, turns, promenades, variations

Additional Comments

  • My daughter is on the taller side (5’7”) on flat so this tended to be an issue with the height of her partner.
  • Definitely improved
  • Partners selected based on height and usually a good match height wise
  • no

Other Classes

Other Dance Styles

4
1
1
3
4
3

Other Class Quality

Poor
3
1
Excellent

Contemporary Offered?

4

Types of Contemporary Classes Taught

3
3
4
4

Contemporary Quality

Poor
4
Excellent

Master Classes?

2
2

Master Classes Description

1
1
1

Strength & Conditioning

Physical Training Offered?

4

Physical Training Types

4
3
1
3
3
1
3

Physical Training Schedule

2
2

Were Trainers Certified?

2
2

Physical Training Quality

Poor
1
2
1
Excellent

Strength & Conditioning Comments

  • There was a workout room and physical therapist available for appointments and consultation.
  • Could be more robust; most dancers would work in conditioning individually on their own time
  • Pilates is offered as mat, but there is a small studio on site that can be booked for private sessions

Injuries/Health/ Mental Health

Are Doctors Available?

4

How Parents Notified?

2
2

How Treatment Obtained?

  • N/a
  • Yes, and the program director personally called me and texted to help get visit arranged
  • yes

PT Available?

1
1
2

Was There a Recovery Plan?

2
2

Describe Recovery Plan

  • Minor injury, so not that detailed a plan, but rest, physical therapy, progressive return to dance
  • Usually, they are sent to see the Company PT who creates a treatment plan and communicates with the school.

Mental Health Therapists Available?

1
3

Were Students Given Fat Talk?

4

Staff Made Comments About Bodies?

3
1

Were Students Weighed?

4

Was "Coded Language" Used?

1
3

Additional Comments

  • They were very focused on maintaining a healthy body both physically and mentally and offered classes on both but in a positive supportive way and not in any way that made students feel badly.
  • They fully supported dancers both physically and mentally.
  • Number of injuries seemed aberage
  • During Covid - there was A LOT of talk about mental health and being kind to yourself.

Performances: Winter Show/ Nutcracker

Performance Opportunities

3
1

School Winter Show?

4

Company or School Show?

3
1

Cast in Winter Show?

4

How Chosen

4

Winter Show Role

3
1

Were You Paid?

4

If Paid, Please Describe

1
1

Performance: Ballet Season

Cast in Company Productions?

4

Kind of Part Given?

1
3

How Chosen

2
1
1

Was Casting Fair?

4

Did Rehearsals Impact School Schedule?

1
1
2

Perfomance Opportunities

  • Some opportunities were by audition and some were cast by artistic staff. There were both opportunities with the company and some solely school shows.
  • Trainees rehearsed with the company and were part of company performances. Casting was at the discretion of the artistic director but all trainees were cast in company productions. As a bridge program trainees would also have their own productions.
  • Trainee often perform with company, PTD A occasionally, PtD B rarely; all levels perform in nutcracker and PTD has their own fall, winter, spring showcase as well as a choreographic workshop
  • School Fall show, Nutcracker (@40 shows), Winter Show, Demonstrations around town, Spring Company Show, School end of the year show, possible Company show at end of season.

Were You Paid?

4

If Paid, Please Describe

1
1

Competition

School Does Competitions?

3
1

Competitions Required?

1

How Many Compete?

1

% of Students Who Performed

1

How Chosen?

1

Competitions Cost Extra?

1

Separate Competition Rehearsals?

1

Competition Interfered With Training?

1

Communication

Formal Orientation?

1
3

Handboook & Paperwork

3
1

Quality of Communication?

Poor
1
3
Excellent

Who Received Communication?

4

Exams

Formal Exam?

4

School Culture

How Supported Did Student Feel By Staff?

Not
1
3
Completely

How Supportive Were Students of One Another?

Not
1
3
Completely

Describe School Culture

  • Fair, supportive, welcoming
  • Very supportive and friendly.
  • Amicable, friendly, competitive not aggressive
  • They are like family

Placement Notification Timing

  • Each student had a conference and a final written assessment. Placement was done in the spring for the following year.
  • Each student had a conference and given a final evaluation. My daughter was promoted mid-year the year prior during Nutcracker to trainee.
  • Spring meeting with director
  • END of the Year - late in my opinion. My daugher was notified she was being promoted on the LAST day of the Trainee season.

Overall School Culture

Lord of the Flies
4
Warm & Inclusive

School Outcomes

Is Student In Upper Levels?

