Dance Moms, Advice on Choosing a Studio Please?

[Occasionally]

I hope someone can give me some pointers.

 

So, tonight was DD7's dance recital. She did well, but I think it's time we move to a different studio. How do I find a new one? What do I look for? What questions should I be asking?

 

Any advice would be appreciated!

[justasque]

Well, first you want to think about the kind of dance. There are mainly-ballet studios, and there are ballet-tap-jazz-etc. studios. If your dd is serious about ballet, you want a mainly-ballet studio, and specifically you want a pre-professional studio if you have one around (e.g. Rock in Philly). If, on the other hand, your dd is more eclectic, and/or is more about fun/dance-as-exercise rather than dance-as-career (and I know that's absurd to say about a 7 year old), then a combo studio may be a better fit.

 

Talk to dance moms in your area, see what they like and don't like about their kids' studio.

 

Ask about how kids progress from level to level, what are the performance opportunities as they get older (other than recital), does the studio do competitions. Ask about how they will place your dd, level-wise.

 

Ask about the faculty and their training.

 

Ask about fees, and what expenses you may encounter. Ask other moms from the studio - Do they try to keep fees low by renting costumes sometimes and that sort of thing, or do they nickle-and-dime you assuming you can write checks at their every whim.

 

Have your dd take a sample class.

 

Think about your dd - will she thrive or wither in a serious class? Will she be comfortable or annoyed in a more casual class.

 

Does the studio teach adults (who generally are more picky about the quality of the classes, thus don't stay long at a lower-quality studio)?

Edited June 11, 2011 by askPauline

[The Governess]

If there are any studios near you that you are interested in, the first thing I would do is see about getting yourself a ticket to their end-of-year recitals/productions (if they all haven't happened yet). They should help you get a feel for the professionalism of the studio, what types of dance they are strongest in, and what kinds of dancers are coming out of their program.

 

I'm not sure what kind of dance your dd is looking to continue with, but no matter what I would look for a studio that requires ballet as a foundation for other types of dance. A ballet requirement tells you that they care about technique and not just fun and flashy dance numbers. You have already received great advice on many other things to consider. Good luck! :001_smile:

[Bassoonaroo]

Agreeing with PPs -- great ideas!

 

Here are my ideas to add to theirs:

 

1) Ask the director about the mission or purpose of the studio. Even if they don't have a formal statement, ask her what the studio focuses on. Then ask a few of the teachers. Do the teachers' answers agree with the directors? Some studios are heavily into competition (and that takes time and money) and others are focused on their pre-professional company. Still others allow recreational dancers to take certain classes.

 

2) When your dd takes a sample class, hang out with the other moms. Do you like them? Are they rabid about their dd's dance? Could you stand to be with them?

 

3) Ask about the studio's policies (absence, dress code, behavior, payment).

 

4) What "tracks" are offered to the older girls? Can they pursue a pre-professional track? Or a recreational track?

 

5) Watch a class or two. How big are the classes? Does the teacher have control? Are the teachers pleasant yet firm? Are there any helpers in the youngest classes (to help tie shoes, remember left from right, etc.)?

 

6) Where is the studio located? Is it in a safe part of town (could you imagine your 17 year old driving there alone)? Would you get tired of driving there four times a week? Is the studio moving any time soon?

 

7) Is the studio comfortable (for you to wait for the class to be over)? How are the rooms? Do they have safe flooring (aka "floating"), good air circulation, bright lights and mirrors? Do they smell stale?

 

8) Does the studio schedule fit YOUR schedule?

 

9) What does it cost? Remember to include: required outfits, classes, registration fees, costumes, recital fees, tickets, photos, videos. Does it offer discounts for siblings or military families?

 

10) Watch a recital in person or on video. Are you kids allowed to listen to that kind of music? Are your girls allowed to wear outfits like the teens wear? Are the dances suggestive or God-honoring? Do the outfits look complex and expensive?

 

11) What is the culture at the studio? Do the heavier girls even stand a chance or are they sidelined after the intermediate class? Are the girls in the highest classes all skinny and "beautiful?" Is there pressure to be thin?

 

12) How often do the girls perform or compete? Our studio has a big recital in May and two open houses where the girls perform before then. Some of the older girls go to nursing homes to dance.

 

13) How involved are the older girls? Do they have a say-so in the costumes? In the dances themselves?

 

I'm falling asleep writing this... I'm sure I forgot something but those are some practical considerations.

[Occasionally]

Thank you thank you thank you for all the food for thought!

 

Yes, she's 7, but she says consistently that she wants to be a ballerina when she grows up. :001_smile: Right now she does tap and ballet (combo class) and I have the feeling that she'd drop the tap without looking back if she had more opportunity for "real" ballet.

 

Pauline, I'm not sure where in PA you are (and thank you for the super-duper website!) but we're in Chester County. Any knowledge out this way?

 

Lovelearnandlive, what a great thought about ice skating. Thank you! Right now we're at a place that appears quite focused on "fun and flashy numbers."

 

Bassoonaroo, lots of great stuff to think about--and thanks for reminding me to keep an eye on the "culture." DD is tall and slim now, but so was I at her age :lol:. I do *not* want her to feel pressure about her physique.

