Classes near Biddeford, Maine?

[old shoe]

I may be spending some time in Biddeford, Maine this winter and wondered if anybody knows any places to take class. It's on the south side of Portland--going into Portland would probably work, north of Portland probably not.

 

Thank you!

[maineballet]

old shoe,

 

My dd attends the program at Portland Ballet. Great studio, wonderful teachers and lots of drop in classes over the summer. You can check out the website at http://www.portlandballet.org

 

maineballet

[old shoe]

Thank you! That should work well for me.

[Guest rtwood]

old shoe,

 

My dd attends the program at Portland Ballet. Great studio, wonderful teachers and lots of drop in classes over the summer. You can check out the website at http://www.portlandballet.org

 

maineballet

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

My husband is looking at a job in Portland Maine and we will be going there next week in order to have more interviews and so that I can look at Portland Ballet and Maine State Ballet. I noticed your post and would like to find out from you any information you can give me about both. My dd is 11. Just finished SI at Princeton Ballet School (American Repitory Ballet) in New Jersey and will begin her second SI on Monday with Boston Ballet. Where she is now is a good school but she really just wants to do ballet and is currently doing other forms of dance at her studio including ballet. I had my sister-in-law look at the two web sites. She is a ballet teacher and former principle dancer with the American Repitory Ballet trained at the Princeton Ballet School. She gave me some good information and questions to ask but I think if I can talk to a parent it would be very helpful. Thank you for your help. I can give you my email if you need it. Thank you.

 

rtwood

[maineballet]

My daughter is 12 and will be in the CORPS ballet program at Portland Ballet this fall. They are making an exception for her, usually you need to be in high school. She is attending her third summer progam as we speak, at Walnut Hill. She has been to American Academy of Ballet, Bossov Ballet, the Youth Dance program at Walnut Hill last summer and the senior program at Walnut Hill this year. I am not an expert by any means on Maine State. My only contacts are with people who have moved their kids from Maine State to Portland, so their opinions are probably not very objective. Maine State is a Vaganova program, a much larger school that teaches other dance forms and much larger class sizes. Portland Ballet for my dd is an ideal, nurturing environment. They encourage their dancers to go out in the summer and see the other programs. Maine State encourages their dancers to stay at their inhouse program over the summer. You should call Portland Ballet and talk to the artisitc director, Genie O'Brien 207-772-9671. If you go to their website, www.portlandballet.org check the calendar. There are two upcoming performances that are actually collaberations with other dance schools. Portland Dances is in August and Cappriccio is in September. If you have any other question please feel free to e-mail me linnell@greenturtle.com

 

Maine Ballet

[old shoe]

I took the advice offered here last fall and have taken drop-in classes several times this summer at Portland Ballet. It seems like a good place to me, but I don't have much sense of what it would be like for an 11 year old since I'm 59!

 

There are lots of drop in classes for teens/adults this summer, but I'm not sure how they would categorize an 11 year old. The people seem really nice, so I would call and ask if she can take class if she's going to Maine with you. The drop-in classes are MWF advanced at 9 or 9:30, TTh int/adv at 6, and mixed on Sat a.m. I'm pretty sure it's all posted on the web site. I left my schedule in Maine so can't check.

 

I looked at some other studios outside Portland and discovered it is worth the drive to Portland Ballet. I don't know about other options in Portland itself.

Good luck!

[Treefrog]

My daughter took the Saturday morning class just last weekend (old shoe, were you there?). At 13, she was the youngest there. She said it was a great class, and we both felt the ambience was wonderful. I talked briefly with Genie O'Brien; she was very welcoming. I certainly left feeling that if we lived in Maine (if only!), my kids would be dancing there.

[old shoe]

Rats, I missed a chance to meet a real, live Ballet Talk person! No, I haven't been to the Saturday class yet although I may go soon. I've been MW mornings and T and TH evenings.

[maineballet]

Old Shoe,

 

I'd love to know who you are! I too, have not had the pleasure of meeting a ballet alertnik in person. My daughter will be back in drop in class starting Monday August 8th. I usually sit at the reception desk and answer the phones while she's is class. Please stop and say hi!

 

Maine Ballet