Washington Ballet Problem Teacher?

[Anonymous]

Oh, I'm surprised at this, and I'm sorry to hear it. My kids both had her on and off over the past few years and liked her, and I had a favorable impression. She's been teaching at TWSB for at least 3-4 years. Is there another section your kid could switch to, or does she teach all the 1B classes? I don't doubt you, I'm just surprised because I had her down as strict but professional and supportive. Hmm. I hope it gets better!

[Anonymous]

I'm actually glad to read this! I'll give her the benefit of the doubt and chalk it up to zoom growing pains. We'll see, but your positive assessment gives me hope.

[Anonymous]

Can’t enjoy ballet as an art because of how much torture of girls is involved. My best friend growing up was in the New York City ballet company. She couldn’t move up because her body was a more muscular type though she was petite. I remember being In 7th grade and her mom counting out grapes for snack. Never put my girls in ballet for that reason. It’s sick.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: Can’t enjoy ballet as an art because of how much torture of girls is involved. My best friend growing up was in the New York City ballet company. She couldn’t move up because her body was a more muscular type though she was petite. I remember being In 7th grade and her mom counting out grapes for snack. Never put my girls in ballet for that reason. It’s sick.

There is a concentrated effort by the industry to move away from that. Actually only these pillars of historical ballet and competition dance hang on to this nonsense. You can enjoy dance as an art form with condoning this torture. Look at Mandy Moore's work on Zoe's Extraordinary Playlist. Incredible dancers of a body types.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OMG, PP here again, that is most definitely her. I know she teaches at another school/ schools in the area (Ballet Nova maybe?), and she pulled the same crap when she started teaching Level 2 at TWSB two or so years ago. Many parents complained, and lots of kids left. You would think that leadership might take notice, especially since TWSB funds the company, but no. That teacher has some Mariinsky connections that got a few TSWB students to perform with them in minor roles at the KC a couple of years ago, so I guess that makes her too valuable. (She actually only ever danced in regional former Soviet Union companies, nothing particularly impressive.)

Yup, that's her, sadly. We're at BalletNova. My DD got through the year but there were definitely days with tears and stomach aches from nerves. DD didn't want to leave her friends so we stuck it out but it was hard to take. I'm reminded now too that DD said she used to pinch the kids with her long fingernails to correct their posture (found this out afterward... that would have been the last straw). Sounds like it's a silver lining that it's all online this year so she has an audience...

Which level does she teach at BalletNova?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: Can’t enjoy ballet as an art because of how much torture of girls is involved. My best friend growing up was in the New York City ballet company. She couldn’t move up because her body was a more muscular type though she was petite. I remember being In 7th grade and her mom counting out grapes for snack. Never put my girls in ballet for that reason. It’s sick.

There is a concentrated effort by the industry to move away from that. Actually only these pillars of historical ballet and competition dance hang on to this nonsense. You can enjoy dance as an art form with condoning this torture. Look at Mandy Moore's work on Zoe's Extraordinary Playlist. Incredible dancers of a body types.

There's been a little, but the ballet industry is ripe for its own reckoning a la #metoo. The abuse is there for all to see, yet it's allowed to persist.

[Anonymous]

My suggestion is, move away from ballet. There is do much more to dance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, what level? For little kids, management might be more receptive to feedback. Older girls, no way. Their way or the highway.

Level 2. So not older, but not a wee kid either and they are supposed to be preparing them for pointe next year.

I think I'll keep my mouth shut (for now) and see if my DD can't soften her with kindness and eagerness to learn.

OK, no please do not keep your mouth shut.

Teachers like this pick one student a semester or quarter. They need to go ballet or not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OMG, PP here again, that is most definitely her. I know she teaches at another school/ schools in the area (Ballet Nova maybe?), and she pulled the same crap when she started teaching Level 2 at TWSB two or so years ago. Many parents complained, and lots of kids left. You would think that leadership might take notice, especially since TWSB funds the company, but no. That teacher has some Mariinsky connections that got a few TSWB students to perform with them in minor roles at the KC a couple of years ago, so I guess that makes her too valuable. (She actually only ever danced in regional former Soviet Union companies, nothing particularly impressive.)

Yup, that's her, sadly. We're at BalletNova. My DD got through the year but there were definitely days with tears and stomach aches from nerves. DD didn't want to leave her friends so we stuck it out but it was hard to take. I'm reminded now too that DD said she used to pinch the kids with her long fingernails to correct their posture (found this out afterward... that would have been the last straw). Sounds like it's a silver lining that it's all online this year so she has an audience...

Which level does she teach at BalletNova?

Adult classes only now. My DD had her in JD 3.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OMG, PP here again, that is most definitely her. I know she teaches at another school/ schools in the area (Ballet Nova maybe?), and she pulled the same crap when she started teaching Level 2 at TWSB two or so years ago. Many parents complained, and lots of kids left. You would think that leadership might take notice, especially since TWSB funds the company, but no. That teacher has some Mariinsky connections that got a few TSWB students to perform with them in minor roles at the KC a couple of years ago, so I guess that makes her too valuable. (She actually only ever danced in regional former Soviet Union companies, nothing particularly impressive.)

Yup, that's her, sadly. We're at BalletNova. My DD got through the year but there were definitely days with tears and stomach aches from nerves. DD didn't want to leave her friends so we stuck it out but it was hard to take. I'm reminded now too that DD said she used to pinch the kids with her long fingernails to correct their posture (found this out afterward... that would have been the last straw). Sounds like it's a silver lining that it's all online this year so she has an audience...

Which level does she teach at BalletNova?

