Alameda Ballet Academy

Not real thrilled with the supposed «teaching». If your kid sticks with it and is one of the chosen few to tough it out year on year with the hopes of getting an opportunity or a fair shake then this is not the place. May as well put those aspirations away in the attic and never let them see the light of day. As kids go through regular school they required to do certain events depending on the classes they have; these are mandatory for grades. As a result, just sometimes they will be absent from dance class; mine goes religiously in fear of being ripped a new one!!! Really? There are always extenuating circumstances that come up especially since we and more importantly my kid was told she does not have the starved look and as a result has been perpetually pushed to an understudy role with little instruction or constructive criticism. These kids are most likely NOT going professional so why are they being treated like they are. What a load of crap!!! Cannot see how this place has managed to be declared best of Alameda many years in a row. Dont recommend this place anything beyond 3 years from beginning. After that, useless maintaining and building already fragile confidence of little girls.

ok so think i wasnt clear on my review. lets try again
so i was a student here twice.
once when i was a toddler and again as a teen.
i had to stop taking lessons when i was a toddler but continued to dance through out my life but not as often as id want too.
when i came back i remember i had a couple of private lessons before starting the class which were fun.
the instructor was stern but i liked them both. a lot.
my problem came after starting the class, the other girls were not nice and even made fun of my tap shoes. i was shy around people i didn’t know so i didnt say anything about it really. the problem came to a head when for some reason the parents where in the dance class while we were having class and their mothers started critiquing me!
i was already embarrassed enough i looked to the teacher and she seemed to agree with the moms butting in. then everyone kept barking at me to do something a certain way which really wasn’t a big deal i mean maybe its a big deal but not when the whole world is in your business with your body after all its no ones business if i have health issues.
that experience was very traumatic for me and i told my mom i didnt want to finish the class.
i never told her why so that is why.

There are no dancing signs posted in the waiting room, that will be quickly and sternly enforced when your 3 year old and her friend wants to show you her passé or grand jete.
We did the mommy and me ballet classes and regretted signing up for it. First day, we were asked to arrive early to purchase ballet gear, only to have the director Abra arrive till half way into the class. Then while waiting with my daughter’s friend on the sofa, we were told we had to leave since we already had our ballet gear.
The class and instructor is okay, but overall, the instructor and especially the director is not very comfortable with young children. Dance/​10 or Nora creative dance is a much better choice for your little one starting their love for dance…

My review is for Julie Lowe’s Introduction to Ballet for Adults at ABA. I signed up a few months ago, and I just LOVE this class! From my first email, to my first class, into 3 eight week sessions later, I would go as far as to call it one of the best decisions I’ve made in life. This class is a joy. Julie is an excellent instructor. I know there are a lot of ballet dvds out there and youtube videos, and barre class workout options, but there is just nothing that can ever compare to learning under the eye of an artist. I just feel very fortunate to have this class available to us. The class vibe is very friendly and also focused. I was nervous because I was starting from scratch, and I didn’t have to be because everyone is welcome, and we all encourage each other. If you’ve always wished to study ballet, like me, I am here to tell you, it’s never too late.

