JWSD-Joyce Willett Dance

12687 Research Blvd, Austin, TX 78759, USA

Address:	12687 Research Blvd, Austin, TX 78759, USA
Phone:	+1 512-212-1960
Site:	jwsd.net
Rating:	3.6
Working:	9:30AM–9PM 9:30AM–9PM 9:30AM–9PM 9:30AM–9PM 9:30AM–9PM 9AM–1PM Closed

Location

Photos 42

Reviews 4

Heather Leonard

The Cons: 1. Poor technical instruction. After 18 months, my child cannot demonstrate or identify the 5 basic positions in ballet or perform a basic shuffle in tap. I asked other moms who have kids in comparable combo programs at other schools and who have been in dance as long as my daughter (or longer) what their kids can do and all of them have already learned the fundamental basics of ballet. Im not saying the kids shouldnt have fun and do creative/dramatic dance, but they have an entire hour with those kids. Surely they can teach some technique! 2. Too much emphasis on performance. This school seems mostly focused on performance, which means spending 3-4 of the 9 months learning dances for the two recitals. Performance is a valuable part of a dancers education, but it should never, ever take precedence over quality technical instruction. 3. Age-inappropriate dance costumes. The opening number at the last recital featured a young teen in a leather corset and tight leggings. In another number, the girls wore costumes that revealed their midriffs and just barely covered their busts. This is not appropriate. For a school thats so obsessed with modesty that it forces parents to cover their children up before and after class, putting their older girls in revealing costumes sure seems hypocritical. 4. Bizarre obsession with underwear. JWSD has a rule that the girls cannot wear panties under their leotards (mind you, when you sign up for classes they dont tell you this). On the very first day of dance class, my 4 year olds new teacher walked over, half pulled down her leotard and announced to the entire class, "UH OH! SOMEONE HAS ON PANTIES!" Tears of embarrassment welled up in her eyes. She didnt understand why it was "wrong" to have on panties. I told her afterwards that she isnt wrong, the school is. Dead wrong. Panties on little kids is just more hygienic, period. They dont always wipe well, if you get my drift. Id rather have a $2 pair of panties ruined than a $20 leotard and tights dont work. Every piece of communication that comes home has somewhere in bold "No panties are to be worn in class." This is just weird. I 5. Teaching our girls that their body is something to be ashamed of. Look, I get the purpose of cover ups, especially when it comes to safety in the winter months. Cold muscles are bad news and youre just asking for an injury. Otherwise, they should be optional and up to personal preference for modesty purposes. I think its crazy that they insist so strongly on covering up your child, especially when its blazing hot outside. We are also talking about little girls. No one cares if your kid walks around in a tutu and a leotard or black jazz pants in public. Why are they teaching girls that their body is shameful and offensive to others and must be covered up? This only contributes to the body image issues that plague girls today. I refuse to support a school that teaches my child that her body is offensive to society and needs to be hidden. 6. Power trips. A sign reading, "Please make sure your childs cover up STAYS ON, if they are seen without a cover up YOU WILL BE FINED" was posted predominantly at the 2015 spring dance recital. Who the heck do you think you are? There is nothing about fines over covers ups in the contract you sign when you enroll. This is legally dubious and the fraud department of credit card companies would love to issue a chargeback over that. This sign was the final straw for us. A lot of other parents at the recital also expressed dismay and disgust. We are declining to re-enroll and are moving our child to a school with a more positive and nurturing environment where shell actually learn to dance. The Pros: 1. Location: There are two, which is great for parents in north, central, and east Austin. 2. Class options: most classes are offered a couple of different times a week. 3. Fun: theres almost always a smile on the little childrens faces.

Anonymous User

Wow my review magically disappeared somehow...Well, I see its not the only one to disappear. It looks like someone is paying to have her reviews cleaned up. Well, if your idea of fun is watching your 2 year old girl cry her eyes out for 45 minutes, only to have her handed back to you by the clearly angry dance instructor, and then only to see that she was crying because her diaper was soiled and the poop was hemorrhaging right down her stockings towards her feet, then THIS IS THE PLACE FOR YOU!! YOULL LOVE IT!! Then Joyce declined to refund me or credit me for the next months lessons so we could sit out a few months and wait until they were PROPERLY STAFFED! What a place!

Gabriel Kiarsius

We had our daughter in another school that we were not happy with. We switched over to Joyce Willetts school and have been very happy. The teachers are very good with the kids and we love that there are 2 of them in with the 4 year old class. So much happier!

Cliff Ortaliz

Kids love to learn to dance here! My first experience when walking through the door ... it was cute to see a bunch of parents peeking through the window watching and waiting for their kids class to end! :)