summer programs

[Guest Medora]

How is the Joffey Ballet School's summer program? How is Virginia School of the Arts? My dance teacher says I should audition for Washington and ABT and Joffery but should shoot for something a little lower than Houston. Why? Is Houston really hard to get into or something? I heard they are really good and would rather go there than ABT unlesss get into New York.

 

Also, Ms. Leigh, my dance company is performing there annual performance at our city Theater on the day of WBS's auditon. Could I audition by drop insomeother time? Thanks

[Mel Johnson]

Joffrey in NYC is usually very crowded in the summer, but the teachers there are historically very well-versed in seeing much more than you would think possible, and spreading attention equitably around the studio. It's fun, though, and attracts a lot of very personable ("Joffrey") people. The school has a lot of the "neighborhood ballet school" atmosphere to it, still, but it's just that the neighborhood is NYC, in the West Village!

[Victoria Leigh]

Medora, contact me at VLeigh@washingtonballet.org and I will be happy to set up another time for you to audition.

[Perfect Performer]

Houston goes for Body - types. They like Short thin people. Because we had a student who went to there school and then came here and she was short and thin. And for the SI audition, A handful of girls from my school auditioned and the only one who got in was a girl who was short and thin. And the only reason I say it was body types is because she wasn't one of the better dancers at our school. But I hear they have a really nice program. So Good Luck to you!

[Guest Medora]

I am short and thin. I have hyperextended legs, good feet, no hips, and so on. God must have liked me because he gave me a really good body for dance. Is it really hard to get into Houston though? Why would my teacher encourage me to auditon for ABT and Washngton but not Houston? Houston looks really good. But then again, maybe she was thinking in terms of me getting a scholarship. But I can't think it would be harder to get a scholarship or an acception to Houston as opposed to anywhere else. Getting a scholarship is very unlikely anyway. So what's the deal?

[Victoria Leigh]

Dancers, please do not post things that are totally speculation in terms of Summer Programs. You have no idea whether Houston goes only by body type, and it presents a very unfair picture to say so. I happen to know that they have several very lovely tall dancers in the company, and it is not at all a short company. It is not as extreme in heights as a couple of others, but it is not just a short company. All professional dancers are relatively thin, but well proportioned. Therefore SI programs generally also prefer dancers who are not overweight. That is a given.

 

Medora, as to your chances at Houston, they should be just as good as at the other programs you mentioned, and if you want to try for that program I don't see why not. However, your teacher may have some particular reason for her words about that, so I would ask her about it. There are some programs I advise certain students to attend or try for, and others that I do not, if I feel that the training would not be right for them at this point in time.

[Guest boydancer05]

I go to Houston year round and will be happy to tell you anything you need to know.

 

 

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[Guest Medora]

Yes, boydancer05, I would like to know anything you can tell me. What are the classes like, how difficult are they, do you have to be a perfect technician to go to Houston, how many hours to the students at the sumer program dance each day, just anything you think a prospective student would like to know. What have your experiences been like? Thank you!

[Mel Johnson]

These questions can be discussed "in the clear" on the board, because they don't contain any sensitive information that might lead to stalking or spamming. Just be aware that if you post "Mr. Xxxxx's classes stink, but Ms. Yyyyy's rock!", you're bound to find a partisan of Mr. Xxxxx, who will turn this thread into a running argument. Editorializing is permissible, but remember, you have to be able to defend what you say!;)

[Guest dancergal]

I went to Joffrey in NYC last summer. Mel Johnson is right... they have very crowded classes in the beginning, but if you stay the whole 8 weeks the classes get smaller. The teachers are ok... but we had the same teacher almost every technique class, which got a little boring and annoying, especially since I didn't like the teacher very much. For the level I was in, there were HUGE breaks in between the classes (we're talking about maybe 2-3 hours), and there wasn't any air conditioning, so it was always hot. So if you go there, bring lots of water because if you don't keep yourself hydrated you'll probably get sick.

[Mel Johnson]

That's an Ancient Tradition at Joffrey - Mr. Joffrey didn't believe that the studios should be air conditioned, in order to prepare dancers for all sorts of awful climates when performing. Sometimes this preparation came in handy, when we were performing in outdoor venues like Wolf Trap! It made us find all sorts of excuses for going to see Mrs. D. in her nice air conditioned office!;)

 

The long time between classes was engineered into the system, too, by Mr. Joffrey. He believed that dancers learned from one another, so the doors to all studios used to be left open during class, so that people could see what was being taught in class. If they don't do that anymore, they should juggle the class schedule a little more to accommodate the present situation.

[Guest boydancer05]

they look for mny different things. one thing i think they like most is potential to be better. the classes vary. my expieriences there have been good over the past years but it's not for everyone. if u need to know anything else let me know.