4

Highest Levels of School?

3
1

How Many Promoted Internally to Bridge Level

  • There was a trainee program. Each year a different amount of students were promoted.
  • Different each year. Promotions were only made when a dancer was ready to move up.
  • Most trainees moved up from PTD, usually a few dancers moved up to studio company or apprentice each year (2-3)
  • three girls and 5 boys

How Many Come From Outside to Bridge Level?

  • Same as above-different each year.
  • Different each year.
  • Usually each year about ten new, most to PTD B and A
  • one or two - usually men

Where Graduates Who Do Not Get Bridge Level Go

4

How Many Left and Went to College?

1
1
1
1

Career Support

1
3

Describe How School Helped

  • They wrote letters of recommendation and made phone calls.
  • During the time my daughter was auditioning for company positions, the ballet was closed down due to Covid and dancers were home. They were able to provided letters of recommendation and make phone calls on her behalf.
  • Informally/word of mouth about openings
  • This is where they failed in my opinion as they gave a few suggestions and offered to write a letter. They did give a small workshop on how to create your resume/cv, but that was it.

Building & Surrounding Area

Security Around Building

4

Safety of Area Around School?

Not Safe
4
Extremely Safe

Studio Space

Cramped
2
2
Lots of space

Studio Cleanliness

Dirty
2
2
Spotless

Housing

Was Housing Provided?

1

Did Dancer Stay in Provided Housing?

3

Where Did Dancer Live?

1

Academics

How Did Academics Work?

4

Academic Support

4

Did the School Support Academics?

Didn't support
4
Definitely supported

Overall Program Grades

Overall Dance Instruction

4

Career Support and Placement

1
2
1

Emotional Support

2
2

Housing & Food

4

Performance Opportunities

1
3

Overall Comments

Program's Best Aspect

  • The training received was exemplary and prepared my daughter for her professional career.
  • My daughter was fully prepared to move on to a professional career. She knew what to expect and how hard she had to work to achieve her goals and make it in an extremely difficult industry. She was able to attend company classes, train and rehearse with the company several times per week, and have class with the artistic director (Julie Kent at the time). These were all valuable experiences that helped mold her and prepare her for what she is experiencing now as a professional.
  • Excellent teaching and support staff; they genuinely care about the students and want them to be happy and good dancers
  • The teachers REALLY do care about each child and encourage them. There is a lot of performing opportunities.

Program's Worst Aspect

  • Nothing!
  • That trainees had to pay tuition. They performed with the company in all the corps roles but were not given any stipend except for pointe shoes. It was a great experience
  • Nothing really, it’s in a nice neighborhood so it’s safe but rent is expensive(double edged sword)
  • Trying to get real answers regarding promotions, where should I audition, etc, was always vague. Things such as "keep your options open" were said to all. My biggest complaint is the delay in communicating about promotions - they happened EXTREMELY late in the year.

What Changes Would Be Helpful?

1
1
1
1

Anything Else We Should Know?

  • Excellent program but it’s hard work, time, and dedication. If you’re not willing to put in the time and work hard this isn’t the program for you.
  • We highly recommend this program. My daughter spent five years at TWB. She started in PTD-B, moved to PTD-A for two years, and then was promoted to trainee for two years. Had the school not shut down for COVID-19 and companies been in better shape post-COVID, things likely would have turned out differently for her and she likely would have stayed. At the time, the company was not making any promotions due to finances and she was ready to begin her professional career. She was offered a professional position with another company and took the offer. She has been dancing professionally in Colorado now for three years. TWB gave her the tools she needed to be successful!
  • I think Washington ballet is overlooked by some because doesn’t have integrated housing or academics but we were able to find a very nice and safe housing option for our kid and she had no trouble with online school. It definitely requires a certain maturity, but the payoff in terms of personal growth and confidence is huge. I believe the ballet training is good— not all of the dancers are equally dedicated,, some are talented but don’t care to work too hard. I’m sure that’s similar at other places. Those that do work hard are rewarded with help from the teachers , although it is a very subtle favoritism.
  • It was a wonderful program with amazing teachers that really cared. Currently - 2024 - the school will be going through a lot changes (the Company, too). Xiomara and Renat are leaving - but Trinidad Vives is coming in and she is AMAZING as a human and teacher. Studio Company may become it's own seperate entity and not do as much with the company - at present - the Studio Company dances all shows with the company - it's very blurred.
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