2017 Summer Session
Handbook
Program 2
July 10-August 4, 2017
San Francisco Ballet School
Chris Hellman Center for Dance
455 Franklin Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
School Office: 415.865.6700
School Fax: 415.861.5164
School email: [email protected]
Ballet Building Front Desk: 415.861.5600
school.sfballet.org
SAN FRANCISCO BALLET SCHOOL
2017 Summer Session
Program 2
San Francisco Ballet School Mission Statement
The mission of San Francisco Ballet School is to recruit talented students and to provide training of the
highest caliber in order to prepare them for professional careers in San Francisco Ballet and other
companies.
WELCOME TO SAN FRANCISCO BALLET SCHOOL
This handbook provides important information for students attending San Francisco Ballet School’s (SFBS)
Summer Session. Please take the time to read through it. If questions arise during the program that are not
answered here, please contact the School Office.
ABOUT THE SCHOOL
The singular goal of San Francisco Ballet School is to train and prepare gifted students for a career with San
Francisco Ballet and other companies. The program is designed to take students from their very first step
through a comprehensive curriculum of classical ballet studies.
The formidable curriculum emphasizes a strong classical technique and a flow of movement that suggests a
sense of energy, freedom, and joy, reflecting the kind of dancing favored by San Francisco Ballet. It is a style
that readily adapts to meet the demands of any choreographer or company, and any type of movement.
Admission is by audition only. This four week program dedicated to advanced/pre-professional students is
designed to explore the demands of a professional career, exposing them to the unique repertory of San
Francisco Ballet. The schedule includes a minimum of 15 classes weekly. The core curriculum includes
technique, pointe for women, batterie for men, and Pas de Deux. Additional classes may include repertoire,
contemporary, and conditioning classes. As a part of your classwork, students will learn selections from San
Francisco Ballet's unique and diverse repertory. All ballet classes are taught to live piano accompaniment, a
crucial element in developing the students’ understanding of the relationship between music and
movement. Inherent in the teaching of ballet are frequent corrections. Students are verbally and/or
physically guided by the teacher to ensure proper body alignment and body placement.
For those who desire a career in ballet, San Francisco Ballet School offers a year-round training program of
unqualified excellence. Over fifty percent of the dancers in San Francisco Ballet received all or part of their
training at the School. Students have also gone on to dance with such companies as American Ballet
Theatre, Boston Ballet, Cincinnati Ballet, Houston Ballet, Joffrey Ballet, Miami City Ballet, National Ballet of
Canada, New York City Ballet, Oregon Ballet Theatre, Pennsylvania Ballet, Birmingham Royal Ballet, Royal
Winnipeg Ballet, Dutch National Ballet, and English National Ballet.
Upon completion of their studies at San Francisco Ballet School, students neither receive diplomas nor are
they considered graduates. Although they have finished their formal studies, dancers never stop learning;
after all, they begin each day with a class. A dancer’s education is an ongoing process, one that continues
throughout their career.
Even those students whose paths lead to non-dance careers gain immeasurably from having studied at the
School. They develop self-motivation, self-discipline, poise, grace, and an appreciation for the arts, which
they carry with them throughout their lives.
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SAN FRANCISCO BALLET SCHOOL
2017 Summer Session Information
Program 2
IMPORTANT PROGRAM DATES
Sunday, July 9, 2017: Dormitory Move-In
Students staying in the SF State University Dormitory and the Student Residence may move-in between 12,
noon and 6:00pm. Dormitory Orientation will take place at 7:00pm
Monday, July 10, 2017: Orientation and Placement Classes
Program orientation and placement classes will be held for all students at the SFB building.
Tuesday, July 11, 2017: Classes Begin for All Students
Friday, August 4, 2017: Class Observations/Last Day of Classes
Saturday, August 5, 2017: Dormitory Move-Out
Students may move out of the dorms and student residence any time after their final class on August 4 and
must move out of the dormitory no later than 11:00am on Saturday, August 5.
REGISTRATION AND TUITION PAYMENT
Summer 2017, Program 2 tuition is $2520. All students, regardless of scholarship or financial aid are
responsible for paying a $200 registration fee. Enrollment forms and the deposit are to be submitted by the
deadline indicated on your enrollment agreement. Tuition must be paid in full and received by May 1, 2017.
There is no payment plan for summer tuition. Students whose forms are not complete or tuition is not paid in
full by the assigned deadlines will be placed on a waitlist.
ORIENTATION AND PLACEMENT DAY
The Program Orientation and Placement Day schedule will be distributed one week prior to the start of the
program. Following orientation, students will be divided into groups for placement class. Class placement
will be posted and emailed at the end of the day. Placement is at the sole discretion of San Francisco Ballet
School.
