Central School of Ballet Associate Program (boys and ballet)

[Motomum]

My child’s JA teacher recently recommended Central Ballet School Associates as an excellent program offering both classical and contemporary ballet training.

I asked for a recommendation because my son wants to broaden his ballet training, as he really enjoys Contemporary ballet as well. 

Does anyone’s son train with Central on their Associate program?

Would love to hear a bit more about it.

Thank you.

[MAK]

Can't answer from a boy's perspective but DD2 trains on the Associate Programme at Central and really enjoys it. She's at the first level of the programme (Prep 1) and currently does 45 minutes Pilates, an hour and 15 minutes Contemporary and an hour and a half ballet per week. I think boys do 15 mins more ballet and 15 mins less Contemporary.

[Nicola H]

Motomum how much do you know of Central and  it;s history /  where  past and  current graduates go ... 

[Anna C]

6 hours ago, Nicola H said:

Motomum how much do you know of Central and  it;s history /  where  past and  current graduates go ... 

 

I’m not sure Motomum needs to worry about graduate employment if her son is still in Primary school. ☺️

 

Motomum, like MAK I have a daughter so can’t help wrt the boys’ training.  However, my daughter was a Central Prep and Pre-Senior from 11-16 and absolutely loved her 5 years there.  The assessment process was quite strict and there was a sizeable “cull” of girls between Prep 3 and Pre-Seniors but the teachers were excellent and we really liked the fact that Contemporary forms part of the training.  

 

The boys used to join the girls for Contemporary and Character but had ballet separately: I assume this hasn’t changed.

[Nicola H]

16 hours ago, Anna C said:

 

I’m not sure Motomum needs to worry about graduate employment if her son is still in Primary school. ☺️

 

Motomum, like MAK I have a daughter so can’t help wrt the boys’ training.  However, my daughter was a Central Prep and Pre-Senior from 11-16 and absolutely loved her 5 years there.  The assessment process was quite strict and there was a sizeable “cull” of girls between Prep 3 and Pre-Seniors but the teachers were excellent and we really liked the fact that Contemporary forms part of the training.  

 

The boys used to join the girls for Contemporary and Character but had ballet separately: I assume this hasn’t changed.

Central  has a particular  character, which  suits  those whose interests lay with  neo-classical and narrative ballet   you only need to look at the  way in which, despite ?no? formal arrangement  since the  Chris Gable Days  , CSB and Northern  have remained entwined ...  (  plenty of CSB grads in the company at Northern right the way up to  the principal tier  ( Hannah Bateman  and  Ashely Dixon are  CSB grads ) and  beyond  - with Kenny Tindall's  appointment as Director Digital and Resident Choreographer)

there's a continuum  between  Ballet  school and  contemporary  dance schools ...   -  the Rambert school likes to place itself bang in the middle and  promotes itself on that basis , head a chunk up in the ballet direction from that mid point and you'd meet Central ,  head a  bit  towards  contemporary fro m that mid point and you'd meet  LCDS ...  

 

[Pas de Quatre]

I have had pupils train as Pre Seniors and agree it is an excellent programme. However you should be evaluating it for the extra training it gives. For senior school there are more students taken in from outside than from the Associate scheme. This holds true for all Associate schemes, only a minority are taken on for the full time training at the relevant institution. So these schemes cannot really be thought of as feeders, but rather as a way of getting more good training at that point in a pupil's journey.

[taxi4ballet]

8 hours ago, Nicola H said:

Central  has a particular  character, which  suits  those whose interests lay with  neo-classical and narrative ballet   you only need to look at the  way in which, despite ?no? formal arrangement  since the  Chris Gable Days  , CSB and Northern  have remained entwined ...  (  plenty of CSB grads in the company at Northern right the way up to  the principal tier  ( Hannah Bateman  and  Ashely Dixon are  CSB grads ) and  beyond  - with Kenny Tindall's  appointment as Director Digital and Resident Choreographer)

there's a continuum  between  Ballet  school and  contemporary  dance schools ...   -  the Rambert school likes to place itself bang in the middle and  promotes itself on that basis , head a chunk up in the ballet direction from that mid point and you'd meet Central ,  head a  bit  towards  contemporary fro m that mid point and you'd meet  LCDS ...  

 

Yes, well, whatever.

 

None of that is relevant for a such a young child in the early stages of vocational training, and perhaps it is more useful to the op to hear from teachers and parents whose dc have actually trained in the associate programme at the school.

Edited November 25, 2018 by taxi4ballet
edited for spelling

[Motomum]

Thankyou for everyone’s responses, I appreciate any and all feedback. 

My son is not interested in a residential training program at the moment, and neither am I, so a good associates training is where we are looking.

He is very keen on continuing down the RBS Associate path, he likes their training approach, it suits his personality and learning style. 

That said I would still like him to audition for and consider alternatives, especially as he enjoys contemporary and is showing a lot of potential for it.

I don’t want him to keep all his eggs in one basket he is too young, he’s not 11 yet, so it is good to hear that those of you with children at Central are saying positives about the senior associates training.

We are also going to look at ENBS, but he is too young at the moment.

[Anna C]

That sounds very sensible, Motomum.  If your DS stays with RBS for MAs then great but as you say, it’s still worth investigating other reputable associate schemes, either for an alternative to Mids or Senior Associates. Contemporary is always a good skill to add to ballet training. 

[Motomum]

I know that CBS are also moving to the Southbank from next September to purpose built premises. Good ballet training this side of the river is always a positive for us as we are not in London.