The quest for a ballet school

Manhattan top to bottom. That was my whole day yesterday, in the search for a ballet school. I had reasearched 3 schools, Steps, that's uptown, the Ailey School, midtown, and Dance new Amsterdam, downtown. I was gonna begin by Alvin Ailey, and I got to their nearest station, Columbus circle, just fine. I was so proud of myself and thought that I had finally mastered the system. But then I decided to begin at the one uptown and work my way down. But I hadn't researched which train I had to take, so I took the same that I had taken to Ailey, the A, but it was an express (doesn't stop in all stations) so I ended up in the 125th!!! (Steps is between 74th and 75th). hahah Anyway, I easily found my way back, and I was really proud of myself at the end of the day cause it was the first time I did everything on my very own, I feel more confident now. (pic: Central Park West, my first stop)
The Schools
Steps

Steps is on the second floor of that 3-story building. It was packed when I got there. I was really surprised cause I was expecting something more... spacious...cause their website is really huge and they have all sorts of programs and etc. They have two big studios, one medium-size one and a small one, all connected by one hallway, and the dressing room on the end. I didn't have the best 1st impression, cause people were all spreaded in the hallway, stretching, eating, and mothers were changing their toddlers right there, it was just a mess!The dressing room was three times a mess, bags and coats everywhere and etc. Apart that, they seem to have a very good faculty, and their students seem very good too. It was funny cause there was no dress code so they had people taking class in these rags, in scarves, loose hair...hehehehe. They were having a ballet class that i couldn't figure out if it was intermediate or beginner, but the teacher only had 2 students in class and even so she seemed a little bit careless, not corecting them enough...I don't know...The rate per class is $15 and no membership is required.

Alvin Ailey
Wow. I knew the company and the school even before they moved to their new building (last year or the previous, something like that). But they are just wow. They have this whooole building custom built, state-of-the art facilites, everything is shiny and beautiful. I was only allowed to browse in the 1st floor, where there were 3 big studios. Students were neat and teachers seemed very focused and attentive. Rate is $15, no membership required and I can take the school classes (the ones offered to the graduate students, as opposed to the extension classes, open to the general public) if I have the appropriate level.

Dance New Amsterdam
I know that they're a traditional NYC dance studio that changed their name and location recently. The place looks great and organized, and they have 5 studios, some small ones and some medium-to-big. All of them have one glass wall facing the hallway, it was a great way to observe the classes. The beginner ballet class was packed, but the teacher seemed very attentive. The dressing room was spacious and neat (and it has two bars for stretching!). The rate is $18 wihtout membership, and $16 with anual membership of $30.

I got lots of flyers from each one, I still gotta do the math, and also check the schedules...they all have lots of afternoon classes, which is horrible for when I start working....
For now, I think I'm more inclined to Alvin Ailey, 1st because I always wanted to take classes there, 2nd because they're the medium combination between price and location...Steps is as cheap, but farther, and DNA is closer to where I live, but more expensive....Anyway...I gotta think about it now, and I'll let you know when I decide...I might even go in each one again to take a drop-in class and see what it feels like...

I had a really great day, cause I went walking from one place to another, so I could also do a lot of sightseeing too, and that area is really nice! (pic: The Warner Building at Columbus Circle). When I got to DNA, that's right across the City Hall, it was night already so I couldn't see much, I definetly wanna go back there in the morning cause it must be beautiful too. And to top it all, I even went to meet Al and his friend Mari at a nice allegedly Brazilian restaurant at Union Square, called the Coffe Shop (I asked the waitress and she told me that some guys involved in the foundation were Brazilian, so the menu had a "Brazilian flair (flare?)", as she put it, but the owners or anybody else there are not Brazilian). hehehehe