Mummy twinkle toes Posted January 7, 2017 Share Posted January 7, 2017 If you want to remain you will need to have a chat. Personally, I have always told teachers that I decide what is best for my dc. Not in a confrontational way but quite firm. We had a difficult time when one teacher started messing us around and in the end we decided to leave. Dds were upset at the time but are now far happier. Good luck but do what is best for your child. You know you have her best interests at heart. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taxi4ballet Posted January 7, 2017 Share Posted January 7, 2017 My dd's ballet teacher was so against associate programmes that dd auditioned, was accepted, and spent two years on an associate programme without her knowing. We didn't tell her, because we knew she'd be annoyed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flowerpot Posted January 7, 2017 Share Posted January 7, 2017 I wouldn't get away with that taxi4ballet. My dd teacher is the RBS teacher! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taxi4ballet Posted January 7, 2017 Share Posted January 7, 2017 I wouldn't get away with that taxi4ballet. My dd teacher is the RBS teacher! Hahaha! They probably wouldn't mind your dd doing an associate programme though, would they?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flowerpot Posted January 8, 2017 Share Posted January 8, 2017 I hope she won't mind, but she hasn't said my dd should apply although she says she has potential. I don't think she has the 'ideal' RBS body so maybe thats why? My dd wants to apply anyway so we will along with any other associates within a certain distance Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swanilda Posted January 17, 2017 Share Posted January 17, 2017 The Royal Ballet School posted a video on 13 January 2017 answering many questions about their Associate program and Auditions process. Please follow the link https://www.facebook.com/royal.ballet.school/ 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flowerpot Posted January 17, 2017 Share Posted January 17, 2017 Thanks Annasophia, just watched it. Will show my dd after school as she will be applying this year. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Splitz Posted January 27, 2017 Share Posted January 27, 2017 Hello everyone, I've recently joined the forum too I'm just returning to Pixie's original post about whether her DD should audition despite low arches, and whether it is just setting her up for failure. I could have written exactly the same thing - the only difference being that my DD's teacher hasn't suggested she audition for JAs, precisely because of her feet (despite seeing overall potential.) DD would still like to try 'for the experience' for Yr 6 place - which her teacher is supporting - but I think DD still also has a glimmer of hope... It's lovely she is so positive but given statistics, competitiveness and teacher's opinion, I am not so positive, and not convinced there is much point going through the whole JA audition process! However, I do want to encourage her of course, and I don't want to make too big a thing yet about her feet not being 'right' (she is only 9) - I worry that she will start to resent them, and outside the ballet world they are good functional feet! But that's the nature of classical ballet I suppose, with its specific physical requirements. We will probably audition anyway, for the experience and seeing as she's keen. I suppose I am after the same reassurance as Pixie and wondering if anyone's DC with less than ideal feet has been successful at RB / Elmhurst etc? Following a regime of exercises perhaps? Or feet have changed as they grew? DD does do exercises set by her teacher, but I wonder how significantly her feet can be improved 'enough'. I suppose only time will tell... Thank you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waitingmum Posted January 27, 2017 Share Posted January 27, 2017 As a Mum of a dd at WL I would say that if they want to go to auditions as an experience then let them as long as they have realistic expectations. You could be the best shape with all the correct attributes and still not be successful. The numbers of children auditioning versus the number of places is so high. I never thought my dd would get in as not completely traditional ballet shape and the longer I carry on in this ballet world the less I would dream of second guessing. All the dds in my dd's year are all very different heights with different physical strengths and weaknesses. Enjoy each thing/audition for what it is with no expectation and anything else is a bonus ???? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gowiththeflo Posted January 27, 2017 Share Posted January 27, 2017 I echo what waitingmum says above... My dd was a JA, now an MA, and, -meant in the nicest possible way, - there have been ( and are) all kinds of feet, legs, arms heights etc in her class. Along with just general growth in the last couple of years , her feet in particular have changed loads 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moomin Posted January 27, 2017 Share Posted January 27, 2017 (edited) I think being willing to audition is a really positive thing in itself and whatever her career long term will provide valuable experience. As for feet I think it depends, if she's going to struggle to get over pointe shoes she may not be able to do classical ballet but I'm sure the schools are experienced enough to know whether that will be the case. Royal ballet are known for liking nice feet, above and beyond what is functional. There are still some in the company with straighter feet Edited January 27, 2017 by Moomin 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarahw Posted January 27, 2017 Share Posted January 27, 2017 Also while you cannot change the basic underlying foot shape as the foot gets stronger it 'curves' more. Especially once they start pointe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrancingMum Posted January 28, 2017 Share Posted January 28, 2017 All this discussion about feet reminds me of something I overheard the Principal of DD's dance school say a number of years ago It was in relation to a girl in one of the older grades after an exam session. She said that the best that could be said about this dancer was that she had nice feet. I found out recently that said dancer went on to associates and is now doing well at vocation school. I would love to ask the Principal what she thinks of her now! