ArucariaBallerina Posted March 11, 2017 Share Posted March 11, 2017 No for me....unfortunate for my heart and soul, but fortunate for my bank account! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amos73 Posted March 11, 2017 Share Posted March 11, 2017 £67,350 to be precise! Hmmm, can't help feeling a little cynical seeing this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Legseleven Posted March 11, 2017 Share Posted March 11, 2017 The RBS certainly earns a decent income from the summer school application fees. To be fair, though, they seem to be adept at selecting candidates from consideration of the photos and application forms in that I don't remember ever reading that the classes at summer school were populated with students of wildly varying ability and technique (other than reading that some of the overseas students were breathtakingly advanced!). Somehow the RBS does seem to get it right in their allocation of places and this must be something that takes up quite a bit of time in terms of sifting the applications re age, then considering each one and placing into yes/no/waiting list 'piles' - and I would think that several members of staff are involved in this process. £25 per application doesn't seem way over the top in those circumstances - and don't other summer schools also charge for applications? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarahw Posted March 11, 2017 Share Posted March 11, 2017 Some do some don't. When we were at JAS I felt they were a bit naughty in really pushing you all to apply to SS when so few got in and they virtually knew in advance who it would be.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted March 11, 2017 Share Posted March 11, 2017 Hello Viviangrace and 0425 and welcome to the Forum! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theother51 Posted March 11, 2017 Share Posted March 11, 2017 I don't personally know of any other summer school who charge simply to apply but am happy to be corrected. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taxi4ballet Posted March 11, 2017 Share Posted March 11, 2017 I've always suspected that RBS charge a fee so that only those who are genuinely seriously interested will apply. Perhaps if they didn't charge, then they'd get so many applications from recreational dancers they'd be still looking at them at Christmas! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarahw Posted March 11, 2017 Share Posted March 11, 2017 I agree most don't the other 51 but I did come across one just can't remember which!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dancing unicorn Posted March 11, 2017 Share Posted March 11, 2017 (edited) Some charge deposits! If you get in it is deducted from total amount! But as in our case, because of change of plan, we lost the deposit! Correct me if I'm wrong, but don't RBS deduct the £25 from total if you get in!? I can't remember what happened when dd accepted in yr5. Edited March 11, 2017 by Dancing unicorn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Legseleven Posted March 11, 2017 Share Posted March 11, 2017 (edited) I would be more annoyed at that than at a straight application fee, Dancing unicorn. I think YBSS charged a hefty deposit in this way? It did make us reconsider DD applying there because, as you say, summer holiday plans can and do change. Edited March 11, 2017 by Legseleven Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrancingMum Posted March 11, 2017 Share Posted March 11, 2017 Have to say that I am cynical about it - quite a lottery - £25 a ticket and if you win the pleasure of paying several hundred pounds for a weeks ballet summer school. I am sure it will be a lovely experience wirh fantastic teaching and great on the CV but it is quite an expense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dancing unicorn Posted March 11, 2017 Share Posted March 11, 2017 (edited) Was just going to edit post to say about YBSS Legseleven but you beat me to it! Edited March 11, 2017 by Dancing unicorn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theother51 Posted March 11, 2017 Share Posted March 11, 2017 I think a deposit is usual. It reserves your place but is refunded if you are unsuccessful in most instances. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seymour Posted March 11, 2017 Share Posted March 11, 2017 Agreed that as a state funded institution paying for an application (rejection/ waitlist) every year, to just glance at a few photos and put onto a pile, our funds should be reimbursed if unsuccessful? This Royal system needs to be carefully audited IMO, as another poster says earlier that most acceptance decisions are made usually by the same person??