Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Washington Ballet.

Until recently, Maryland Youth Ballet was also excellent, but ever since their former artistic director retired, they've had some issues at the top, have let their current artistic director go (he was a complete mess), and as a result, their conservatory has shut down. Your daughter is too young to belong to one anyway, but there's enough flux at MYB that you might want to go elsewhere.

Kirov has shut down for financial reasons (plus they always had those murky ties to the Korean Moon cult).

So... there's only Washington Ballet that I can recommend. They're not perfect, they have long been dogged with accusations of nepotism and favoritism in performances, but their classes are objectively of high quality.

The teachers at MYB are almost all the same now as they were five years ago. Maybe one departure. There is no reason to believe that the “issues at the top” have impacted the quality of the dance training. Mr. Muñoz came in at an unfortunate time as all but 14 months of his 44 month tenure were complicated by COVID-19 and this region’s reaction to it. A really bad time to start up a daily conservatory group. On the positive side, the studio Re-opened for in-person classes on July 6, 2020 and has stayed open ever since. Which dance school did better than that?

Personally, I’m not a fan of the conservatory because it essentially wipes out a kid’s entire day and I can’t fathom when they get actual learning done. At night, after dinner, I guess. Sounds exhausting. If the studio doesn’t have the resources to have a tutor/teacher on staff and a dedicated learning area, then it seemed irresponsible to entice kids to short shrift their education to add an extra two or three hours of dance during every school day. At least Kirov seemed to understand that.

Flux, not turnover, PP. And if your child is in the lower levels or has the traditional appearance of the ballerina (desired height, complexion, body type), then she might go through MYB never realizing some students are treated differently.

MYB staff had more cohesion and direction when Michelle Lees was there. Munoz, being artistically gifted but administratively lacking, had the effect of revealing flaws and inequalities in how some teachers taught students, and how MYB as a group responded to complaints of favoritism and bullying, because there was no firm hand on the rudder. Their Covid response was pretty good, I'll grant you that. But a lot of parents of higher-level students are pulling their kids out, since MYB, despite sending out a survey and trying to correct course, did not address the main cause (separating from Munoz) until parents were fed up.

I hope their next artistic director is fair-minded and forces certain other teachers to behave.

What does this mean?

It means that at this school, just like at most high-level ballet schools, there is discrimination regarding:
Height (not too tall, not too short)
Body shape (as slim as possible, elongated limbs)
Skin color (pale so everyone can look the same in line)

Yes, you read that right, and I hope you're not surprised, if you know anything about the ballet world.

What is the ideal height range?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Washington Ballet.

Until recently, Maryland Youth Ballet was also excellent, but ever since their former artistic director retired, they've had some issues at the top, have let their current artistic director go (he was a complete mess), and as a result, their conservatory has shut down. Your daughter is too young to belong to one anyway, but there's enough flux at MYB that you might want to go elsewhere.

Kirov has shut down for financial reasons (plus they always had those murky ties to the Korean Moon cult).

So... there's only Washington Ballet that I can recommend. They're not perfect, they have long been dogged with accusations of nepotism and favoritism in performances, but their classes are objectively of high quality.

The teachers at MYB are almost all the same now as they were five years ago. Maybe one departure. There is no reason to believe that the “issues at the top” have impacted the quality of the dance training. Mr. Muñoz came in at an unfortunate time as all but 14 months of his 44 month tenure were complicated by COVID-19 and this region’s reaction to it. A really bad time to start up a daily conservatory group. On the positive side, the studio Re-opened for in-person classes on July 6, 2020 and has stayed open ever since. Which dance school did better than that?

Personally, I’m not a fan of the conservatory because it essentially wipes out a kid’s entire day and I can’t fathom when they get actual learning done. At night, after dinner, I guess. Sounds exhausting. If the studio doesn’t have the resources to have a tutor/teacher on staff and a dedicated learning area, then it seemed irresponsible to entice kids to short shrift their education to add an extra two or three hours of dance during every school day. At least Kirov seemed to understand that.

Flux, not turnover, PP. And if your child is in the lower levels or has the traditional appearance of the ballerina (desired height, complexion, body type), then she might go through MYB never realizing some students are treated differently.

MYB staff had more cohesion and direction when Michelle Lees was there. Munoz, being artistically gifted but administratively lacking, had the effect of revealing flaws and inequalities in how some teachers taught students, and how MYB as a group responded to complaints of favoritism and bullying, because there was no firm hand on the rudder. Their Covid response was pretty good, I'll grant you that. But a lot of parents of higher-level students are pulling their kids out, since MYB, despite sending out a survey and trying to correct course, did not address the main cause (separating from Munoz) until parents were fed up.

