Washington Ballet Nutcracker

[Anonymous]

Any 1A child who is cast as a Party Girl will have a stronger Party Girl audition than any 1B child and again Level 2 child. They have the advantage of 6 to 8 weeks rehearsal, coaching on performance and acting and 14 shows under their belt. So, sure, they're casting the best Party Girls for Party Girls year after year. With this reasoning, the deck will always be stacked in the favor of whoever gets the role youngest and so why bother auditioning the rest and getting their hopes up if this is how they want to cast it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't think it's fair to call Julie's daughter rigging. She's the child of a professional ballerina and been around world class performances her entire life. I don't doubt she came into the school with a stronger baseline than the average child and it's also not fair to ask her, who is also just a child, to be a Snow Angel just so the other parents arent jealous of her. I don't think any of the kids see her that way, my daughter certainly doesn't.

Yes, just like how Tori Spelling made a fine Donna Martin. Everything you say is valid, and I don’t disagree. I have never had a firsthand issue with casting. Ever. But from an optics standpoint, it has a whiff of nepotism. Just saying.

I don’t think my daughter is jealous but it is obvious. My daughter wants to play Clara when she’s older and mentioned that it would be harder to get the part because Julie’s daughter will automatically get the role. No resentment from her she was just stating a fact. It isn’t just Nutcracker, she is chosen for every kids role. In 2020 they chose a few kids to be interviewed by the Washington Post. They chose one older, one middle, one young. Guess who they chose for the young one. It is absolutely nepotism.

That said I don’t think I’ve seen it with anyone else.

+1 !

My daughter isn't jealous of her at all, she likes her a lot. There's a lot to like about her! But she's made similar comments, never faulting Julie's daughter, but she does blame the adults making the decisions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Any 1A child who is cast as a Party Girl will have a stronger Party Girl audition than any 1B child and again Level 2 child. They have the advantage of 6 to 8 weeks rehearsal, coaching on performance and acting and 14 shows under their belt. So, sure, they're casting the best Party Girls for Party Girls year after year. With this reasoning, the deck will always be stacked in the favor of whoever gets the role youngest and so why bother auditioning the rest and getting their hopes up if this is how they want to cast it?

Exactly to all of this! Really the choreography for all of the roles is not that intricate. The kids get notes and practice, they can basically all master it by the time the show comes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Any 1A child who is cast as a Party Girl will have a stronger Party Girl audition than any 1B child and again Level 2 child. They have the advantage of 6 to 8 weeks rehearsal, coaching on performance and acting and 14 shows under their belt. So, sure, they're casting the best Party Girls for Party Girls year after year. With this reasoning, the deck will always be stacked in the favor of whoever gets the role youngest and so why bother auditioning the rest and getting their hopes up if this is how they want to cast it?

Exactly to all of this! Really the choreography for all of the roles is not that intricate. The kids get notes and practice, they can basically all master it by the time the show comes.

My daughter came in new to level 2. She was ten had ballet from ages 6-8 but none recently. She was cast as a party girl. It isn’t always the same kids. In 2019 when I worked backstage only 1 girl in our cast had previously been a party girl

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't think it's fair to call Julie's daughter rigging. She's the child of a professional ballerina and been around world class performances her entire life. I don't doubt she came into the school with a stronger baseline than the average child and it's also not fair to ask her, who is also just a child, to be a Snow Angel just so the other parents arent jealous of her. I don't think any of the kids see her that way, my daughter certainly doesn't.

Yes, just like how Tori Spelling made a fine Donna Martin. Everything you say is valid, and I don’t disagree. I have never had a firsthand issue with casting. Ever. But from an optics standpoint, it has a whiff of nepotism. Just saying.

I don’t think my daughter is jealous but it is obvious. My daughter wants to play Clara when she’s older and mentioned that it would be harder to get the part because Julie’s daughter will automatically get the role. No resentment from her she was just stating a fact. It isn’t just Nutcracker, she is chosen for every kids role. In 2020 they chose a few kids to be interviewed by the Washington Post. They chose one older, one middle, one young. Guess who they chose for the young one. It is absolutely nepotism.

