Lifeafterballet

Isabella Boylston trained there and Meelis Pakri is faculty x

Have a look at The Harid Conservatory in Boca Raton, Florida. My Dd attended their summer intensive and had a fantastic time. We hadn’t heard of it til she won a scholarship to go from YAGP. She flew on her own from the U.K. to Fort Lauderdale and they collected her from the airport. Accommodation is onsite and houseparented. She had a fantastic time. Tough Vaganova classes mixed with some fun trips and activities. She made some wonderful friends and was offered a full time place at the end. She chose to remain in the U.K. due to academics etc.

Sold 😃

That was my fear with RBS US. I had heard of students not progressing to the graduate year 😢 I then met two who danced with my son in the US and could see no reason why they hadn’t been able to graduate.

Just to share….. Dd attended Paris YAGP twice and New York finals and took more classes in front of the RBS director than at any British audition. At one scholarship class the director of YAGP pointed out dd to the RBS AD and he said loudly that he didn’t like her feet 🤣 That was the most feedback we were ever going to get !! She was offered RBS summer school from that class. Dd declined and attended a US intensive instead 😃

This was the YAGP 2021 scholarship winners offered places at RBS at the Japan finals. There were six year round places given out at this competition alone. Congratulations to the winners 🥳 Who said that RBS wasn’t attending YAGP anymore ? 🤔

We have a bank account which covers my husband and I for travel insurance. Because Dd was under 18, a dependent and in full time education it covered her for her 5 week US Intensive too 😀

When Dd started her training in 2012 a majority of graduates from her school gained contracts with ballet companies. This has deteriorated over the past few years with less and less opportunities available 😢

I’m not saying it’s easy 😀 We are Cornwall based and travelled to London and Birmingham for male associates. But it’s another way , apart from leaving home at 11, which we experienced with Dd. As you said, it’s what works for your child and family.

From our experience I strongly believe that a good associate scheme and training is just as good for accessing 16+ vocational training as attending a full time lower school. For boys especially 😀 and cheaper too 🤣

Try having two at vocational school 🤣🤯 It doesn’t even end when they graduate sadly £££

Just to be aware, Ds’s petition/application was paid for by his company and DD’s cost us just under $1000. Then the US embassy charge for the face to face 😞

I believe the US embassy in London is now open for limited face to face visa appointments. When you have your petition , this is arranged by the company, then you can go onto the website and see what appointments are available x

The highest number of Covid positive cases currently are in the 12 to 24 age range. These are last on the list to have been invited to vaccinate, apart from the vulnerable in that range. So the closing of schools with cases is bound to continue until this age range is vaccinated and the rules on contact isolation relaxed. It’s very sad for those pupils in this transition faze. I just hope that the government and schools/universities get this sorted by September so this doesn’t happen again to another graduate year of dancers 😞

If the government proceed with the proposal that those who are dual immunised do not need to self isolate following contact with a positive person then schools wouldn’t have to close entirely. It all depends on the secondary school age children vaccine rollout and the uptake. It’s a possible way forward. Also, international travel may be dependent on vaccination status. So for international intensives and auditions it may be a requirement. 🤔 Ds’s company are planning touring to Europe next season so he is getting his first jab on Monday ☺️ and we are all ready to go watch 💉🤣

I saw a social media post saying that they have had their last class and were going into self isolation 😢 I feel so sorry for the grads, after my Dd missing out last year it’s rubbish 😞

Did this happen ? Looks like Elmhurst has packed up and gone home 😢 Poor grads 😩

MBS includes ballet, pas de deux, solos and contemporary. Classes are by age. There are lots of guest teachers who teach rep and solos. Everyone gets to perform in the sharing of work at the end of the course. It has a supportive, inclusive, family atmosphere. My Ds and Dd did pas de deux together for the first time at MBS ☺️ There is a mixture of vocational and non vocational students. No red carpet rubbish 🤣 Their aim is to share their common love of dance and nurture a learning environment that is for all no matter what the level, grade or ability. Both mine have attended Prague and YBSS but MBS was by far their favourite. Also there is an opportunity to be awarded a scholarship for the following year.

Over the years Dd and Ds did quite a few different summer intensive/schools between them. I think their most enjoyable were the ones that were less prestigious and competitive. There were some that sadly favoured certain vocational school students. I remember watching a class attended by Dd that the very revered teacher only engaged with the pupils that attended the school she taught at. This was disappointing 😞 Dd had a two week scholarship that year but didn’t go back again as she found the environment stressful 😢 Top of my list of requirements would be inclusivity, friendly, fun with lots of opportunities for everyone to perform. Everything they sadly don’t experience at vocational school. It’s not all about progression and correction, they get that day in day out at school. It’s about rediscovering the passion and love of dance and performing. A couple of weeks of this over the summer is enough. Rest and refuelling is important and spending time with family and friends. Our top two would be Dar Danse for international and MBS for home 🥰

My oldest son has scoliosis. He did non vocational ballet until he was 18. It was diagnosed at 16 following his ballet teacher noticing his back muscles weren’t symmetrical when he bent forwards. He was referred to a neurosurgeon and had a CXR and MRI. It was felt that he was fully grown and so was discharged. Four years ago during his Degree he started the process of joining the military. He declared his scoliosis and gave them the neurosurgeons report and MRI. He had never had any pain or other symptoms with his back. He played rugby and ran for his county. Following a medical examination he received a rejection letter. It was awful, he was devastated 😢 They said that his scoliosis would lead him to be limited and to have pain so he wasn’t suitable. He could have accepted that and moved on, but the military was his dream so he appealed against this decision. His neurosurgeon wrote a fantastic supporting letter to the military about scoliosis. Even informing them that Usain Bolt has exactly the same as Ds and he’s not doing too badly 🤣 Ds won his appeal and went on to complete his basic training and be awarded the Captains prize for the best recruit and PT Superior. Recently he was on deployment with the Marines and kept up with them 😅 He’s an ICU nurse by the way. We are so proud of his determination and perseverance in following his dream. There is very little understanding of scoliosis. Younger professional ballet dancing Ds has a mild scoliosis. It was noticed on a spinal MRI. But this hasn’t hindered him at all. I guess we just aren’t all perfect symmetrical beings ☺️

Hi, waist is 23 inches and length is 27 inches x

Fantastic!! If you pm your details then I will get it posted to you xx

Hi, it’s a wrap around and my Dd has a 24 inch waist and it fits perfectly ☺️ X

Hi, it measures 33 cm at the back including the 1cm waistband x

Exactly 😢 They don’t care where they go so long as they leave quietly. And getting one pupil into a well known company isn’t a success. What about all the others ? Those missing from the graduate destination list because they were unsuccessful or chose a different path. No congratulations or recognition for them 😭