High School and Ballet

[Anonymous]

If you have a high school student who is a serious dancer but not homeschooled, can you share your ballet school and high schools with me please? We are moving to the area and I need to find a a pre-professional ballet program that still allows her to attend a regular high school. I heard Bethesda CC HS lets the girls check out early but income tax on the MD side is so much higher, I wonder what all the options are. Thank you.

[Anonymous]

I knew of someone several years ago who did this in FCPS. I think the chlld left early for ballet.

[Anonymous]

Metropolitan Fine Arts in Alexandria has full time dance/high school program. If you want your child in a regular school, Edison and Hayfield would be closest in distance to Metro Fine Arts. But West Springfield and West Potomac are not far.

[Anonymous]

Many students commute to the Washington Ballet from VA. After a certain grade, abbreviated schedule or "early release" is generally granted.

If your student is serious, I would also seriously consider the Akhmedova Ballet in Silver Spring, and atrending a nearby HS (Blair is literally across the street).

For a contemporary emphasis, consider Citydance; ballet is also strong now (student just won the YAGP Hope Award). Best wishes!

[Anonymous]

My understanding of the pre-professional program at Washington Ballet is that almost all of the girls are homeschooled or in private. But, we do know one girl who went to Washington and Lee in Arlington. I think she left around 1:30 everyday.

[Anonymous]

Here's the link to Metro Fine Arts. (I'm not affiliated -- I just know about it b/c I took adult fitness classes there and saw the HS kids in the mornings doing their dance practice).

https://metropolitanarts.org/academy/

[Anonymous]

Look at BalletNOVA in VA and Maryland Youth Ballet in MD.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Look at BalletNOVA in VA and Maryland Youth Ballet in MD.

These two and also Classical Ballet Theatre in Herndon. They’ve had a few dancers become professionals and/or go to high level college ballet programs like Indiana.

[Anonymous]

Pretty sure most of the BalletNova kids go to regular school--some public, some private.

Honestly, if you have some time to come to the area and visit, it would be best if your DD could come and try classes out at MYB, WSB, BalletNova, CBT, Metro Fine Arts, Akhmedova.

Of course it also depends A LOT on where your job(s) will be--you'd likely rule some of these options out based on job location(s).

You might also want to check in on Ballet Alert (totally different discussion board).

[Anonymous]

Thank you all for the input. It sounds like there are a lot of good choices, and I’m relieved to hear that schools are likely to do early release. It’s so much for them to juggle.

DD asked to audition for Metropolitan, but their school is online and I’m not sure that I’m okay with that. But I am also concerned that doing NoVa academics and a pre-professional ballet program is too much to ask of a child, so I may need to keep an open mind.

We’re going to visit and hopefully take some classes to make sure she gets a good fit for ballet then look for schools nearby too. We lived in the area once before and I definitely want to avoid long commutes. She was much younger though - class was only an hour and homework wasn’t an issue.

[Anonymous]

Kintz-Mejia Academy of Ballet at Tyson's Corner. Serious training after school for weekdays, and full day classes/rehearsal on Saturday (sometimes on Sunday too).

[Anonymous]

I have a BalletNova student. It is serious training and still allows a normal school schedule. But only a few girls every year go from their preprofessional program to a company. If that's what you are looking for, you might need a more serious program and probably an accommodation at school.

[Anonymous]

my child attends TJHSST and is in the conservatory at BalletNova. FCPS allows students to apply for a "waiver from the full day requirement" which she's gotten every year (this paperwork has to be done by August). She leaves school early 2/week to get to ballet class. Serious dance training and serious academics can be done--but at huge sacrifices for the child. My daughter is happy with her choice, but she effectively has no social life or really any life outside of school and ballet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:my child attends TJHSST and is in the conservatory at BalletNova. FCPS allows students to apply for a "waiver from the full day requirement" which she's gotten every year (this paperwork has to be done by August). She leaves school early 2/week to get to ballet class. Serious dance training and serious academics can be done--but at huge sacrifices for the child. My daughter is happy with her choice, but she effectively has no social life or really any life outside of school and ballet.

TJHSST is a totally different animal compared to any other FCPS high school. Kudos to your child for being talented on so many levels -- that is really unique!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Kintz-Mejia Academy of Ballet at Tyson's Corner. Serious training after school for weekdays, and full day classes/rehearsal on Saturday (sometimes on Sunday too).

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