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harwel Posted January 28, 2017 Share Posted January 28, 2017 Sounds like a thoroughly nasty teacher! I have been told by a previous head of a dance school we attended (left soon afterwards) that a previous student had no business going off to a top vocational school as was no ballet dancer - said dancer now dances with Hamburg ballet! Some teachers just don't understand progress, development and determination. I have seen it time and time again. It's easy to spot (and teach) the 'perfect' body, the great teachers recognise a person with 'enough' of the raw materials and are able to nurture that person, especially with a student that has bucket loads of determination. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amos73 Posted January 28, 2017 Share Posted January 28, 2017 Sounds like a thoroughly nasty teacher! I have been told by a previous head of a dance school we attended (left soon afterwards) that a previous student had no business going off to a top vocational school as was no ballet dancer - said dancer now dances with Hamburg ballet! Some teachers just don't understand progress, development and determination. I have seen it time and time again. It's easy to spot (and teach) the 'perfect' body, the great teachers recognise a person with 'enough' of the raw materials and are able to nurture that person, especially with a student that has bucket loads of determination. DD's old teacher said that she had seen it year after year, the ones who were most naturally 'blessed' shall we say, with the physical attributes, if they didn't fully apply themselves were overtaken by a determined, thinking, hardworking student with enough of the required attributes. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aklf Posted January 28, 2017 Share Posted January 28, 2017 There are so many ingredients that combine to make a lovely dancer and many of those are mental attributes alongside physical potential. You must have musicality, spatial awareness, an ability to take corrections on board (and to apply them), a great memory to recall exercises, determination, strength, stamina, creativity and most importantly and above everything- a love of dance! It's so easy to get caught up Over things like the perfect feet -Just remember that no dancer has every single perfect physical attribute, it's how they use what they have that matters! Good luck to all those dc auditioning, enjoy the experience. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MAK Posted January 28, 2017 Share Posted January 28, 2017 Amos73 and Aklf what lovely, heartening posts! Really nice to hear about hard work paying off ???? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lisa O`Brien Posted January 28, 2017 Share Posted January 28, 2017 My dd's ballet teacher was so against associate programmes that dd auditioned, was accepted, and spent two years on an associate programme without her knowing. We didn't tell her, because we knew she'd be annoyed. Wow Taxi. Just who do these teachers think they are? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taxi4ballet Posted January 29, 2017 Share Posted January 29, 2017 L Wow Taxi. Just who do these teachers think they are? Lisa, we only told her she was on an associate programme the day she left that school! The new school was rather more proactive... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicola H Posted January 29, 2017 Share Posted January 29, 2017 Wow Taxi. Just who do these teachers think they are? A good question ... altough my involvement in ballet as an actual participatn is limited, recent ,and 30 ish years removed from JAs etc , there does seem to be soem very strange ideas floating around among teachers of dance. I say this as someone who teaches and assesses in a variety of settings and whose teens were spent in a somewhat faster than usual progression through the ranks of youf sailing ( hadn't stepped into a boat before the age of 12 and a half - started sailing as an extra curricular with school, made 'winter training' / national squad selection at my last eligible youth year (which other than making very limited in numbers 'full' national squads was the limit of the system) - i'm not sure how exactly that would compare with dancers getting into associates and summer schools ( no equivalent to a vocational school for sports people ,especially in the 'sitting down sports' - but much like dance there is tension between your 'home ' school / club and what is beign taught when you go away and there;s also the aspect of the older / better people assisting and demonstrating etc. So had done the equivalent to progessing through the grades in the two training parallel schemes the RYA run - one is 'just' sailing and is purely technical and the other is competition based ) and passing a variety of 'auditions' you have to pass and be recommended for the next stage on a couple of occasions in the scheme - open access to 'red badge' recommendation needed for next stage - the white and blue badges - once in that recommendation