BALLET HELP DESK

After-School Training Reviews

Programs Reviewed: 112
Total Reviews: 206

Adage Ballet Academy

After-School Reviews

General

Who is Reviewing?

1
1
4

Program

6

Season Attended

1
3
2

# Of Levels In School

  • "Beginner level (preparatory - pre-pointe), three tiers of Primary (foundations with beginning pointe, essentials, and advanced) all after school levels. Adagio tier is for full time training for those serious for professional training usually older high schoolers and postgraduate level. Movement to another level can happen anytime of the year as the artistic director sees fit."
  • "5"
  • "There are 3 levels in Primary + Adagio (day program), 1 level Prepatory (pre-pointe)"
  • "Adagio is highest level"
  • "The gas perpetuate and primary (broken into 3 levels) then day program Adagio"
  • "Preparatory (beginner), Primary with three levels (Foundation, Essential & Advanced) and Adagio (full time program)."

Dancer Age

1
1
1
2
1

Hours of Dance Each Week

1
3
1
1

Gender

6

Was Student Scholarshipped?

6

Years At School

1
2
1
2

Leveling by Age or Skill?

5
1

Teacher Background

6

Parents Required to Volunteer?

6

Parent Volunteer Requirement

  • "Parents can opt in from a few hours at performances to heavy involvement with things like costumes (big lift this year) to the annual gala"
  • "Parents could volunteer if they want to at performances or help sewing costumes"
  • "Option to do things like help with costumes and at theater"

Curriculum

Days Per Week

2
3
1

Classes Per Day

4
2

Weekend Classes?

6

Weekend Schedule

6

Students Per Class

6

Weekly Repertoire or Variations?

1
5

Pointe Classes Per Week

1
1
2
1
1

Live Music in Technique Class?

6

Dedicated Men's Program?

6

Men Taught by Male Teacher?

2

Men Taught Batterie?

2

Boys In Level

2
4

Separate Technique Class for Boys

2

Techniques Taught

6

Technique Teacher Rotation

1
5

Did School Director Teach?

1
1
4

Classroom Corrections

6

Attention From Teachers

Very Little
1
5
A Lot

Quality of Instruction

Poor
2
1
3
Excellent

Did Technique Improve?

Not at all
2
4
Tremendously

Curriculum Comments

  • "Technique, pre-pointe, theory, conditioning, and yin yoga"
  • "Wide variety of classical styles taught (French, Classical, Balanchine) Variations, pointe, technique, yoga/conditioning/stretching & theory class"
  • "Classical Technique rooted in French and CPYB"
  • "Ballet technique, yoga, HITT classes, repertoire/variations"
  • "Classical technique. Technique, Pointe, Variations, Yoga, Conditioning, Partnering Contemporary, Theory"
  • "Technique, pointe, variations, yoga, conditioning, modern, and theory."

Partnering

Frequency of Partnering Class

2
4

Partner Ratio

2

Who Taught?

2

How Much Partnering Improved

No
1
1
Tremendously

Quality of Pas Teaching

Poor
1
1
Excellent

How Were Corrections Given?

2

Description of Partnering Class

  • "One student and Guillaume one of the teachers also partnered, sometimes a younger male student would partner"
  • "Once a week. Male teacher would sometimes partner, younger male dancer would come in, and dancers from PNB’s PD program would come"

Additional Comments

  • "Frustrating to have a younger male student who couldn’t really partner more than one of the girls"
  • "It was okay; made better by having PNB students come"

Other Classes

Other Dance Styles

1
5

Other Class Quality

Poor
1
Excellent

Contemporary Offered?

5
1

Types of Contemporary Classes Taught

1

Contemporary Quality

Poor
1
Excellent

Master Classes?

1
5

Master Classes Description

  • "One class with Natalie Lecznar."
  • "Natalie Lecznar, former Rockette & Taylor Swift tour dancer"
  • "One master class by a Taylor Swift / former Rockette dancer"
  • "One master class by Benjamin Freemantle"
  • "Benjamin Freemantle came for one master class."

Strength & Conditioning

Physical Training Offered?