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vmmom Posted March 11, 2017 Share Posted March 11, 2017 POB charges for summer application and no, they don't deduct from the final bill 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kate_N Posted March 11, 2017 Share Posted March 11, 2017 Have to say that I am cynical about it - quite a lottery - £25 a ticket and if you win the pleasure of paying several hundred pounds for a weeks ballet summer school. I am sure it will be a lovely experience wirh fantastic teaching and great on the CV but it is quite an expense. But the point is that it's in NO WAY a lottery. There is immense skill & knowledge required to select the groups of students so that, as others have said, the classes are of children with the requisite ability. Do you not want people who've worked all their lives in a pretty underpaid profession to be paid properly? Would your thoughts might e different if your child had received an acceptance? Would THAT be a lottery? I doubt it - it would be a recognition of their level of ability for the summer school. After all, no-one is forcing you to send in an application ... Let's stop down grading the real skills, knowledge, and qualifications of arts and teaching professionals! 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kate_N Posted March 11, 2017 Share Posted March 11, 2017 (edited) to just glance at a few photos and put onto a pile, our funds should be reimbursed if unsuccessful? This is seems a bit like sour grapes, which I'm sure you don't intend it to. But it's disrespectful towards the years of skill & experience required. If you think so little of the staff who select by "just glancing" at a photograph, why would you want to send your child there? I'm sure that's not what you really think ... (well, I hope not!) Edited March 11, 2017 by Kate_N 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sadielou Posted March 11, 2017 Share Posted March 11, 2017 This has become a huge money making operation, which I feel is very unfair on those poor students and parents that apply year after year, only to get that faint glimmer of hope of "Waiting list" which appears to mean little or nothing. If said person is making all the decisions how much easier, fairer and less expensive (for all involved) would it be if there was an extra SS tick box on the WL, US, MA, SA, JA audition forms. As many of SS applicants are either already associates or auditioning to become associates and the same person is at all these auditions why can't SS also be part of the audition equation. It would also only be sensible to have a list of associate SS applicants and speak to the relevant associate teachers and get their opinion, as to wether their students would benefit from a week or two at SS (would hope that, this was a discussion that was happening anyway).There would then be far fewer photos and application forms to sift through and whoever is making the decisions at photo level would have more time to make informed decisions. Only a thought ! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dancing unicorn Posted March 11, 2017 Share Posted March 11, 2017 (edited) Just for info: there is/was a huge JA stamped on the application forms as these were handed out in JA classes! Don't know how it works now that application on line! Edited March 11, 2017 by Dancing unicorn 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hull Posted March 11, 2017 Share Posted March 11, 2017 Well it appears that several people have spent a considerable amount of time working out how they think the selection system could be improved for the Summer School. While they are interesting to read, I do hope that all these suggestions have been sent to the Royal Ballet School for their consideration. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atacrossroads Posted March 11, 2017 Share Posted March 11, 2017 But the point is that it's in NO WAY a lottery. There is immense skill & knowledge required to select the groups of students so that, as others have said, the classes are of children with the requisite ability. Do you not want people who've worked all their lives in a pretty underpaid profession to be paid properly? Would your thoughts might e different if your child had received an acceptance? Would THAT be a lottery? I doubt it - it would be a recognition of their level of ability for the summer school. After all, no-one is forcing you to send in an application ... Let's stop down grading the real skills, knowledge, and qualifications of arts and teaching professionals! Katy-N photos do not show ability and skill they show body type primarily, limb length and strength of turnout at most. If they wanted to judge on ability they'd ask for videos as POB and Masters of Ballet require. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shygirlsmum Posted March 11, 2017 Share Posted March 11, 2017 DD is mid but I did application online so no advantage, as far as I'm aware no Mids stamped forms where given out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atacrossroads Posted March 11, 2017 Share Posted March 11, 2017 But the point is that it's in NO WAY a lottery. There is immense skill & knowledge required to select the groups of students so that, as others have said, the classes are of children with the requisite ability. Do you not want people who've worked all their lives in a pretty underpaid profession to be paid properly? Would your thoughts might e different if your child had received an acceptance? Would THAT be a lottery? I doubt it - it would be a recognition of their level of ability for the summer school. After all, no-one is forcing you to send in an application ... Let's stop down grading the real skills, knowledge, and qualifications of arts and teaching professionals! Katy-N photos do not show ability and skill they show body type primarily, limb length and strength of turnout at most. If they wanted to judge on ability they'd ask for videos as POB and Masters of Ballet require. