DanceMamInTraining Posted October 7, 2014 Share Posted October 7, 2014 (edited) Hi I'm new to this forum. My daughter unsuccessfully auditioned for yr10 Elmhurst last year. We had originally decided to use this as an experience knowing that competition is extremely tough and she would have no chance of being successful. This year she has auditions again for Elmhurst and also The Royal Ballet for yr11. My question is are the ballet schools obliged to give auditions. Elmhurst already know my daughters abilities and recorded last years auditions. I just don't want her to go in feeling confidant then being disappointed. My daughter is 14 and only decided a couple of years ago that she wants to be a ballerina so we are both at the very beginning of a tough journey. Advice would be most welcome. Di. Edited October 7, 2014 by DanceMamInTraining Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted October 7, 2014 Share Posted October 7, 2014 Hello DMIT and welcome to the Forum! I can't answer your questions but I am sure that our other Members will be able to offer support and advice. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kat09 Posted October 7, 2014 Share Posted October 7, 2014 Hi I'm new to this forum. My daughter unsuccessfully auditioned for yr10 Elmhurst last year. We had originally decided to use this as an experience knowing that competition is extremely tough and she would have no chance of being successful. This year she has auditions again for Elmhurst and also The Royal Ballet for yr11. My question is are the ballet schools obliged to give auditions. Elmhurst already know my daughters abilities and recorded last years auditions. I just don't want her to go in feeling confidant then being disappointed. My daughter is 14 and only decided a couple of years ago that she wants to be a ballerina so we are both at the very beginning of a tough journey. Advice would be most welcome. Di. Hi and welcome to the forum My daughter also arrived late to the "serious" ballet scene. Auditioned for year 10 at Elmhurst and RBS and was unsuccessful. The schools were not encouraging for applications at year 11 due to GCSE courses,and tbh there are very few spaces for that year. My daughter continued with Associate programmes, applied,and was successful in gaining offers at multiple schools for post 16 training. Good luck to your daughter - if she does audition but is unsuccessful,it is all good experience for next year, where more places will become available. II 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZooZoo Posted October 7, 2014 Share Posted October 7, 2014 Hi DanceMam I certainly think it is worth keeping on trying and wish your DD every success. As I understand it, places like RBS and Elmhurst do audition anyone who applies, but as to how much info they keep from previous years I have no idea. Anyway, dancers can be very different one year to the next so it is worth trying again. I am not sure about entry in year 11 though, as I thought that very few schools take them in year 11 due to being half way through the exam period (years 10/11). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2dancersmum Posted October 7, 2014 Share Posted October 7, 2014 Welcome to the forum. As others have indicated, I think year 11 is a very difficult year to get into - but based more on academics than anything else. If you are coming from a school system that does not have GCSEs its probably less of an issue but to swap schools half way through the 2 year GCSE courses and try and match the various subjects and the various exam syllabi would be a nightmare for most. Obviously no school gives automatic progression through to upper school either so within months of starting at the new school, if successful, you are back to auditions for upper school places. I don't think either Elmhurst or Royal Ballet turn anyone away who wishes to audition and I don't believe they look back to previous years and how well students did either. An offer of a place depends on the current audition and not previous experiences. So much can change in a year. Good luck to your DD for her auditions. It is good experience for her and practice for next year for the worst case scenario but equally this could be her year to shine. If a school likes her and wants her they would take her regardless of what year she would be joining. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taxi4ballet Posted October 7, 2014 Share Posted October 7, 2014 We were advised not to audition for Y11 and to wait for 6th-form, mainly, as others have said, that the schools don't assess out half-way through GCSE's so it is unlikely that there will be any places for that year group available. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dramascientist Posted October 7, 2014 Share Posted October 7, 2014 Hi Dancemam my DD was offered a place at Tring Park for entry into yr 11 but she was coming from abroad so it might have been different. She couldnt take up the place because she did not qualify for MDS but they do obviously take into yr 11so its worth a try! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanceMamInTraining Posted October 7, 2014 Share Posted October 7, 2014 Thank you all so much for your comments. At the beginning of this years journey our plan was audition experience only. My daughter is working at A* level GCSE at the moment and would be tricky breaking half way through. You have all answered my query and we are both aware of how difficult selection can be. This year will be experience and all we can do is hope that she gains 6th form entry in a school of her choice. Thank you again forum. Speak again soon. Di 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happymum Posted October 9, 2014 Share Posted October 9, 2014 I just came across an old post (old balletco forum) about Elmhurst auditions and it says that auditions are recorded! I've never heard about it before. Is it still how they do it? Are there cameras in all 4 schools? (Y7 entry). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miracle Posted October 9, 2014 Share Posted October 9, 2014 When my DD & DS auditioned for the main 4. Hammond & Elmhurst videoed them Royal & Tring didn't. This was 3 years ago.X Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dancing2003 Posted October 10, 2014 Share Posted October 10, 2014 (edited) Last year when dd auditioned for Yr7 they videoed at Elmhurst & The Hammond not at Royal or Tring Edited October 10, 2014 by Dancing2003 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happymum Posted October 10, 2014 Share Posted October 10, 2014 Thank you both, that's very interesting ( not that it changes anything really :-) ). Anyone out there who's DC audition on 18th Nov? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lisa O`Brien Posted October 10, 2014 Share Posted October 10, 2014 (edited) Welcome to the Forum, DanceMamInTraining. Edited October 10, 2014 by thequays Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sooziedoo Posted October 10, 2014 Share Posted October 10, 2014 Thank you both, that's very interesting ( not that it changes anything really :-) ). Anyone out there who's DC audition on 18th Nov? Hi Happymum, my dd is auditioning on the 4th so will let you know if they video or not! Not long to go now :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happymum Posted October 10, 2014 Share Posted October 10, 2014 Not long at all! Good luck to your DD Shashee - please do let as all know how it went. