I don't know a position one from a grande plié . But - my daughter does and she looks forward to going to dance classes. The organization is a family business, a school and a professional company all at once. The location is easy, staff responsive and events easy to enjoy on location and at Merrill for the Nutcracker. The young adult teachers work well with littles, pro teachers guide young teens and there are real opportunities to step into the company for those who are fully committed in later years. read more

My daughter is a student in two of the young childrens' classes; this is her second year here. We have enjoyed her two ballet instructors and we're not sure yet about her tap/jazz instructor... I'll update when I feel like I've got an accurate assessment of her teaching skills. The school itself is full of pros. The dancers are constantly preparing for the next show. My daughter wants to watch the real dancers each time we leave. Paying online for monthly tuition payments is super easy. The performances we've attended were enjoyable and well attended. Not being a dancer myself, I can't say anything about style or other dance critiques. I do want to express how much I like the shows. Set and costumes look fabulous and the dancers look great to me! read more

The company is talented, the costuming is spectacular, and the theater is intimate. They put on performances that range from children's shows such as Cinderella or the magic toy shop with narration and a few laughs to swan lake or don Quixote with amazing performances that are moving and graceful. They put on the best nutcracker show in the state. I do wish we lived closer but we attend performances probably 3-4 times a year! If you attend the end of the summer show, it'll include some dancers that attended their summer intensive. Their principal dancers are extremely talented and I'm always left in awe. This is not an international ballet and the theater is intimate but the talent is huge and the entertainment factor is very high. If you enjoy performing arts and you are in the area, I highly recommend attending a show! And during the holidays, their nutcracker is not to be missed! read more

Maine State Ballet - Opera & Ballet Near Me - Falmouth, Maine

I arrived for Maine State Ballet's production of Cinderella about a half an hour before showtime and I wondered if I had made a mistake because the lot was nearly empty. I sat in my car, pretending that I knew precisely what I was doing, until a parade of vehicles suddenly arrived in some kind of seemingly choreographed dance (pun intended). Entering the building for the first time, I was astonished to find that it was spacious and bright and was considerably larger than it appeared from the street. We were cheerfully greeted throughout our journey from door to studio theater and were whisked to our seats by helpful staff. The theater itself is beautiful, seating about 140 people comfortably, with an impressive curtain and tasteful chandeliers overhead. I was struck throughout the performance by the high production value including beautiful costumes and wigs and multiple professional scrims and backdrops. The first act is largely made up of pantomime and acting but I found myself laughing along with the children around me to the hilarious antics of the step mother and step sisters. Everyone, in fact, maintained their characters well throughout the performance and I appreciated the comedic aspects that were sprinkled from beginning to end. Overall, it was a lovely experience. However, I think that it should be noted that they are a Balanchine company. I knew this going into it but that knowledge didn't prepare me for some of the Balanchine oddities they employed and I found myself, as a classical ballet dancer and voracious consumer of the arts, distracted by some of those elements. Between the dancers' broken wrists and open, floppy hands, some of the unattractive foot work, and the unusual open arabesques, the open chests while partnering and the exaggerated head positions that gave the appearance of a shortened neck, I watched the entire performance with the impression that the dancers were slightly unhinged and awkward. That isn't necessarily a criticism, it's just a distinct difference from classical ballet and something that I would undoubtedly get used to if I were more exposed to it. I certainly intend to attend other performances by them and I'm hoping that, with each return, the stylistic differences will become less and less astonishing. read more