6

Physical Training Types

4
2
3
2
6

Physical Training Schedule

2
4

Were Trainers Certified?

6

Physical Training Quality

Poor
1
1
2
2
Excellent

Strength & Conditioning Comments

  • "Yoga and conditioning instructions were provided to work at home during off days or anytime to work on flexibility and strength."
  • "They now have a reformer. Men had specific conditioning exercises. Private Pilates classes also offered by Leslie Rausch"
  • "Excellent yoga classes, Pilates taught by Lesley Rausch who is fantastic"
  • "We felt there was too much emphasis on yoga"
  • "Overemphasis on Yoga, Really became miserable as it was taken way too seriously and if you didn’t do a position perfectly (who can do all positions perfectly) you would be yelled at or told you weren’t working hard enough. Pilates was offered by Leslie Rausch and she was fantastic. Loved her Pilates sessions"
  • "There was a lot of yoga, 2.5 hours a week, but dancer didn’t mind. Sequences for conditioning was six weeks that got repetitive."

Injuries/Health/ Mental Health

Are Doctors Available?

6

How Parents Notified?

2
4

How Treatment Obtained?

  • "Yes"
  • "Some dancers had referrals to a certain PT"
  • "On our own."
  • "Went to physician"

PT Available?

6

Was There a Recovery Plan?

2
2
2

Describe Recovery Plan

  • "In collaboration w/ physicians length of time mo dance, at home plan, slowly integrated back at barre w/ some limits (ie no deep plié, no releve) Cautious to get dancer back healthy"
  • "They are really good at helping dancers through recovery"
  • "Left to professionals help and communicated to teachers"
  • "There was a plan for dancers but as the year went on seemed to be less focused"

Mental Health Therapists Available?

5
1

Were Students Given Fat Talk?

6

Staff Made Comments About Bodies?

4
2

Were Students Weighed?

6

Was "Coded Language" Used?

3
3

Additional Comments

  • "References available to licensed therapists and they refer students to Avant Physical Therapy"
  • "Comments would be made like you’re out of shape, you don’t work as hard as X dancer, you’re never going to progress. Guillaume Basso would also regularly lose his cool and lecture the class for 30, 40 + minutes about how dancers weren’t serious, couldn’t focus, would never make it, not picking up choreography enough, yelled out for getting the same corrections, It was CRAZY and so demoralizing; not to mention how much money we are spending for class and they get lectured instead of teaching. My dancer would keep it together in the studio but start crying in the car or when their back was turned to the studio. One of the worst things was both Abby Jayne (AD) and Guillaume would tell the class REGULARLY that traditional school was a waste of time, kids weren’t learning anything in the class, sitting in chairs at school was terrible for ballet, there’s no way they would ever let their own kids go to regular school. Mind you a significant number of students were in private, academically rigorous schools. The encouraged students to drop out of this high achieving schools to be in the top Adagio tier. So few dancers actually make it to a professional career it’s crazy that they would lecture kids about academics when they themselves never went to real school (either home school or at POBS, conservatory in France). Do they not realize parents are in charge of their kids and it is NOT their place to tell kids in person school is a waste of time."
  • "Teachers would often get mad during rehearsals for shows and take out on students. They would talk negatively about other programs and were often negative when in a stressful mood"
  • "Adage became a tough place to be. AD’s really seemed to get angry with students. Lots of yelling and blaming students especially as it came closer to performances. They seemed stressed and would shockingly take it out on students in front of them. The worst were the lectures that would be given by Guillaume in particular: stopping class to lecture students sometimes up to 45 minutes vs teaching"

Communication

Formal Orientation?

6

Handboook & Paperwork

6

Quality of Communication?

Poor
1
1
3
1
Excellent

Who Received Communication?

6

Exams

Formal Exam?

6

School Culture

How Supported Did Student Feel By Staff?

Not
1
1
2
2
Completely

How Supportive Were Students of One Another?

