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monkeyd
Citizen
Username: Monkeyd
Post Number: 6
Registered: 7-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, July 10, 2003 - 3:35 pm: | 
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Anyone have any particular favorites of local ballet classes? My 3-year old is itching to do ballet and I don't know which to try. |
shoshannah
Citizen
Username: Shoshannah
Post Number: 169
Registered: 7-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, July 10, 2003 - 5:03 pm: |
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I would recommend against the one in the little house near the train tracks (can't remember the name). Four years ago, my then-three-year-old daughter had a terrible experience there. She had a hard time separating from me at the first class, and parents are not allowed to go inside the studio or watch from a window. When my daughter finally summoned the courage to enter the studio -- 10 minutes after the class had begun -- Miss Ann would not let her in because the class "was already underway." For goodness sake, she was only three! Of course my daughter burst into tears. |
bella
Citizen
Username: Bella
Post Number: 315
Registered: 7-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, July 10, 2003 - 5:04 pm: |
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I went to Maria Priadka (spelling?) in South Orange. I don't know if she's still there. |
monkeyd
Citizen
Username: Monkeyd
Post Number: 7
Registered: 7-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, July 10, 2003 - 5:18 pm: |
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Wow, thanks for the warning Shoshannah. Sounds ridculously harsh for a first day for 3-year-olds!
I assume your experience with Maria Priadka was good, Bella? The name sounds familiar. I think they may be still around. |
eliz
Citizen
Username: Eliz
Post Number: 558
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, July 10, 2003 - 9:06 pm: |
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I'm going to agree with Shoshannah - I think Miss Anne should stick to older kids or hire someone a little more preschool friendly. My daughter was humiliated by both Miss Anne and her receptionist (a hundred year old crone)when during one class she asked to go to the bathroom - my daughter was 3 at the time. After that it was an argument to go to class even though she loves to dance. We finally gave up - as did several families for one reason or another but resulting from a lack of ability to deal with preschool kids.
In all fairness to Miss Anne I think she's a great ballet teacher but little kids are really not her deal. |
soresident
Citizen
Username: Soresident
Post Number: 62
Registered: 10-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, July 10, 2003 - 9:31 pm: |
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Diane Greenberg in West Orange is delightful! |
naborly
Citizen
Username: Naborly
Post Number: 227
Registered: 7-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, July 10, 2003 - 10:34 pm: |
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Miss Kathy at the Village Dance Academy over the MW movie theatre is a very nice teacher, especially for the little ones. She is real laid back and caring and her recitals are fun not an ordeal. |
susan1014
Citizen
Username: Susan1014
Post Number: 32
Registered: 3-2002
| | Posted on Friday, July 11, 2003 - 10:09 am: |
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A strong second vote for Miss Kathy of Village Dance (upstairs from the Maplewood Fish Market). She is wonderful with the little ones. My three year old (now four) quickly decided that dance class was the best place in the world. Our only problem was that preschool paled by comparison for a while! |
golden
Citizen
Username: Golden
Post Number: 75
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Sunday, July 13, 2003 - 1:17 pm: |
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shoshannah,
Did you ever hear the expression "putting a big head on little shoulders" ? I think that applies in your situation. If your dear little 3 year old had a hard time separating with you, what did you think would happen when she was put in with a stranger?
Anne Krohley is a thorough professional with a strong background including the American Ballet Theater in New York. This woman is not another "Miss Lisa" or "Miss Dina" straight out of high school.
It is unfair of you to bad mouth her on MOL, just because your little tyke wasn't ready.
Hey eliz - really nice comment about the 100 year old crone, shows a lot of class. |
eliz
Citizen
Username: Eliz
Post Number: 562
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Sunday, July 13, 2003 - 10:51 pm: |
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Ugh Golden - how many 3 year olds do you think walk easily to from their parents into an unknown situation for the first time? "Putting a big head on little shoulders"?" You're a big green meany!
Mine actually did because she was so excited to become a ballerina - only - oops she had a 3 year old bladder and asked to use the bathroom and was berated by Miss Anne for interrupting the class.
Then at the beginning of every subsequent class the receptionist would tell me (in front of all the waiting children and parents) that my child couldn't enter the class until she used the bathroom because Miss Anne was angry that she interrupted the class.
I realize that Miss Anne is a good ballet teacher and has the credentials but the fact is she's not great with preschool kids and should stick to what she's comfortable with.
----
disclaimer: these are strictly the comments of a classless, over indulgent parent and don't reflect the views of maplewoodonline.