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 11, 2017 Share Posted March 11, 2017 The point surely is, that if you apply for a selective highly competitive course, the majority of applicants are going to be disappointed, irrespective of the assessment tools used. Earlier in the thread it was stated 2694 applications for 632 spaces, so that's over 2000 dc with a no, even by my rubbish maths. Its just the way things are. The other selective ballet summer schools also have to turn people away, although they are possibly not so oversubscribed as RBS. Anyway its very character building if you plan to audition for a place in full time training. You will be lucky indeed if you don't get at least one 'no' then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Legseleven Posted March 11, 2017 Share Posted March 11, 2017 (edited) If you don't believe that the RBS is properly able to select for its summer school from photos and an application form - which has, as far as I am aware, always been the case - and don't believe that those reports that the summer school students have been grouped with those of similar ability and technique are true, then of course you can choose not to apply. If you do choose to apply for a summer school then you are choosing to accept its application process and to pay any application fee/deposit required. And as Kate_N said, I suspect that if your child was accepted into the summer school then you would have no complaints about the application process at all. That is human nature and very understandable. Edited March 11, 2017 by Legseleven 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shygirlsmum Posted March 11, 2017 Share Posted March 11, 2017 *were - can't edit, sorry!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kate_N Posted March 11, 2017 Share Posted March 11, 2017 (edited) Katy-N photos do not show ability and skill they show body type primarily, limb length and strength of turnout at most. If they wanted to judge on ability they'd ask for videos as POB and Masters of Ballet require. I'm not a ballet teacher at the RBS with years of teaching and probably a leading ballet career behind me, so I couldn't possibly judge how the RBS selects students for its Summer Schools. I think Mnemo is spot on with the maths - there are more than 4 times the number of applicants for available places. Elite ballet training is a tough world. Edited March 11, 2017 by Kate_N Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atacrossroads Posted March 11, 2017 Share Posted March 11, 2017 We've never applied for RBS Summer School, so my comments are purely based on my opinion not sour grapes. My Dd will be doing POB SS and has always done ENBS SS in the past. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miracle Posted March 11, 2017 Share Posted March 11, 2017 At least there are more places than 5 years ago when my Ds got in. The summer school was only 2 one week courses or one 2 week for yr10/11 now the older end are at Covent Garden so more space at white lodge.x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mumofaboy Posted March 11, 2017 Share Posted March 11, 2017 At least there are more places than 5 years ago when my Ds got in. The summer school was only 2 one week courses or one 2 week for yr10/11 now the older end are at Covent Garden so more space at white lodge.x No extra space for boys though - in fact even less if the White Lodge boys are now expected to attend? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrancingMum Posted March 11, 2017 Share Posted March 11, 2017 (edited) Two things to note - the summer school is based on age not ability and RBS have a file on everyone who applies with the details of the programmes they have applied for/attended (fact based on speaking to them at one point so this is not supposition). Edited March 11, 2017 by Newdancermum Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoglett Posted March 11, 2017 Share Posted March 11, 2017 Katy-N photos do not show ability and skill they show body type primarily, limb length and strength of turnout at most. If they wanted to judge on ability they'd ask for videos as POB and Masters of Ballet require. Yes...and that's why it's so difficult to get in. In my opinion,there are plenty of other SS and opportunities for those that are more talented in terms of their performance as opposed to being the right body type. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piccolo Posted March 11, 2017 Share Posted March 11, 2017 The word 'elite' has cropped up in this thread. I get the impression that there are often, not always, elite / notable elements, in terms of training etc, already in place before a child has even set foot into RBS SS, which are included on application forms... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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