Washington School of Ballet-level placement question

[Anonymous]

My daughter recently started at the Washington School of Ballet and she has been placed in a level that is way below her skill level.
Due to Covid, she had to audition on zoom. Would it be unreasonable to ask them to reconsider her placement? Anyone have experience with this?

[Anonymous]

Don’t be “that parent”. It’s quite possible she has some technique issues that are better worked on with the class she’s assigned to. If she’s indeed in the wrong placement they’ll figure it out and move her accordingly. Let the professional instructors do their job.

[Anonymous]

Don't be that parent . Let the experts be the experts. If you don't trust their decision making go somewhere else.

[Anonymous]

I initially felt that way as well, 7 years later and couldn't be happier.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My daughter recently started at the Washington School of Ballet and she has been placed in a level that is way below her skill level.
Due to Covid, she had to audition on zoom. Would it be unreasonable to ask them to reconsider her placement? Anyone have experience with this?

If you think she is way below then yes. But TWSB wants PERFECT technique. They move very slowly. My daughter is on pointe and has never done anything but chasse across the floor. No leaps, no turns, etc. So even if your daughter can do a triple pirouette, if her technique isn't flawless they don't care.

[Anonymous]

How far below are you thinking? You were thinking en pointe level 4 and they placed her level 1? If so, yes, say something. If you think she is level 2 and they put her as 1b, no.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My daughter recently started at the Washington School of Ballet and she has been placed in a level that is way below her skill level.
Due to Covid, she had to audition on zoom. Would it be unreasonable to ask them to reconsider her placement? Anyone have experience with this?

If you think she is way below then yes. But TWSB wants PERFECT technique. They move very slowly. My daughter is on pointe and has never done anything but chasse across the floor. No leaps, no turns, etc. So even if your daughter can do a triple pirouette, if her technique isn't flawless they don't care.

But when do they actually start doing more diagonals?

Fwiw, from what I’ve seen in recent years, technique in the upper levels was not what I were of call flawless.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My daughter recently started at the Washington School of Ballet and she has been placed in a level that is way below her skill level.
Due to Covid, she had to audition on zoom. Would it be unreasonable to ask them to reconsider her placement? Anyone have experience with this?

If you think she is way below then yes. But TWSB wants PERFECT technique. They move very slowly. My daughter is on pointe and has never done anything but chasse across the floor. No leaps, no turns, etc. So even if your daughter can do a triple pirouette, if her technique isn't flawless they don't care.

But when do they actually start doing more diagonals?

Fwiw, from what I’ve seen in recent years, technique in the upper levels was not what I were of call flawless.
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What does diagonals mean? Do you mean crossing the floor? They've always done it, but it is very very simple. I have no idea when they do more complex things. We left after level 4 when my dd was on pointe for 2 years and couldn't do anything but chasse.

[Anonymous]

Yes, diagonals refers to movement across the floor, not just center work in one spot.

It’s telling that the PTP dancers, especially in the A section, are generally not from TWSB. I wonder whether the in-house students are just not up to that standard, but why are they strung along for so many years?!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, diagonals refers to movement across the floor, not just center work in one spot.

It’s telling that the PTP dancers, especially in the A section, are generally not from TWSB. I wonder whether the in-house students are just not up to that standard, but why are they strung along for so many years?!

No one calls it diagonals. It is crossing the floor or across the floor. And, duh, not everyone is meant to be a professional ballerina. TWSB offers kids who love it a chance to dance throughout high school. There is no promise of joining the company.

[Anonymous]

Yes, it would be unreasonable. The teacher will see if the class is below her skill level and will move her up if necessary.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, diagonals refers to movement across the floor, not just center work in one spot.

It’s telling that the PTP dancers, especially in the A section, are generally not from TWSB. I wonder whether the in-house students are just not up to that standard, but why are they strung along for so many years?!

No one calls it diagonals. It is crossing the floor or across the floor. And, duh, not everyone is meant to be a professional ballerina. TWSB offers kids who love it a chance to dance throughout high school. There is no promise of joining the company.

Duh back to you. Diagonals refers to the movement from one to the opposite one, crossing center of the floor. It is indeed a term that is used.

TWSB dancers do not do a lot of this, at least not before the very upper levels. Lots of very detailed barre and center work with limited movement. There is an emphasis on precision but it comes at an expense.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, diagonals refers to movement across the floor, not just center work in one spot.

It’s telling that the PTP dancers, especially in the A section, are generally not from TWSB. I wonder whether the in-house students are just not up to that standard, but why are they strung along for so many years?!

No one calls it diagonals. It is crossing the floor or across the floor. And, duh, not everyone is meant to be a professional ballerina. TWSB offers kids who love it a chance to dance throughout high school. There is no promise of joining the company.

Duh back to you. Diagonals refers to the movement from one to the opposite one, crossing center of the floor. It is indeed a term that is used.

TWSB dancers do not do a lot of this, at least not before the very upper levels. Lots of very detailed barre and center work with limited movement. There is an emphasis on precision but it comes at an expense.

“one corner..”

[Anonymous]

Other studios will move faster, but it doesn't mean better technique. TWSB is slow and not for everyone, but their students are very well trained and better able to tackle harder moves without injuring themselves or it looking like a hot mess.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Other studios will move faster, but it doesn't mean better technique. TWSB is slow and not for everyone, but their students are very well trained and better able to tackle harder moves without injuring themselves or it looking like a hot mess.

I don't think this is true. My daughter was the best in her level at TWSB. She audition for SAB and did not get it the first time. The second time she got in. I was told it was because she not do center work, combinations, leaps, turns....all things she had never seen at TWSB. She was not able to tackle harder moves until moving to another studio and getting better training.