pool you can keep going to the regional stuff but you need a further recommendation for the national selection )... many of the people i was sailign with at blue badge / selection were peopel who had come fro msailing families and been racing since 8 or 9 ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taxi4ballet Posted January 29, 2017 Share Posted January 29, 2017 The ds of a friend of mine was in a similar situation re competitive swimming. He is very good (Olympic trials good) and his local club wasn't in the top flight of clubs nationally. Another higher-level club in the region invited him to train with their competition squad from time to time, and out of courtesy they told the existing club. Well, they didn't like that, not one bit, and he was forced to leave. So he ended up having to get up at 5 every morning to travel further to train, and the old club lost one of their best swimmers. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicola H Posted January 29, 2017 Share Posted January 29, 2017 The ds of a friend of mine was in a similar situation re competitive swimming. He is very good (Olympic trials good) and his local club wasn't in the top flight of clubs nationally. Another higher-level club in the region invited him to train with their competition squad from time to time, and out of courtesy they told the existing club. Well, they didn't like that, not one bit, and he was forced to leave. So he ended up having to get up at 5 every morning to travel further to train, and the old club lost one of their best swimmers. parochialism at it's best , once you are beyond the 'risks' associated with basic techniques being taught differently , whether by teacher or because of the differing award schemes in use ... accessing training with different peopel shouldn't be an issue as long as the other people are safe and appropriate. Although i do think there is concern in some quarters over the 'overtraining' issues that were an issue with (association) football a few years ago, where promising lads were training with the league club academies,. still playing for their 'sunday league' club and playing for school teams etc meaning they were playing more 'competitive' games than the pros were ... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Splitz Posted January 30, 2017 Share Posted January 30, 2017 I just want to say thanks for all your comments and advice, particulary about the value of hard work and determination for those without all the 'ideal' physical attributes. (I can see it in my dd in fact - by doing her foot exercises every night, she is already showing this determination and willingness to apply herself, which will no doubt stand her in good stead for the future, whatever happens.) And we are very fortunate to have a supportive, intelligent and level-headed dance teacher!! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amos73 Posted January 30, 2017 Share Posted January 30, 2017 I just want to say thanks for all your comments and advice, particulary about the value of hard work and determination for those without all the 'ideal' physical attributes. (I can see it in my dd in fact - by doing her foot exercises every night, she is already showing this determination and willingness to apply herself, which will no doubt stand her in good stead for the future, whatever happens.) And we are very fortunate to have a supportive, intelligent and level-headed dance teacher!! And by doing her foot exercises every night she will be strengthening them and creating more flexibility in them in order to help her achieve her goals! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrsMoo2 Posted February 26, 2017 Share Posted February 26, 2017 Hiya! Just saying hi and wondering if anyone else will be auditioning in Manchester for JA's?? My son is 9 and hoping to get a place. Sadly we had a no from Hammond last week (Bit hard as he had convinced himself he was in there) so he's desperate for some good news. I know that statistically RBS JA's are a nightmare, but wondering if anyone has any inside info on what he could work on for the next few weeks? His teachers says he has great physique, flexibility and great turnout, but his concentration leaves a little to be desired!???? Well, he is 9!! Any others we've missed? I'm aware of missing Elmhurst but not about any others. He wants to open a dance studio when he's older to get more little boys dancing. Poor lad has spent the last three years in classes as the only boy! (Luckily he has a twin sister so is so over the whole girl thing!!) Please help us to make his year, he'd burst with pride if he got on any associate class. M x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harwel Posted February 26, 2017 Share Posted February 26, 2017 Have you tried Tring CBA? Also the kickstart programme for boys at Tring? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DancingShoes Posted February 26, 2017 Share Posted February 26, 2017 Elmhurst associates don't audition until later in the year. Have a look on their website. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluebird22 Posted February 26, 2017 Share Posted February 26, 2017 MIDAS, Graham Fletcher, Moorland Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foreverdrivingtodance Posted February 26, 2017 Share Posted February 26, 2017 YDA Associates.DD loves it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancingboy65 Posted February 26, 2017 Share Posted February 26, 2017 (edited) My DS is an associate at Northern Ballet in Leeds. They take them from 9 years old. He's just got his 3rd year there and loves it! It's a fantastic scheme. Edited February 26, 2017 by dancingboy65 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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