DRESS CODE
Students' appearance in class must be neat at all times. Dancewear is to be kept in good repair and
laundered on a regular basis. Students are expected to observe good personal hygiene habits. Students who
are not in dress code may be asked to observe class that day. No sweatpants or plastic pants may be worn for
any portion of class. Tight fitting leg warmers are permitted at the barre only with the teacher’s approval.
Women: Full pink tights, solid black camisole leotard (no halters tops), pink ballet slippers, and
pointe shoes. Women may wear black, lightweight skirts for pointe and pas de deux classes only.
Rehearsal tutus will not be used. Please: No hair accessories, nail polish, or jewelry.
Men: Footed black tights, short-sleeved white leotard, and black ballet slippers. Dance belts are
required. No facial hair.
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CLASS SCHEDULE
Students will begin each day with a technique class. After a lunch break, students will have 2-3 classes
including but not limited to: pointe for women, men’s technique, pas de deux, repertoire, floor barre,
contemporary dance, and conditioning. Monday through Friday classes will start between 8:15am and
11:00am and students may arrive any time after 8:00am. Classes will end by 6:00pm and students should
depart the building by 6:15pm. Technique classes will be held for all levels on Saturdays and all students are
required to attend scheduled additional classes and lectures following their technique class.
LOCKERS
Students will have access to School locker rooms on the 2nd floor to change before/after class and to store
their belongings. Students should not bring valuables to the Ballet School and must bring a lock to secure
their belongings in a locker. SFBS is not responsible for lost or stolen items.
LUNCH
Lunches are not included in the Summer Session fees. Students may bring a packed lunch or may leave the
Ballet building during their lunch break as there are many cafes located nearby. Please note: there are no
kitchen facilities (refrigerator, microwave, hot water, etc.) available to students at the Ballet School.
Students are not supervised when they leave the Ballet School for lunch.
PARENTS/VISITORS
SF Ballet School occupies the 2nd floor of San Francisco Ballet’s building, the Chris Hellman Center for
Dance. Visitors, including parents/guardians, are not permitted beyond the 1st floor lobby.
OBSERVATION DAY
The last day of classes, August 4, will be an observation day where parents are invited to observe their
student’s technique and pointe/men’s classes. Due to very limited space in the studios, additional guests will
not be able to observe classes. A class observation schedule will be available during the last week of classes.
WEEKEND ACTIVITIES
Students will have classes on Saturdays. After their classes are complete, they are free to enjoy the remainder of
the afternoon. On Sundays, students may elect to attend the Sunday Excursions to venues such as Six Flags
Discovery Kingdom, Water World, and Stern Grove. Sunday Excursion sign-ups will be distributed to
enrolled students in the spring.
SUMMER HOUSING
SF Ballet School Summer Session students are offered chaperoned dormitory housing at SF State University
(SFSU). Students must register for housing by their deadline specified in the enrollment packet in order to
guarantee their housing. The housing fee of $2360 includes breakfast and dinner in the SFSU cafeteria, and
a MUNI pass good for transportation between the dormitory and the SF Ballet building. Please see the
accompanying housing handbook for full details. A limited number of students will be invited to reside in
the Ballet School’s Student Residence.
AIRPORT TRANSPORTATION
Parents/guardians are fully responsible for arranging their student’s travel to San Francisco. SF Ballet
School does not provide airport pick-ups, transportation or check-in assistance.
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SAN FRANCISCO BALLET SCHOOL
Summer Session Rules and Regulations
Program 2
All Students in the School are expected to follow the Rules and Regulations. Students must be courteous to
each other; respectful of faculty, staff and Company members; maintain quiet in the halls; and refrain from
horseplay and other disruptive behavior while inside the Ballet Building. Students must direct their full
energy to their studies, maintain self-discipline, and provide leadership and a helpful attitude at all times.
These expectations extend beyond the classroom and the Ballet Building to the surrounding neighborhood,
dormitories, San Francisco, and the internet. San Francisco Ballet School reserves the right, at the sole
discretion of the School Administration, to suspend or dismiss any student whose attitude, conduct, or
attendance is found unsatisfactory.
ATTENDANCE
Participating students are required to attend all four weeks of the program. The Ballet School will not hold
spaces for students who are unable to attend the full four week program. Students are expected to attend
every class for which they are scheduled. Students will not be allowed to participate in their afternoon classes
if they missed their morning technique class. Absence due to illness, injury or special circumstances must be
reported to the School Office before their first class of the day begins. Students may not leave class without
permission. A student who arrives more than 10 minutes late may be required to sit and observe class.