I hope their next artistic director is fair-minded and forces certain other teachers to behave.

What does this mean?

It means that at this school, just like at most high-level ballet schools, there is discrimination regarding:
Height (not too tall, not too short)
Body shape (as slim as possible, elongated limbs)
Skin color (pale so everyone can look the same in line)

Yes, you read that right, and I hope you're not surprised, if you know anything about the ballet world.

I agree with you on everything but skin color. There is a huge effort to diversify ballet companies right now.

Yes, and... why do you think a HUGE effort needs to be made? And if it's ongoing, how do you think they're doing now?
Please pursue your logical reasoning to its end.

Man I should know not to jump in on a ballet thread on DCUM. Every time I do, I get yelled at. My point is that companies don’t want everyone “pale” so that they can look the same in line. At least the companies I’m familiar with in the US.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Washington Ballet.

Until recently, Maryland Youth Ballet was also excellent, but ever since their former artistic director retired, they've had some issues at the top, have let their current artistic director go (he was a complete mess), and as a result, their conservatory has shut down. Your daughter is too young to belong to one anyway, but there's enough flux at MYB that you might want to go elsewhere.

Kirov has shut down for financial reasons (plus they always had those murky ties to the Korean Moon cult).

So... there's only Washington Ballet that I can recommend. They're not perfect, they have long been dogged with accusations of nepotism and favoritism in performances, but their classes are objectively of high quality.

The teachers at MYB are almost all the same now as they were five years ago. Maybe one departure. There is no reason to believe that the “issues at the top” have impacted the quality of the dance training. Mr. Muñoz came in at an unfortunate time as all but 14 months of his 44 month tenure were complicated by COVID-19 and this region’s reaction to it. A really bad time to start up a daily conservatory group. On the positive side, the studio Re-opened for in-person classes on July 6, 2020 and has stayed open ever since. Which dance school did better than that?

Personally, I’m not a fan of the conservatory because it essentially wipes out a kid’s entire day and I can’t fathom when they get actual learning done. At night, after dinner, I guess. Sounds exhausting. If the studio doesn’t have the resources to have a tutor/teacher on staff and a dedicated learning area, then it seemed irresponsible to entice kids to short shrift their education to add an extra two or three hours of dance during every school day. At least Kirov seemed to understand that.

Flux, not turnover, PP. And if your child is in the lower levels or has the traditional appearance of the ballerina (desired height, complexion, body type), then she might go through MYB never realizing some students are treated differently.

MYB staff had more cohesion and direction when Michelle Lees was there. Munoz, being artistically gifted but administratively lacking, had the effect of revealing flaws and inequalities in how some teachers taught students, and how MYB as a group responded to complaints of favoritism and bullying, because there was no firm hand on the rudder. Their Covid response was pretty good, I'll grant you that. But a lot of parents of higher-level students are pulling their kids out, since MYB, despite sending out a survey and trying to correct course, did not address the main cause (separating from Munoz) until parents were fed up.

I hope their next artistic director is fair-minded and forces certain other teachers to behave.

What does this mean?

It means that at this school, just like at most high-level ballet schools, there is discrimination regarding:
Height (not too tall, not too short)
Body shape (as slim as possible, elongated limbs)
Skin color (pale so everyone can look the same in line)

Yes, you read that right, and I hope you're not surprised, if you know anything about the ballet world.

I agree with you on everything but skin color. There is a huge effort to diversify ballet companies right now.

Yes, and... why do you think a HUGE effort needs to be made? And if it's ongoing, how do you think they're doing now?
Please pursue your logical reasoning to its end.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Washington Ballet.

Until recently, Maryland Youth Ballet was also excellent, but ever since their former artistic director retired, they've had some issues at the top, have let their current artistic director go (he was a complete mess), and as a result, their conservatory has shut down. Your daughter is too young to belong to one anyway, but there's enough flux at MYB that you might want to go elsewhere.

Kirov has shut down for financial reasons (plus they always had those murky ties to the Korean Moon cult).

So... there's only Washington Ballet that I can recommend. They're not perfect, they have long been dogged with accusations of nepotism and favoritism in performances, but their classes are objectively of high quality.

