What happened to my old ballet school: elite training and a toxic culture

I spent my formative years training at a highly respected ballet school known for exceptional technical training and famous alumni. From the outside, it looked like the dream.

In this video, I share what that experience was really like: The excellent technical training, the culture behind the scenes, and why I ultimately left halfway through my senior year of high school. I also talk about what happened to the studio years later, including its sale after nearly 50 years.

This story is also a cautionary tale. When unhealthy dynamics are ignored or perpetuated, they eventually take a toll, even on schools with strong reputations and long legacies.

I don't name the studio or the individuals discussed in this video as my goal is not vengeance or to spread gossip but rather is a nuanced look at how elite training environments can succeed and still fail, and why technical excellence alone isn’t enough to sustain a studio long term.

If you trained seriously as a young dancer, or you're navigating ballet as an adult with a complicated past, this conversation will likely resonate.

Music: The following tracks from tunereel.com
Being Young
Gliding
Time
Rain of sentiments
Bad taste
Telling a story
Just lost everything
Don’t get emotional
Light drop
Thoughtful Day
Slowmotion

#ballet
#ballerina
#balletdancer