BALLET HELP DESK

Full-Time Training Reviews

Programs Reviewed: 94
Total Reviews: 323

A&A Ballet

Full-Time Reviews

General

Who is Reviewing?

4
4
6

Program

14

Season Attended

2
2
10

# Of Levels In School

Repeated Responses:
  • "N/A" (2 responses)
Unique Responses:
  • "Two-the other level is Youth Company"
  • "1st level of 2 in day program"
  • "2"
  • "Youth Company & Conservatory - mostly split by age cut-off"
  • "2 morning program classes and 5 night program levels and 2 children level"
  • "2 daytime levels- unsure of how levels are determined"
  • "2 levels in morning program, Conservatory and Youth Company, and then levels (based on age) in the Night Program"
  • "Creative movement, night time class levels 1-7, two day time levels"
  • "2 daytime levels"
  • "2 levels- Conservatory is younger. Youth Company is older"
  • "2 in the day program"
  • "2 levels... conservatory and company"

Dancer Age

1
3
3
5
2

Hours of Dance Each Week

2
7
1

Gender

12
1
1

Company Affliated?

13
1

Was Student Scholarshipped?

14

Years At School

2
6
3
1

Full time or after school?

10

Curriculum

Days Per Week

14

Classes Per Day

13
1

Weekend Classes?

14

Weekend Schedule

14

Students Per Class

7
6
1

Weekly Repertoire or Variations?

2
12

Pointe Classes Per Week

1
4
9

Live Music in Technique Class?

13
1

Dedicated Men's Program?

6
3
5

Men Taught by Male Teacher?

1
9

Men Taught Batterie?

2
4
4

Boys In Level

2
11

Separate Technique Class for Boys

13

Techniques Taught

3
14

Technique Teacher Rotation

5
5
4

Did School Director Teach?

4
1
9

Classroom Corrections

8
6

Attention From Teachers

Very Little
1
2
1
2
8
A Lot

Quality of Instruction

Poor
1
2
1
10
Excellent

Did Technique Improve?

Not at all
3
1
3
7
Tremendously

Curriculum Comments

  • "Ballet class, pointe class every morning, a short break before afternoon classes. Afternoon classes consist of repertoire, character, contemporary and pilates, rotated during the week. During show season, repertoire classes are substituted for rehearsals"
  • "Daily: Technique, Pointe & Repertoire; 2 hours/week: Contemporary; 1 hour/week: Character & Pilates; Option to join Contemporary Company, 2 hours/week"
  • "Daily: ballet, pointe, repertoire. Once a week: pilates/body conditioning, contemporary."
  • "Technique, pointe daily Rep, conditioning, contemporary, character, depending on the day! And optional privates with the teachers."
  • "Vaganova training by the main teachers. Technique, pointe daily and two hours of a mix of repertoire, character, contemporary, conditioning after technique and pointe. Four classes a day plus optional privates."
  • "1:30 min tech class, 45 min pointe (m-f), 30 min lunch, 1 hour contemporary class (w&f), 1 hour body conditioning (t), 1 hour character class (f) only for the first quarter of the the first semester. All other afternoon classes are scheduled to be a variation class but are predominantly used as rehearsal time for upcoming show or competition."
  • "Technique, pointe, variations, character, contemporary"
  • "Daily technique and pointe, weekly repertoire, contemporary and character classes"
  • "technique, pointe, and 2 other classes per day"

Partnering

Frequency of Partnering Class

1
13

Partner Ratio

1

Who Taught?

1

How Much Partnering Improved

No
1
Tremendously

Quality of Pas Teaching

Poor
1
Excellent

How Were Corrections Given?

1

Description of Partnering Class

  • "minimal"

Additional Comments

  • "very few male dancers"

Other Classes

Other Dance Styles

14
1
1
2

Other Class Quality

Poor
1
1
3
8
Excellent

Contemporary Offered?

14

Types of Contemporary Classes Taught

5
11
7
14

Contemporary Quality

Poor
1
6
2
5
Excellent

Master Classes?

