Stirrups36

Try to get to one of the audition insight days and that will give you more of an idea about the school. There are likely also to be students there who are at vocational schools as well and it is all good experience. Chat to the parents to see what they say (although maybe not the questions about which schools they are applying to and why are they looking around - each school has plus and negative points and sometimes it is all about finance, which is difficult to speak about with people you don't know). They could give you an idea about workload though - as is pointed out above, it is a bit of a step up for some..

Just returned from the RBS audition insight day. They were clear that everyone who applied before the due date is given a first audition. And that the photos were used only as an aide memoir once the auditions had finished. I wonder if this is the same at the other schools.

we're off to see the Ballet Theatre UK Swan Lake tonight in Bishop's Stortford. If it is touring near you, how about supporting a regionally touring UK company?

I agree with Spanner. As that is what it says on the website

Looking forward to seeing it tomorrow night.

Hmmm. So going along with the bulge and tights discussion, American footballers, sprinters, long jumpers, long distance runners, triathletes, swimmers, gymnasts, Divers etc would have a similar problem with recruitment. The bulge and tights is a distraction in the same way that making any comment about tight leotards for girls would be. I think it is an issue with dance itself that is the problem. It is an issue that parents have with dance and boys and gender stereotypes. Lots of things contribute. I was always quite talkative with other parents, as a male taking his son to ballet, but believe me it is often a quite intimidating environment! If men are uncomfortable taking their sons to ballet, the stereotypes are reinforced.

Afab, Did you ever visit?

Move now in my opinion. (Feel free to ignore it!). Sometimes we do need to make hard decisions for our children and it is unfair of teachers to act as owners of our children. Yes, they have worked hard to get them where they are now, so why do they not revel in that, support it and in future years say 'she started her dancing with me at this school'.

Try and catch it on I-player. She talks about the recreation of 'Miracle of the Gorbals', and it is a classic Gillian Lynne "fire the nipples" "keep the crotch open" report - all before 8:00am! Maybe some sort of 'reverse watershed' was in operation.

Son never got into JAs but is at vocational school and hopefully on the way to an upper school. Other associate/boys classes/lessons did the job well in my opinion.

and after all it is the Royal Ballet School INTERNATIONAL summer school, so you would expect a lot of countries to be represented and for the majority not to be from the UK. My son is currently on an international summer school in another country, and local dancers are few. But as for students from the US, Far East, South America, Australia and other parts of Europe, well, that's what makes it international.

I think I remember that question being on the summer school application form when my son went - over 4 years ago - and thinking it strange given the standard audition/places timetable. 'Poaching' is an interesting discussion and maybe one for a whole thread of its own! But at year 11, it isn't seen as poaching, just part of the standard life of vocational schools. I can see how schools may not appreciate having a student they are counting on returning in September, not returning. But then on the other hand, we have to make decisions that we think will be best for our children (with them of course) at that time. Which of course may include turning down WL places as well as accepting them.

HI Verena, just a note - if you find a correlation between one thing and another, it doesn't necessarily mean that thing causes the other. and to make life easier for you and those filling in such surveys, have you ever seen surveymonkey ? It is free, and you can then send those completing the survey a link rather than a form. That makes it VERY easy to use and complete and also keeps anonymity, which for this survey would be essential in my opinion. it also makes your work much simpler as well!

I'm doing a lot of cycling at the moment (yep, your archetypal MAMIL) and love a couple of these on long rides http://www.9bar.com/ From the local supermarket to me so easy to get. I am sure they would be good for summer school. Have a try.

Sodapop was super! I thought the year 7 really shone and showed great enjoyment. And yes as has been said by others, the training is classical ballet by far. My DS also enjoyed tap a lot and was quite advanced. It would be fair to say his tap has been in 'maintenance mode' during his time at Elmhurst. There just isn't the time to do more. It does mean that he has found the flamenco great fun and has been better able to cope technically. But after all, he is there to become a classical ballet dancer, not a tap dancer. Robert Parker is always quite clear that being versatile is an advantage. So encouraging versatility will always be an aspect of the school. But he is even clearer that the school is a classical ballet school, and I think the quality of the classical ballet training and dancing (and your DC will probably be a suitable example of this) is of a high standard (and the threads on assessing out procedures that you will undoubtedly be reading over the next few years will make this really evident). I think one of the things we are coming more to terms with after 4 years at the school, is that the initial years are all about training. They don't perform as much as you would expect. If you are used to shows, festivals and seeing them perform, then you will be disappointed for a while! But one of the nice things about seeing the mixed programs of upper and lower school, is that we can see where they are aiming for. So we are looking forward to Friday and seeing the upper school performances as well.

Jack Niklaus was once asked why it was he was so lucky during one particular golf match. He replied with the old quote "yes, I was lucky. I find the harder I work, the luckier I get" Congratulations to all graduates, with my 'incredibly discerning eye' I can see that they all have a great future ahead of them.

Yes, will be there with my son. He will be the one dancing. But we're both blond.

Don't give up, yours is a valuable point of view. And one I nor many others can give.

Can I just point out that we are talking here about the very pinnacle of achievement in the ballet world? These discussions are not confined to ballet, but happen in football, athletics, tennis etc etc etc. So, when mention is made of the dancers at Bolshoi or in China, remember to consider the numbers of potential dancers available in those countries, which hugely outnumbers those with similar potential in the UK. For example, if we considered the top 10% of young dancers in China, that is probably more than the number of young dancers in total in the UK! similarly with Russia. So you will see the equivalent of our very top dancers more often, as sheer numbers mean there will be more in Russia/China/Japan. But of course, for future success, add in the fact that directors (and audiences) don't always want legs up past the ear. So, I reckon UK schools do incredibly well (and increasingly well) in the worldwide market within which we exist. That is why dancers from across the world come here for training. And also why they are so hard to get into. And that's similar if your son wants to play for Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City or whoever. Once they get to under 16 level, they have to compete against the best in the world for full time places. They then may not end up playing for that team, but they are usually snapped up by others and have super careers elsewhere, doing what they love (for a lot more money than ballet dancers though!).

Dance works near Bond street. Lots of different levels and types.

Students have been assessed out every year my son has been there. I don't have numbers. It happens. It isn't rare otherwise the stresses written about on the forum in a number of threads over the years would not happen. We do know that at year 10 there is no assessing out as that would be unfair during GCSE years. But definitely year 9 and 11.

Hi Spax - I think you'll find that Elmhurst do assess out. It is not rare at all.

Celib - when watching the Winter Olympics, the pictures of the skiers and boarders at the top of a slope visualising their runs reminded me of the truncated movements you describe. First times I saw this, I thought my DS was not doing it right! Now realise it is probably a good thing. And yes, quite incredible watching them. The one I really can't get my head around is when they do some routine based on what the teacher has said, then the teacher says OK, now reverse it... Fluttery movements and then hey presto. How DO they do that?

I went with my 15 year old son. We do not know of any immediate links between us and the Great War. But Lest We Forget was mesmerising, an incredibly evocative evening that did leave us breathless. The pause at the end of Dust said it all. seeing the ENB on such form and with such a theme translated so well was a privilage.

Thanks JoJo, that's all really interesting. best wishes to Tala for the rest of her training.