invisiblecircus Posted November 2, 2016 Share Posted November 2, 2016 The list of candidates for the 2017 Prix de Lausanne has been published: http://www.prixdelausanne.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/2017_Selected_Candidates.pdf There were five entries from the UK but none selected to compete in Lausanne. Interestingly, there were 89 entries from Japan (13 of whom where selected) and one from Iran who didn't make the cut but interesting to see an entry from that country. The list of entries by nationality can be found here: http://www.prixdelausanne.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/2017_Candidates_Nationalities.pdf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pas de Quatre Posted November 2, 2016 Share Posted November 2, 2016 This link doesn't work for me, it all comes out as garbage! Anyone else with this problem? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinMM Posted November 2, 2016 Share Posted November 2, 2016 Works fine for me luckily. Cannot believe has come round so quickly again! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pas de Quatre Posted November 2, 2016 Share Posted November 2, 2016 Odd, it is fine on my tablet, but not my main computer! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
balletbean Posted November 2, 2016 Share Posted November 2, 2016 Interesting that no one from Russia made the cut. I wonder how that news was received 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CeliB Posted November 2, 2016 Share Posted November 2, 2016 Well there was only one application from Russia so I'm not sure you could read too much into this! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JulieW Posted November 2, 2016 Share Posted November 2, 2016 Perhaps if we (the UK) entered 89 dancers we'd stand a chance of getting someone through.... Just a thought 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taxi4ballet Posted November 2, 2016 Share Posted November 2, 2016 Why so few applications from the UK I wonder... Interesting reading the numbers of applicants - aside from the two who were pre-selected, there were: Total applied 338, girls 244 (72%), boys 94 (28%) and 72 were accepted. Girls selected 34 - 14% of applicants got a place. Boys selected 38 - 40% of applicants got a place. Presumably they try to have a roughly equal number of each in the competition, but it doesn't look good for the girls does it? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarahw Posted November 2, 2016 Share Posted November 2, 2016 It never does!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BadBallerina Posted November 2, 2016 Share Posted November 2, 2016 Perhaps doesn't count as British as he's an international student but a boy from ENBS has been selected! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinMM Posted November 2, 2016 Share Posted November 2, 2016 Isn't it pretty expensive though? Can you get a scholarship TO DO the Prix de Lausanne? I assumed not because students tend to go there hoping to GET scholarships for further training but I imagine not everybody could afford it all. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strawberyy Posted November 3, 2016 Share Posted November 3, 2016 Many years ago when my DD attended Prix her school contributed towards the costs. Also all finalists got some money even if you weren't a prize winner. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allthebest2all Posted November 4, 2016 Share Posted November 4, 2016 It is quite a big outlay BUT when you add it all up it's the equivalent of doing a big two week summer school or other short courses or a year round associate course and the experience and benefits for a classical ballet career are second to none. We felt it was a risk worth taking to apply last year and it payed off big time for said student. Looking forward to following the 2017 selected students they will have the time of their life. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allthebest2all Posted November 4, 2016 Share Posted November 4, 2016 Incidentally LinMM I think many of the students last year had received funding of some sort to assist them to be there... there are a lot of scholarship and sponsorship opportunities outside of the UK which the students then reinvest in the next competition. We have it very tough here ???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CeliB Posted November 4, 2016 Share Posted November 4, 2016 I think if you consider the number of company ADs there it works out a LOT cheaper than individual auditions...and they all get to watch numerous classes as well as performances, so the competitors get much more exposure than just a single audition packed full of people. I think its pretty good value when you consider it like that. And that's even before you consider the expert teaching and chance to mix with peers all working at a very high standard... 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pas de chat Posted January 5, 2017 Share Posted January 5, 2017 I'm sure we have students in the UK currently training who are good enough to compete?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
