Thank you for sharing this updated information.
It seems an odd and… limiting change.
That’s a big change for Walnut Hill. It seems limiting to focus only on ballet but maybe they see a need for that. I wonder what effect it will have on other schools, if their non-ballet offerings will become stronger to fill in the gap.
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Is Walnut Hill more for kids to have a career in that area? My daughter is a serious dancer but we passed on Walnut Hill thinking it is big commitment to go that route.
I think it’s more for kids who want to keep options open. There is a range of talent. academics are definitely toned down compared to a lot of MA schools. But the point is it’s still supposed to be a solid education so you aren’t commiting to your art vs college.
Ok that makes sense. Thanks
noble is actually very good on introducing kids to a sport they never played, and make them like it soon.
Decided to go with Nobles. Mainly my daughter’s decision. Thanks everyone for all the help and information.
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@one1ofeach Walnut Hill students do study modern and character dance, in addition to ballet.
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@bouders
Thanks for pointing that out. I probably made it sound as though there is no cross training at WH, which I didn’t mean to. Even strictly ballet dancers usually take some classes in other genres.
But knowing the ballet level that is required by the admissions process now that Boston ballet has taken over the program (so after 2020), I feel very confident in saying that unless someone is a very well-trained ballet dancer, they will not likely get into Walnut Hill. (There is only ballet in the pre-screen video requested for 2021, for example.) And while students aren’t required to be on the true pre-pro (non-college) path, they probably need to be (close to) good enough for the company path to be a reasonable option. I say this as an outsider though, as a ballerina mom myself and of a few friends whose pre-pro girls were not offered admission there but are routinely offered spots at other amazing ballet spots like PNB, ABT, etc… So if they aren’t getting in, it does lead me to believe that it would be unlikely that a recreational dancer would be offered admission post-2020. (I’ll add that on the flip side, we have friend whose daughter was already a student in 2019, and she was indeed a serious but recreational dancer, and she feels very lucky to be there now getting BB great training since she knows that she would not likely be newly admitted if she were to have applied this year.) Maybe that will change going forward – but for this past admissions cycle, it frankly feel like a bit of a mashup of a PA high school + pre-pro ballet program (just based on zooms and phone calls I’ve experienced).
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My student loved Concord Academy and it helped her to meet all kinds of people. her teachers were just so outstanding. It is a very diverse and accepting environment with students from all different backgrounds and perspectives living and learning in peer groups that have impressive range. The academics are superior and truly compelling. The passion for learning in campus is palpable. The social structure is relaxed, free and accepting. My daughter went through four years working incredibly hard but it never felt like a grind. She went on to her first choice college and all of her friends were admitted to similar high level schools. CA sports are fun but less intense than at other prep schools. They all work really hard and have a lot of fun in a safe but free spirited environment. The students are allowed to work from campus into the beautiful little town and they do so often.
Several friends and family members have attended Nobles. It is very different from Concord Academy. From what I’ve observed Nobles culture is more traditional and I would even say conformist, very sports oriented and a lot of the families have connections which plays heavily into both their college matriculation and the social structure. Students self segregate and it is not a fun place to be “different.” I personally know of several students who struggled there because they were not a fit. If you are thinking Nobles it is probably a good idea to see if your student is a fit for that particular environment it’s a well funded school with beautiful resources and a great place for the right student.
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