Ballet Residency Programs

[vagansmom]

I can understand your parents' concerns about the education. I have a relative living on one of the Mariana Islands. He originally sent his kids to boarding schools in Hawaii because of the dismal education prospects on his island. But he soon learned that the Hawaiian standards weren't as good as he'd hoped so his kids are now in school in New Zealand.

 

Northern CT is full of excellent private boarding schools: Hotchkiss and Taft are internationally famous, Westminster School, Canterbury School, The Gunnery, Ethel Walker School are also some of the fine private boarding schools in the area. All are located within traveling distance of Nutmeg Ballet which is itself on par with the other schools listed in the above posts. Nutmeg itself also offers boarding but most of the students there attend the local public high school. It would be possible to dorm at Nutmeg and attend a private school as a day student.

 

As a private tutor, I'm affiliated with some of the above schools.

 

Westover School in central CT has an arrangement with the school of Connecticut Dance!, formerly the Hartford Ballet, (I'm not sure of its present name - it may still be called the Hartford Ballet School). Westover students apparently are able to get complete ballet training this way. The Hartford School has a very good ballet program.

 

My kids have attended a private boarding school as full scholarship recipients. My daughter dances at Nutmeg. I'm grateful that she's managed to get the best of both worlds without sacrificing either academics or ballet.

 

Some of the above schools are noted for their scholarship programs. The main problem for anyone wishing to attend one of them is that you have to take the SSAT's in the fall and apply to the schools by around Jan. 15 - Feb. 1 in order to be considered for acceptance the following fall. But if you're looking to combine the best academics with fine ballet training, this might be do-able for you.

 

I also think that SAB is a great choice if you also attend the Professional Children's School. They give out very good scholarships.

[Guest sarez]

The Rock School is affiliated with CAPA (The School of Creative and Performing Arts) and a little with Friends Select. CAPA is a public school, but you have to live in Philadelphia, and Friends Select is private.

[pigtailgirl]

I hope I can put this here.. Okay.. So! Can anyone tell me information about the following:

-SAB

-Nutmeg

-Walnut Hill

-UBA

-NCSA

-VSA

-Harid

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I would like to know which ones you like/don't like.. Good/bad things about them.. How much I could improve.. Basically any information that might help me in choosing a yearround program. My school is nolonger providing the education I need, and I know that if I want to become a professional, I need to change to a good school. Any info would be helpful, thanks!

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Also.. if you know the order of how hard the schools are to get into and what each school expects in body type and technique, etc.. Of course I'm a bit paranoid

[vrsfanatic]

pigtailgirl I believe your question is a rather subjective one. Listing an order of preference will be totally personal, not necessarily factual. There cannot be "only one way" on this for anyone.

 

The schools you have listed are all very good. They all have highly professional faculty, provide safe and clean living situations, and academic schooling. Which ones suit you, is totally up to you and your family to research and decide. Then you need to go through the audition process to see which ones you have the possibility to enter.

 

As a faculty member at Harid, of course I would encourage anyone to audition, but do it soon if you intend to switch to Harid in the fall. However, generally, the SI is a requirement for entrance into the academic school year, therefore since you did not audition for the SI, I would have to say for you, Harid is extremely difficult to enter. Although not impossible. Telephone to the administrative offices and see what they say.

 

In planning your audition schedule for next winter include Harid on your list. If you do not audition, you will never know! In the meantime, get on the Internet and research the websites of the schools you have mentioned. Visit the schools, observe classes, look at the students to see if you are of a comprable level to them for your age group. Visit the academic schools to see if you would be happy in that situation also. A visit really can tell a lot.

[BW]

pigtailgirl, vrsfanatic's very right - these schools are all well known and highly regarded and all somewhat different from each other, as well.

 

Have you useed the search function on the board for each of these? Be sure to read the sticky about "How to conduct a Search" and then see what you come up with. If you find a thread that interests you and you want to ask questions, just post on that thread. If it's in the Moms and Dads forum that is alright, one of the moderators will just move the thread into Cross Talk.

 

Here is an example of one of the best threads I came up with by searching (only in the parents' forum):Walnut Hill year round.

