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When my daughter started at NBS, they all seemed to find each other on social media!. Not sure if one of the students for this Septembers intake is happy to pass on details to parents here in the forum. I had a few moms message me, to pass on details to my daughter, whose dd & ds wanted to be added to an NBS insta group which they formed for their year, they got to 'know' each other before they even reached NBS. It's maybe an idea? Mj

Two of the most stunning young dancers I’ve seen (both currently in their final year at RBS upper school) were both at Tring prior to going to RBS. Just to point out also that the reverse also happens - I’ve seen at least one dancer turn down a place at RBS to be in Tring and a few who turned down places at Elmhurst to train at Tring (in recent years).

They seem to not be bothering to try to make the doubles look like the proper Odettes unless they happen to do so already. On Saturday evening Madison Bailey doubled for Sarah Lamb in the Prologue, which given how few blonde dancers there are in the RB is about as good at match as you can get, but as she was then dancing one of the Cygnets the double at the end of Act IV had brown hair rather than blonde! I agree with the comments about bows in Act II, especially @Fonty's post.

No school guarantees a career. Try not to worry about what others do. You need to go where you think is the right choice for you and your Dd. Classical ballet jobs are hard to come by so Tring is a good option as it can provide training in lots of other genres. Their academics are good too. Some dancers decline MDS because they decide they are too young to go away.

I think there are probably more important things to consider than travel time if you are seriously thinking about this school. During my child’s time here, one homestay was shut down mid term, with not so much as a days notice and I believe only informal lodger situations exist now. The quality and hours of ballet offered are rather deceiving. “Vocational” ballet classes, during the school day are 1.5 hours Monday to Thursday. No ballet on Friday and only a large class at Pineapple dance studios on Saturday (1.5 hours only). No specific footwork or bodycon. No cardio or partner work, rarely solos. As an indication of the standard, most of the full time vocational students fail to gain places as RBS Associates. The daytime classes are subsidised with another 1.5 hour recreational class with the students of WLSD after school and these are not everyday - these are open to anyone who wants to pay for classes. They are often unnecessarily late into the evening. Obviously not ideal if travelling distances and Shepherds Bush isn’t lovely at night. The set up at LVBS is nothing like any of the more prestigious vocational schools in the UK. If you’re paying fees you will undoubtedly be offered a space. The retention rate at this school is shockingly low. Year ten, for example, have had seven people leave from a year group of 15. There are also many other well documented, very serious current issues that you should research. Please DM me if you wish to discuss in more detail.

I like the look of Tring and like that academic qualifications are valued too. I don’t like idea of boarding but I can see why it works once they get to a certain age. I just worry since so many turn it down when MDS funding is so hard to get at Tring .

Everyone has their own opinion. It depends how important academic qualifications are too. As a bigger school Tring has more subjects available. RBS may be the big name but I wonder how many parents are aware that the course is only for Yr 7 - 9 and very few British pupils progress to Yr 10 and beyond.

Looking forward to seeing this in Chester in June!

I’ve also seen only short pieces … at the Icons gala and atprevious Ballet Night’s galas. Each one has impressed me with their emotional intensity, musicality and the arc of the choreography. No idea how just two dancers will sustain this in an hour long programme. I am looking forward to it too.

Yes it was for this year. I just wondered why people always put the other option first. Is it not considered as good for ballet?

I have searched the forum and couldn’t find anything in particular but thanks

Hello @Hannah 78 and welcome to the Forum! I've added a couple of tags at the top of the thread which may bring up previous threads that still contain useful information.

I think in general those who turn down an MDS at Tring only do so because they have an offer they think is better, e.g. RBS, Elmhurst.

Hello @Moondancer and welcome to the Forum!

Yes, forgot to mention that the prologue did seem a bit strange with the two people bearing no resemblance.

No school is for everyone, maybe they received other offers that they preferred. I personally have not heard of lots of people turning down places but I don't know anyone who has applied for this year (not sure if you were referring only to applications for this year.)

I just wanted to ask about ballet at Tring. I have seen so many people who have been offered MDS funding at Tring turn it down. Is there a reason? Looking at it for next year but am concerned by what seems to be everyone turning it down. Know of a few people there who love it but would like to find out more. Child would have to board .

Is #10 still available?

The making of the Swan Lake tutus

A reminder that the Insight I posted above is this evening 25th April 7pm. However if you miss these normally remain on the ROH Youtube to catch up later. https://www.youtube.com/live/L6TDBmzurYc?si=QWxFKNtZqSbh76Y7

I so agree re the double - I felt the hair colour difference was so jarring at the end that it completely broke the spell. A properly dark wig isn’t surely that hard to come by. I’ve always felt that there are too many Nunez/Muntagirov livestreams but maybe Nagdhi/Ball are catching up…

Alina will dance Manon bedroom Pdd with Charles Louis Yoshiyama of Ballet Zurich at Ballet Asteras Gala at New National Theatre Tokyo, August 3rd and 4th. https://www.nntt.jac.go.jp/ballet/asteras2024/ also Ako Kondo and Chengwu Guo of Australian Ballet and other dancers, mainly Japanese dancers in overseas companies will participate.

Worth 6 minutes of anyone's time... 🙂

Do you have photos?

This sounds beautiful, is it still available?