The teachers at MYB are almost all the same now as they were five years ago. Maybe one departure. There is no reason to believe that the “issues at the top” have impacted the quality of the dance training. Mr. Muñoz came in at an unfortunate time as all but 14 months of his 44 month tenure were complicated by COVID-19 and this region’s reaction to it. A really bad time to start up a daily conservatory group. On the positive side, the studio Re-opened for in-person classes on July 6, 2020 and has stayed open ever since. Which dance school did better than that?

Personally, I’m not a fan of the conservatory because it essentially wipes out a kid’s entire day and I can’t fathom when they get actual learning done. At night, after dinner, I guess. Sounds exhausting. If the studio doesn’t have the resources to have a tutor/teacher on staff and a dedicated learning area, then it seemed irresponsible to entice kids to short shrift their education to add an extra two or three hours of dance during every school day. At least Kirov seemed to understand that.

Flux, not turnover, PP. And if your child is in the lower levels or has the traditional appearance of the ballerina (desired height, complexion, body type), then she might go through MYB never realizing some students are treated differently.

MYB staff had more cohesion and direction when Michelle Lees was there. Munoz, being artistically gifted but administratively lacking, had the effect of revealing flaws and inequalities in how some teachers taught students, and how MYB as a group responded to complaints of favoritism and bullying, because there was no firm hand on the rudder. Their Covid response was pretty good, I'll grant you that. But a lot of parents of higher-level students are pulling their kids out, since MYB, despite sending out a survey and trying to correct course, did not address the main cause (separating from Munoz) until parents were fed up.

I hope their next artistic director is fair-minded and forces certain other teachers to behave.

What does this mean?

It means that at this school, just like at most high-level ballet schools, there is discrimination regarding:
Height (not too tall, not too short)
Body shape (as slim as possible, elongated limbs)
Skin color (pale so everyone can look the same in line)

Yes, you read that right, and I hope you're not surprised, if you know anything about the ballet world.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Washington Ballet.

Until recently, Maryland Youth Ballet was also excellent, but ever since their former artistic director retired, they've had some issues at the top, have let their current artistic director go (he was a complete mess), and as a result, their conservatory has shut down. Your daughter is too young to belong to one anyway, but there's enough flux at MYB that you might want to go elsewhere.

Kirov has shut down for financial reasons (plus they always had those murky ties to the Korean Moon cult).

So... there's only Washington Ballet that I can recommend. They're not perfect, they have long been dogged with accusations of nepotism and favoritism in performances, but their classes are objectively of high quality.

The teachers at MYB are almost all the same now as they were five years ago. Maybe one departure. There is no reason to believe that the “issues at the top” have impacted the quality of the dance training. Mr. Muñoz came in at an unfortunate time as all but 14 months of his 44 month tenure were complicated by COVID-19 and this region’s reaction to it. A really bad time to start up a daily conservatory group. On the positive side, the studio Re-opened for in-person classes on July 6, 2020 and has stayed open ever since. Which dance school did better than that?

Personally, I’m not a fan of the conservatory because it essentially wipes out a kid’s entire day and I can’t fathom when they get actual learning done. At night, after dinner, I guess. Sounds exhausting. If the studio doesn’t have the resources to have a tutor/teacher on staff and a dedicated learning area, then it seemed irresponsible to entice kids to short shrift their education to add an extra two or three hours of dance during every school day. At least Kirov seemed to understand that.

Flux, not turnover, PP. And if your child is in the lower levels or has the traditional appearance of the ballerina (desired height, complexion, body type), then she might go through MYB never realizing some students are treated differently.

MYB staff had more cohesion and direction when Michelle Lees was there. Munoz, being artistically gifted but administratively lacking, had the effect of revealing flaws and inequalities in how some teachers taught students, and how MYB as a group responded to complaints of favoritism and bullying, because there was no firm hand on the rudder. Their Covid response was pretty good, I'll grant you that. But a lot of parents of higher-level students are pulling their kids out, since MYB, despite sending out a survey and trying to correct course, did not address the main cause (separating from Munoz) until parents were fed up.

I hope their next artistic director is fair-minded and forces certain other teachers to behave.

What does this mean?

It means that at this school, just like at most high-level ballet schools, there is discrimination regarding:
Height (not too tall, not too short)
Body shape (as slim as possible, elongated limbs)
Skin color (pale so everyone can look the same in line)

Yes, you read that right, and I hope you're not surprised, if you know anything about the ballet world.

I agree with you on everything but skin color. There is a huge effort to diversify ballet companies right now.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Washington Ballet.

