I took dance with the Metta Rose Dance Academy from the age of nine till I was eighteen.
I simply want to make clear the problems that hecticmomof2 had mentioned.
I would agree with some of what was said but I do have to defend my studio.
The recitals are long my last recital in 2006 was 3 hours. However I performed in 15 dances throughout the night. There is the perk though the recitals are every other year. Most studios do one every few months. It is less meaningful to a dancer if they have short little recitals a couple times a year. To me having the long recital was more like a production, I was more motivated to perform my best because I would not get another chance for two years.
Prices maybe high compared to others around, however with out doing any research I would argue that with studios that have recitals more often you are actually spending more money that you think. Having recitals often means, new tights, new shoes, new costumes and new props. At Metta's like I mentioned there is only a recital every two years meaning students work hard with out having to worry about new dance wear until recital time comes. I know some girls at other studios who have purchased over 15 pairs of one particular type of shoe, while I was there for almost ten years and maybe had to replace shoes once or twice. Parents have to remember that just like any other performing art extra curricular activity, its not cheap. Some times you can get lucky and find a super cheap place but are they truly getting dance education or are they just stretching and memorizing choreography.
It is also true that one instructor for one whole studio is a lot and causes some dances to look the same. However, with Metta I felt like she connected with each of her students and it feels like a second home in that studio. She focuses on dance technique and terminology. I would disagree with the stereotype that was placed that they all look the same. Like I had mentioned I was in 15 dances my last year I do not think a single one of them was anything like the other.
I love Metta's studio, they have competed in many competitions in the off years, and even took a winning tap number all the way to Ceasers Palace in Las Vegas!
This studio is a great place for new dancers that want to get a great dance education, Metta Rose was a New York City Rocket and she has lots of experience. She works her dancers hard but keeps classes to around an hour. She makes ever minute of that hour count and has the trophies to prove it. I also loved the fact that at competitions a third or forth place was still treated like gold. I never felt pressured to do anything but my best. Some studios are just looking for that trophy, but not at Metta's she cares for each and everyone of her dancers no one is excluded from competition everyone competes. She does not pick competition teams and create dance just for competition if you performed in the recital your dance can go to competition and she always believed that the trophies were earned not expected.
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