Alabama River Region Ballet

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General

Who is Reviewing?

Parent with dancer input

Program:

Alabama River Region Ballet

Season Attended:

2023-24

# Of Levels In School:

6 levels

Dancer Age:

Hours of Dance Each Week:

6-10 hours

Was Student Scholarshipped?

Years At School:

7 or more years

Leveling by Age or Skill?

Skill

Teacher Background:

Former professional ballet dancer

Parents Required to Volunteer?

Parent Volunteer Requirement:

Parents handle all costumes, props, theater set up and take down, parties and events for the dancers.

Date Submitted:

11/25/2025

Curriculum

Days Per Week:

Classes Per Day:

Weekend Classes?

Weekend Schedule:

I did not have weekend class

Students Per Class:

10-15

Weekly Repertoire or Variations?

Pointe Classes Per Week:

Live Music in Technique Class?

Dedicated Men's Program?

Boys In Level:

There were no boys in my level

Techniques Taught:

General Classical

Technique Teacher Rotation:

The school rotated teachers on a fixed schedule

Did School Director Teach?

Often

Classroom Corrections:

Occasionally dancer specific: mostly general corrections were given

Attention From Teachers:


Very Little	A Lot

Quality of Instruction:


Poor	Excellent

Did Technique Improve?


Not at all	Tremendously

Curriculum Comments:

Ballet class is taught 3x a week, pointe 2x a week, and modern and jazz 1x each (both are optional classes). Nutcracker rehearsals are held on Friday nights, full cast. Ballet class is frequently replaced with rehearsals for Nutcracker or spring recital, so technique at the barre does not receive a lot of attention. Classes are often combined for multiple levels, so corrections are sparse, and the room is often crowded and taught to a mid-level, instead of advanced. For the older students, one teacher teaches Vaganova and one teaches Balanchine, so there is often confusion for dancers on arm placement and turning styles. More difficult steps are generally not taught (i.e. fouttes, pirouettes on pointe). Class does not often make it to adagio b/c things are condensed for rehearsals. Class is very much a run on the treadmill.

Partnering

Frequency of Partnering Class:

No partnering

Other Classes

Other Dance Styles:

Modern, Jazz

Other Class Quality:


Poor	Excellent

Contemporary Offered?

Yes

Types of Contemporary Classes Taught:

Technique

Contemporary Quality:


Poor	Excellent

Master Classes?

Strength & Conditioning

Physical Training Offered?

Injuries/Health/ Mental Health

Are Doctors Available?

How Parents Notified?

Student told parent. School not involved

How Treatment Obtained?

I took my dancer to an orthopedist in town who sent her to pt.

PT Available?

Was There a Recovery Plan?

Describe Recovery Plan:

It was entirely up to us to communicate our dr.’s orders and the pt assigned. Up to us to handle all pt and let the studio know when she was cleared to come back.

Mental Health Therapists Available?

Were Students Given Fat Talk?

Staff Made Comments About Bodies?

Yes

Were Students Weighed?

Was "Coded Language" Used?

Yes

Additional Comments:

The school is good about not pushing through injuries and taking rest when it is needed. They are abysmal when it comes to mental health. Students are told “it doesn’t matter how you feel, it matters what you choose.” This is the school director’s favorite quote. The studio owner exhibits all the key characteristics of a classic narcissist and treats the students and other staff accordingly. It is not a safe space to speak up about anything.

Communication

Formal Orientation?

Handboook & Paperwork:

Vague and incomplete

Quality of Communication?


Poor	Excellent

Who Received Communication?

With parents only

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:

Tired, pretentious, exclusionary, disordered

Placement Notification Timing:

Over the summer

How Dancer Was Notified:

Written communication via email or regular mail

Dancer Had Mentor?

Mentoring Details:

The network of parents was the only resource for mentoring for students. Teachers did not take time to meet with the students to discuss goals of any kind unless a parent requested a meeting. Even then, the only schools/companies/SIs that were suggested were the two that were attended by the studio owner. Everything else was seen as “less than.” The parents who were doing the research on schools, companies, trends, culture etc. were the ones who helped the dancers with finding auditions, choosing SIs, and connecting with the wider ballet world. School director and studio owner did not help students outside of class.

Overall School Culture:


Lord of the Flies	Warm & Inclusive

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

Performance Opportunities

Company Affiliated?

Programs Performed:

1-3

Shows per Program:

Casting:

School staff chooses students for roles - no auditions

Peformance Calendar:

The Nutcracker is a school wide show. “Auditions” are held in early September and casting comes out within 2-3 weeks. Rehearsals are held on Friday nights from 5-7:30 for everyone. The show is the first week-end in December with 3 or 4 shows depending on theater availability. The spring recital is sometimes classified as a show, but this just means the older dancers have a bit longer of a performance piece. No school shows, community performances, festivals, etc.

Private Lessons

Private Lessons Available?

Yes

Are Private Lessons Encouraged?


Not at all	Strongly recommended

Who Takes Privates?

A select few kids

Private Lessons equally available to all students?


Strongly disagree	Strongly agree

Explain:

The teachers resisted doing private lessons, and when prevailed upon to do so, would only do them for a select one or two students who they would occasionally make time for. My own dancer asked repeatedly for help filming SI video auditions and was allowed to use a studio, but denied any assistance.

Summer Intensives

School Holds an SI?

Yes

School's SI Required?

Outside SI OK?

Yes, but only for select students

How Did School Help?

No guidance was given. In years past, there was a teacher there who would help film video auditions, advise students on various programs and celebrate acceptances and discuss rejections with them, but after she moved away, there isn’t anyone who is willing to help with this in any way. Students are on their own.

Outcomes

Percent That Went Full-Time:

None

Percent That Went To College:

10%

How Much Support Did Dancer Receive in Taking the Next Steps in Ballet?


No support	Lots of support

Support Description:

During the course of this year, my dancer and I realized that in order to have a chance at a professional career, she needed to move on. When we scheduled a meeting with the studio owner and school director to discuss it, we were basically told the program to which she was moving on to (a well respected conservatory program) wasn’t any better than where we were at, and that if we wanted to leave it was best if we just left. No one from the studio (aside from friends and parents) has reached out to us or supported her in anyway since then.

Program Grades

Overall Dance Instruction:

C+

Continuing Ballet Placement:

Emotional Support:

Performance Opportunities:

C+

Program Comments

Program's Best Aspect:

The parents and other dancers at the studio were wonderful. The teachers that had moved on were wonderful. The support the dancers gave each other was everything you’d want in a studio. Looking back, it was probably trauma bonding, but the girls are still tight knit friends and that is priceless.

Program's Worst Aspect:

The unhealthy environment perpetuated by the studio owner and allowed by the school director. The lack of training that is praised as professional while being anything but professional.

What Changes Would Be Helpful?

New leadership.

Anything Else We Should Know?

I would consider all other options.

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