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RBS Junior Associate (JA) Questions


Alfred71

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We are on it!! I found a cheap & cheerful Italian family owned café with a £1.50 cappuccino when DD was at WL audition - must be the cheapest one in Covent Gdn! On Maiden Lane (I think....)

Also, just down from The Coliseum is the most amazing 'street food' Italian for takeaway/eat in Pizza & Pasta.....the best ever! £5 gets a wonderful slice of pizza or a box of Pasta - huge portion & little tip....heard obvious in the know locals asking for half & half...they got a box filled to burst one side pasta (choice of shapes & sauces) one side mixed salad. I coped suit....& it was more than enough for me & my Nutcrackering DD to share. Small Black entrance, same side as Coliseum just down from Cote Cote....might be called Pepe's (but don't hold me to that one - go by your nose; oregano & basil call you in!!)

Edited by Peanut68
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Quick question for those who have already had their auditions - did DC have to do 'Froggy' stretch, on their belly?

 

I ask because I have had numerous dancing teachers say that in fact it is not the best to test hips rotation, and in fact can be bad for the knees.

 

Just wondering if RBS use it in their auditions, and if they do, why, when from what I have been told it isn't necessarily a great stretch for DC to do? 

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DD had to do this at YDA but not at LJB or Tring auditions and she found it awkward and they had to position her as she's never done it before. However they did test sitting up and lying back too and I was wondering myself why? Does it show anything more revealing? Plus NO SPLITS AT ALL! Not for any of them! Only seen occur warming up in the waiting room! 5 months of pre bath stretches to get those splits and for nought....

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My daughter didn't do froggy stretch in her RBS JAs audition, no splits at all (agree, splits only occurred in waiting room!)  They did do some sort of straddle stretch, but I'd have to check exactly what that was.

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Interesting petalviolet - DD had to do splits at Tring audition as far as I recall. But I know lots of people have said they don't do them at JA audition.

 

And, Celandine so there was a straddle stretch? Would be interested to know if your DD can recall!!

 

Thanks - audition is next Wednesday so just trying to get prepared for what will be involved.

 

:)

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I think the phrase "blood" and "stone" and "out of" applies to my DD's willingness to recount anything from her auditions but she has had to do a straddle stretch in each, leaning to the side to grasp ankle and on her tummy? I understand they are supposed to look spidery of limb in this position but DD always reminds me of a spatchcock chicken, torso being what it is.

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I think the phrase "blood" and "stone" and "out of" applies to my DD's willingness to recount anything from her auditions but she has had to do a straddle stretch in each, leaning to the side to grasp ankle and on her tummy? I understand they are supposed to look spidery of limb in this position but DD always reminds me of a spatchcock chicken, torso being what it is.

Haven't been on forum for a while so only just seen this.....Petalviolet - you had me in fits! So, we move from doughnuts to more savoury delights.....your 'spatchcock chicken' quote got me thinking it's almost warm enough for a BBQ!! Mmmmm

Seriously - some of the stretching at auditions does seem tortuous but I guess it is the way dance is going - ever more gymnastic. It seems that where once a leg line of 180 degrees in say a penchee (spelling right??) was the bees knees, now it's moving beyond even that with legs going beyond what seems humane ......At the risk of being controversial.....not sure I like it..... At times more freak show than artistry. Maybe I am just showing my age......& penchant (rather than penchee!)for doughnuts etc!

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My DS was at London yesterday.

They said they had a huge amount of boys auditioning this year so they had questionnaires there for us to fill in as they would like to know why.

Anyway my DS said he did box splits and frogs. He did say he did frogs on front and back.

He really enjoyed the audition though.

Good luck to any DD's auditioning this week.

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Which she thought was funny as I'd been warning her there would more than likely be frogs on tummy so she had been doing plenty in preparation then there were none and she could laugh and say I didn't know anything obviously!

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Oh no! I'm sure she won't, lol. I hate how nervous I get for dd, she was nervous when we were at home waiting to set off but when we got to the royal ballet school a calm serenity seemed to come over her !! Not me though. I couldn't pin the dratted number on properly! You had one job to do mum ...

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I know! I know! All of a sudden a bit of paper and a safety pin become way more difficult than you imagine. I just know that a lopsided number, slightly pinched on one side or...an upside down eight...we have even been No 13... All adds to the mounting pressure doesn't it!

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Just got back and that's it! We were last class so the auditions must be done! Well done and best of luck to everyone who auditioned and for future reference...

 

No splits and only froggies on back.