Adult classes only now. My DD had her in JD 3.

At least they moved her away from younger dancers! They did something unlike TWSB.

[Anonymous]

Ms. Edmund was fantastic. I don’t know about that one incident the PP mentioned, but my DD has a great experience with her and she gave the dancers good, solid training and vigorous workouts at the level they could handle. She is also extremely nice.

If this thread is talking about Ms. Wunder, I have to say that my DD also really loved her a LOT. Yes, she was tough, but she also has a hilarious sense of humor and strikes a good balance between being exacting and understanding that these are still kids. I used to listen outside the class a lot when waiting to drive my DD home, and she was never mean. Sure, she gave criticism. But so what? Our kids can’t always get a trophy every single time. Being tough and being “mean” are not the same thing.

My DD dropped out after doing the spring virtual classes. She thought the virtual instruction was bad, the pace was too slow, and the lack of sufficient individual feedback was a problem. She went from loving ballet to hating it. I was surprised the school didn’t even bother to reach out when we didn’t sign up for classes this year, considering my DD has been with them for many years, was in Nutcracker and other performances, and was a dedicated student. It made me think they didn’t care about her as an individual. Sad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ms. Edmund was fantastic. I don’t know about that one incident the PP mentioned, but my DD has a great experience with her and she gave the dancers good, solid training and vigorous workouts at the level they could handle. She is also extremely nice.

If this thread is talking about Ms. Wunder, I have to say that my DD also really loved her a LOT. Yes, she was tough, but she also has a hilarious sense of humor and strikes a good balance between being exacting and understanding that these are still kids. I used to listen outside the class a lot when waiting to drive my DD home, and she was never mean. Sure, she gave criticism. But so what? Our kids can’t always get a trophy every single time. Being tough and being “mean” are not the same thing.

My DD dropped out after doing the spring virtual classes. She thought the virtual instruction was bad, the pace was too slow, and the lack of sufficient individual feedback was a problem. She went from loving ballet to hating it. I was surprised the school didn’t even bother to reach out when we didn’t sign up for classes this year, considering my DD has been with them for many years, was in Nutcracker and other performances, and was a dedicated student. It made me think they didn’t care about her as an individual. Sad.

I'm observing my DD's 1B class with Edmund right now and she's perfectly pleasant and encouraging? I'm usually not around so I don't know about that particular student or on previous days. Injuries happen in ballet just like sports.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ms. Edmund was fantastic. I don’t know about that one incident the PP mentioned, but my DD has a great experience with her and she gave the dancers good, solid training and vigorous workouts at the level they could handle. She is also extremely nice.

If this thread is talking about Ms. Wunder, I have to say that my DD also really loved her a LOT. Yes, she was tough, but she also has a hilarious sense of humor and strikes a good balance between being exacting and understanding that these are still kids. I used to listen outside the class a lot when waiting to drive my DD home, and she was never mean. Sure, she gave criticism. But so what? Our kids can’t always get a trophy every single time. Being tough and being “mean” are not the same thing.

My DD dropped out after doing the spring virtual classes. She thought the virtual instruction was bad, the pace was too slow, and the lack of sufficient individual feedback was a problem. She went from loving ballet to hating it. I was surprised the school didn’t even bother to reach out when we didn’t sign up for classes this year, considering my DD has been with them for many years, was in Nutcracker and other performances, and was a dedicated student. It made me think they didn’t care about her as an individual. Sad.

We had a similar experience - no effort to reach out or otherwise encourage my DD to stay. I assume they did not lose enough of a critical mass of students to take a financial hit from lost tuition. Still, sad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ms. Edmund was fantastic. I don’t know about that one incident the PP mentioned, but my DD has a great experience with her and she gave the dancers good, solid training and vigorous workouts at the level they could handle. She is also extremely nice.

If this thread is talking about Ms. Wunder, I have to say that my DD also really loved her a LOT. Yes, she was tough, but she also has a hilarious sense of humor and strikes a good balance between being exacting and understanding that these are still kids. I used to listen outside the class a lot when waiting to drive my DD home, and she was never mean. Sure, she gave criticism. But so what? Our kids can’t always get a trophy every single time. Being tough and being “mean” are not the same thing.

My DD dropped out after doing the spring virtual classes. She thought the virtual instruction was bad, the pace was too slow, and the lack of sufficient individual feedback was a problem. She went from loving ballet to hating it. I was surprised the school didn’t even bother to reach out when we didn’t sign up for classes this year, considering my DD has been with them for many years, was in Nutcracker and other performances, and was a dedicated student. It made me think they didn’t care about her as an individual. Sad.

My daughter, who is a tough cookie, had Ms W a few years ago. She didn’t complain but kept telling me how the teacher would say mean things in Russian - for example, a girl would ask for permission to go to the bathroom, and Ms. W would say, “Yes, go (in English)...and don’t come back (in Russian)”. Completely unnecessary meanness...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: Can’t enjoy ballet as an art because of how much torture of girls is involved. My best friend growing up was in the New York City ballet company. She couldn’t move up because her body was a more muscular type though she was petite. I remember being In 7th grade and her mom counting out grapes for snack. Never put my girls in ballet for that reason. It’s sick.

There is a concentrated effort by the industry to move away from that. Actually only these pillars of historical ballet and competition dance hang on to this nonsense. You can enjoy dance as an art form with condoning this torture. Look at Mandy Moore's work on Zoe's Extraordinary Playlist. Incredible dancers of a body types.

Blame the vision of Balanchine and his muse, Suzanne Farrell, for the anorexic look dancers.