invisiblecircus Posted January 5, 2017 Author Share Posted January 5, 2017 I'm sure we have students in the UK currently training who are good enough to compete?! Training where? One of the problems is that upper school courses in the UK are generally 3 years long starting at age 16 with the aim of having the student ready for employment at 19/ 20. In the older age category, students must be 17 or 18 to compete, meaning that they would be in their first or second years of upper school (and at the time of application would have only just started their first or second year) so may not be ready for a professional contract (which is what they're competing for) at that time. In many other countries, students complete their training at an earlier age. Additionally, some of the top schools e.g.RBS have stated that their schedule does not allow time to prepare students for competitions. To enter in the younger category, students must be 15 or 16 years old, so year 10 or 11 at school. Most would not want to enter in year 10 and leave school without doing GCSEs, and for year 11 students, I wonder how many students there are of a high enough standard with access to enough training to prepare for this kind of competition. Year 11 students at vocational school are auditioning for upper schools as well as juggling GCSEs so imagine that the schools are not keen to squeeze competition prep into the timetable as well. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarahw Posted January 6, 2017 Share Posted January 6, 2017 This goes back to the issue that most 15/16 yr olds in the UK are receiving virtually a full academic education. An important/viral safety net. But I get the impression this is not always the case elsewhere. ... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allthebest2all Posted January 6, 2017 Share Posted January 6, 2017 Most of the overseas students by age 13/14 are at full time at academy's etc. They then do government funded correspondence schooling at home. Our student was the only non full time candidate last year and it was a huge juggle. It is an accessible competition for the right candidate but the selection process is very much who fits the criteria the most starting with physique. They need to be at a certain level within themselves if that makes sense. All of the female class of 14-16 year olds were very much on a par with each other in class but the advantage the other candidates had was time. Some had been preparing for two years choosing and perfecting classical solos before they even knew they would be selected. And they are like machines! The selection is competitive too so it really depends on who else is applying. They only take the ones who in their eyes will make it. They have to get a unanimous yes from every person on the selection panel. And all of them wanted RBS! Except one boy. But once the offers start coming in the game changes as some of the European and international schools have bigger scholarships whereas RBS doesn't. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarahw Posted January 7, 2017 Share Posted January 7, 2017 Thanks for that insight allthebest2all! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harwel Posted January 7, 2017 Share Posted January 7, 2017 Yes, a very interesting insight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
balletbean Posted January 8, 2017 Share Posted January 8, 2017 To enter in the younger category, students must be 15 or 16 years old, so year 10 or 11 at school. Most would not want to enter in year 10 and leave school without doing GCSEs, Some very valid points made in your post, However, the LAW in the UK would prevent any pupil from even considering leaving school before they are 16 (with or without GCSE's), even if a contract of employment was on offer. There would be no choice to be made. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Legseleven Posted January 8, 2017 Share Posted January 8, 2017 A pupil could transfer to home-schooling in the U.K. if they wished to leave 'normal' education. There is no absolute requirement to attend school or even to take GCSEs. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pas de Quatre Posted January 8, 2017 Share Posted January 8, 2017 Legseleven is correct. I have had pupils who were home schooled - they were primary school level though. I think in some other countries, e.g. Australia and USA, home schooling was normal in areas where the nearest school was physically too far away and so has stayed as an acceptable option right up through the teens. So, many of these dancers are able to put their ballet training first and fit academics around it. Here it is usually the other way round. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taxi4ballet Posted January 8, 2017 Share Posted January 8, 2017 A pupil could transfer to home-schooling in the U.K. if they wished to leave 'normal' education. There is no absolute requirement to attend school or even to take GCSEs. That would only solve part of the issue though, because you'd still need access to enough hours of top-class training every day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Legseleven Posted January 8, 2017 Share Posted January 8, 2017 Absolutely, but I know of several families who chose to home school their children in the U.K. from the age of 7 or 8. They formed a home schooling group to pool resources and knowledge - hired sports/languages/science/music coaches etc - and some of those children haven't taken GCSEs or A levels but went straight on to e.g. Open University degree courses at 15 or 16 or on to college. They have pursued individual interests e.g. music/sport/additional languages to a high level alongside this, so if they had wanted to pursue ballet and classes were available they could have done that instead. They were certainly educated - and of course to the local authority's requirements - but have put paid to the idea that in terms of U.K. education all must take the 'GCSEs and onwards' route. It has been quite an eye opener for the rest of us, whose children have followed the 'normal' school route. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CeliB Posted January 8, 2017 Share Posted January 8, 2017 I agree with allthebest2all - one boy from DS's school who did PDL the year before had been practicing the same classical variation for around 2 years. And lots of the attendees were veterans of the competition circuit and had performed said variation on stage numerous times. DS decided which classical variation and started practicing about 3 weeks beforehand and didn't even learn the contemporary until the week before, and he really was in the minority in this respect... BUT the really great thing about PDL Vs other competitions or auditions is that the company scouts (ADs or whoever attends) watch numerous classes throughout the week, so although the competition prizes are solely based on the 'on the day' performance the offers made by the various companies/schools are not. That was our experience anyway. