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Getting fed up with Ballet Petite
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Anonymous
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My daughter attends Ballet Petite classes in Bethesda.
First thing I'm disappointed about is that I am being told that there are going to be no makeup classes offered for the two weeks of missed classes because of the snow days These classes are expensive and to lose 2 out of 12 classes is not an insignificant cost ($50). Their website they mentions a makeup class week in their policies section but in person they told me there is no such week and the Spring session begins right after the Winter session. Are other classes (Musikids, Jonah's Treehouse etc) offering makeups or is it standard practice to lose these when weather condition force closures? Second I just got an email saying that a part of each ballet class this week will be used as a fundraiser for Haiti. My family has donated toiletries, food and money to the relief efforts and I am happy to see it in the spotlight and know there is a lot more that needs to be done. But I strongly feel that the class time should be used for classes. I like the idea of incorporating Hatian dances and music into the class curriculum but don't like the idea of asking money for it by putting a basket out during class, even for a most worthy cause such as this. Thanks for listening, please tell me if I'm being reasonable or not. |
zumbamama
Site Admin Offline
Site Admin Offline
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Is it possible for your DD to make up a class on another day before the winter session is over? I don't go to Ballet Petite, but this is what we did to make up the classes she missed due to the snow. So for the past 2 weeks, she's had ballet twice a week instead of just once. It doesn't make sense to completely lose those 2 classes. I'd at least ask if they can roll them over into the next semester if you can't make them up before then.
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Anonymous
| I'd be annoyed. I would tell them to either refnd the difference or allow me to make the classes up. I would not want a part of the class devoted to a fundraiser unless the kids are doing a performance to raise the money. |
Anonymous
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Hi, this is Michelle from musiKids.
According to musiKids policies, we do not guarantee makeup classes for snow days. Because our calendar is already set for the year, we cannot add weeks of extra classes if we have to miss multiple classes. That said, we did have one "bumper" week between sessions and,in this case due to the special circumstances of the blizzard, all of our teachers have agreed to give up their week off to add one extra week to our session (we will then roll directly into the spring session with no time off). And for the few classes (specifically Wednesdays) that missed more than one week of class, our students are welcome to come to another class during the session as a personal makeup since we can't add on any more days. It is a tough call and clearly unprecedented in this area to have such extreme weather. We were lucky we had an extra week built in or we would have offered all our students to come to class on another day to make it up (and we are still offering that option if someone can't make the extra day). |
Anonymous
| For PP's and other reasons, our family detests the corporate lesson structures. Ballet Petite, we went to one class; Bach to Rock, we liked but way too unforgiving of scheduling issues. Find smaller community-based classes for your children. They will have more fun. |
Anonymous
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OP here.
Thanks for all the great feedback. Especially the Musikids response, we do love all of the teachers we've had there and being so responsive on the boards reinforces my feeling that they are part of the community and very responsive to their clients! I didn't realize Ballet Petite was corporate - that does explain a lot! |
Anonymous
| Are you referring to the Ballet Petite in Cabin John Mall? |
Anonymous
| Yes. But there is one in McLean now too. My kids laugh when they walk by. Big sign that classes start at 2 1/2. Not 2 years, 5 months or any other time. Exactly 2 1/2. That's corporate America for you. |
Anonymous
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My dd's very expensive squash classes are not being made up. I think they cancelled 3 of 10 this session and they are about $35/each. But there is no time to make them up.
In Ballet Petite's defense it is hardly corporate. Yes there are a few locations now but I am pretty sure it is still owned and run by the original owner. I know her and she works hard and is involved in all the locations. She is a lovely person, she's a dancer and her daughter is a dancer. To the person who is concerned about not allowing 2 yr 5 mo old kids - did you ask if they would take your child a month early? Most programs that cater to young children have age guidelines so this does not strike me as at all unusual and there may be flexibility. |