Performing arts high schools other than BTW? (Dallas, Fort Worth: house, established neighborhood)

[sterling75]

Hi, my family is relocating to Dallas this summer for my husband's job. Our daughter is currently attending an academically strong performing arts high school in our city, and I'd like to find a comparable school for her in the Dallas area. There's Booker T. Washington, but by all accounts it is extremely difficult to get into. Are there any other academically strong performing arts high schools (public or private) in the Dallas area?

[TurtleCreek80]

I'm not aware of any other performing arts high schools in the Dallas area, although there are dozens of strong schools with various strong arts departments, be it theatre or orchestra or dance. What is your daughter's talent? And how talented is she? Are you looking for a strong college prep school where she can continue a ballet or piano practice on the side, or is she Juilliard / Berklee School of Music / etc level of talent?

I believe there is also a small school in Plano that works with highly talented kids training for the Olympics and other very high level achievements. Olympic Gymnast Nastia Lukin graduated from there. If Booker T is a non-traditional high school, that one would be extremely non traditional.

[UnfairPark]

I don’t know anything about it but it’s an option.

https://www.coramdeoacademy.org/page...life/fine-arts

[sterling75]

Originally Posted by TurtleCreek80

I'm not aware of any other performing arts high schools in the Dallas area, although there are dozens of strong schools with various strong arts departments, be it theatre or orchestra or dance. What is your daughter's talent? And how talented is she? Are you looking for a strong college prep school where she can continue a ballet or piano practice on the side, or is she Juilliard / Berklee School of Music / etc level of talent?

I believe there is also a small school in Plano that works with highly talented kids training for the Olympics and other very high level achievements. Olympic Gymnast Nastia Lukin graduated from there. If Booker T is a non-traditional high school, that one would be extremely non traditional.

She's a ballet/jazz/modern dance. TurtleCreek, you hit the nail on the head. We're really looking for a strong college prep high school where she can continue to dance on the side. I don't know much about DISD high schools or high schools in any of the surrounding areas that are good college prep high schools. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated!

[TurtleCreek80]

Originally Posted by sterling75

She's a ballet/jazz/modern dance. TurtleCreek, you hit the nail on the head. We're really looking for a strong college prep high school where she can continue to dance on the side. I don't know much about DISD high schools or high schools in any of the surrounding areas that are good college prep high schools. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated!

That helps. There are so many wonderful dance studios around Dallas. Where will you be commuting for work? How long do you want to commute every day? Home budget? These answers will help us point you in the right direction.

[sterling75]

Originally Posted by TurtleCreek80

That helps. There are so many wonderful dance studios around Dallas. Where will you be commuting for work? How long do you want to commute every day? Home budget? These answers will help us point you in the right direction.

We'll be working at UTSW, and prefer a commute no longer than 25-30 minutes. Home budget will be around $400K. We'd love to be in a family-friendly diverse established neighborhood with trees! But academically strong schools for our oldest and youngest kid (9) are a huge priority for us. We've got 2-in-1 (academically strong + performing arts focus) at my oldest kid's current school. If we can send our kids to great schools and find a solid dance studio, we'd be happy.

[UnfairPark]

Ballet, Arts, Education | Chamberlain School of Ballet

This is the most popular ballet/jazz/dance place in this area.

For schooling, affluent ones attend St.Marks or Hockaday but others attend their public schools. For UTSW work location, nearest desirable public schools are in Highland Park, Plano, Richardson and Coppell.

For your budget, expensive privates and Highland Park are probably not going to work. You’ll be better off in Plano, Richardson and Coppell.

[TurtleCreek80]

Originally Posted by sterling75

We'll be working at UTSW, and prefer a commute no longer than 25-30 minutes. Home budget will be around $400K. We'd love to be in a family-friendly diverse established neighborhood with trees! But academically strong schools for our oldest and youngest kid (9) are a huge priority for us. We've got 2-in-1 (academically strong + performing arts focus) at my oldest kid's current school. If we can send our kids to great schools and find a solid dance studio, we'd be happy.

Richardson is kind of the midpoint between UTSW and the better dance studios. Pearce and Richardson HS are both great and have good feeder pattern schools.

Dance Industry in Plano trained 2 or 3 of the "fabulous 5" senior boys from Booker T who all got accepted to Juluiard last year. Next Step in Frisco is also a very good studio. Power House in Dallas is more jazz/hip hop but trained many professional dancers like Step Up's Jenna Dewan Tatum. We definitely don't lack for great dance studios in the Dallas area!

[JTC Mom]

Plano and Frisco have great dance schools. Dance Fx in Garland is also very good and a reasonable drive from many homes in RISD.

[TeamLynn]

These aren't in Dallas, but I've known a couple of kids that went there and seemed to excel vs their public school experience. People often seem to rag on charter schools, but I saw these kids in their element when they were outcasts at their old schools.

Fort Worth Academy of Fine Arts :: Fort Worth Academy of Fine Arts

Both the kids I knew that went there did not live close, so I'm thinking as with many of the specialized/private schools there must be car pooling.