Not
1
1
2
2
Completely

Describe School Culture

  • "Supportive, caring, loving community, focused, and respectful of one another."
  • "Focused, professional, high expectations"
  • "Pretend to be joyful"
  • "Dedicated, top-down approach, supportive when you agreed with what they did"
  • "Social media isn’t reflective of what’s actually going on"
  • "Classmates were supportive. Teachers strict."

Placement Notification Timing

  • "At a parent, student, artistic director and teacher conference"
  • "Will be in August"
  • "Some students told in the spring, some in August"
  • "Late winter/spring"
  • "The school is closing so zero notification for next year"
  • "School is closing so no placement for next year."

How Dancer Was Notified

4
2

Dancer Had Mentor?

3
3

Mentoring Details

  • "Older Adagio student helped my daughter sew her first pointe shoes and gave great suggestions to my daughter."
  • "Informal for some younger dancers"
  • "Lesley Rausch was a saving grace for my dancer. She was so kind and thoughtful and compassionate. My dancer loved having privates with her"
  • "No mentoring"
  • "Informal mentor from one of the faculty but not the ADs"
  • "Informal"

Overall School Culture

Lord of the Flies
1
2
2
1
Warm & Inclusive

Building & Surrounding Area

Security Around Building

5
1

Safety of Area Around School?

Not Safe
3
2
1
Extremely Safe

Studio Space

Cramped
1
3
2
Lots of space

Studio Cleanliness

Dirty
1
5
Spotless

Performance Opportunities

Company Affiliated?

6

Programs Performed

5
1

Shows per Program

4
2

Casting

1
5

Peformance Calendar

  • "School participated in a late fall community performance, spring school show, and summer community event."
  • "Fall performance, Spring Showcase, Seattle International Dance Festival & the top tier travels to guest perform"
  • "Fall festival performance, guesting opportunities 2x a year, spring performance, Dance Festival"
  • "Fall show and spring show"
  • "1 any Nutcracker and 1 act Sleeping Beauty. Adagio tier had other opportunities but they were slim"
  • "Nutcracker and end of year show. It was not was a studio performance with some community dancers and the teachers."

Competition

Competitions required?

6

Did Dancer Compete?

4
2

Competition Categories

2
2

Competitions Attended

  • "YAGP, ADC IBC, Ballet Championships, World Ballet Championships"
  • "YAGP, ADC|IBC, could do others if wanted"

Solo Rehearsals

2

Pas de Deux Rehearsals

2

Ensemble Rehearsals

2

Costume Responsibility

2

Did School Tution Cover Competition Fees?

2

What Were the Additional Fees?

  • "Private lesson costs"
  • "Private lessons"

Competition Fees Clear?

2

Competition Fees Reasonable?

2

Why?

  • "Just normal private lesson costs (including choreography for contemporary) 1x per week required"
  • "Just paid for privates as many as you want + cost of competition"

Experience Description

  • "Excellent - learned a lot"
  • "Great at the competitions except NO teacher for the school ever came to a competition to support us. Parents had to figure out how to help out back stage etc. It was crazy to me that there was zero support"

Non-Competing Dancers Left Out?

3
1

Why?

  • "Only students age 15 and older can compete. My child was only 11 this year."
  • "It was a choice"
  • "A lot of attention was given to those competing"
  • "No one in dancers level competed."

Private Lessons

Private Lessons Available?

6

Are Private Lessons Encouraged?

Not at all
1
2
3
Strongly recommended

Who Takes Privates?

6

Private Lessons equally available to all students?

Strongly disagree
3
2
1
Strongly agree

Explain

  • "All booking is done online first come first serve. No choice of another answer for this question as I think it’s equitable if one really wanted a spot or needed it."
  • "Sometimes the comp kids got priority the beginning of the year"
  • "Comp dancers certainly got priority; only comp dancers got privates with Lesley Rausch"
  • "Anyone who wanted them were in a weekly schedule"
  • "At the beginning of the year priority was for those competing and could be hard to find a slot"

Summer Intensives

School Holds an SI?

6

School's SI Required?

6

Outside SI OK?

1
5

How Did School Help?

