Switching ballet studios as a teen-MYB, TWSB, CityDance, Seber?

[Anonymous]

I would be VERY careful about studios that go to multiple competitions a year. We were at one such and the students got very little technique training due to most class time being devoted to rehearsals. In addition, it can set up a culture of competition and back-stabbing between the students, even if they look like "friends". In our experience with a "professional training program" several of the students developed eating disorders. Due to the acceptance of ED as "part of the package", and the intense "training schedule", none of the students were treated for it. After we left such a studio, and my child went through therapy and was not afraid to talk, I learned a lot of disturbing things about their practices. In hindsight, I would be VERY careful about competition focused and professional training studios.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would be VERY careful about studios that go to multiple competitions a year. We were at one such and the students got very little technique training due to most class time being devoted to rehearsals. In addition, it can set up a culture of competition and back-stabbing between the students, even if they look like "friends". In our experience with a "professional training program" several of the students developed eating disorders. Due to the acceptance of ED as "part of the package", and the intense "training schedule", none of the students were treated for it. After we left such a studio, and my child went through therapy and was not afraid to talk, I learned a lot of disturbing things about their practices. In hindsight, I would be VERY careful about competition focused and professional training studios.

Can you share which studio, so we know where to avoid?

[Anonymous]

I would share the names of studios to avoid, but when I or other customers have the posts were removed.

[Anonymous]

I and other customers have shared the names of studios to avoid and those posts have been deleted. So you will have to just follow the advice.

[Anonymous]

Can you tell from a studio's website what the expectiations are for competitions, etc? That might help people decide if names can't be named here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can you tell from a studio's website what the expectiations are for competitions, etc? That might help people decide if names can't be named here.

If it's something the entire school is expected or invited to be involved in, it would probably appear on the studio calendar which is sometimes/usually posted online. Check Instagram too for how many posts mention competitions and finals and who placed. Best thing to do is just talk to the school.

Something to keep in mind is that a director might be 100% accurate in saying that the competitions are completely voluntary but if most kids in the school do it, it's hard to resist it with peer pressure and perceptions of reduced status with the director(s) for roles and attention.

[Anonymous]

Let me just say that if the studio is very small, you would be best to exercise extreme caution and check for recent reviews on other platforms.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Let me just say that if the studio is very small, you would be best to exercise extreme caution and check for recent reviews on other platforms.

What are the other platforms you recommend reviewing?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Let me just say that if the studio is very small, you would be best to exercise extreme caution and check for recent reviews on other platforms.

What are the other platforms you recommend reviewing?

Not that PP but this website has school reviews and a couple of the more well-known local schools are listed.

https://reviews.ballethelpdesk.com/year-round/

[Anonymous]

For example, also check reddit and Google. Look at the people doing the five start reviews (The same parents? The teachers?)

[Anonymous]

The studio owner is reporting any negative reviews - most of which are true. The bottom line up front is that there have been several students and parents that have walked away midyear very very unhappy. There are a lot of other studios in the area that offer a positive, nonjudgmental and encouraging environment for young dancers. Why risk getting caught up in a toxic situation when schools like TWSB, MYB, Seber, Brown Ballerinas, Academy of Russian, Metropolitan theater, Columbia Youth Ballet, NOVA…etc…are much better options for half the price.

[Anonymous]

The studio that shall not be named (located above Whole Foods in silver spring Fenton Street) - is not a place you want to get involved with. The training is good. I’ll give them that. But everything else about the studio is extremely toxic. Families quit midyear because of cost (outside of tuition), favoritism, burnout, and development of eating disorders. Parents and students have posted negative reviews but the owner gets them taken down. They have less than 10 kids in the entire school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The studio that shall not be named (located above Whole Foods in silver spring Fenton Street) - is not a place you want to get involved with. The training is good. I’ll give them that. But everything else about the studio is extremely toxic. Families quit midyear because of cost (outside of tuition), favoritism, burnout, and development of eating disorders. Parents and students have posted negative reviews but the owner gets them taken down. They have less than 10 kids in the entire school.

How does a school stay in business with 10 student - serious question? Or was that just hyperbole?

[Anonymous]

Wow that’s crazy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The studio that shall not be named (located above Whole Foods in silver spring Fenton Street) - is not a place you want to get involved with. The training is good. I’ll give them that. But everything else about the studio is extremely toxic. Families quit midyear because of cost (outside of tuition), favoritism, burnout, and development of eating disorders. Parents and students have posted negative reviews but the owner gets them taken down. They have less than 10 kids in the entire school.

That's the thing - the training is good, and the small size really benefits serious students who can afford it.
DD has been at TWSB for several years now and the huge class sizes are a really turn off. Every year we think about leaving, and the main reason we stay is the location (and the fact that DD will most likely not be a professional ballerina in the future).
Even in the so called upper school of TWSB, there are huge classes in a studio that is way too small. DD, who is on the taller side, is afraid to really stretch out because she's afraid of hitting someone. It's that bad. The school desperately needs innovation - smaller classes for committed students and larger ones for recreational students, but the way that the upper school is designed everyone is lumped together. There is a new artistic director, Edward Liang, who thus far has not seemed to be involved in the improving in any obvious way the quality of the ballet school.
DD is doing summer intensives with other studios this summer, and I have a strong suspicion that after this year she will want to leave TWSB for a school that is thoughtfully structured for serious students of ballet.