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9 year old girl - opportunities.


Creakingstool

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Hi all. I've been browsing the forum for some weeks now, lots of great information.

 

My daughter is 9 years old, school year 5, and loving ballet and dance in general. I'm just wanting to give her some more opportunities to enjoy ballet and see where it goes. She does seem to have a natural ability for ballet, enjoys the focus, very flexible, lovely extension when dancing without really trying!! Her teacher and others have said the same thing.

 

She passed her RAD primary with distinction last year and has now moved up to a grade 3 group. She started a bit later than some I suppose and I think RAD primary, while she was older than most others there, was a good place to start learning. Now she is more with her peers and doing very well. She also attends 2 musical theatre sessions, tap, stretch and started in the Elite group so all around, lots going on.

 

So I believe we have the RBS junior associates scheme, mentioned by her teacher and lucky that a centre is not far from us. After lots of research I've concluded that theres nothing to lose in auditioning so we'll probably give that a go for a year 6 place.

 

I've looked at EYB and seriously considered the York performance but ultimately decided that it's a bit too much logistically due to distance and costs, we'd have to stay in the area on a number of rehearsal dates. I'll keep an eye on that for the future.

 

I've just seen the YBSS which I hadn't come across before, the Easter sessions looked interesting but clashes with her dance school musical so a no BUT I was wondering about standards for that. Would she be out of her depth skills wise for these? Looks like they have to have passed grade 4 for summer school!! 

 

Is there anything else in the local area I'm missing?

 

BRB are at The Lowry soon and yesterday I discovered that they do repertoire workshops so got that to watch for going on sale. It just seems there are lots of small things that I'm coming across so might be missing other things.

 

Thanks a lot xx

Edited by Creakingstool
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11 minutes ago, Kat09 said:

Is Birmingham accessible to you? Elmhurst has an Associate programme

 

Here’s a link to Elmhurst’s website:  https://www.elmhurstdance.co.uk/Elmhurst-Young-Dancers.html

 

Northern Ballet in Leeds has an Academy as well as the ballet company and the CAT (Centre for Advanced Training) scheme.  The Academy’s Junior Associates programme takes students of 9 years and older:  https://northernballet.com/academy/training-programmes/associates

 

I’m not sure whether Birmingham or Leeds are manageable but both these schemes have excellent reputations. 

 

And welcome, by the way! ☺️

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The BRB workshops are lovely. My dd and her friends did a few when they were younger. Usually a bit of a class and then learn part of whichever ballet is on. You get cheaper tickets too!

 

Northern Ballet Academy have an open day arou d this time of year too. I think I've seen it advertised on their Facebook page.

 

The RAD do various one day workshops too.

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3 hours ago, Creakingstool said:

Hi all. I've been browsing the forum for some weeks now, lots of great information.

 

My daughter is 9 years old, school year 5, and loving ballet and dance in general. I'm just wanting to give her some more opportunities to enjoy ballet and see where it goes. She does seem to have a natural ability for ballet, enjoys the focus, very flexible, lovely extension when dancing without really trying!! Her teacher and others have said the same thing.

 

She passed her RAD primary with distinction last year and has now moved up to a grade 3 group. She started a bit later than some I suppose and I think RAD primary, while she was older than most others there, was a good place to start learning. Now she is more with her peers and doing very well. She also attends 2 musical theatre sessions, tap, stretch and started in the Elite group so all around, lots going on.

 

So I believe we have the RBS junior associates scheme, mentioned by her teacher and lucky that a centre is not far from us. After lots of research I've concluded that theres nothing to lose in auditioning so we'll probably give that a go for a year 6 place.

 

I've looked at EYB and seriously considered the York performance but ultimately decided that it's a bit too much logistically due to distance and costs, we'd have to stay in the area on a number of rehearsal dates. I'll keep an eye on that for the future.

 

I've just seen the YBSS which I hadn't come across before, the Easter sessions looked interesting but clashes with her dance school musical so a no BUT I was wondering about standards for that. Would she be out of her depth skills wise for these? Looks like they have to have passed grade 4 for summer school!! 

