Foreverdrivingtodance Posted May 23, 2016 Share Posted May 23, 2016 Is the YDA Associate course one worth pursuing? if offered a place is it worth giving up our regular Saturday dance classes.I know its meant to be in conjunction with your normal lessons but my daughters dance school only teaches on a Saturday.Any advice appreciated Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna C Posted May 23, 2016 Share Posted May 23, 2016 Welcome to the forum, Sparkle123. I can't help with your query except to say that from what I hear, the YDA Associate scheme is very worthwhile. If you click on the "YDA" tag I've added under the thread title, a list of YDA threads will appear and I know there are several about the Associates. :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foreverdrivingtodance Posted May 23, 2016 Author Share Posted May 23, 2016 would you give up your Saturday dance school which is 1 lesson ballet, 1 tap, 1 modern & 1 strengthening class 9am-1pm.My daughter loves ballet & it seems to be what she wants to pursue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lisa O`Brien Posted May 23, 2016 Share Posted May 23, 2016 Welcome to the Forum,Sparkle123. Can I ask how old your daughter is and how long has she been taking lessons? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foreverdrivingtodance Posted May 23, 2016 Author Share Posted May 23, 2016 She is 9 years old. Has done Grade 1 ballet & Grade 2 modern.She started at 6 years.did a bit from 2-4 1/2 years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piccolo Posted May 23, 2016 Share Posted May 23, 2016 Hi Sparkle123, lots of associate classes are on a Saturday. If ballet is what your dd wants to pursue, maybe you should have a look around for another good school, just in case she gets offered YDA. Good luck! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foreverdrivingtodance Posted May 23, 2016 Author Share Posted May 23, 2016 She did get offered YDA so it is just hard to know what to do, this is all new to us!!! ballet is what she really loves.Just she has made good friends etc at her dance school but are these Associate places the way forward if you really want to pursue it.might look for another school for in the week.We auditioned for Tring & she is trying for Royal Ballet.I just have no clue about all this!! think we were quite late to it all! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amos73 Posted May 24, 2016 Share Posted May 24, 2016 Sparkle123 my DD goes to YDA associates, it is a fantastic associate course, 3 hours every week of body conditioning, barre and repertoire, with brilliant teachers. She has done other associate courses and really if you want to try and train vocationally it is worthwhile to do them, as your dd will be with a selected group of kids who are serious about training and have been chosen on talent and potential for further classical training. You would still continue to do your regular classes as they are a supplement to these. It does open your eyes to the talented children beyond a local dance school too. Good luck with your decision. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueLou Posted May 24, 2016 Share Posted May 24, 2016 Difficult, but virtually all additional associate level training is on a Saturday, so if she wants to take her dancing a little more seriously her regular school will have to go. My daughter faced a similar dilemma a couple of years ago - she had to choose between gymnastics and associate ballet on a Saturday morning. She loved gymnastics and had trained 9 hours a week with the same small group of girls for several years. She went with ballet, and has never looked back Good luck! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taxi4ballet Posted May 24, 2016 Share Posted May 24, 2016 As Piccolo says, lots of associate classes are on a Saturday - and because of that, many dance schools who have several students on associate programmes do their best to try and organise their weekly timetable to allow for it. Hopefully you will be able to find another dance school with classes during the week, so she would be able to carry on with her usual training, and do associates as well. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foreverdrivingtodance Posted May 24, 2016 Author Share Posted May 24, 2016 (edited) Yes she really wants to go for it so will look for a new dance school in the week.Just having a major wobble about it all.She is very bright & wants to do the 11+ when in Year 6 & there are good grammar schools around here.Her brother is doing well at one.She is cleverer than he is but her heart just seems to lie with dance.Feel a bit like the impact of all the travelling on the family with these courses. & feels like in might be an intense childhood but its what she wants to do! We are waiting to hear from Tring but popped into toilet there & there were stickers for helpline for Eating Disorders on door!! what with all the scary warming up people & just how competitive it all is, it just makes you wonder what you are letting yourself in for if you go down this path. Daughter weirdly has the perfect figure for all this not sure where she gets it from & seems to be able to eat whatever she wants but they seem so innocent I just don't want to cause her problems later in life. Also places where you get assessed out seem scary then what do you do if asked to leave?? Not sure why I feel so anxious about it all.She would love to go & board somewhere at 11.She is quite a quiet child but has an inner confidence but not in a showy off way. Just seems a world off rejection! I guess maybe you just have to leave it to fate to see if she gets in these places Edited May 24, 2016 by Sparkle123 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna C Posted May 24, 2016 Share Posted May 24, 2016 My advice? Take it all one term at a time, try not to fret too much about the future, and just enjoy it for what it is. It's a long long road from a little girl who loves ballet, all the way to upper school training and trying for a job. The only way to stay sane when they're little is literally to go one term at a time, and see what happens. 