This review covers the Intro to Ballet course by Julie Lowe, as well as a few notes on the venue.
Re: ballet – I’m a complete newbie. I was in the ABA studio for the Salsamania training team when I saw a flyer on the bulletin board: Intro to ballet. No experience necessary. 8 week series starting in July. It was already July 21. (D’oh!)
I emailed the studio asking if another Intro series would be available in the fall. That same day, I got a call back from the instructor herself. Immensely sweet and helpful, she offered to let me audit the class. («Why wait? Might as well start now!» she said.) Before hanging up the phone, she gave easy-​to-​follow instructions on shoes to obtain, clothing to wear, etc.
Last night I went to the class for the first-​time audit. I was terrified and anxious, of course. However, Julie soon arrived and, I swear, that woman is like out of a fairytale. So gracious and welcoming. One of those people I’d describe as genuinely nice. My anxiety started to ease up. Class was challenging, but fun. We did guided stretching for at least 30 minutes, leg work at the barre, arm work («move like you’re in the water!») and even got to moving across the floor.
She’s gentle in her feedback, but precise and quick to correct. Exactly the kind of instructor I like to learn from. (The ones that ‘yell’ at you just aren’t my style. Tact and tone are important, people!)
I am hopeful that with time and under Julie’s guidance, I’ll find the grace I’m looking for. I’d give 5 stars, but I’ve only done one class with her… That being said, I was impressed and inspired enough to write a review after just ONE class! I think that says something, don’t you?
Re: venue.
There are a few public parking lots in the area, not just metered street parking.
The main dance room has vinyl flooring on top of the wood and I think it’s held together by duct tape. Sometimes the edges of the tape come up, so when trying to slide my foot on the ground (whether in salsa shoes or ballet slippers), sometimes the popped up edges of the tape makes the shoe stick, so it can be difficult to practice. It also might be a hazard. When doing salsa practice in that room, I’ve seen people ‘trip’ on it and stumble.

Alameda Ballet Academy is an amazing school for people with a real interest in ballet. My daughter has been at ABA for longer than I can even remember. We have tried other dance schools, but she never found the rigor, discipline and intensity that she thrives on like she does at ABA.
All of her teachers have been awesome, since pre-​ballet on up. She sees Ms. Abra as her «guiding light», and the joy and energy she finds in ballet is priceless.

Unlike the negative reviews here, we are having a very good and positive experience at ABA. My daughter is going into ballet 2 and loves her classes. Her progress has been really remarkable. I understand why some people might have a problem with Abra’s manner but I don’t and I have yet to see some of the things people have mentioned she has harped on like body image. Perhaps she’s toned that down. Her high school students have all different body types and seem to be doing quite well. My son was in the Nutcracker and he can be a handful and her firm hand was very good for him and he loved it. She didn’t put up with any bs and they had to rehearse hard, but he was up for it. I never did dance, but I did do music performance solo and in bands and orchestras and I think her strict rules are important for future preparation. They have to be willing to work hard in the same way they would work at sports. Not every kid is perfectly suited for all sports, and ballet and dance are the same. I’m amazed at how people are ready to accept what is required in sports but not when it comes to ballet or any sort of arts discipline. I guess people assume art and dance or supposed to be «easy» and are shocked when it also required work, commitment and high standards of physical requirements. I also appreciate her strictness with parents too. Recently some parents pulled out of our recital to go to Tahoe at the last minute and she was not happy and frankly, with all the time, effort and money we put in, neither was I – or my daughter or the other parents and kids who committed. They had a big hole in the performance and were too young to be able to learn a new routine to accommodate. She tells you up front that the recital is optional and these parents didn’t care. It let us all down and I think parents need to either commit or go to a more lax place. It’s classical ballet! C’mon. If you aren’t prepared to put your child in a rigorous program or if your child won’t respond positively to that environment, don’t go to ABA, but if you want them to begin solid classical training with the required discipline go here.

We made it through our first season at ABA. The teachers are beautiful ballerina’s and my child loves it. It is very quiet in the waiting room, so its a bit weird. My child is rarely quiet… but she runs out of class all smiles, trying new moves and declaring she wants to be a Ballerina-​Accountant when she grows up. Funny to see her spin around pirouette with her calculator in hand.
The show in the summer was fun to watch and my daughter really knew the dance. They made me check her out at the end so I know they value safety for these children. That is much appreciated.
Thank you!

If you’re part of the 99% with a daughter who does not have that perfect, anorexic ballet dancer body which Abra demands, you will find ABA a horrible experience: Abra will not give your daughter the time of day, and will yell at her to lose 20 pounds. You will come to loathe Abra’s abusive and discriminatory teaching style. It would be awesome if ABA provided counseling vouchers.

