My toxic former ballet school: how the level system controlled everything

In this video, I share my experience growing up in a pre-professional ballet school and how the strict level system controlled nearly every part of our training. Each dancer’s progress was tied to a colored elastic and the artistic director’s approval, which determined class placement, casting, and when (or if) you could move up. Looking back, the system created constant pressure, comparison, and fear around “progressing.” I also talk about training intensity, lack of rest, overuse injuries like patellar tendonitis, late introduction to pirouettes, pointe shoe progression, and what it felt like to be separated from friends by level changes. If you’re interested in ballet training, pre-professional ballet school experiences, or the reality behind elite dance training systems, this video is for you. Watch my previous video for more context on why I left this ballet school and how it eventually fell apart:    • What happened to my old ballet school: eli...