That said I don’t think I’ve seen it with anyone else.

+1 !

My daughter isn't jealous of her at all, she likes her a lot. There's a lot to like about her! But she's made similar comments, never faulting Julie's daughter, but she does blame the adults making the decisions. [/


Agree. She’s such a great kid.

[Anonymous]

Looking for insight from the more veteran parents.
When they are in the Upper school - So levels 4 and up, are there still large percentages of girls auditioning? Or do the numbers decrease?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Any 1A child who is cast as a Party Girl will have a stronger Party Girl audition than any 1B child and again Level 2 child. They have the advantage of 6 to 8 weeks rehearsal, coaching on performance and acting and 14 shows under their belt. So, sure, they're casting the best Party Girls for Party Girls year after year. With this reasoning, the deck will always be stacked in the favor of whoever gets the role youngest and so why bother auditioning the rest and getting their hopes up if this is how they want to cast it?

Exactly to all of this! Really the choreography for all of the roles is not that intricate. The kids get notes and practice, they can basically all master it by the time the show comes.

My daughter came in new to level 2. She was ten had ballet from ages 6-8 but none recently. She was cast as a party girl. It isn’t always the same kids. In 2019 when I worked backstage only 1 girl in our cast had previously been a party girl

I dont think so many people would be crying foul if this was the norm and not the exception. The double casting of a desired role combined with recasting it for multiple years is just too prevalent. TWSB loses a lot of students soon after leaving LL, the students dont quit ballet, they go elsewhere for more opportunity. How many of their students in the PTP program came up through TWSB?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Looking for insight from the more veteran parents.
When they are in the Upper school - So levels 4 and up, are there still large percentages of girls auditioning? Or do the numbers decrease?

Bump. Curious about this as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Any 1A child who is cast as a Party Girl will have a stronger Party Girl audition than any 1B child and again Level 2 child. They have the advantage of 6 to 8 weeks rehearsal, coaching on performance and acting and 14 shows under their belt. So, sure, they're casting the best Party Girls for Party Girls year after year. With this reasoning, the deck will always be stacked in the favor of whoever gets the role youngest and so why bother auditioning the rest and getting their hopes up if this is how they want to cast it?

Exactly to all of this! Really the choreography for all of the roles is not that intricate. The kids get notes and practice, they can basically all master it by the time the show comes.

My daughter came in new to level 2. She was ten had ballet from ages 6-8 but none recently. She was cast as a party girl. It isn’t always the same kids. In 2019 when I worked backstage only 1 girl in our cast had previously been a party girl

I dont think so many people would be crying foul if this was the norm and not the exception. The double casting of a desired role combined with recasting it for multiple years is just too prevalent. TWSB loses lot of students soon after leaving LL, the students dont quit ballet, they go elsewhere for more opportunity. How many of their students in the PTP program came up through TWSB?

Where do people go? We are a level 3 family....and are a little weary of the slow pace and lack of performing opportunity. (I know not a lot of schools have tons of performing opportunity, but I had thought this would be a perk of sticking with TWSB, and it has not really panned out)
So former families, where did you successfully jump ship to?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Any 1A child who is cast as a Party Girl will have a stronger Party Girl audition than any 1B child and again Level 2 child. They have the advantage of 6 to 8 weeks rehearsal, coaching on performance and acting and 14 shows under their belt. So, sure, they're casting the best Party Girls for Party Girls year after year. With this reasoning, the deck will always be stacked in the favor of whoever gets the role youngest and so why bother auditioning the rest and getting their hopes up if this is how they want to cast it?

Exactly to all of this! Really the choreography for all of the roles is not that intricate. The kids get notes and practice, they can basically all master it by the time the show comes.

My daughter came in new to level 2. She was ten had ballet from ages 6-8 but none recently. She was cast as a party girl. It isn’t always the same kids. In 2019 when I worked backstage only 1 girl in our cast had previously been a party girl

I dont think so many people would be crying foul if this was the norm and not the exception. The double casting of a desired role combined with recasting it for multiple years is just too prevalent. TWSB loses a lot of students soon after leaving LL, the students dont quit ballet, they go elsewhere for more opportunity. How many of their students in the PTP program came up through TWSB?

