ABT Jackie Onassis School

[tango49]

AMEN to that BW!

[balletbooster]

So, wonder why they don't list ABT Studio as a company where their grads have gone? Maybe because they didn't 'graduate'? Is there really a graduation criteria or do they just consider grads those who finish high school and go off to pursue college or a career?

 

Just interesting, as this site has been updated pretty recently and this seems like the kind of information that would 'sell' the school to those doing their research.

[tango49]

Perhaps that someone like dcportrait or Vision can answer the question of 'graduation criteria' as it's a very interesting question.

 

I know that when I see the term 'graduated' from this or that ballet school it often can be very misleading as you know. So perhaps when the JKO school first got underway they were lenient as to exactly how long the student had to be there before they could be considered a 'graduate'. I would guess atleast one full year of attendance at best!

[dcportrait]

Perhaps that someone like dcportrait or Vision can answer the question of 'graduation criteria' as it's a very interesting question.

 

You know, I don't know! My daughter is a 2nd year student there, this year she plans to audition for companies (along with most of the older students there). I do know they will have a final performance in June at Alvin Ailey Studios. This school has been a work in progress, and has come a long way since it's initial 6 mos. trial run (I believe Melanie Hamrick was in that phase, and was hired to Studio Company from that). As far as "graduation criteria", that has not been addressed, so far (at least, as far as I know! - my daughter may know something entirely different, however ).

[dcportrait]

Just a heads up, the older female students of JKO school will be performing as corps for Les Sylphides in an upcoming Guggenheim Museum presentation entitled "Remembering Lucia" - February 5 & 6 - tickets are limited, however -

 

JKO school at Guggenheim

[Vision]

Sorry. I don't know either; my son attends a different program. We did consider this one seriously, though, but thought the commute would be too difficult.

[tango49]

dcportrait...Thanks for chimming in and for the headsup on the performance! I didn't realize that Melanie Hamrick had gone to the JKO School possibly during those first few months. Merde to your daughter if she will be performing at the Guggenheim!

 

Vision...Yes I wasn't sure if your son had actually taken the position at JKO...thanks for posting nontheless! I hope he's happy whereever he is now!

[support system]

It does not seem that the JKO school will be the sole provider of candidates for either the studio company or as apprentices for ABT. I know two of the talented JKO dancers that have moved on to other companies last year after being told that they did not have the body type for a future with the company.

[tu2hunny]

hello, I am a student at the school. I haven't posted in quite sometime nor have i read in a while either - but after taking a look today i wanted to clear up some confusion. Melanie Hammerick graduated from the Kirov School (now UBA) not the JKO school. I think what caused this confusion was an old picture of her from the ABT summer intensive that was used on ABTs website on the school's part of the page.

[tango49]

Tu2hunny... I did wonder about that as her bio doesn't say anything about attending JKO. Thanks for clearing that up!

[enpointe37]

Does anyone have any more recent information on the school and/or the changes it's made? I'm interested in auditioning this April. Thanks!

[shimmerynight22]

Does anybody know how many kids will be accepted this year? Also, what did the audition consist of last year? (I've read the previous posts, but I was wondering if anybody could give some more detailed information). What is Franco DeVita like in comparison to John Meehan. Well, I'm sure everything's great. Thanks for any info.!

[Robin G]

For those of you involved in this school (I believe in its third year now) do you have conferences where you are told where you stand for admittance into the ABT Studio company,etc.?

[tu2hunny]

Last year, yes we did have confrences letting us know where we stand. This year, however, since the school is under different direction, we had an evaluation class where all of our teachers were present including Mr. McKenzie and Mr. Luckett. We then recieved a packet of papers, a page from each teacher, that was divided into different categories : Effort and Attitude, Progress, Technical Strengths and Limitaions, Suggestions, and Attendance. We were not told anything about studio co. But, on the first day of classes they tell us that there is no guarantee that any of us will be put into the studio co. The school is mainly for the training of classical ballet, not a stepping-stone into the Studio Co. It is a possibility that a student will recieve a contract, they just want us to know that just because we made it into the school does not guarantee us a spot in the Studio Co. or main company.

[support system]

I believe that they are being very clear that the JKO school is in no way a feeder school for the company at this time. Prospective students should be well aware of this to mitigate disappointment down the road.