  • "My child did not apply to other SI’s. Though they provided a professional photographer with the help of the teachers and artistic director to help guide poses for the best photos. Privates could be booked to speak specifically about SI’s."
  • "Students & parents can chose to meet with directors before and and they will council for results if the students/parents want to"
  • "If you want you could ask the AD for recommendations + help with videos"
  • "Students were encouraged to apply anywhere they wanted and complete on own. Teachers supportive of rejected"
  • "They didn’t except would help with video as needed"
  • "They discouraged younger kids from attending summer intensives elsewhere but encouraged practicing auditioning. They made a list of programs and sent it as a mass email of places they recommended."

Outcomes

Percent That Went Full-Time

2
1

Percent That Went To College

1
2

How Much Support Did Dancer Receive in Taking the Next Steps in Ballet?

No support
1
2
Lots of support

Support Description

  • "Haven’t gotten there yet but up to students where they audition for. Biggest help was with videos"
  • "They did not support movement to another ballet school"
  • "Since the school is closing they just recommended some local ballet schools but they were really trying to get some students to move across the country with them to very isolated town(s), I don’t believe they’ve actually figured out what they are doing next year as it’s been vague"

Program Grades

Overall Dance Instruction

2
2
1
1

Continuing Ballet Placement

1
2
2
1

Emotional Support

1
2
1
2

Performance Opportunities

1
1
2
1
1

Program Comments

Program's Best Aspect

  • "Kindness and the way they’re able to push each student to reach a higher level of technique or strength."
  • "Serious ballet training, you get out of it what you put into it. Performance opportunities and ability to compete"
  • "When they have their emotions pulled together it’s excellent training, performance opportunities in 24-25, ability to compete. Love the studio cats"
  • "Technique"
  • "Small classes, working with teachers like Leslie Rausch"
  • "Small classes and the student community."

Program's Worst Aspect

  • "Schedule changes or additions for rehearsals can be done with only one week notice."
  • "Not always easy, teacher can be really tough"
  • "The lectures, how cruel Guillaume could be in class, getting picked on, weird approach to leveling students (it always seems like they have different rules for different students)"
  • "Negativity from teachers"
  • "Too much emphasis on yoga, the contemporary teacher was toxic and my dancer dreaded class. The AD’s really let the community down by seemingly secretly planning to leave town and leaving the dancers in a lurch. A lot of students left mid year and there was drama with a few families that were treated in a very negative way. There is a “my way or the highway” attitude without any realization that parents are the guardians of their children and not the other way around. Seemed like a lack of maturity and experience in running a studio."
  • "Not enough ballet technique and pointe hours. Too much focus on perfecting barre."

What Changes Would Be Helpful?

  • "Built in rehearsal schedules earlier than currently given."
  • "Add in modern (doing that next year), more boys but that’s every program"
  • "They are closing down in Seattle and moving to Pennsylvania. They weren’t honest about this. Would change their honesty. Would change how much of a temper Guillaume has and how he can pick on students"
  • "Teachers to be certified to work with children in a positive way. Words were very much inappropriate for young adults"
  • "AD’s need to examine how the interact with students and how they treat people"
  • "Bigger studio space. Less conditioning and yoga for more longer technique and pointe classes. Prefer not to combine different level classes for modern and conditioning. Before performances there were no pointe classes."

Anything Else We Should Know?

  • "Most caring community and students can work at their own pace. Tools are given to work at home for more flexibility or strength. Parent conferences and parent observations done 6x a year."
  • "If you are a serious dancer this is the program for you"
  • "Don’t go there. It looks great on Social Media but honestly it is not a fun place to be for the more advanced / older students."
  • "For a student who wishes to stay only at adage, it can be a great fit. Not for those who may wish to pursue a different studio afterwards."
  • "Be wary of sending your kids away to be immersed in a school 24x7"
  • "Pretty intense and they make students memorize preset barre. Students were sometimes lectured in class to work harder and do better. Patience was sometimes short with students. School is closing and didn’t notify families ahead of time of their plans of moving. They didn’t want students to search for a new studio. Later they emailed parents a list of schools they approved of but still wanted to control when students auditioned or attended trial classes and got upset when it was during regularly held class time."
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