Much more focus on physique with standing in line back to judges, shoulders down and shoes and socks off plus DD said that in straddle stretch asked to press knees and point toes to check...possibly her swayback? She said to see how far her heels pop off the floor?

Emphasis on it being a class with some "fun things to do", short speech to welcome with gentle expectation management. My only surprise was to how similar in heights all the girls were bar only one or two - much more so that any of our other auditions.

 

I know auditions and competitions can be a much more stressful experience and it is a big tough world out there that we've hardly experienced but just wanted to share this one tiny and lovely moment - coming out of the audition today one DC who was a complete stranger to us came up to DD and said, completely out of the blue, "if I don't get in I hope you do" what a lovely child and much more representative of the generally welcoming, open and supportive world of ballet so if you are worried about auditioning then don't! Go for it and good luck!

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How lovely! Thank you for sharing. Great to hear about the nice experience. What a lovely DC. Clearly your DD made a good impression on her :-) fingers crossed for your DD and for others waiting for JA results. I can't believe it has been a year since my DS audition!

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Thanks for sharing petalviolet, we were there today as well just before you I think, a similar experience to yours really,., my daughter enjoyed the workshop, her first ever of this kind. I didn't catch how they were going to let us know, by email or post? And when? How many children are they looking to accept, 5, 10, 20? Does anyone know what the usual intake is for the youngest group? I reckon there were about 100 applicants they were seeing today... Sorry fo all the question, very new to this ;)

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Good luck to all who auditioned. My Dd Loved her time as a JA, the whole audition process is a fantastic experience. Hopefully you will get results soon, perhaps email might be quicker than waiting for the postman. Fingers crossed for all x

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Petal violet you got a LOT more out of dd than I got out of mine after audition - well done. Interested to hear about the bit about pushing their knees down to see if feet pop up to check for sway backs? Do they only want dc with swayback knees? If so my dd would be discounted straight away - no swaybacks.

Lovely to hear what the other girl said to your daughter after. And glad all went well.

Now we all get the fun of waiting. We were auditioning for yr 6 so I know there is very very slim Chance of place (that's not even factoring in swayback knees or the lack of!) and have prepared dd for this. But it was a great experience and I know she felt she did her best which is most important.

Good luck to everyone waiting for the results!!

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Oh and interesting too about the heights all being pretty uniform PV, in our year 6 group a huge range of sizes. A few who looked about 12 years old, a couple of very small dd and the rest around my dd height.

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I wonder if there were about 100 yesterday as our numbers went from mid 70's to the mid 90's. They said we should hear by late June early July so I'm not going to start refreshing my inbox anytime soon.

Amos73 I really don't think swayback a necessity as I've heard it can actually be difficult to work with? DD struggles to stand straight in first and always puts one knee in front of the other. Plus I'm sure if anything her long back would discount her straight away too so everyone has something that isn't perfect!! I think the height was purely a coincidence too as I did spot some in the class previous to ours in the cross over between auditions and saw a range of heights.

Still can't believe no splits! Oh and more leaping than she's done before too.

 

DD was uncharacteristically wearing her chatty hat yesterday.

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One more thing - did they ask anyone else if you had a preference in coming weekly or fortnightly? When we registered they were checking with everyone and I just said I didn't mind.

 

Stupid me - I spotted a small flatscreen TV up in the corner of the auditorium and it reminded me of the screens at airports when you are waiting for your gate number? I don't know what I was expecting to see but I just couldn't help intermittent glances for.....incoming DD.

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Yes, they were asking everyone re preference for weekly or fortnightly in our group too. I said weekly but if no other option then fortnightly, thought it best to seem amenable!

 

I didn't spot the TV, lol.

 

I checked with dd this morning and she said they did the heels popping off the floor thing too, although with legs straight forward not straddle!? She did say she really tried hard and got hers about an inch off - even without swaybacks, lol. Yes, from what I understand swaybacks are aesthetically desirable but less strong structurally and can be more prone to injury so require more strengthening etc?

 

My DD was being pretty philosophical about it this morning, just said they were seeing which things different people were good at and which things were a weakness, and everyone had some things they were better at and other things they weren't. Which is the truth, I guess. Quite impressed she has realised all that at the tender age of ten!

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And although they said end June, as I recall last year it was actually mid june? And email. Re the numbers, basically they have way more applicants than places in all age groups. I think they don't have a set number they take, i.e they wouldn't 'fill' a class up if they didn't find enough children they wanted, and equally even if a class were 'full' if they saw someone they were really really keen on they would take them. This is just what I have heard on here though, and if anyone has any more specific information happy to be corrected!

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