10
4

Master Classes Description

  • "ballet/pointe"
  • "Master class is taught for technique and pointe"
  • "Master classes of technique and pointe"

Strength & Conditioning

Physical Training Offered?

14

Physical Training Types

10
7
4

Physical Training Schedule

1
13

Were Trainers Certified?

4
2
8

Physical Training Quality

Poor
2
3
2
5
2
Excellent

Strength & Conditioning Comments

  • "Wish it were stronger/offered more often"
  • "Needs to be a stronger program with weight training"
  • "more attention should be given and parents made aware of areas that require additional needs for each student."
  • "very little conditioning offered"

Injuries/Health/ Mental Health

Are Doctors Available?

14

How Parents Notified?

4
1
9

How Treatment Obtained?

  • "I choose a doctor no input from school"
  • "Personal outreach, made our own appointments"
  • "arranging for urgent care or physician office visit"
  • "Nearby urgent care, physical therapists, and massage therapists"
  • "On my own."
  • "yes"
  • "Outside pt"
  • "I needed to go and take dancer in for medical care"

PT Available?

14

Was There a Recovery Plan?

3
11

Describe Recovery Plan

Repeated Responses:
  • "N/A" (2 responses)
Unique Responses:
  • "Recovery plan was given by doctor and dancer communicated to teachers"
  • "Determined between physician and physical therapist & communicated by dancer to the studio"
  • "Teachers were gracious about re entering dance"
  • "Dancer notified parent of injury. Parent took dancer for medical care and needed to sit out for 8 weeks. During this time dancer received no support from school. Dancer returned with guidance from orthopedic provider and physical therapist and continued to see PT regularly. Eventually dancer started developing same symptoms. Physical therapist advised adjustments to rehearsal schedule. Parent attempted to contact director to facilitate a plan but did not receive guidance or indication they would collaborate with medical guidance. Orthopedic provider strongly advised a change in training plan. Dancer and parent felt unheard and unsupported."

Mental Health Therapists Available?

14

Were Students Given Fat Talk?

12
2

Staff Made Comments About Bodies?

1
7
6

Were Students Weighed?

14

Was "Coded Language" Used?

4
2
8

Additional Comments

  • "School is not fair"
  • "Wish they provided a physical therapist onsite"
  • "Studio does not get involved; however, receptive & accommodating to plan of care established by MD/PT"
  • "There is none and no support"
  • "Student feel uncomfortable eating in front of director, a not an overall supportive and nurturing environment."
  • "The teachers were understanding about injuries and open to dance modifications"
  • "Dancer witnessed peers being berated for their weight. In previous year dancer was bullied by a roommate making racist comments such as using the "N" word to refer to her, making ape gestures around her and chastising her for her skin toned pointe shoes. Director told us they would not be able to do anything as these actions happened in the apartment and not the studio. Director later told us he was upset with us that he had to spend money to hire an attorney to determine if he held any responsibility. My daughter's physical and mental health was slowly being chipped away at and deteriorated during her time there."

Performances: Winter Show/ Nutcracker

Performance Opportunities

14

School Winter Show?

14

Company or School Show?

14

Cast in Winter Show?

14

How Chosen

14

Winter Show Role

12
2

Were You Paid?

14

Rehearsal Impact on Classes

1
2
3
2
2

Rehearsal Hours

4
4
2

Performance: Ballet Season

Cast in Company Productions?

2
12

Kind of Part Given?

10
2

How Chosen

2
2
1
7

Was Casting Fair?

1
2
9

Did Rehearsals Impact School Schedule?

