<p>Do you want public or private? Where do you live?
Stage Door Manor (SDM) is a summer program near the Catskills</p>
<p>How old is your D? Is she looking to dance professionally eventually? How important are academics in this picture? Do you want local or are you willing to have her board? I may have several suggestions after hearing your answers. (My D traveled the serious ballet route before switching to MT - she's now a sophomore MT BFA candidate at the University of Michigan but still loves to dance and gets to do so quite a lot at UM). I know a few kids who are in or have been in really first rate programs and actually know of a hidden gem of a program that is quite off the beaten path. Hope I can help. If you are not comfortable giving details here, feel free to email me.</p>
<p>I live in Cincinnati, Ohio, and our Performing Arts school does have a ballet program. We aren't residential, however. If you're interested go to <a href="http://www.scpa.org%5B/url%5D">www.scpa.org</a>.</p>
<p>It is hard to advise you without knowing if you want a boarding school or a day school. And then if private or public. </p>
<p>There are boarding schools for the arts that have ballet such as Interlochen (Michigan), Idyllwyld (California), Walnut Hill (Mass.), North Carolina School of the Arts, among others. There are private day schools. Some areas have public schools for the performing arts (examples, LaGuardia High school in NYC or Booker T. in Texas or the School for Creative and Performing Arts in Cincy). Our state has no performing arts high schools. </p>
<p>Perhaps if you can be more specific, then recommendations can be forthcoming. </p>
<p>As others mentioned, SDM is shorthand for Stagedoor Manor, a Performing Arts Training Center, which is strictly a summer program and it's main focus is theater though they have comprehensive offerings in all kinds of dance including ballet. But if someone JUST wanted ballet, it would NOT be the place to go for that. There are strictly dance summer programs and in fact, strictly ballet ones as well. </p>
<p>Susan</p>
<p>My D is 14, and has been dancing since about 3. She's the youngest of 3 girls and we've been with the same dance studio for about 15 years. And is starting her third year of pointe. Last year her dance teacher started to encourage us to look into other options because the teacher felt that my D was talented and interested enough for a preprofessional program. She applied at Walnut Hill last year and intends to apply again this year. She did go to Nashville for the Dance Masters summer intensive in ballet, and we intend to pursue a structured summer program for her this year. She attended classes 2 or 3 times a week this summer in NYC at Broadway Dance Center (We live near New Haven, CT) and goes down there on Saturdays now that school has started.
Academics is important, as we know anyone's career can be ended by an injury(God forbid). And she is currently a freshman at a Catholic girls day school with a strong academic reputation. Although Im not really willing to send her to California, and by preference New England would be first choice, I dont have a problem with the eastern seaboard or the Midwest.
Any advice you can offer would be greatly appreciated.</p>
<p>Given that information, I would still look into Interlochen, Walnut Hill, and North Carolina School for the Arts. Also, I did a little search for you and you could look into training at School of American Ballet in NYC which also has housing for those who are not local and then you'd have to get schooling academically but one option some go to is Professional Children's School, a day school in the city that is flexible that is geared toward kids who train at SAB or are training/performing musicians or elite athletes or in a Broadway show. This might be an option for your daughter. She could conceivably commute from New Haven.
Susan</p>
<p>Doing a further search for you on the east coast...boarding schools with ballet training....I will add looking into:
Kirov Academy of Ballet in Washington, DC
Universal Ballet Academy in Washington, DC
The Harid Conservatory in Boca Raton, FL</p>
<p>I would imagine that your dance studio would have some resources that list ballet schools and I would also look there and talk with the director of your studio for suggestions. I have a feeling that your D likely dances at the same ballet studio that another mom who posts here, Freelance's, D danced at for years but is about to start college. </p>
<p>Good luck and I hope this helps further as a starting point.
Susan</p>
<p>wdw,</p>
<p>Others have mentioned Walnut Hill, Interlochen and NCSA, but you might also look at SAB in NYC. Has your D ever auditioned for their summer program? She's the perfect age and they often take students about your daughter's age and offer them places in the year round program and the kids take academic classes at either Laguardia or The Professional Children's School.
<a href="http://www.sab.org/%5B/url%5D">http://www.sab.org/</a></p>
<p>You should also look at what used to be called The Kirov Academy of Ballet in Washington DC and is now the Universal Ballet Academy. I know there is some question about the financial support coming from the "Moonies" but a girl from my D's home studio has been there for several years and is becoming quite successful (has been asked to audition for the Boston Ballet and she's only 17). Her Mom says that the Moonie issue has never surfaced to her knowledge.
<a href="http://www.ubacademy.org/%5B/url%5D">http://www.ubacademy.org/</a></p>
<p>My last suggestion may be the best. A man named Andre Bossov, a former Kirov dancer, started a program in Pittsfield Maine in the mid 1990's. It is resident at The Maine Central Institute, a private, mostly boarding school. The Bossov summer program used to be considered one of the best kept secrets in the world of ballet training - not so anymore. Check it out. My D went up there to audition for a summer program when she was 14 and was accepted but chose to go to the Boston Ballet program instead when she was accepted there. But I sat in on classes there and the quality of the instruction and the general skill of the students blew me away. It is a first class program stuck back in the sticks - but with few distractions, I think both dance training and academics get real focus from the students. Also, his performances are first rate - high production values, incredibly creative choreography and unparalleled support from the community. We saw a few over the summer as we have a summer home not too far away in Maine and were very impressed. Check it out as well.