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foreverdrivingtodance Posted May 24, 2016 Author Share Posted May 24, 2016 That's actually really good advice! not sure where my mind was going think its the stress of waiting to hear from Tring!! I think thinking about it term by term is a really good idea! I am such a planner going with the flow is not easy!!! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newtothismum Posted May 24, 2016 Share Posted May 24, 2016 Sparkle123 if it is any consolation, I am feeling in exactly the same boat as you - my daughter has been offered a place at YDA from September - she is turning 8 next week. It will involve huge amounts of travelling for us, so big costs financially and on family lifestyle. My head is spinning with knowing what to do. But I do feel if we turn down the opportunity we would regret it so we should go for it and just take it month by month and see how things work out.... I too am an organisational freak so I am feeling out of my depth! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amos73 Posted May 24, 2016 Share Posted May 24, 2016 To all the newcomers, I can only say that yes any associate course does impact family finances and life, particularly hard for the sibling/s who don't dance whose weekends get taken over by ballet, often much to their dismay. We did it for two years but has been worth it as DD is starting vocational school full time from September. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarahw Posted May 24, 2016 Share Posted May 24, 2016 Sparkle 13 - I agree it can be overwhelming! I also agree with Anna to take it one term at a time. If your dd gets onto an Associate scheme they can guide future applications. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balletmum4ever Posted May 24, 2016 Share Posted May 24, 2016 Is the YDA Associate course one worth pursuing? if offered a place is it worth giving up our regular Saturday dance classes.I know its meant to be in conjunction with your normal lessons but my daughters dance school only teaches on a Saturday.Any advice appreciated My DD has been on the YDA Associate programme since September and absolutely loves it. At our local dance school (where she has continued to take classes during the week and weekends) there is a real mix of abilities and motivation, some of the girls dance just for fun, a few are more serious. I think being part of the YDA programme has given DD a taste for what vocational school is like and has allowed her to mix with a full class of talented, motivated students. Her commitment to dance has increased as a result and she has progressed vastly. I believe that YDA expect you to continue with lessons outside the programme; it is seen as a complementary class not a replacement. That extra training, with a high quality local teacher, would in my opinion be required to prepare her for vocational applications should you decide to go that route. I really understand your concerns. We only embarked on this journey a year ago ourselves and 12 months on my DD is off to full time vocational school in September, something that had not even occurred to me as an option then!! I have tried as far as I can to go with the flow (easier said than done for another planner and organiser!) and follow DDs lead. It is hard on the family but so worth it when you see your child so happy and following their dream. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taxi4ballet Posted May 24, 2016 Share Posted May 24, 2016 Yes she really wants to go for it so will look for a new dance school in the week.Just having a major wobble about it all.She is very bright & wants to do the 11+ when in Year 6 & there are good grammar schools around here.Her brother is doing well at one.She is cleverer than he is but her heart just seems to lie with dance.Feel a bit like the impact of all the travelling on the family with these courses. & feels like in might be an intense childhood but its what she wants to do! We are waiting to hear from Tring but popped into toilet there & there were stickers for helpline for Eating Disorders on door!! what with all the scary warming up people & just how competitive it all is, it just makes you wonder what you are letting yourself in for if you go down this path. Daughter weirdly has the perfect figure for all this not sure where she gets it from & seems to be able to eat whatever she wants but they seem so innocent I just don't want to cause her problems later in life. Also places where you get assessed out seem scary then what do you do if asked to leave?? Not sure why I feel so anxious about it all.She would love to go & board somewhere at 11.She is quite a quiet child but has an inner confidence but not in a showy off way. Just seems a world off rejection! I guess maybe you just have to leave it to fate to see if she gets in these places The same posters were on the doors of the loos at my dc's ordinary secondary school too (and in the public toilets in the local shopping centre). 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
primrose Posted May 24, 2016 Share Posted May 24, 2016 It is very good that the schools recognise there can be eating problems and put these posters in visual places. It tells me that they take eating disorders seriously. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flora Posted May 26, 2016 Share Posted May 26, 2016 My DD is at YDA in the main school and all I can say is she is has had a wonderful dance training and is well received in the applications she makes outside the school. She is often told (and I am also often told) by teachers who watch her outside YDA that she is very well trained. Even so, this hobby/passion of hers gets harder and harder as time goes on and she has not yet left the school so I can barely imagine how tough it is when applying for jobs from upper school. With the successes come also some bitter disappointments. The philosophy of "the harder you work the better you do" doesn't always seem to work out either as the hours put in increase the risk of injury. I agree with the advice to enjoy it and take each day as it comes. As the stresses increase for the child and they head through puberty I've found it does get less enjoyable for the parent sadly. I still enjoy watching her perform - but with a big gin and tonic if there are any lifts involved... 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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