Nightmare experience that cost too much money
We unfortunately had a complete nightmare experience at Hollywood Ballet Academy. In fact, it was the worst experience we ever had at a ballet studio. My daughter has danced since she was 6 and was in renowned European Schools before going to Cuba to finish her studies in ballet at the Esquela Nacional. I dare say we have experience in the field. At Hollywood Ballet Academy classes were cancelled regularly, sometimes at 11pm the night before. My daughter was enrolled and has many text messages, some of which sent at 1AM showing extreme coercive language towards her by Adiarys Almeida, one of the directors. There is a bullying culture at the school with physical fights taking place between the students. When I (parent) first visited I was shocked by the chaos and I told Almeida; students are not disciplined and talking over teachers. The whole school also seems to be built around a few students paying for a lot of private classes. Almeida then takes these students around the country for competitions. I confronted her with this but she claimed they were not a ‘competition school’. Yet they are, and it’s at cost of the daily teaching and quality of teaching at the studio. We eventually ended up at the Hollywood Police who advised us to take out a restraining order against Almeidafor the abusive texts. They a
So advised us to leave an honest review which we are doing now. Meanwhile my daughter was able to change to a suitable studio where classes are geared towards young professionals and where teachers are emotionally supportive, nurturing and caring. She has improved a lot over the past month and is finally getting to the next level so she can start auditioning for professional companies, something Almeida was not interested in. Almeida has great stories and sales talks when you first meet her but there is no action after the talks. HBA is no place for a 19 year old trying to break into the professional world. I cannot post any messages of Almeida here but if anyone needs advice feel free to get in touch with me through Instagram: je_ne_saisquoi Happy to discuss privately.