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My DD is in the first year of their two year Bachelor of Dance program. There are 12 students in the first year and 8 students in the second year. The 20 students come from 8 different countries. The program is supposed to be 50% classical and 50% modern/contemporary. They train for 40+ hours a week, including Saturdays. The Royal Conservatoire is located in the same building as NDT and they have a yearly «young talent project» that is affiliated with NDT. Their graduates get internships/contracts in both classical and contemporary companies. My DD is very happy there. The biggest drawback is that it is very hard to find housing in The Hague and the school does not help at all.

I think this might be due to that this is now 2 years programme - last year was residential (choreography was tested and learnt) and this year is the performance year, so I do suspect that dancers who did last year might more likely be offered a place.

@HopelessMummy I can’t find any info about this either. Are you able to share a link? Thank you!

Great review @Sophoife Yes, this was the ideal role for Jill Ogai, who is a favourite of mine. I'm glad to hear that Adam Elmes stepped up so well to the character of Don José. I wanted to see this production, as I love the music of Carmen, but I just can't afford more Sydney Opera House tickets right now. From the promotional marketing, I was underwhelmed with the costuming. Did not clinch the sale, for me! It is disappointing that the all male creative team used 'females' legs splayed in presumed sexual invitation' & that you felt 'it succeeded admirably in blaming the woman for the violence' Ballet is so expensive that one naturally expects high art, not low art. Seduction not Salacious.

I'm assuming that 2023 was heralded as the start of the 25th anniversary season and the season has carried on through all the rounds of the competition to 2024, culminating in the gala. https://yagp.org/newsletter-summer-2023/

Can’t help but wonder how come BRB2 has recruited from RBS but no dancer from Elmhurst - BRB’s local ‘partnered with’ school. Is Elmhurst just not ‘making the grade’? I don’t intend to be contentious - just think it’s a shame if Elmhurst dancers in training tend to only get work experience (unpaid) opportunities with BRB…. It’s as if the shared ‘Royal’ title aligns RBS more with BRB…. Blue Blood means more than sharing a neighbourhood?

Thanks for the link @Roberta. I'm still confused about the "25th Anniversary" because last year, they did the promotion for the Gala at Lincoln Center New York with exactly that label.🤔 Also, for the gala this year, 3 dancers from Mariinsky had been invited to perform. I subscribed to YAGP newsletter last year, so I do know that their names have been on the Gala announcement for quite some time. So today, I found a letter which states that their names had been kept secret until 2 days ago, which is clearly not true. I attach the letter here. While I understand the anger of the author, I still think a lie is still a lie and does the author no good.

Dance Academy is set at a fictional "National Academy of Dance" in Sydney. The girl who plays Tara is a very talented dancer IRL who trained at Tanya Pearson's school, but even in the first episode was clearly "too big for ballet". The character suffers a leg injury in season 1, a back injury (inflicted by an unqualified teacher) in season 2, and a "career-ending" injury in season 3. Not a good prospect. She does eventually dance with the company on a short term corps contract but hates the restrictions and runs out on a performance because Ben is in hospital. Abigail's drive for perfection and her viewing of her body as betraying her because of puberty is a common modern story trope; the food issue comes later and is part of her attempts at control over her body and life. Kat's precocious talent and almost complete lack of regard for the rules is laughable and she's accepted to dance at the Moulin Rouge at 16? The second season's focus on the "Prix de Fonteyn" predated by some years the RAD's changing the Genée to Fonteyn. Ben is immature (well, he's a year younger than the rest), and is unable to get in to his dream company, but by the time of the movie he's a principal in Austin, Texas. He works too hard which causes his leukaemia to recur. The series was clearly made with the cooperation of AusBallet, as contracted company dancers and works created for the company appear in the show. Dancers-turned-actors Kip Gamblin and Josef Brown appear as teachers. Amusingly, the doyen of the company, Sir Jeffrey, is played by Barry Otto, whose daughter Miranda appears in the movie as the company's AD. None of the characters' original dreams were realised in the end. The dreams changed to fit the available circumstances instead. @Lindsay, Gloria was in it for the training in order to make money, as was Marcia Rutherford. Lorna Hill, a vicar's wife in the 1950s, used her own daughter's training at the Wells School as background for the books. Of course they're written from a certain POV, and a lot of the content is dated, but we're reading from now 70 years later. Caroline is my favourite character. Mariella giving up her vet course to marry Robin is STUPID.

Yes, I saw that on the BBC website and immediately thought of this forum!

The intensive is a new programme for this year - I think because they have so many applicants in the 13-15 age category. My daughter got the same and we are not sure what to do. My daughter did the junior company in 2022 and loved it (was her first ballet intensive), but especially loved the performances at Crescent theatre and Sadlers Wells.

This would be fantastic. Fingers crossed.

There was an Australian tv show called Dance Academy for teens that actually dealt heavily with the theme of "what happens when you work hard and your dreams dont come true." It's set at the Australian Ballet School (spoilers to come) - Tara, the protagonist, has prodigious talent and is expected to become a star, but she suffers a career-ending injury at graduation and never dances professionally. Abigail struggles throughout the show with having a body that does not conform to the ballet aesthetic; Ben does not get into his dream company and settles for a less prestigious one etc etc. Its a really great show and not as depressing as maybe it comes across here!

Ah thanks Alison, yes I should have specified ROH!

I didn't "get" the people in black rolling all over the stage, in fact I found them irritating, possibly because we had no indication on the stupid online cast sheet of who or what they were. Nor did we know the young men were called "Dogs Neither did I. Although it was interesting to note the rolling technique I couldn’t quite understand their place in the narrative … And agree with you about all the ‘vocalisations’ , I wasn’t quite sure what they added .

I managed to see this performance at Ballet Nights as well. It was a real treat getting to see her interpretation of the work. I believe being in such an intimate theatre setting helped with this also.

Both tickets now spoken for, thanks

It’s a very late start though!! I won’t start any class these days if it starts after 7pm latest!! But do hope you manage to keep it going.

I had a student attend the RAD course last year and she enjoyed it, but didn't find it particularly challenging. She was actually 14 and had only taken Grade 7 (this year she's taking Inter.)but she was placed in the Intermediate group. There was no pointework. Central school of Ballet is cheaper, but their intensives are only until 27th July for one week or 3rd August for two weeks. They also have new studios.

My daughter Ava is starting in year 7 in Sept and has a scholarship! We’ve not heard much since finding out! 🤞 for everyone waiting x

Gorgeous!

Some other rather young dancers from an earlier age here: https://www.britishpathe.com/asset/78264/

I can't remember the name of the character, all I can remember is that a girl was dancing something in an outfit suitable for something like Giselle with a long skirt. Someone watching remarked how talented she was, and the teacher replied that yes she was, but her thighs were too big and she didn't look right in a tutu. Consequently she would never make it as a classical ballet dancer. Considering I haven't read the books since I was about 10, I am amazed I remember that much.

Ticket successfully rehomed. Thanks

Okay, it’s an opera… pm me if interested. D35 Stalls circle standing Thanks Chris