If your child is very young and just beginning dance lessons, or if you have an older child who is very ambitious, ABA is probably a good fit. If your child is interested in dance primarily for fun and increased grace, or if he/​she has a «non-​traditional» body for ballet, I cannot recommend the school.

I write this knowing full well that no one can please everyone all the time. We all have different expectations and experiences even when we’re in the same situation. With that said… I feel like no one can ever tell me anything bad about Ms. Abra (ABA’s director) nor the school itself.
My daughter takes ballet there. It is my experience that Ms. Abra has been extremely supportive and flexible and that she has come up with creative ways to include EVERYONE that wants to learn — not just those that have the natural ability to actually be professional dancers someday. I appreciate her professionalism and her demand for respect for the teachers and dance itself.
If anyone wants a structured program for their child’s ballet instruction, I highly recommend Alameda Ballet Academy.

My daughter Emma loves this school and I do too. They have strict dress code, so it is good for my daughter to learn that ballet is not about dressing up. Teachers are very nice and my daughter loves going there and she learns a lot. She is getting more flexible and seems to enjoy ballet. She often dances at home and what she learned at school. I want her to continue ballet for years. Like the person below mentioned, the only cons are the fact that all classes for younger ones are held at 3:30. I have to leave work early right now to take her, and I am concerned after my daughter starts school (Charter schools and private schools ends usually around those times) because I really want her to continue to learn ballet here, rather than going to other ballet school.

My daughter has been studying with Abra Rudisill since she was eight and has developed strength, poise, self-​confidence and a love of dance during that time. Ms. Abra is a highly professional, hands-​on teacher who cares about her students. Students rise to her high standards and are as a consequence wonderful dancers to watch!

My daughter loves the Alameda Ballet Academy. She has been in their production of The Nutcracker and their Spring Recital. Ms. Abra and Ms. Karen are professional ballerinas, who know how to mentor young children. I just wish that they offered more Ballet 2 classes after work hours.

This ballet studio is amazing. Each class is instructive and educational, and helps children work to become beautiful dancers. Older dancers have even been accepted into summer intensive programs such as Boston ballet, American Ballet Academy, Joffrery, and many other big companies. The teachers are experienced, and try to help all of the attendees to flourish as dancers.
Every year, the studio participates in Alameda’s Nutcracker. It is an amazing performance with intricate costumes and sets. Also, professional dancers from various companies come and dance the main roles, such as the Sugar Plum Fairy and Cavalier and the Snow King and Queen. Actually, this year, one of the senior dancers from the studio danced as the other principal role, The Rose Queen.
As for the weight, the director does not ask students to starve themselves or go on an extreme diet, but rather be knowledgeable and maintain their weight. The only time someone is not put into a dance or level is because they are not strong enough yet, and they are at risk to seriously hurt themselves. Or, sometimes if a person is struggling with a dance, the instructor finds an alternative thing they could do so that they would have more fun.
This studio is very good for training dancers and helping them enjoy the art of ballet.

I was a student of the director for several years and would never recommend her teaching to anyone, especially those with young children. She has no experience teaching children and no people skills. She is completely tactless and very abrasive, once telling a 12-​year-​old student of hers to «lose 10 pounds immediately» and «start doing 50 crunches every night and work your way up to 100.» She is very particular about her students and their body type, and has no patience for those that aren’t her «favorites.» I write this review hoping that parents wishing to send their children to a good dancing school in Alameda will be fairly warned. It’s a shame what this woman has done to ballet and a shame what she has done to so many young girls’ self-​esteem. A very poor choice for a dancing school.

I’ve taken other classes here (not ballet) at this studio but the location is great. There’s a couple of studios which are big if not decent. Lots of mirrors. Parking is a little scarce… you’re lucky if you find a metered spot right outside. This place deserves to be mentioned here at least.