David Au

Review of Suwanee Academy of the Arts

Here are reasons we decided to forgo fully prepai...

Here are reasons we decided to forgo fully prepaid lessons for the rest of January at another school and return to SAA so my daughter A can be Ms. Bernie s student again.

1) As a former teacher, I know firsthand that students appreciate far more whether their teacher cares for them, than how much knowledge their teacher knows. Similarly, young dancers care whether a ballet teacher is willing to cherish them for their young untapped potential, more than what a ballet teacher knows about dance techniques.

In fact, it is more evident in A than my college students. Toddlers usually do not hide their true feelings. If you are looking for an unbiased review, look no further than A s feelings and thoughts about her time with Ms. Bernie at SAA. She wholeheartedly loves Ms. Bernie and looks forward to lessons every week.

Another sign that Ms. Bernie has naturally captivated the hearts of her young dancers is that after class, you will witness several students hugging her voluntarily. This speaks volumes of how much Ms. Bernie s students cherish her, and how much she cares for them.

2) Ms. Bernie and the philosophy of SAA lifts them up and builds their confidence, where they can be challenged, where they find their passion!

Any ballet teacher can teach skills, techniques, and methods, but there are few teachers who aspire to go beyond that to challenge young dancers to find their passion and use ballet to build confidence.

Being tall makes it easier to toss balls into a hoop, but being tall doesn t mean you can teach teenagers to play well, or play with integrity. Likewise, degrees from prestigious institutions and accolades by esteemed ballerinas have little value if a teacher cannot impart passion because her passion is severely lacking. Without reservation, Ms. Bernie s passion has rubbed off on A! She has also built up A s confidence through genuine praise and quality instruction.

3) In Spring 2019, Ms. Bernie organized a fathers only event for dads to accompany their daughters for a full class session. Beyond actual ballet education, Ms. Bernie truly cares about dads being involved in their daughter s all-rounded development. This holistic approach to education is rare these days.

Come let your child be a student of Ms. Bernie so you too can understand why she cherishes the involvement of dads so deeply.

4) I soon learned that not all schools welcome new students the way they do at SAA. At the beginning of A s first lesson after returning, Ms. Bernie placed her hand on A s shoulder when introducing two new students to the class. She also had the class make them feel welcome. Compare this to the literal cold shoulder and the lack of acknowledgement by her teacher at the other school. A and I could have been a fly on the wall!

Another vital detail is that the front desk staff, Tashia, remembered my name and A s name after the first lesson. As a former teacher, I learned that one of the many ways to let your students know you care is to remember their names. I imagine that SAA has many students, so it is praiseworthy that Tashia and Ms. Bernie established rapport with A by remembering her name.

Yet another gesture that meant a lot were the complimentary welcome gifts we received. A t-shirt, card, fridge magnet, sticker and candy were inside. Do not assume that every school will be as generous as SAA. At the other non-profit school, the t-shirt alone cost more than $20.

What qualities should you value in a ballet teacher/school? Is it the many awards on the wall that makes a ballet teacher great? Or is it that Ms. Bernie plays an instrumental part in directing the annual Broadway in the Park performance that attracts thousands from all over the state and is listed as a top Google search term? Is it the cost of tuition?

To paraphrase a popular quote: A mediocre ballet school teaches skills. A good school explains techniques. A superior teacher demonstrates methods. A great teacher like Ms. Bernie inspires!

Why would you settle for less?