Picking a new school?

[Skittl1321]

As many of you know, I am planning on moving in the fall, and will have to leave the most desirable ballet situation I could have dreamed of.

 

I am looking for new schools now, and have emailed several schools in the areas I am looking to move to.

 

One of the schools, which otherwise seems perfect, has one strange thing. The pointe class is BEFORE the technique class for the day.

 

Everything else about this place is conducive to a positive ballet atmosphere. Classes are on sprung marley floors, 3 technique classes a week are required to take pointe, students must take 3 ballet classes a week and be in the Intermediate or above level to take a jazz class, placement is done by ability- not age, they don't sell a certain pointe shoe and make everyone wear it.

 

How much importance should I place on the timing of this pointe class? If everything else seems right, should I just figure out how to warm myself up before class and take the schedule as is, should I stop taking pointe, or should I just continue my search?

 

 

(In this particular thread, I'm not looking for school suggestions. Just your opinion on criteria for a new school.)

[Mel Johnson]

IMO, the timing of the pointe class is unfortunate, but not enough to cause me to jettison the whole school. I'd warm up first, then take the pointe class, and see how things develop there. Don't stop looking, though, as sometimes there are diamonds that are NOT in the rough hiding out there.

[Victoria Leigh]

Tough question, with all the positive things they seem to show. However, pointe class before technique just makes no sense at all. The best way to know would be to wait until you move and go watch their dancers and the classes.

[Skittl1321]

Thank you both for your advice.

 

The reason I am posting so far before the move, is I am trying to narrow down where I am going to go observe. Because we are moving at the beginning of the fall, I don't want to miss to much of the term, just deciding where to take class!

[Memo]

I had this situation at my school last year. Luckily we found a way around it this year. But when you only have from 4-9 for classes and space is limited we had to combine a class one day a week for pointe. One group had their pointe class after their tec but the other group had it first then their tec, because they were joined for pointe. Dont count them out because of it it might be the logistics of the schedule.