Until recently, Maryland Youth Ballet was also excellent, but ever since their former artistic director retired, they've had some issues at the top, have let their current artistic director go (he was a complete mess), and as a result, their conservatory has shut down. Your daughter is too young to belong to one anyway, but there's enough flux at MYB that you might want to go elsewhere.

Kirov has shut down for financial reasons (plus they always had those murky ties to the Korean Moon cult).

So... there's only Washington Ballet that I can recommend. They're not perfect, they have long been dogged with accusations of nepotism and favoritism in performances, but their classes are objectively of high quality.

The teachers at MYB are almost all the same now as they were five years ago. Maybe one departure. There is no reason to believe that the “issues at the top” have impacted the quality of the dance training. Mr. Muñoz came in at an unfortunate time as all but 14 months of his 44 month tenure were complicated by COVID-19 and this region’s reaction to it. A really bad time to start up a daily conservatory group. On the positive side, the studio Re-opened for in-person classes on July 6, 2020 and has stayed open ever since. Which dance school did better than that?

Personally, I’m not a fan of the conservatory because it essentially wipes out a kid’s entire day and I can’t fathom when they get actual learning done. At night, after dinner, I guess. Sounds exhausting. If the studio doesn’t have the resources to have a tutor/teacher on staff and a dedicated learning area, then it seemed irresponsible to entice kids to short shrift their education to add an extra two or three hours of dance during every school day. At least Kirov seemed to understand that.

Flux, not turnover, PP. And if your child is in the lower levels or has the traditional appearance of the ballerina (desired height, complexion, body type), then she might go through MYB never realizing some students are treated differently.

MYB staff had more cohesion and direction when Michelle Lees was there. Munoz, being artistically gifted but administratively lacking, had the effect of revealing flaws and inequalities in how some teachers taught students, and how MYB as a group responded to complaints of favoritism and bullying, because there was no firm hand on the rudder. Their Covid response was pretty good, I'll grant you that. But a lot of parents of higher-level students are pulling their kids out, since MYB, despite sending out a survey and trying to correct course, did not address the main cause (separating from Munoz) until parents were fed up.

I hope their next artistic director is fair-minded and forces certain other teachers to behave.

What does this mean?

It means that at this school, just like at most high-level ballet schools, there is discrimination regarding:
Height (not too tall, not too short)
Body shape (as slim as possible, elongated limbs)
Skin color (pale so everyone can look the same in line)

Yes, you read that right, and I hope you're not surprised, if you know anything about the ballet world.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Washington Ballet.

Until recently, Maryland Youth Ballet was also excellent, but ever since their former artistic director retired, they've had some issues at the top, have let their current artistic director go (he was a complete mess), and as a result, their conservatory has shut down. Your daughter is too young to belong to one anyway, but there's enough flux at MYB that you might want to go elsewhere.

Kirov has shut down for financial reasons (plus they always had those murky ties to the Korean Moon cult).

So... there's only Washington Ballet that I can recommend. They're not perfect, they have long been dogged with accusations of nepotism and favoritism in performances, but their classes are objectively of high quality.

The teachers at MYB are almost all the same now as they were five years ago. Maybe one departure. There is no reason to believe that the “issues at the top” have impacted the quality of the dance training. Mr. Muñoz came in at an unfortunate time as all but 14 months of his 44 month tenure were complicated by COVID-19 and this region’s reaction to it. A really bad time to start up a daily conservatory group. On the positive side, the studio Re-opened for in-person classes on July 6, 2020 and has stayed open ever since. Which dance school did better than that?

Personally, I’m not a fan of the conservatory because it essentially wipes out a kid’s entire day and I can’t fathom when they get actual learning done. At night, after dinner, I guess. Sounds exhausting. If the studio doesn’t have the resources to have a tutor/teacher on staff and a dedicated learning area, then it seemed irresponsible to entice kids to short shrift their education to add an extra two or three hours of dance during every school day. At least Kirov seemed to understand that.

Flux, not turnover, PP. And if your child is in the lower levels or has the traditional appearance of the ballerina (desired height, complexion, body type), then she might go through MYB never realizing some students are treated differently.

MYB staff had more cohesion and direction when Michelle Lees was there. Munoz, being artistically gifted but administratively lacking, had the effect of revealing flaws and inequalities in how some teachers taught students, and how MYB as a group responded to complaints of favoritism and bullying, because there was no firm hand on the rudder. Their Covid response was pretty good, I'll grant you that. But a lot of parents of higher-level students are pulling their kids out, since MYB, despite sending out a survey and trying to correct course, did not address the main cause (separating from Munoz) until parents were fed up.