 

Thank you again!

[happypamama]

Darn, you're a little too far east of us, or I'd recommend our studio. DD just completed her fourth year there. We had her at one other local studio for a few months and were really disappointed in them; she hated classes there. I figure it's one thing for a kid to want to skip class occasionally, but every week, she wasn't happy at that other studio. When they had the parent observation class, I was annoyed at how the teacher treated the children; she was really barking orders at them. Blech.

 

Our current studio is wonderful. There's very much a family atmosphere. Emphasis is on excellence, but not perfection. We've had three teachers there, and while I think DD has clicked better with a couple of them, they've all been kind and encouraging, getting the best out of the children without yelling or being harsh.

 

If you can observe a class, great, or perhaps see if they have a recording of the recital. Our studio does like to let you know about all the fees and recital rehearsals at the beginning of the year, which I appreciate. If you can, talk to other parents about what to expect from recital week in terms of time and costs. Also, our studio does a bunch of little selling fundraisers throughout the year; these are completely optional, and while they can be used toward your recital/costume costs, it's also perfectly acceptable not to do them and just to pay the costs yourself (and they ask for portions of the recital/costume costs throughout the year, so it's spread out a bit, which is nice). We live in a very rural area, DH works in a small office, we don't want our few neighbors/coworkers bugging us for their kids' fundraisers, and the grandparents would rather just donate a bit of money than to buy overpriced stuff, so we've not done a single fundraiser, and nobody's ever pressured us at all. (Otoh, I know people who have never had to pay for a costume at all because they do a lot of fundraisers, so I appreciate that there is the option for everyone.)

 

Our studio has both excellent ballet classes and jazz/modern/tap/acting classes. Many of our older students have been there ten years and take multiple classes, but there is no pressure to do more than one. There's another ballet studio around here where 7 and 8 yo's are expected to be in ballet classes 5-6 days a *week!* That's definitely not what I want, right now, if ever.

 

I have appreciated that the ballet music and costumes have all been family-friendly and reasonable. Some of the older kids' hip-hop/jazz/tap/modern classes have worn recital outfits that I think are a little skimpy, but they're not horrible; there have been a handful of songs that I've felt were a bit too sex-oriented, but they weren't for the ballet or younger classes, so it's been not a big deal to me.

 

One thing I really like about our studio is that the older students come in all shapes and sizes. There are dancers up on stage who are of the curvier sort, and while they encourage good nutrition (they gave reusable water bottles to each dancer this year, to encourage drinking water, and they put in a snack/drink machine that has better choices -- like sodas not laden with high fructose corn syrup -- I figure it's a step up from Cokes), I've not seen a push for extreme skinniness. If I ever do, it'll be the last time my child sets foot in there, but it just doesn't seem to be an issue. That would really matter to me a lot.

Edited June 11, 2011 by happypamama

[Dancer_Mom]

Hi There.

 

Not a dance mom yet but a former dance teacher.

 

I would add...

 

Ask the instructors about what types of technique and skills they teach at each level... is it developmentally appropriate? Most places that teach things in a developmentally appropriate way will either advertise it or give you the information you are looking for when asked directly. (Most good ballet studios only do "creative movement" when the girls are very small 4-5 years old and then build up to work on the barre)

 

Especially since your daughter wants to move forward with ballet be wary of studios that simply move girls up by age at all levels (as they get older it should begin to be based on skill) or put them in pointe shoes before they are ready... most good ballet studios will have a process and guidelines on when they deem dancers ready for this big step.

 

I agree a pre professional studio is a good idea even if she doen't make a career of it because it will give her high quality technique that will translate to any other style she wishes to pursue.

 

I would also read the biographies of the instructors on their websites... where did they train? Did they have a professional career? How long have they been teaching?

 

Good Luck!!!

[LearningGrace]

Our dd wants ballet lessons very badly. Thanks for the tips on selecting the right studio. :)

[justasque]

Pauline, I'm not sure where in PA you are (and thank you for the super-duper website!) but we're in Chester County. Any knowledge out this way?

 

 

I'd at least look at Rock West (in West Chester), there's a ballet school in Glen Mills that I've heard both good and 'eh' about, one of the teachers at our studio (who I love) teaches somewhere near Longwood, there's a serious ballet school in Wilmington but I haven't kept up with the changes lately.

 

I'd also put the question out on the Chesco and Delco Yahoo groups to get input from other moms. (Delco has about 800 folks subscribed at this point - *lots* of potential local input there, and many are in Chesco.)

 

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/delco-homeschool/

 

The studio where dd and I dance is very much what the PP described - supportive, opportunities for both serious dancers and recreational ones, girls of all sizes and some with special needs, active in keeping costs down. However, it's probably a bit too far for you (Aston).

 

ALSO - check out my field trips for next year. We usually see a series of six or seven contemporary dance performances at the Annenberg (on the Penn campus) as well as dress rehearsals of the PA Ballet. We just saw the full length dress of La Fille de Mal Gardee which was great, and some lively dance from Cuba at the Merriam; both were free (except of course for parking/gas).