2
2
1
5
2

Rehearsal Hours

3
3
2

Perfomance Opportunities

Repeated Responses:
  • "Nutcracker and Spring Ballet" (2 responses)
Unique Responses:
  • "Very few opportunities"
  • "Two shows a year for conservatory students. More opportunities for Youth Company"
  • "Nutcracker, Spring Ballet and YAGP solos and ensembles"
  • "Nutcracker, Spring Show, Competition solos & ensembles"
  • "Nutcracker, spring show, competition solos & ensembles"
  • "I had a amazing opportunity to dance Clara in the winter nutcracker show and for the spring show, A&A is doing sleeping beauty and I have an amazing opportunity to dance red riding hood and more."
  • "Nutcracker, yagp, spring performance"
  • "Very performances but the ones we had were good."
  • "Nutcracker, Spring Ballet, YAGP solos and Ensembles"
  • "School opportunities"

Were You Paid?

12

Competition

School Does Competitions?

14

Competitions Required?

14

How Many Compete?

1
1
1
1

% of Students Who Performed

Repeated Responses:
  • "90%" (2 responses)
  • "Most" (2 responses)
Unique Responses:
  • "10"
  • "70%"
  • "Almost all are selected"
  • "80%"
  • "probably half"
  • "70 percent"
  • "30%"
  • "85%"
  • "60%"
  • "30"

How Chosen?

  • "No selection process"
  • "Privates"
  • "Chosen during class rehearsals for ensembles Solos are chosen by the teacher during private lessons."
  • "Anyone who wants to participate is eligible, some people are advised to only do a certain amount of solos or perform with specific limitations (ex: performing on flat)."
  • "solos - if you're interested; ensembles - selected by artistic director (no audition)"
  • "Ask the director"
  • "Decided by the teachers"
  • "mostly you sign up but the teachers advise you about it"
  • "None"
  • "Student and parents decide"
  • "You can compete as a solo if AD ok's it. Ensembles are chosen by AD."
  • "Anyone can participate"
  • "Anyone can compete"
  • "unsure"

Competitions Cost Extra?

Repeated Responses:
  • "Yes" (3 responses)
Unique Responses:
  • "Just the private coaching"
  • "Yes- for privates"
  • "Competition organizations; private lessons to prepare"
  • "yes - private lessons"
  • "Fees for costume for any ensemble."
  • "Private coaching and competition fees"
  • "competition fees and privates fees"
  • "Yes, for privates and ensembles along with entry and costume fees"
  • "Fees for private coaching"
  • "Yes fees for coaching, registration for competitions"
  • "yes... costume fees, lesson fees, needed to arrange all transportation to theater for rehearsals and show"

Separate Competition Rehearsals?

2
12

Competition Interfered With Training?

Repeated Responses:
  • "Detract" (2 responses)
Unique Responses:
  • "Added value"
  • "Added- Especially the ensemble Great practice for stage"
  • "Added because students learned about the integrity of the performance"
  • "added value - opportunities to improved technique & skills, work with others in ensembles and perform on stage"
  • "I didn’t really affect anything"
  • "Added- Learning to work as part of a corp for ensembles. Individual feedback and corrections for solos"
  • "add because you get lots more one on one instruction"
  • "No because we gas rehearsals for ensembles during the day which is in the schedule when the time comes and there were solo privates after the regular day"
  • "Rehearsals for ensembles took place during class and detracted from training for those not in the ensembles. Solos sometimes would perform during class."
  • "Added- learned principle roles and learned how to work as a cohesive group for ensemble pieces."
  • "Adds because it helps to refine technique and artistry"
  • "no"

Communication

Formal Orientation?

13
1

Handboook & Paperwork

2
1
1
7
3

Quality of Communication?

Poor
3
2
3
4
2
Excellent

Who Received Communication?

3
11

Exams

Formal Exam?

14

School Culture

How Supported Did Student Feel By Staff?

Not
4
3
4
3
Completely

How Supportive Were Students of One Another?