I'm just saying what I know. But honestly I don't see an issue with them choosing the best kids every year. The best kid will get the part not just in this, but in the high school musical, all county orchestra, not to mention if they do anything else professional. It is just the way it goes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Any 1A child who is cast as a Party Girl will have a stronger Party Girl audition than any 1B child and again Level 2 child. They have the advantage of 6 to 8 weeks rehearsal, coaching on performance and acting and 14 shows under their belt. So, sure, they're casting the best Party Girls for Party Girls year after year. With this reasoning, the deck will always be stacked in the favor of whoever gets the role youngest and so why bother auditioning the rest and getting their hopes up if this is how they want to cast it?

Exactly to all of this! Really the choreography for all of the roles is not that intricate. The kids get notes and practice, they can basically all master it by the time the show comes.

My daughter came in new to level 2. She was ten had ballet from ages 6-8 but none recently. She was cast as a party girl. It isn’t always the same kids. In 2019 when I worked backstage only 1 girl in our cast had previously been a party girl

I dont think so many people would be crying foul if this was the norm and not the exception. The double casting of a desired role combined with recasting it for multiple years is just too prevalent. TWSB loses lot of students soon after leaving LL, the students dont quit ballet, they go elsewhere for more opportunity. How many of their students in the PTP program came up through TWSB?

Where do people go? We are a level 3 family....and are a little weary of the slow pace and lack of performing opportunity. (I know not a lot of schools have tons of performing opportunity, but I had thought this would be a perk of sticking with TWSB, and it has not really panned out)
So former families, where did you successfully jump ship to?

We went to City Dance. I really hate it. So does dd. So we will be looking again after this year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Any 1A child who is cast as a Party Girl will have a stronger Party Girl audition than any 1B child and again Level 2 child. They have the advantage of 6 to 8 weeks rehearsal, coaching on performance and acting and 14 shows under their belt. So, sure, they're casting the best Party Girls for Party Girls year after year. With this reasoning, the deck will always be stacked in the favor of whoever gets the role youngest and so why bother auditioning the rest and getting their hopes up if this is how they want to cast it?

Exactly to all of this! Really the choreography for all of the roles is not that intricate. The kids get notes and practice, they can basically all master it by the time the show comes.

My daughter came in new to level 2. She was ten had ballet from ages 6-8 but none recently. She was cast as a party girl. It isn’t always the same kids. In 2019 when I worked backstage only 1 girl in our cast had previously been a party girl

I dont think so many people would be crying foul if this was the norm and not the exception. The double casting of a desired role combined with recasting it for multiple years is just too prevalent. TWSB loses lot of students soon after leaving LL, the students dont quit ballet, they go elsewhere for more opportunity. How many of their students in the PTP program came up through TWSB?

Where do people go? We are a level 3 family....and are a little weary of the slow pace and lack of performing opportunity. (I know not a lot of schools have tons of performing opportunity, but I had thought this would be a perk of sticking with TWSB, and it has not really panned out)
So former families, where did you successfully jump ship to?

We went to City Dance. I really hate it. So does dd. So we will be looking again after this year.

Just curious what you and your DD dislike about City Dance?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Any 1A child who is cast as a Party Girl will have a stronger Party Girl audition than any 1B child and again Level 2 child. They have the advantage of 6 to 8 weeks rehearsal, coaching on performance and acting and 14 shows under their belt. So, sure, they're casting the best Party Girls for Party Girls year after year. With this reasoning, the deck will always be stacked in the favor of whoever gets the role youngest and so why bother auditioning the rest and getting their hopes up if this is how they want to cast it?

Exactly to all of this! Really the choreography for all of the roles is not that intricate. The kids get notes and practice, they can basically all master it by the time the show comes.

