How to select a dance studio

[Anonymous]

This is an old thread, but I would recommend looking somewhere that has a strong foundation in classical ballet, but also has programming in other areas of dance like contemporary and jazz. These days dance students need ballet and exposure to other art forms. I would stay away from a rec program in a church or county center; they are unlikely to be of high quality and the physical spaces are often lacking (ir no sprung floors to protect against impact injuries). I would look into Citydance. They have strong ballet and also many other dance forms from hip hop to African, to contemporary, tap, and jazz.

[Anonymous]

Our daughter moved from Maryland School Of Dance to Metropolitan ballet theater and is enjoying her new dance home

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is an old thread, but I would recommend looking somewhere that has a strong foundation in classical ballet, but also has programming in other areas of dance like contemporary and jazz. These days dance students need ballet and exposure to other art forms. I would stay away from a rec program in a church or county center; they are unlikely to be of high quality and the physical spaces are often lacking (ir no sprung floors to protect against impact injuries). I would look into Citydance. They have strong ballet and also many other dance forms from hip hop to African, to contemporary, tap, and jazz.

Which city dance in montgomery county? I have a girl interested in dancing and music in the background. Should I rule out ballet because ballet seems to be more for quiet girls? She is active and likes to jump around.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yawn! Why must parents with no experience in a given extracurricular weigh in on things they don't understand? There is nothing wrong with competitive dance (just like any other athletic team) nor any stage performers of any variety applying a reasonable amount of make up to assist with their expression. Answer the OP's question and don't tell him or her to "run" from anywhere she feels comfortable instructing her kiddo.

OP, I agree you should find the most convenient place to try out a variety of disciplines. Ignore the points about what not to look for and focus on those who provide proactive advice.

THIS. Not all competitive dance is bad. You have to pick the right studio.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is an old thread, but I would recommend looking somewhere that has a strong foundation in classical ballet, but also has programming in other areas of dance like contemporary and jazz. These days dance students need ballet and exposure to other art forms. I would stay away from a rec program in a church or county center; they are unlikely to be of high quality and the physical spaces are often lacking (ir no sprung floors to protect against impact injuries). I would look into Citydance. They have strong ballet and also many other dance forms from hip hop to African, to contemporary, tap, and jazz.

Which city dance in montgomery county? I have a girl interested in dancing and music in the background. Should I rule out ballet because ballet seems to be more for quiet girls? She is active and likes to jump around.

Citydance is in North Bethesda off Rockville Pike. A lot of girls who are very active and like to move take ballet. There are parts of a ballet class that are more regimented, but at least half the class has movement across the floor and from the corners.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our daughter moved from Maryland School Of Dance to Metropolitan ballet theater and is enjoying her new dance home

Metropolitan has some great teachers, but I've heard through the grapevine that there are problems with the Director and they have a lot of internal turmoil going on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yawn! Why must parents with no experience in a given extracurricular weigh in on things they don't understand? There is nothing wrong with competitive dance (just like any other athletic team) nor any stage performers of any variety applying a reasonable amount of make up to assist with their expression. Answer the OP's question and don't tell him or her to "run" from anywhere she feels comfortable instructing her kiddo.

OP, I agree you should find the most convenient place to try out a variety of disciplines. Ignore the points about what not to look for and focus on those who provide proactive advice.

THIS. Not all competitive dance is bad. You have to pick the right studio.

Disagree. It is all gross and very much has a Toddlers and Tieras vibe.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Avoid any school that has a competitive dance program.

I would stick with a classical ballet school

Lol. Why??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yawn! Why must parents with no experience in a given extracurricular weigh in on things they don't understand? There is nothing wrong with competitive dance (just like any other athletic team) nor any stage performers of any variety applying a reasonable amount of make up to assist with their expression. Answer the OP's question and don't tell him or her to "run" from anywhere she feels comfortable instructing her kiddo.

OP, I agree you should find the most convenient place to try out a variety of disciplines. Ignore the points about what not to look for and focus on those who provide proactive advice.

THIS. Not all competitive dance is bad. You have to pick the right studio.

Disagree. It is all gross and very much has a Toddlers and Tieras vibe.

I have a kid in competitive dance, and here’s my opinion:
The competitions are annoying (travel, hotels, long days in auditoriums). I would NOT put a younger child in competitive dance, but for 11+ it’s been fantastic. Beyond the competitions (and there are only a handful in the spring), the kids spend tons of time practicing, rehearsing and attending other dance classes. Their studios become a second home, and they build tight friendships with the other girls, as well as with the instructors who are usually 20-somethings. I imagine there are some awful toxic studios, but my kid’s studio plus others I’ve heard about, have a wonderful camaraderie, are body positive, and have fun nice normal kids. Everyone is accepting regardless of gender, size, orientation etc.