Not
2
3
3
6
Completely

Describe School Culture

  • "Toxic"
  • "Strict, drama free, professional, high-expectations"
  • "Serious, competitive, friendly"
  • "Improvement driven and focused"
  • "mostly supportive, encouraging & fun between dancers"
  • "Hardworking and also very supportive"
  • "Competitive and supportive"
  • "Hardworking and supportive"
  • "Challenging, complex, competitive, friendly"
  • "About money. Only certain students received support"
  • "Dancers friendly, teachers can be toxic"
  • "Serious yet supportive"
  • "Clicky and everyone is on their own journey"
  • "competitive , favoritism , intimidation"

Placement Notification Timing

Repeated Responses:
  • "No" (2 responses)
  • "no" (2 responses)
Unique Responses:
  • "In the spring"
  • "In April, before the dance term ended."
  • "spring"
  • "June"
  • "First day of class"
  • "At the end of the year if you ask"
  • "Beginning of the year"
  • "Child wasnt"
  • "On the first day"
  • "Spring"

How Dancer Was Notified

2
8

Dancer Had Mentor?

5
5

Mentoring Details

Repeated Responses:
  • "Older students are mentors" (2 responses)
Unique Responses:
  • "informal - individual friendships between dancers. Very much left up to the dancer to seek out advice and establish mentors."
  • "No"
  • "no specified mentor"
  • "Mentor"
  • "N/A"
  • "There was none. Students mostly did not feel comfortable sharing plans for the future including summer intensive auditions and programs."
  • "Director often spoke with daughter, answered questions, guided her and spoke with her regarding her next step and was involved in the transition"
  • "none"

Overall School Culture

Lord of the Flies
3
4
6
1
Warm & Inclusive

School Outcomes

Is Student In Upper Levels?

4

Highest Levels of School?

2
1
5
6

How Many Promoted Internally to Bridge Level

1
2
1
6

How Many Come From Outside to Bridge Level?

2
1
1

Where Graduates Who Do Not Get Bridge Level Go

1
1
5

How Many Left and Went to College?

2
1
1
1
2
7

Career Support

8
2
4

Describe How School Helped

  • "Dancer was not looking for help but was offered a trainee position and school director was involved in the pricess and mentored dancer"

Building & Surrounding Area

Security Around Building

12
2

Safety of Area Around School?

Not Safe
4
9
1
Extremely Safe

Studio Space

Cramped
1
4
7
2
Lots of space

Studio Cleanliness

Dirty
6
6
2
Spotless

Housing

Was Housing Provided?

5
9

Did Dancer Stay in Provided Housing?

4
5

Where Did Dancer Live?

4
4
1

Type of Housing Provided:

5
2

Housing Minimum Age

  • "12"
  • "11y"
  • "11"
  • "Not sure"
  • "none"

# of Roommates:

5

Adequate # of RA's?

Not at all
2
1
1
1
Absolutely

Type of Bathrooms:

5

Curfew?

5

Curfew Reasonable?

1
4

Nightly Room Check?

5

Dorm Strictness

Extremely Lax
5
Extremely Strict

How Infractions Handled?

5
1

How Roommate Issues Handled?

  • "Between the girls, no studio involvement unless parents went to the school about an issue."
  • "between roommates"
  • "Through roommate and roommates parents’ communication"
  • "Handled between roommates or parents get involved"
  • "school completely uninvolved"

Housing Cleanliness

Dirty
1
1
3
Spotless

Students Required to Clean Room?

2
3

Laundry Available?

5

Laundry Free?

4
1

Evening Activities?

5

A/C In Room?

5

Weekend Outings?

5

Transportation Between Housing and Studios?

1
1
1
1
1

Safety Around Housing

Not Safe
1
3
1
Very Safe

Overall Rating of Housing

Poor
1
1
2
1
Excellent

Additional Comments

  • "College students also live in the same apartment building"
  • "Dancers are on their own unless you have arranged a chaperone. Must be mature and self sufficient."
  • "No chaperones - must be very independent"
  • "The building is supposed to be secured, but the front door is not locked and so anyone can walk in. The building itself is not clean and it is poorly managed. There is often trash, overflowing in the trash room and hallway, smelling like garbage. Heat, air-conditioning, and hot water frequently not working. The director has absolutely nothing to do with the apartments and students are completely on their own to resolve conflicts or any issues that arise. Students must be very independent and be able to get their own groceries. Make their own meals do their own laundry. There are options that parents can arrange to pay an older dancer to be a chaperone. The one advantage to the apartments is that they are right above the studio and some students do not need to leave the building to go to class."