INJURY
Students must report all injuries to the School Office. The student will be required to submit a report from a
doctor describing: a) the injury and prognosis regarding recovery time; b) the program of therapy for
recovery; c) certification of completion of the therapy.
Summer Session students should arrive in excellent health and injury free. If a student is injured prior to
the start of the program, please contact the School Office. Should a student sustain an injury during the
program that prohibits them from taking class for more than a week they may be asked to withdraw from
the session and may be sent home. Tuition and housing fees are non-refundable. Students attending the
Summer Session should be in good physical health and should be prepared for the intensive ballet training
that our program provides.
CONDUCT
Out of respect for the class environment, the teacher, and fellow classmates, students are not permitted to
leave class unless permission is granted by the teacher. Talking in class is not permitted. It is disrespectful
and disturbing to the teacher and other students. Teachers are not to be interrupted when they are giving
instructions, corrections, or demonstrating exercises.
Cell phone use is prohibited during all classes, seminars, workshops, and meetings. Students using cell
phones during these times may have them confiscated.
Students may not use the studio sound systems or DVD players without permission.
With advance approval from the School Office, students may post messages and/or notices on the Student
Notice Board. It is considered defacement of property to affix anything to the walls of the building. Students
who deface or otherwise intentionally damage the San Francisco Ballet building may be subject to immediate
dismissal.
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FOOD AND DRINK
Only bottled water is allowed in the studio. Food, gum, or other drinks are prohibited in the studio. Eating
and drinking is allowed in the hallway and in the School Library. Litter is to be disposed of in available trash,
compost and recycling containers. Students are expected to cooperate fully with keeping the building clean
and in good repair.
No Smoking:
Smoking is not permitted in the San Francisco Ballet building at any time by California law. It is illegal for
students under 21 years of age to purchase or use cigarettes.
Drugs/Alcohol:
Possession or use of alcohol and/or drugs of any nature is not permitted and is considered grounds for
immediate dismissal.
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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
Q.
A.
What is my student’s class schedule?
The class schedule will be emailed to all participants one week prior to the start of the program. A
sample schedule is available online. Students may arrive anytime after 8:00am and should depart by
6:00pm each day. Classes will generally take place between the hours of 8:15am and 6:00pm
however each day will be slightly different so that all students may participate in the variety of
classes being offered. In their free time, students may watch other classes, Company rehearsals, or
relax in the School Library.
Q.
A.
How do I contact School staff with a question?
School Staff can be reached by phone and email during regular business hours (see front cover for
contact information). If parents would like to speak to staff in person, please call or email in advance
to set a meeting time. Upon arrival, please ask the lobby attendant to contact the School Office. The
School Office has an open door policy; however, building security procedures must be followed.
Q.
A.
How much money should my student bring for miscellaneous spending?
It depends on what lifestyle your student is used to. Money may be needed for weekend movies,
shopping, lunch, etc. Students should not keep or carry large amounts of cash. Most students bring
bankcards. San Francisco Ballet Association will not cash any checks or money orders.
Q.
A.
What do the students do on the weekends?
All students have classes on Saturdays. On Saturday afternoons, students may explore the city in
small groups. On Sundays, students may elect to attend the Sunday Excursions. Excursion
information and sign-up will be distributed in the spring.
Q.
A.
How can I reach my student?
Students are encouraged to travel with their cell phones. It is highly recommended for international
students to obtain a short term contract or pay-as-you-go cell phone upon their arrival in San
Francisco to allow them to reach the School Office and chaperones in case of emergency. If you are
unable to reach your student on their cell phone, you may call the School Office and leave a message
which we will relay between classes.
Q.
A.
What is the weather like?
Summers in San Francisco tend to be cool and foggy or warm and sunny - depending on where
you’re standing at any particular minute. Layering clothing is recommended. You may leave the
Ballet Building in shorts (sunny and hot) and at the dorms, it may be cold and foggy!
Q.
A.
If students are interested in the SFBS year-round program, what should they do?
Work hard in class and demonstrate a good attitude and mature conduct. Admission to the yearround program is by invitation only. Students will be assessed throughout the program. Before the
end of the Summer Session, select students will be invited to enroll in the year-round program.
Q.
What happens if my student needs to see a doctor while attending the Summer
Session?
The student should notify the School Office. For out of town students, the School staff will arrange
an appointment. Please note: Many health care providers will not accept foreign health insurance
and may not accept an HMO or PPO from outside of this region. It may be necessary to pay at the
time of service and then submit a claim to your insurance company for reimbursement.
A.
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