TWSB Level Promotion

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Any upper division parents who could tell us whether they are more strict about attendance (because of higher expectations/more challenging classes) or less strict (because there's such a big overall time commitment and inevitably more conflicts with other things) as they rise through TWSB?

My kids don't go to TWSB, but I think the idea is that as you become more involved in ballet/dance you have to accept that you can't do as many other things. This is one of the big reasons fewer kids keep progressing to higher levels of dance. It can become pretty all-consuming.

In my experience ballet schools tend to be pretty strict about attendance, and many studios encourage make-ups for missed classes. Attendance is usually recorded and then reviewed when they consider who is going to progress to the next level.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Any upper division parents who could tell us whether they are more strict about attendance (because of higher expectations/more challenging classes) or less strict (because there's such a big overall time commitment and inevitably more conflicts with other things) as they rise through TWSB?

The expectations in the Upper Level is high and students are expected to make every class. They'll fall behind rather quickly if they don't. However, if you miss due to illness, an emergency or even a one time school event, I've found the school to be reasonable. My daughter treats her TWSB classes with equal importance as school and has no other after school activities and I'd say her high school makes far more accommodations for her to make her TWSB classes than the other way around. She has in-school activities and clubs that she enjoys where she can explore her other interests and that works for her.

[Anonymous]

My son is at a pre-pro classical ballet school and attendance is one of the factors they consider when making advancement decisions. I assume TWSB is the same. Makes sense.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Any hope of more sections opening late in the summer if enrollment is strong? This schedule is horrible.

As much as it pains me, because we have loved TWSB, I think we might look into Seber.
DD can continue pointe, but not the nonsense that is the 4A schedule.

[Anonymous]

What is it about the schedule that you give frustrating? Genuine question. Would the commitment and schedule conflicts not be the same at other schools?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What is it about the schedule that you give frustrating? Genuine question. Would the commitment and schedule conflicts not be the same at other schools?

Mandatory 4 days a week including mid day Saturday. Goes late into the evening 2 weekdays - 8:45pm. Other schools - albeit less prestigious are more flaxible

[Anonymous]

Hmm my son goes to another ballet school and he's only 9 but his level has classes 3 days a week. 8:45 is a bit late but if your kid is older (say, 11 or 12) I don't think it's that bad...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hmm my son goes to another ballet school and he's only 9 but his level has classes 3 days a week. 8:45 is a bit late but if your kid is older (say, 11 or 12) I don't think it's that bad...

good for you. My 11 year old goes to bed at 9, so activities going that late is a bit much.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hmm my son goes to another ballet school and he's only 9 but his level has classes 3 days a week. 8:45 is a bit late but if your kid is older (say, 11 or 12) I don't think it's that bad...

good for you. My 11 year old goes to bed at 9, so activities going that late is a bit much.

Same. Plus midday class every Saturday for the whole school year wipes out not only other activities/sports but any travel.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is it about the schedule that you give frustrating? Genuine question. Would the commitment and schedule conflicts not be the same at other schools?

Mandatory 4 days a week including mid day Saturday. Goes late into the evening 2 weekdays - 8:45pm. Other schools - albeit less prestigious are more flaxible

If there was a conflict for the Saturday classes would they consider allowing attendance twice a month for those Saturdays? We have a longstanding commitment on Saturdays but we can alternate the Saturday in which we attend. Just trying to gauge options

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is it about the schedule that you give frustrating? Genuine question. Would the commitment and schedule conflicts not be the same at other schools?

Mandatory 4 days a week including mid day Saturday. Goes late into the evening 2 weekdays - 8:45pm. Other schools - albeit less prestigious are more flaxible

If there was a conflict for the Saturday classes would they consider allowing attendance twice a month for those Saturdays? We have a longstanding commitment on Saturdays but we can alternate the Saturday in which we attend. Just trying to gauge options

I have no personal experience with TWSB, but a lot of experience with dance schools and ballet specifically for my daughters, and call tell you that if the mandatory schedule includes Saturdays, I would be shocked if they would modify it to make it only two Saturdays a month unless they have a way to substitue another day for the missed Saturdays. There’s a reason why they require four days a week at that level.

Personally I just think that once your child gets to a certain point in ballet, at the serious schools, you have to accept that it’s going to get time consuming, and it’s going to cut into your weekends. Eventually this will be truly unavoidable as they get older and the hours get more intense.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is it about the schedule that you give frustrating? Genuine question. Would the commitment and schedule conflicts not be the same at other schools?

Mandatory 4 days a week including mid day Saturday. Goes late into the evening 2 weekdays - 8:45pm. Other schools - albeit less prestigious are more flaxible

If there was a conflict for the Saturday classes would they consider allowing attendance twice a month for those Saturdays? We have a longstanding commitment on Saturdays but we can alternate the Saturday in which we attend. Just trying to gauge options

Nope, and they will wrack up more absences than they can make up at that rate, and will likely not get promoted the next year.

[Anonymous]

I’m not a parent of a student at this school but have been through several others due to moves. All the serious dance programs I know of have a mid-day Saturday schedule at that level, if only because the instructors and studios are occupied by recreational/parent-tot/little kid classes on Saturday mornings. Those are the classes that subsidize the rest of the school’s programs.

[Anonymous]

On a similar note:
Does anyone know if Levels 4A and 4B are meant to be sequential or is it like the old 2 and 2Ex?
DD said some kids from 4A were being put into 4B mid year which seemed strange to me.
Just curious if anyone knows.

[Anonymous]

That would be odd, but whatever helps to reduce that ridiculous class size in 4A