Meal Plan

Meal Plan?

5

Academics

How Did Academics Work?

14

Academic Support

14

Did the School Support Academics?

Didn't support
6
2
4
2
Definitely supported

Overall Program Grades

Overall Dance Instruction

6
1
3
1
1
1
1

Career Support and Placement

5
3
2
1
1
2

Emotional Support

1
3
4
2
1
3

Housing & Food

1
1
1
1
1
9

Performance Opportunities

4
5
1
1
1
1
1

Overall Comments

Program's Best Aspect

  • "None"
  • "The training"
  • "Consistent and excellent training"
  • "The teachers and training are excellent and encouraging and the amount of classes/training hours"
  • "Directors and teachers are passionate and teach a true classical ballet program. Focused on technique and mastering specific movement yet allow for personal style."
  • "Improving"
  • "Strong Vaganova technique, excellent ballet teachers"
  • "Excellent training and growth!"
  • "Some of teachers"
  • "Excellent Vaganova training"
  • "Training"
  • "excellent technique training"

Program's Worst Aspect

  • "All about money"
  • "Lack of physical therapy/other support"
  • "Small studios and not enough boys"
  • "No modern or jazz, etc classes. There is no Physical Therapy program."
  • "No integrated PT, or any type of ongoing health/wellness program."
  • "Contemporary program needs improvement"
  • "Lack of physical therapists available from the school"
  • "Lack of support and preparation for future"
  • "There was a lot of favoritism. If you were not of a what the director was looking for you were largely ignored. Mostly focused on competitions."
  • "No partnering and not enough boys/men"
  • "Clicky students"
  • "Very little communication between parents and directors. If you'd wanted to set up a progress meeting you needed to pay $100 per hour. Director did respond quickly to email but answered in brief sentences or 1-2 word phrases resulting in not feeling that the issue was truly addressed. Unfortunately many dancers did not feel valued if not measuring for a variety of reasons."

What Changes Would Be Helpful?

  • "Director"
  • "Integrate physical therapy, nutrition and other wellness"
  • "Better communication"
  • "A better healthy dancer program."
  • "Add a more formalized preventative program & (wishful thinking) a PT on-sight to evaluate on a regular basis. Like almost all programs, this one is missing a great opportunity to instill healthy lifestyle habits to strengthen and support these growing bodies. Most dancers stretch and do their PT exercises (that were learned during their PT visits post-injury) daily & on their own, but not really a formal part of the program."
  • "Better contemporary, chaperoned housing"
  • "Integrate school affiliated physical therapists"
  • "Several areas"
  • "For every dancer to be supported and helped to grow to their next level."
  • "Bring in male students for regular partnering. Have a stronger contemporary program."
  • "Less focus on competition placement"
  • "I wish the culture had been more caring."

Anything Else We Should Know?

  • "If you aren’t spending a lot of money on privates or plan to stay for years you will not be noticed."
  • "There is no supervision for out of town students, living arrangements are made by the parents."
  • "The teachers value dancers that are focused and want to improve and pay attention to those that are respectful of that."
  • "This is a true pre-professional program and students are expected to work hard."
  • "If you aren’t gifted you won't receive the attention or help needed. Plus you must invest in privates."
  • "If your goal is to compete and you take private lessons; and you come in with a semi strong foundation and good facility, then A&A could be a good fit for you. If however you can not take multiple private lessons each week then you will probably be largely ignored and you may not see much improvement."
  • "Very close knit community of friends."
  • "Dancers are responsible their own success and there is not a lot of hand holding. It is a very individual experience and everyone will have their own experience"
  • "I am sure that this school is a good match for certain dancers, but it was not for our dancer. The directors did not possess the values that we want our daughter to experience in her teachers/ mentors."
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