What To Do??

[BalletJewel]

Hi Everyone,

I guess I could write about a six page document on all the advice I need. But I will start small. My dd is 13 and has always loved ballet. She has been dancing since age of 2. She has never faltered on her dream. We are at our 4th studio. She's been with this current teacher for 4 years now. My first problem I'll address is that I know what this teacher has told me about my daughter but she has never been anywhere else. She had done a local performance weekend with her company (where other companies come to take class and perform) but you do not get any feed back there. This teacher is on staff also at a professional school in the area teaching. We have never done a SI. I know it's time but there is so much out there that I do not where to start. I've also been thinking about trying to find classes at other studio's for her to get a look at what is out there. My biggest stumbling block is that everytime I try to bring these things up with her teacher, she is very negative. Nothing seems to be the right answer. I know that she would like to keep my dd safely tucked inside her studio but I just wander how I should filter this negativity. Does she truly have my daughters interest at heart? My husband and I are both willing to do what is necessary for her to achieve her dreams. I would like her to get out there and make sure this is truly what she wants. UGH!!!!! I don't know where to begin. Any advise on this will be greatly appreciated. I hope I'm not rambling to much but there is so much that I need to think about that I get lost. Thanks so much!

 

*edited by momof3

[Victoria Leigh]

Hi Ballet Jewel, welcome to Ballet Talk for Dancers

 

Have you taken your daughter to a pre-professional school for evaluation? Where are you in the Atlanta area? There is, of course, the Atlanta Ballet, however there are some other very professional schools. Give me an idea of the location and I will try to help you.

[vrsfanatic]

It is never a bad idea to have your child seen by other schools. The reveiws may be mixed on training quality, but rarely on the talent of the child. A word of caution however...no serious school of ballet will consider the training your child received before the age of 8 at a professional level of study. Do audition this year for various SIs. it is a fabulous experience to audition and also the beginning of finding out where your child may stand in terms of talent pool and level of training.

[BalletJewel]

Hi Ms. Leigh and thanks for responding. We are East of Atlanta. I have not taken her anywhere. Like I stated her teacher is not real big on us doing anything else. I am in touch with Mom of 3 darlings and she is the one who got me interested in the idea of going to other classes. Once again, I'm willing to do the job on getting her where she needs to be but I just feel like we need to see what someone else thinks. She needs to get out of the area to see what it's going to take. Thanks Again!

[Victoria Leigh]

Okay, BalletJewel, Momof3 knows the area really well. I just moved here. She is with a VERY good school in the south east of Atlanta, I think....not yet sure of exactly where she is. I am north of Atlanta, in Alpharetta, also at a VERY good school. I don't what is available due east. You may have to do some driving. I'm doing some open classes next week, Mon. thru Thurs. at 5:00 at Metropoltan Ballet Theatre in Alpharetta. If you bring her up for a class, I can give you an evaluation.

[Victoria Leigh]

Ballet Jewel, it seems that you are somewhat closer to Georgia Youth Ballet, in Fayetteville, than to Metropolitan in Alpharetta. I would suggest you take her there, or to Atlanta Ballet for the evaluation. Hopefully there will be a recommendation for a teacher at least somewhat closer to you!

[BalletJewel]

Ms. Leigh,

I was just printing directions to Metropolitan. Would it still be okay to bring her for an open class. Georgia Youth and Metropolitan were 2 of the schools that Mom of 3 gave me. I just would really love to hear what someone else has to say. I am willing to make the drive at least once to get an opinion. Thanks.

 

*edited by momof3

[Victoria Leigh]

Ballet Jewel, that would be fine. Write me before you come, at VLeigh7023@aol.com, so that I know when you are coming, and also can check your directions. Sometimes mapquest really screws up.

[Momof3darlings]

Actually the distance is about the same for her. She is a bit further out than we are. The difference will be in the amount of traffic she hits that time of day coming your way. Gwinnett Ballet Theatre is even closer. The director there is Lisa Sheppard Robson(I believe that is her new last name--unsure). It is another good school in the area. If you are willing to evaluate, I know you would give the mom an honest, thorough evaluation with guidance of things the student can work on to continue to progess, even at her home studio. Wish I had thought to bring her with us this week

[calamitous]

Ballet Jewel,

I know nothing about Georgia and ballet schools there but it seems that you have that advice covered. I can say that whether or not your DD's teacher likes it having her dance with other students in other places is important. The first year my DD did any classes and SI auditions outside of her school she was shocked to find a) how good some kids her age were and she wasn't as terrible as she had set herself up to be, which lead to c) the beginning of serious thinking about types of sub-goals she needed to set to meet her long term plans (and a major overhaul of that long term goal but that's another story).

 

I would worry about a teacher that does not want her students to step out of her single studio and see who else is out there dancing. It doesn't empower the students (or parents) to be active in making decisions about their dancing and life.

[livers]

Ballet Jewel-I can totally relate to your situation. My daughter a few years back was getting very serious about ballet-I really liked the studio we were at and the teacher/director really liked my daughter. Although I knew nothing about ballet my instincts told me that perhaps we should get an evaluation. The studio she was at already had her on Pointe at 10-what did I know!

 

We went for an evaluation at a pre-professional studio on accident-I literally just found an ad in a newspaper. After the evaluation the teacher told me that my daughter has had decent training but should not be on Pointe. We ended up staying at that studio that did the evaluation and she still trains there today.

It was very hard to leave our old studio-my daughter had to tell her teacher that she was leaving and why. I was very surprised that the teacher was very supportive of the move for her and to this day we visit her from time to time.

 

The others have provided some excellent advice here-go with your instincts!

[cheetah]

BalletJewel - yet another perspective to consider - some teachers initially prefer students to stay at their studio in order to ensure consistency of training. We found this out after the fact, of course. There was not a lot of support at our studio for students (ages 11 and 12 and even 13) to audition and attend SIs. The AD finally decided to hold a meeting with parents and explained that in her experience she felt students weren't ready to go away until 14 - or perhaps 13 - because of not only homesickness issues but problems with being able to adapt to different styles and techniques. She felt that at 13, but even better 14, the students would be better able to make those transitions. At those ages, if she felt students had good enough technique, she was very supportive. I don't know if her perspective was right or wrong. I do appreciate the fact that she finally came out and explained why she was coming across so negative. We also did as Ms. Leigh recommended and sought an evaluation for DS. The feedback was that he was progressing just fine, which strengthened our confidence in his home studio.