I had no idea this was the vibe, and I was so pleasantly surprised to find this out. It’s not all tiara/dance moms. I do see some of that at competitions, but it’s easy to avoid studios like that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yawn! Why must parents with no experience in a given extracurricular weigh in on things they don't understand? There is nothing wrong with competitive dance (just like any other athletic team) nor any stage performers of any variety applying a reasonable amount of make up to assist with their expression. Answer the OP's question and don't tell him or her to "run" from anywhere she feels comfortable instructing her kiddo.

OP, I agree you should find the most convenient place to try out a variety of disciplines. Ignore the points about what not to look for and focus on those who provide proactive advice.

THIS. Not all competitive dance is bad. You have to pick the right studio.

Disagree. It is all gross and very much has a Toddlers and Tieras vibe.

I have a kid in competitive dance, and here’s my opinion:
The competitions are annoying (travel, hotels, long days in auditoriums). I would NOT put a younger child in competitive dance, but for 11+ it’s been fantastic. Beyond the competitions (and there are only a handful in the spring), the kids spend tons of time practicing, rehearsing and attending other dance classes. Their studios become a second home, and they build tight friendships with the other girls, as well as with the instructors who are usually 20-somethings. I imagine there are some awful toxic studios, but my kid’s studio plus others I’ve heard about, have a wonderful camaraderie, are body positive, and have fun nice normal kids. Everyone is accepting regardless of gender, size, orientation etc.

I had no idea this was the vibe, and I was so pleasantly surprised to find this out. It’s not all tiara/dance moms. I do see some of that at competitions, but it’s easy to avoid studios like that.

Well put! I HATE how everyone assumes competitive dance is horrible and toxic. There IS some of that out there, I know some studios in particular in our area that I would never send my DD to, but ours has been fantastic and positive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op here. Thanks, that is what I was trying to decide - ballet vs a school that offers a bit of everything. I thought ballet was the basics and you could branch out later if needed. Is that true?

Not if your child doesn’t like ballet.

We started DD in a non competitive school. She has a lot of natural talent and affinity for dance, but if we had just tried her out in ballet, we wouldn’t have known that. As it was, the studio we went to (not in DC) offered an array of classes. If we made her “suffer” only ballet off the start, we never would have seen her natural skill and frankly, love, for dance. She does ballet now because it helps her other dance, but does so because she loves acro and other dance types and understands foundations now. Ballet bored her off the start, even though the instructor is a child whisperer.

Everyone hopes their child will somehow make it big, without making it big, because they have other dreams for them. Find a studio that makes your comfortable, that offers the experience and environment you want, and makes your child happy. When we had a BD party for DD early on at her studio, many of the parents of her friends in competitive schools wanted to come to our studio, because it’s kind, caring, and the kids are growing, now just repeating.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yawn! Why must parents with no experience in a given extracurricular weigh in on things they don't understand? There is nothing wrong with competitive dance (just like any other athletic team) nor any stage performers of any variety applying a reasonable amount of make up to assist with their expression. Answer the OP's question and don't tell him or her to "run" from anywhere she feels comfortable instructing her kiddo.

OP, I agree you should find the most convenient place to try out a variety of disciplines. Ignore the points about what not to look for and focus on those who provide proactive advice.

THIS. Not all competitive dance is bad. You have to pick the right studio.

Disagree. It is all gross and very much has a Toddlers and Tieras vibe.

I have a kid in competitive dance, and here’s my opinion:
The competitions are annoying (travel, hotels, long days in auditoriums). I would NOT put a younger child in competitive dance, but for 11+ it’s been fantastic. Beyond the competitions (and there are only a handful in the spring), the kids spend tons of time practicing, rehearsing and attending other dance classes. Their studios become a second home, and they build tight friendships with the other girls, as well as with the instructors who are usually 20-somethings. I imagine there are some awful toxic studios, but my kid’s studio plus others I’ve heard about, have a wonderful camaraderie, are body positive, and have fun nice normal kids. Everyone is accepting regardless of gender, size, orientation etc.

I had no idea this was the vibe, and I was so pleasantly surprised to find this out. It’s not all tiara/dance moms. I do see some of that at competitions, but it’s easy to avoid studios like that.

So, please share info for studio to earn them some business and help other girls have the same experience!

[Anonymous]

The only dance schools in the DC area that bring their students to ballet competitions are Ahkmendova and Citydance. They both go to YAGP which is an international ballet competition but one also has to perform a contemporary piece. Washington Ballet doesn't compete anymore because their training has gone so downhill any Maryland Youth Ballet had gone to YAGP but who knows with the change in leadership if they still will. I heard that Citydance also has several dancers who were selected to compete at the Jackson international ballet competition which is sort of the ballet "olympics" and is held only once every four years.