<a href="http://www.bossovballet.com/yearround.html%5B/url%5D">http://www.bossovballet.com/yearround.html</a></p>
<p>Thank you Susan and everyone else. I guess I've got some homework to do now myself.</p>
<p>Does The Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts have a website?
thanks</p>
<p>"Does The Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts have a website?
thanks"</p>
<p>I just googled the school and found their website: </p>
<p>Try this one too <a href="http://www.btwmhs.mps.k12.al.us/%5B/url%5D">http://www.btwmhs.mps.k12.al.us/</a></p>
<p>Thanks to the two of you.</p>
<p>My daughter graduated from Booker T. Washington HSPVA this past May. They do have a website, but I have it on my computer at my office and it actually is not updated. If someone has questions, I can try to answer them for you. Here is a little info on past alumni there in the music dept.:</p>
<p>DownBeat/Musicfest USA Invitational National Jazz Festival: 10 Awards
Monterey Invitational National Jazz Festival: Combo Winner 3 times
International Association for Jazz Education Conference: 15 Performances
Grammy National Signature School: 4 times (2000-2004)
DownBeat Student Music Awards: 165
Grammy Awards won by Alumni: 22</p>
<p>Notable Music Alumni:
Roy Hargrove - Trumpet
Norah Jones - Vocal
Erika Badu - Vocal
Keith Anderson - Sax
Matt Marantz - Sax
Daniel Jones Keyboards
Alan Emert Brave Combo
Danny O'Brien Brave Combo
Joe Jackson Trombone - Leader Airmen of Note
Frank LoCrasto - Piano - Pat Martino
Donessa Washington - Vocal - Kirk Whalum
Keith Loftis - Ray Charles
Robert Searight - God's Property
Edie Brickell and the New Bohemians
Arron Comess - Drums - The Spin Doctors
Fred Sanders - Piano - Leaning House Records
Tim Owens Vocal - Atlantic Records
Eric White Drums - Reprise Records
Andrew Griffith - Drums - Cedar Walton
John Koen - Cello - Philadelphia Orchestra
Roger Roe - Oboe - Indianapolis Orchestra
Gabriel Sanchez - Piano -Van Cliburn Competition</p>
<p>I think it's important to make note that BTW does not have a focus on MT.</p>
<p>That is correct, but you can be involved in the music cluster and dance cluster which puts on 2 musicals per year and receive the very same training. It was not a problem whatsoever for most of these kids to get in the top colleges as MT majors. The dance department has as much talent as any professional dance companies too.</p>
<p>wdw</p>
<p>If your d is serious about dancing professionally you should look at The Harid Conservatory in Boca Raton. It has an outstanding program for serious ballet dancers. The school was founded with an endowment from a very generous donor who wished to remain anonymous and whose wish was that the finest students attend tuition free. I believe they do charge for room and board, but have scholarships to help with room and board and dance supplies.</p>
<p>The school recruits nationally and internationally. They take very few students and all board there. I live within walking distance and have been inside several of their facilities. (The daughter of a very close friend of mine attended and graduated from Harid. Since her family did not live locally, I would visit or take her out, so I had access to areas not open to the public.) The facilities are first rate and so are the grounds. The faculty and student body are outstanding. The program is extremely demanding and after graduation most students join the best companies.</p>
<p>Harid has an arrangement with the Palm Beach County School District so that their students take their academic classes at the nearby public high school, Spanish River High School, an excellent school. There the Harid students attend academic classes and can participate in regular hs activities. All dance and dance related classes are taken and taught at Harid. The students have very long days, but seem to manage well. The school has buses to take them to their high school classes and around town to go shopping, movies, beach, etc.</p>
<p>If there is anything else you wish to ask, feel free to e-mail me.</p>
<p>Plugging once again---
Perry Mansfield Performing Arts School in Steamboat Springs, CO</p>
<p><a href="http://www.perry-mansfield.org%5B/url%5D">www.perry-mansfield.org</a></p>
<p>When it was founded 93 years ago it was exclusively dancing and equestrian. There is an old book[now out of print] about the founders even called, "Dancers on Horseback."</p>
<p>In the six-week intensive you can take up to five dance classes a day and it culminates in an evening of dance performances. Instructors come from Julliard, Ailey dance company, Battleworks, etc...</p>
<p>Plus it is a beautiful inspiring setting in the rocky mountains.</p>
<p>My wife took my D up to Pittsfield for my D's audition with the Bossov Ballet. They came back EXTREMELY impressed! The whole BBT organization was very cooperative and very hospitable. She danced in 3 classes for Andre and Natalya (I think they wanted to see how she would handle different instructors as well as a fairly advanced level) and my D said that she felt a strong connection between teachers and student. I just wanted to let folks know about what a positive experience the audition was. Also, the campus is beautiful and the dorm situation is very nice. The BBT folks gave them the full tour (even through the kitchen - I bet the cooks loved that! :-) ). The academic school, MCI, evidently will be as accomadating as well for students accepted into the ballet program. I know my D plans to audition at a few other schools, but I think Bossov is definitely on her 'short list'.</p>
<p>wdw,</p>
<p>So glad I could help! (if indeed you heard about BBT/MCI- Maine Central Institute - from this thread) It's always nice to have others confirm your opinion of a program. Glad to hear her visit/audition went so well. Your daughter must be a fine dancer because I know that the program there is demanding and quite professional. I just had lunch with a woman who I had told about BBT a few years ago. Her son attended for two summers and is now full time at SAB in New York (he's a high school junior, doing his academic work at the Children's Professional School.) She still thanks me every time she sees me, saying that BBT really is extraordinary. Let us know if she decides to go!</p>