My daughter came in new to level 2. She was ten had ballet from ages 6-8 but none recently. She was cast as a party girl. It isn’t always the same kids. In 2019 when I worked backstage only 1 girl in our cast had previously been a party girl

I dont think so many people would be crying foul if this was the norm and not the exception. The double casting of a desired role combined with recasting it for multiple years is just too prevalent. TWSB loses lot of students soon after leaving LL, the students dont quit ballet, they go elsewhere for more opportunity. How many of their students in the PTP program came up through TWSB?

Where do people go? We are a level 3 family....and are a little weary of the slow pace and lack of performing opportunity. (I know not a lot of schools have tons of performing opportunity, but I had thought this would be a perk of sticking with TWSB, and it has not really panned out)
So former families, where did you successfully jump ship to?

We went to City Dance. I really hate it. So does dd. So we will be looking again after this year.

Just curious what you and your DD dislike about City Dance?

I dislike how disorganized it is. Last minute asks for things, I had a hard time understanding what classes to sign her up for and they said Lorraine would call and explain but she never did, very pushy about taking more and more classes. Honestly I haven’t found anything that I do like. Dd doesn’t like it because she’ll take a class with one teacher who is excellent, one who is just ok, and one who is terrible. A lot of the parents say that the teachers are either amazing or bad. We may be back at TWSB next year

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Any 1A child who is cast as a Party Girl will have a stronger Party Girl audition than any 1B child and again Level 2 child. They have the advantage of 6 to 8 weeks rehearsal, coaching on performance and acting and 14 shows under their belt. So, sure, they're casting the best Party Girls for Party Girls year after year. With this reasoning, the deck will always be stacked in the favor of whoever gets the role youngest and so why bother auditioning the rest and getting their hopes up if this is how they want to cast it?

Exactly to all of this! Really the choreography for all of the roles is not that intricate. The kids get notes and practice, they can basically all master it by the time the show comes.

My daughter came in new to level 2. She was ten had ballet from ages 6-8 but none recently. She was cast as a party girl. It isn’t always the same kids. In 2019 when I worked backstage only 1 girl in our cast had previously been a party girl

I dont think so many people would be crying foul if this was the norm and not the exception. The double casting of a desired role combined with recasting it for multiple years is just too prevalent. TWSB loses lot of students soon after leaving LL, the students dont quit ballet, they go elsewhere for more opportunity. How many of their students in the PTP program came up through TWSB?

Where do people go? We are a level 3 family....and are a little weary of the slow pace and lack of performing opportunity. (I know not a lot of schools have tons of performing opportunity, but I had thought this would be a perk of sticking with TWSB, and it has not really panned out)
So former families, where did you successfully jump ship to?

We went to City Dance. I really hate it. So does dd. So we will be looking again after this year.

Just curious what you and your DD dislike about City Dance?

I dislike how disorganized it is. Last minute asks for things, I had a hard time understanding what classes to sign her up for and they said Lorraine would call and explain but she never did, very pushy about taking more and more classes. Honestly I haven’t found anything that I do like. Dd doesn’t like it because she’ll take a class with one teacher who is excellent, one who is just ok, and one who is terrible. A lot of the parents say that the teachers are either amazing or bad. We may be back at TWSB next year

That is good to know, thanks! I think front office organization is a big part of the overall experience and I would probably avoid any studios with those kinds of issues.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Looking for insight from the more veteran parents.
When they are in the Upper school - So levels 4 and up, are there still large percentages of girls auditioning? Or do the numbers decrease?

Bump. Curious about this as well.

Level 4B student. Most of the girls who have left have gone to less intense programs. Ballet is very much a triangle - lots of little kids love to put on tutus and wave scarves and dance around. At this level, we are in class 4 days a week for at least 2-3 hours at a time. I think she's in class - before rehearsals - 13 hours a week. That leaves very little time for any other activity. Plus, at this point, if you don't do a summer intensive, you are probably falling behind, so there goes five weeks of your summer. Add in rehearsals and frankly, most 12 year old girls don't want to deal.

Kids have left to quit dance, go to City Ballet, Seber Method Academy and Kirov, as far as I know.

It's the most well-known (and probably most elite) program in the area, no matter what anyone says. When NYCB or ABT come to town, they cast student dancers from TWSB.