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pas de Quatre Posted January 8, 2017 Share Posted January 8, 2017 Can I just add something without meaning it as a total contradiction to CeliB's excellent post above. At the Final of PDL the presenter always explains that the prizes are awarded not just on the performances of the solos on that day, but on the marks the finalists gained throughout the week. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pups_mum Posted January 8, 2017 Share Posted January 8, 2017 A pupil could transfer to home-schooling in the U.K. if they wished to leave 'normal' education. There is no absolute requirement to attend school or even to take GCSEs. True. But it is a legal requirement for a young person to be in some form of education until the age of 18. I don't suppose that would be easily enforced though, especially if the young person left the country to work. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CeliB Posted January 8, 2017 Share Posted January 8, 2017 Can I just add something without meaning it as a total contradiction to CeliB's excellent post above. At the Final of PDL the presenter always explains that the prizes are awarded not just on the performances of the solos on that day, but on the marks the finalists gained throughout the week. oh yes, sorry I think you are right, they do say they take class in the week into account but it doesn't appear to count towards much (at least that was the impression the chair of the jury gave DS- it was the performance that was 'make or break')... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
invisiblecircus Posted January 9, 2017 Author Share Posted January 9, 2017 Some very valid points made in your post, However, the LAW in the UK would prevent any pupil from even considering leaving school before they are 16 (with or without GCSE's), even if a contract of employment was on offer. There would be no choice to be made. My point was that candidates entering in the 15 to 16 year age groups are competing for scholarships to ballet schools, not employment in companies. A 15 year old in could potentially leave school at the end of year 10 and attend a ballet school in a different country, either completing GCSE's by correspondence or simply not doing them. This would be perfectly legal, but most would not choose to do it. This leaves 16 year olds in year 11. We all know how stressful this year is for everyone, but even more so for those who are combining serious ballet training alongside GCSEs. Vocational schools are not keen to add competition prep into an already packed timetable in a crucial year. One non-vocational student made it from the UK last year, it is understandable that the juggle required to do this would be too hard for many, not to mention access to training of the necessary level, but I do wonder if there are other students of this calibre who could be entering. I suspect not many. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allthebest2all Posted January 9, 2017 Share Posted January 9, 2017 (edited) Yes I think we were informed that it was all taken into account, however the solos were the clincher with regards to a place in the final but being a finalist did not denote popularity with ADs as I know CeliB definitely experienced and we also found this to be the case. Incidentally the AD of one popular school doesn't make a decision on who he will interview until he has watched the final whereas the others had already made their decisions. He only chose to interview 5 girls and two boys and only three of those were finalists, one of them had already been offered a place at another competition, they are all now at the school. oh yes, sorry I think you are right, they do say they take class in the week into account but it doesn't appear to count towards much (at least that was the impression the chair of the jury gave DS- it was the performance that was 'make or break')... Edited January 9, 2017 by allthebest2all Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allthebest2all Posted January 9, 2017 Share Posted January 9, 2017 There may well be one or two students who would have a chance over a span of years, but I think they need to be committed to one place of training, which was the fortune of last years student who had all she needed on her doorstep to train for PDL. I would like to reiterate it is the learning opportunity of a lifetime for a ballet student. My point was that candidates entering in the 15 to 16 year age groups are competing for scholarships to ballet schools, not employment in companies. A 15 year old in could potentially leave school at the end of year 10 and attend a ballet school in a different country, either completing GCSE's by correspondence or simply not doing them. This would be perfectly legal, but most would not choose to do it. This leaves 16 year olds in year 11. We all know how stressful this year is for everyone, but even more so for those who are combining serious ballet training alongside GCSEs. Vocational schools are not keen to add competition prep into an already packed timetable in a crucial year. One non-vocational student made it from the UK last year, it is understandable that the juggle required to do this would be too hard for many, not to mention access to training of the necessary level, but I do wonder if there are other students of this calibre who could be entering. I suspect not many. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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