 

Another great thing to do is to contact these programs and ask them to send you their literature so you can sit down with your family and really look them over and go from there.

Edited June 11, 2004 by BW

[pigtailgirl]

I've been doing alot of researching and such on the above schools, and I just want some suggestions, experiences, recommendations, etc. to help me with my choice

 

Thanks for your help

[Tiffany]

Maybe you could start looking at programs according to the type of training you are receiving currently. For example, UBA, Harid, and Nutmeg are Vaganova style and VSA and Walnut Hill also lean that direction as well I think, so these would be good options for you if that is the technique that you have learned. However, NCSA and SAB teach the Balanchine technique.

[pigtailgirl]

Oh, I guess I should look into the Vaganova-based places then

[vrsfanatic]

Tiffany, although I understand what you are trying to say, perhaps you could open your mind a bit to understand that growth occurs sometimes, remarkably well, from studying things we do not know. Good ballet is good ballet. All of the schools on pigtailgirl's list are developing artistically and technically strong dancers who are getting professional jobs. It is highly recommended to remaining open minded when selecting a school in which to study. I began my ballet adventure studying in a Balanchine influenced school, continued onward, studying with a more eclectic vision and now, for the past 15 years have been working within the Vaganova mold. Having had different influences in my life has not been a bad thing.

 

There are many threads discussing this matter of staying within one program of study or to try a different one. Use the search engine to investigate. When one is considering making a change, one should remain open minded.

 

BTW, as for the schools that you have mentioned as being "Vaganova", only UBA comes close to what that actually is and in the US it is quite difficult to actually attain the standard. Although the other schools may have Russian teachers on their faculty, that does not make a school a "Vaganova School". NCSA also has a few "Vaganova" teachers on their faculty and has for a number of years.

 

Relish in the thought that...One never knows what one really whats or can do, until one allows themselves to try!

[Tiffany]

I am sorry for my lack of information about what exactly constitutes a Vaganova style school.

 

I did not mean to give the impression that one style of training is better than the other, and I certainly agree that all of these schools produce excellent dancers.

[vrsfanatic]

It is fine Tiffany, most people do refer to various programs as Vaganova technique simply because they have may have a Russian or two on staff. The nationality of a particular faculty member is not what makes a school a particular "flavor". Your input is appreciated though.

[Guest ddepoalo]

BTW, as for the schools that you have mentioned as being "Vaganova", only UBA comes close to what that actually is and in the US it is quite difficult to actually attain the standard. Although the other schools may have Russian teachers on their faculty, that does not make a school a "Vaganova School". NCSA also has a few "Vaganova" teachers on their faculty and has for a number of years.

Hi -

 

This caught my attention. I was told that Harid is strictly Vaganova, but from you have said this is apparently not true? What would be a more accurate description of the program there?

 

Thanks so much,

Donna

[cececinderella]

didn't gillian murphy go to NC?

and now she's a principal at ABT =)

[vicarious]

We've just moved to Maine so dd can attend BOSSOV and all the kids go to MCI. I understand MCI has an excellent Ivy league academic program. Another rather unknown pre-pro school is EAST STREET BALLET in Hadley Mass. many of their students attend either Deerfield Acadamy (HS) or Bement. ESB is a small new school run by Ruth and Noble Barker. It's very influenced by Balanchine. One of their 13 yo is attending Miami City Ballet this summer as a level 7. Others have been to Chautauqua, The Rock, NC, Boston (of course). They are a strong group of young dancers. We moved from there because we had such a long commute. If we'd been able to live in Hadley I'm not sure if we would have come here. The training is so good in both places.

 

 

 

 

(As a moderator, I fixed that Chautauqua spelling for you, vicarious. )

Edited July 3, 2004 by BW

[lillianna]

San Francisco Ballet School does have a dorm for year round students. This past year was the first year that it was in operation so the word has not gotten around to everyone. The ballet school is excellent but the academic situation is not as excellent. Students complete their high school through a public independence high school. They don't have a lot to offer but did assist my daughter to do some courses through the local community college that would give her both high school and college credit. The school is mainly Balanchine but also has more classical teachers.