 

Is there anything else in the local area I'm missing?

 

BRB are at The Lowry soon and yesterday I discovered that they do repertoire workshops so got that to watch for going on sale. It just seems there are lots of small things that I'm coming across so might be missing other things.

 

Thanks a lot xx

The YBSS pop ups are great. My DD is Year 5 and started going to them this year.....her Royal JA teacher teaches on them too so it's really nice for her. Level wise my DD is ISTD grade 4 and RAD inter foundation, and she manages fine.

 

DD is also a Cecchetti Associate which runs at Kate Simmons Dance in Warrington once a month on a Sunday. Fab extra course too! Auditions are in June for next year.

 

With regards to YBSS courses you need to be quick as they sell out fast....the Easter one is sold out on both days now.

Edited by sunrise81
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2 hours ago, Anna C said:

 

Here’s a link to Elmhurst’s website:  https://www.elmhurstdance.co.uk/Elmhurst-Young-Dancers.html

 

Northern Ballet in Leeds has an Academy as well as the ballet company and the CAT (Centre for Advanced Training) scheme.  The Academy’s Junior Associates programme takes students of 9 years and older:  https://northernballet.com/academy/training-programmes/associates

 

I’m not sure whether Birmingham or Leeds are manageable but both these schemes have excellent reputations. 

 

And welcome, by the way! ☺️

Thanks Anna C,

I wasnt aware that Northern Ballet has an associates, looks completely doable too with a slightly early finish for DD from school on Fridays, a good day for me too workwise. I will chat with the dance teacher, I believe one of her ex students, Matthew Morrell, is at Northern Ballet :)

 

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1 hour ago, DancingShoes said:

The BRB workshops are lovely. My dd and her friends did a few when they were younger. Usually a bit of a class and then learn part of whichever ballet is on. You get cheaper tickets too!

 

Northern Ballet Academy have an open day arou d this time of year too. I think I've seen it advertised on their Facebook page.

 

The RAD do various one day workshops too.

Hi Dancingshoes,

Thats good to hear. I think we will go watch Beauty and the Beast on the Saturday plus the rehearsal (never knew you could watch these - DD is keen) and DD can do the workshop on the Sunday.

Thankfully The Lowry has a cracking view from up in the top circle as this dancing malarky is an expensive business lol!

 

Had a look at the RAD workshops too, one suitable but sold out and we are away that weekend too but I'll keep an eye out for these in the future :)

Edited by Creakingstool
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1 hour ago, Jan McNulty said:

Welcome to the Forum Creakingstool!

 

Sadly you've missed Northern Ballet Academy's open day for girls but there is a taster workshop listed for Doncaster if that is do-able?

 

https://northernballet.com/taster-workshops

Hi Jan, thanks.

I've just emailed them regarding the taster session, what a great opportunity, as I mentioned I hadn't spotted these at Northern Ballet. Doncaster on a Sunday morning is great for us :)

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29 minutes ago, sunrise81 said:

The YBSS pop ups are great. My DD is Year 5 and started going to them this year.....her Royal JA teacher teaches on them too so it's really nice for her. Level wise my DD is ISTD grade 4 and RAD inter foundation, and she manages fine.

 

DD is also a Cecchetti Associate which runs at Kate Simmons Dance in Warrington once a month on a Sunday. Fab extra course too! Auditions are in June for next year.

 

With regards to YBSS courses you need to be quick as they sell out fast....the Easter one is sold out on both days now.

Hi Sunrise81,

Sounds like you DD is quite a bit further on than mine, possibly a little advanced but I'll look out for future dates, can always have a chat with them.

I'll have a look at the Cecchetti associates, thankyou :)

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I would always email and ask when Ybss do courses......my DD did her first one in Sept.  She was grade 3 and hadn't started the RAD and was 9 instead of 10 years old 😂 They let her do it and she was fine.

The Cecchetti is great.....fab variety of teachers and a second dance subject each time along with the ballet class 

Edited by sunrise81
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