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sooziedoo Posted October 10, 2014 Share Posted October 10, 2014 Thanks Happymum. Will let you know how it goes. Best of luck to your DD too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busymum Posted October 10, 2014 Share Posted October 10, 2014 Hi Happymum, my DD is auditioning for y7 on the 18th. I will probably have my 7 yr old DS with me too! We are at CBA on Sunday so will travel to Hammond from there for audition on 17th and then onto Elmhurst. No chance to drive all the way home to drop him off so he is going to have to have the time off school too!! Good luck to your DD Sashee. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happymum Posted October 10, 2014 Share Posted October 10, 2014 (edited) Hi Busymum! What a busy schedule! We have decided not to audition to Hammond but I hope your DD's audition goes well. So good to know that somebody else from the forum will be at Elmhurst on 18th. I'll look out for you, hope not many others will come with 7years old siblings. I have no idea how many groups of children do they see during the day but maybe our DD's will start at the same time. I have no idea when they will give as more details, hopefully soon! Edited October 10, 2014 by Happymum 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanceMamInTraining Posted October 13, 2014 Share Posted October 13, 2014 We will be there on the 18th too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happymum Posted October 13, 2014 Share Posted October 13, 2014 Great DanceMuminTraining, is it for Y7 place as well? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanceMamInTraining Posted October 15, 2014 Share Posted October 15, 2014 Hi Happymum It's year 11 she's auditioning for. We hope it's good experience for next years auditions into 6th form. Fingers crossed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie2011 Posted October 16, 2014 Share Posted October 16, 2014 My. DD will be auditioning on the 18th too for a year 7 place. The nerves are building in our house. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happymum Posted October 16, 2014 Share Posted October 16, 2014 (edited) Hi Twoballerinas, I agree that the nerves are building up. My DD has her first audition in 2 weeks and 6 days time ( Tring) - that's very soon and very scary. I have no idea what to do and what to tell to myself to calm down and to stop thinking about it. My DD is fine and I can keep her calm and I'm telling her to be relaxed about it and she knows she has a very slim chance to get in etc etc. But when it comes to myself I can not relax! Don't know what to do :-( Edited to correct the amounts of days left till first audition - this is how bad it is - I must log out from the forum and give it a rest for a week. Edited October 16, 2014 by Happymum Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sooziedoo Posted October 16, 2014 Share Posted October 16, 2014 Hi Happymum, I know exactly how you feel! I'm also finding it all quite stressful, especially when our dcs are so excited, positive and full of hope, but we as parents all know their chances are fairly slim and are fearful of the heartbreak a rejection could cause. Try and remain calm (at least outwardly so for dd's sake!) and focus on you both enjoying the whole experience, regardless of the outcome. I know, easier said than done! Good luck to your dd for Tring and Elmhurst. x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billyelliott Posted October 16, 2014 Share Posted October 16, 2014 Good luck to all the ballet Mummies and Dads I can recommend good movies in the evening to distract,and (not too many ) Glasses of wine or G&T ! We suffer far more than our Dc's do ! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DancingDays Posted October 16, 2014 Share Posted October 16, 2014 Good luck to you all - I remember the anxiousness you're experiencing so well from last year. This forum was (and still is) permanently open on my desktop It's easier said than done to just try to enjoy it....but I know DD came out of all 4 of the schools audition days having enjoyed them and that's the main thing....we didn't know whether she would make the grade but we knew we had to give her the opportunity. It does kind of take over your life for a few months but it's worth it to see them going for their dreams! Hang on tight and feel free to keep posting for reassurance if you need it x 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taxi4ballet Posted October 16, 2014 Share Posted October 16, 2014 Has anyone had confirmation of the audition time slots on the dates you have been given yet? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tulip Posted October 16, 2014 Share Posted October 16, 2014 Your children have as much chance as the next child. It's all an equal playing field. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miracle Posted October 16, 2014 Share Posted October 16, 2014 I agree Tulip. Its Like looking into a crystal ball. All schools have a specific look and they all go for different things. My DD got 2 yes's out of 4 for Yr9 a couple of years ago. This year is her upper school auditions.X 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie2011 Posted October 17, 2014 Share Posted October 17, 2014 Hi Happymum. I guess there will be lots of households like ours all over the country with nerves jangling. My daughter is so desperate to gain a place that I am just dreading the whole process. Just don't want her to have to experience such bitter disappointment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2dancersmum Posted October 17, 2014 Share Posted October 17, 2014 We tried to view each audition as a lovely day out together and a chance to dance in a lovely school or studio that many dancers never get to see. Yes there will be disappointment for many but it does not take away the excitement of the experience and it is not a 'never' - certainly for those aiming for year 7 entry. If it is a 'yes' - then brilliant but it does not take away the stress or the nerves I'm afraid - it just shifts towards the worry of them actually going away from home. In the meantime parents, try and keep busy - do your Christmas shopping, write your cards out early - distract yourselves. Good luck to all the dancers and the anxious parents. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bailarin Posted October 17, 2014 Share Posted October 17, 2014 Has anyone had confirmation of the audition time slots on the dates you have been given yet? No, nothing else yet since the initial email confirming DD is on the list for 11th Nov. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr.f Posted October 17, 2014 Share Posted October 17, 2014 As have to book flights / accommodation gave them a ring,registration 9-30 to 9-45 and all done by 11-30. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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