High School and Ballet
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Anonymous
| Cinderella was a success? Oh I thought it was awful. |
Anonymous
| It’s hard. Parents have sunk so much time and treasure into it, and it now their DD or DS’s time to shine... but it’s a new regime. They have new favorites. They have different opinions. It’s hard. |
Anonymous
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Not a ballet mom here. I've known a couple. Looking at this from a sports' mom's point of view, I think it likely depends on what your goal is.
Obviously, if your child has lots of talent and really, really wants to be a professional, you have to find the very best. On the other hand, if this is just something that she loves, loves, loves, then you need to find what works best for the rest of her high school experience. In that case, time and travel are key. But, if it is the former, please keep in mind that the odds are against her. Be sure that it is worth giving up everything else--because that is what it takes. It's your call--and hers. ( I don't mean to be sexist, perhaps it is his call.) |
Anonymous
+1! |
Anonymous
| OP what did you decide? Asking because we are also going to be juggling school schedule with ballet classes. Hope you found a workable studio and school situation for your dancer. |
Anonymous
What about the new HoS isn’t going well? |
Anonymous
We drove by this studio today to check out the location. They are on summer break until next week, so I don’t have anyone there to speak with directly. Is the only entrance to the studio that very scary outdoor stairwell that looks like a fire escape? The location and parking area are terrible. |
Anonymous
Were they always in that location? I thought they were in another part of McLean. |
Anonymous
DP. I don't have a student at Kintz-Mejia though I know the building it's in (and have been to the theater up that stairwell in the same building many times). We had a student for many years at another ballet school in NOVA. It's fairly common for dance schools to be in locations like the one you saw--older buildings, around the backs of industrial-park type buildings, etc. For years our studio was next to a heating and AC company with trucks all over the parking lot, at basement level directly beneath restaurants complete with cooking smells. Changing space was very tight, but the studios themselves were very well maintained. Studios tend to operate on narrow margins, so they go wherever there is enough space they can afford and which they'll be allowed to configure and change with sprung floors, mirrors and barres. We've also been at studios with better facilities and much nicer-looking entrances and parking lots, but even those facilities tended to be located around the backs of shopping centers or office parks. Don't let exteriors drive you away if all else is well-run and well-maintained. I don't know KM but would give them a chance despite the looks of that building and lot; having safe, appropriate sprung floors and decent changing spaces definitely trumps a good-looking exterior. Which, I agree, that building doesn't have. |
Anonymous
My daughter goes there and loves it, scary fire escape and all! Parking is available during ballet lessons (neighboring car dealers ark there during the day), though you probably won't need to park except when you are waiting for your child to get out of class. You may send an email to directors@kintzmejiaballet.org for more information. An ABT dancer who started out at KMAB recently danced in Swan Lake at Wolf Trap: http://www.fairfaxtimes.com/articles/mclean-s-own-ingrid-thoms-to-perform-swan-lake-for/article_b7806dc4-a40b-11e9-93bd-d7b379961167.html |
Anonymous
My daughter goes here, the classes are small so each child receives a lot of correction. They taught her super solid fundamentals, school is definitely resourceful if your dancer asks for attention, guidance and resources. That being said, it's not one of those super competitive class full of type A dancers where even the bottom of the barrel make to a ballet company type of place. |