I hope their next artistic director is fair-minded and forces certain other teachers to behave.

What does this mean?

Anonymous wrote:No one is including CityDance?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Washington Ballet.

Until recently, Maryland Youth Ballet was also excellent, but ever since their former artistic director retired, they've had some issues at the top, have let their current artistic director go (he was a complete mess), and as a result, their conservatory has shut down. Your daughter is too young to belong to one anyway, but there's enough flux at MYB that you might want to go elsewhere.

Kirov has shut down for financial reasons (plus they always had those murky ties to the Korean Moon cult).

So... there's only Washington Ballet that I can recommend. They're not perfect, they have long been dogged with accusations of nepotism and favoritism in performances, but their classes are objectively of high quality.

The teachers at MYB are almost all the same now as they were five years ago. Maybe one departure. There is no reason to believe that the “issues at the top” have impacted the quality of the dance training. Mr. Muñoz came in at an unfortunate time as all but 14 months of his 44 month tenure were complicated by COVID-19 and this region’s reaction to it. A really bad time to start up a daily conservatory group. On the positive side, the studio Re-opened for in-person classes on July 6, 2020 and has stayed open ever since. Which dance school did better than that?

Personally, I’m not a fan of the conservatory because it essentially wipes out a kid’s entire day and I can’t fathom when they get actual learning done. At night, after dinner, I guess. Sounds exhausting. If the studio doesn’t have the resources to have a tutor/teacher on staff and a dedicated learning area, then it seemed irresponsible to entice kids to short shrift their education to add an extra two or three hours of dance during every school day. At least Kirov seemed to understand that.

Flux, not turnover, PP. And if your child is in the lower levels or has the traditional appearance of the ballerina (desired height, complexion, body type), then she might go through MYB never realizing some students are treated differently.

MYB staff had more cohesion and direction when Michelle Lees was there. Munoz, being artistically gifted but administratively lacking, had the effect of revealing flaws and inequalities in how some teachers taught students, and how MYB as a group responded to complaints of favoritism and bullying, because there was no firm hand on the rudder. Their Covid response was pretty good, I'll grant you that. But a lot of parents of higher-level students are pulling their kids out, since MYB, despite sending out a survey and trying to correct course, did not address the main cause (separating from Munoz) until parents were fed up.

I hope their next artistic director is fair-minded and forces certain other teachers to behave.

Anonymous wrote:DD trained at several VA places listed here and at Washington Ballet. All have their pluses and minuses but all still offer exceptional ballet training.

I would leave her at BN if she's happy there. The training is great and some of the teachers there were at Metropolitan too a few years back when DD trained. Many are still around. Those teachers are excellent!

Opportunities will be probably be greater at BN and Metro than WSB unless she is a "favorite" and that's honestly unlikely unless she has musicality and the perfect old school ballet height/body/feet/hyperextended knee shape on pointe - that sadly hasn't changed.

DD went to top summer intensives, some on merit, throughout the US with her training and actually left WSB for one of the VA schools. It worked out fine for her and her fellow students who continued after high school. She enjoyed BN the most out of her training locations. I wouldn't make the trek to Maryland School of Ballet from VA. Definitely not worth the headache. DD wouldn't have changed schools so much but there were some circumstances beyond her control. Consistency in training is important.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can someone explain how bullying happens in a ballet class? I’m honestly confused. Don’t the kids just show up for class and do what the instructor says and go home? Is it happening at rehearsals for ballets?

The older kids stay at MYB for hours with back to back classes. In between, they in the corridors, stretching and warming up or cooling down. One young adult dancer in particular just kept saying nasty stuff, with absolutely no reprimand from above.

Ah ok. Thanks for this. Makes sense. I’m sorry this happened. Hopefully that person doesn’t ruin an entire program, which would be such a shame.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can someone explain how bullying happens in a ballet class? I’m honestly confused. Don’t the kids just show up for class and do what the instructor says and go home? Is it happening at rehearsals for ballets?

The older kids stay at MYB for hours with back to back classes. In between, they in the corridors, stretching and warming up or cooling down. One young adult dancer in particular just kept saying nasty stuff, with absolutely no reprimand from above.

Anonymous wrote:Can someone explain how bullying happens in a ballet class? I’m honestly confused. Don’t the kids just show up for class and do what the instructor says and go home? Is it happening at rehearsals for ballets?