SCOOL OF American Ballet and other intensives

[Anonymous]

I was surprised to hear that they are going virtual. Zoom classes for 5.5 hrs a day seems awful and no break in tuition. Anyone else hear about other intensives?

[Anonymous]

Ballet is 100% in financial crisis right now. They can’t afford to cancel.

[Anonymous]

Sure. But it may have been a wiser move to shorten the day and then lower tuition. No one that I know is going to do that for the exact same price.

[Anonymous]

Zoom class for Ballet Intensive is ridiculous. Not everyone has the space, barre, etc to make it effective.

Staring at a little screen all day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ballet is 100% in financial crisis right now. They can’t afford to cancel.

Like ABT will go under - ha! They are taking advantage of their summer intensive dancers. It is pathetic.

[Anonymous]

Not just SAB and ABT, but just about every studio is doing Zoom but for a reduced price. They need the money that intensives bring in after a reduced spring with non-performances.

Most dancers who attend intensives have a movable barre and dance mat at home (according to my dancer).

It will be interesting to see if dancers maintain or decline this summer with the virtual format. The placement classes will most likely be controversial due to the virtual setting though — they are already a lightning rod for some!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Zoom class for Ballet Intensive is ridiculous. Not everyone has the space, barre, etc to make it effective.

Staring at a little screen all day.

I disagree. Ballet is a great indoor physical activity. It's the only one that can very easily be continued during the pandemic. I feel lucky that it's my kids' sport. We'd love to swim and take tennis lessons, but at least we still have ballet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Zoom class for Ballet Intensive is ridiculous. Not everyone has the space, barre, etc to make it effective.

Staring at a little screen all day.

I disagree. Ballet is a great indoor physical activity. It's the only one that can very easily be continued during the pandemic. I feel lucky that it's my kids' sport. We'd love to swim and take tennis lessons, but at least we still have ballet.

It’s okay for personal exercise. But not to charge several thousand dollars for a sub-standard experience with little corrections. How can teachers adequately help the student with correct body positioning?

ABT should reduce summer fees, but they won’t. WSB at least is reducing their summer intensive fees, which is commendable.


I’m sorry, but ABT is not in any trouble of going under. Yes, it is tough for smaller companies, but not ABT.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Zoom class for Ballet Intensive is ridiculous. Not everyone has the space, barre, etc to make it effective.

Staring at a little screen all day.

I disagree. Ballet is a great indoor physical activity. It's the only one that can very easily be continued during the pandemic. I feel lucky that it's my kids' sport. We'd love to swim and take tennis lessons, but at least we still have ballet.

It’s okay for personal exercise. But not to charge several thousand dollars for a sub-standard experience with little corrections. How can teachers adequately help the student with correct body positioning?

ABT should reduce summer fees, but they won’t. WSB at least is reducing their summer intensive fees, which is commendable.


I’m sorry, but ABT is not in any trouble of going under. Yes, it is tough for smaller companies, but not ABT.

I'm the PP whom you're replying to. Yes, my kids are at WSB, and they are young so there are no thousands involved, even in the intensives. The fees were lowered for the Summer programs, and this Spring they have received plenty of comments on positioning, both corrections and compliments. The self-paced videos for conditioning are also great, even though we haven't used them nearly enough.

[Anonymous]

Are they planning on providing any in person camps or everything is cancelled?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not just SAB and ABT, but just about every studio is doing Zoom but for a reduced price. They need the money that intensives bring in after a reduced spring with non-performances.

Most dancers who attend intensives have a movable barre and dance mat at home (according to my dancer).

It will be interesting to see if dancers maintain or decline this summer with the virtual format. The placement classes will most likely be controversial due to the virtual setting though — they are already a lightning rod for some!

But they aren’t reducing the price. The price is exactly the same.

[Anonymous]

Ok, no offense but then why are you weighing in? No one is talking about TWSB we’re talking about ABT AND SAB who are doing all day long intensives for the same price.[


quote=Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Zoom class for Ballet Intensive is ridiculous. Not everyone has the space, barre, etc to make it effective.

Staring at a little screen all day.

I disagree. Ballet is a great indoor physical activity. It's the only one that can very easily be continued during the pandemic. I feel lucky that it's my kids' sport. We'd love to swim and take tennis lessons, but at least we still have ballet.

It’s okay for personal exercise. But not to charge several thousand dollars for a sub-standard experience with little corrections. How can teachers adequately help the student with correct body positioning?

ABT should reduce summer fees, but they won’t. WSB at least is reducing their summer intensive fees, which is commendable.


I’m sorry, but ABT is not in any trouble of going under. Yes, it is tough for smaller companies, but not ABT.

I'm the PP whom you're replying to. Yes, my kids are at WSB, and they are young so there are no thousands involved, even in the intensives. The fees were lowered for the Summer programs, and this Spring they have received plenty of comments on positioning, both corrections and compliments. The self-paced videos for conditioning are also great, even though we haven't used them nearly enough.

[Anonymous]

My DD is at SAB during Winter Term, and they are currently remote. It is nowhere near the same.

I am surprised they would not reduce tuition even a little bit but I understand that ballet is struggling right now. With all the touching, it's going to be one of the last things to come back. I'm not sure we will be back in the fall.

[Anonymous]

are they getting corrections and individual interaction over zoom, or is it just going through the motions like watching a video?

[Anonymous]

Have a DD that danced seriously until age 19. There's just no way that online classes come remotely close to actual training. Schools are desperate but ballet can truly only be taught in person. These kids will come back at some point to the future and have super bad habits that will need to be undone. There is also injury risk for true pre-professionals (high school age). I believe entering ballet as a career is effectively over for the next few years at minimum which is awful for kids nearing the end of pre-pro level training.