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monkeyd
Citizen
Username: Monkeyd
Post Number: 8
Registered: 7-2002
| | Posted on Monday, July 14, 2003 - 7:48 am: |
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Gee, sorry to have started such an argument! I have to weigh in, though, that it seems obvious to me that berating a 3 year old for being 5 minutes late the very first day or for having to go to the bathroom is totally inappropriate. There are plenty of wonderful people and wonderful teachers who just don't enjoy small children and that's fine. I'm glad I asked. |
bella
Citizen
Username: Bella
Post Number: 317
Registered: 7-2001
| | Posted on Monday, July 14, 2003 - 10:26 am: |
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Yes, I liked Maria Priadka. She was/is in South Orange. I was terribly shy & have no natural sense of rhythm, but I liked her classes anyway. |
New In Town
Citizen
Username: New_in_town
Post Number: 14
Registered: 12-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 15, 2003 - 8:44 am: |
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My 3 year old just started at Maria Priadka last weekend. She loved it! The class had about 16-17 children in it - and it incorporates both tap and ballet (which means two pair of shoes to purchase), but she didn't mind the crowd and loved the shoes! She has been calling herself a ballerina ever since! |
bella
Citizen
Username: Bella
Post Number: 319
Registered: 7-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 15, 2003 - 10:45 am: |
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New In Town,
Please let Ms. Priadka know that one of her former students from the late 70s thinks that she was great. I still have a fondness for the songs to which we danced. One was "Mickey Mouse's Birthday Party" and the other was "The Codfish Ball" (don't ask, it is a Shirley Temple song). |
ceceliac
Citizen
Username: Ceceliac
Post Number: 22
Registered: 3-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 15, 2003 - 11:51 am: |
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Just want to say that my three (now four year old) started ballet classes with Miss Ann at the NJ Dance Center last September and still goes there and loves it. It's true that separation anxiety is not handled very well (luckily this was one situation where that problem didn't come up for me) and it's also true that the office staff leaves something to be desired. Having said that, however, I must say that Miss Ann has had a mesmerizing effect on my daughter and if she could, she'd go there for a ballet class every day. |
New In Town
Citizen
Username: New_in_town
Post Number: 18
Registered: 12-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 15, 2003 - 12:19 pm: |
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Bella - do you think you learned to dance? My daughter is too young for it to matter much, but watching a bucnch of clunky but charming 3 year olds doesn't give me any sense of whether they will someday learn to dance. Thanks. I'll convey your message! |
pmart
Citizen
Username: Pmart
Post Number: 88
Registered: 7-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 15, 2003 - 1:37 pm: |
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I'd also like to chime in--in defense of Miss Ann and her receptionist, Miss Marie. My daughter, now 5 1/2 just loves the both of them. She started with Miss Ann when she was almost 4 and things have worked out very well to date. My daughter did have to leave the class once because she was feeling weepy. However, I would never have expected Miss Ann to take time away from a 45 minute class to sit with her. I just sat with her in the waiting area until she felt better. She wanted to return to class, so she did; and she was welcome.
monkeyd: Look for an instructor that matches your child's personality. There are some classes that are very play-like; others, like Miss Ann's, are more structured. There are many children from 3-5 that are just not ready for any kind of structure. It all depends on the child.
Also, try and pick a class that works well with your child's physical schedule. At 3, it's all about food and sleep. Try not to schedule a class that meets at or close to those times.
Sometimes instructors permit new children to join a class, at no charge, to determine if the child is ready or interested. I know Miss Ann does that. Probably best to go during slower times (summer), though. |
monkeyd
Citizen
Username: Monkeyd
Post Number: 9
Registered: 7-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 15, 2003 - 1:49 pm: |
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Thanks pmart and everyone else for your suggestions. I will be thinking about it! |
bella
Citizen
Username: Bella
Post Number: 321
Registered: 7-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 15, 2003 - 4:15 pm: |
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No, if sober I can't/won't dance. No fault of the many who have tried to teach me. |
mommydee
Citizen
Username: Mommydee
Post Number: 49
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, July 17, 2003 - 8:32 am: |
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For preschoolers I highly recommend Miss Christie Porter's classes at the Baird Center in SO. They are reasonably priced and no big recital costs etc etc. My daughter started there at 4 and still takes ballet there and she is almost 7. The only downside is that the registration opens to SO residents first, but luckily addl classes were opened up and my daughter still got in. The younger classes are fun to keep the small ones interested but also
structured to learn the art of ballet. |
ral
Citizen
Username: Ral
Post Number: 53
Registered: 10-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, July 17, 2003 - 5:39 pm: |
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Does anyone out there know about the ballet/tap classes at Front and Center in Millburn? I have been considering switching my daughter out of NJ Dance Center. My problem with it is that you can never talk to Miss Ann about the class, your child, what they're learning, ANYTHING! You find out the details of the dress rehearsal and recital at the last minute, leaving little time to make plans. On the plus side, my daughter has enjoyed the classes. But the little ones did not seem particularly prepared for the recital -- after a year of practice.
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