hfbrew

I once had a student who was a JA, did not get MAs but was accepted as an SA! 

And another got accepted as an SA without having been a JA or MA. 

Another, who was an MA, got into WL from the SA audition. 

So it's always worth giving things a go as nothing seems to follow a pattern as far as RBS are concerned. Only if you don't audition at all do you have no chance!! 

I am a Mentor for the CBTS. Absolutely no need for distinctions, after all exam marks are just what an examiner sees on the day. And that merit mark is very good! 

But do take, and pass your intermediate! Much easier than having to submit video footage which you will have to do if you don't. 

In the meantime do as many classes as possible, watch a variety of teachers and also go to performances. 

Very sad news. 

My heart goes out to the friends and family who knew John personally. 

All those who have used Ballet.co over the years surely owe this gentleman a debt of gratitude for enabling the smooth running of this forum along with the other dedicated volunteers behind the scenes. 

1 hour ago, Dance*is*life said:

I'd like to say something.  Exam results are just that - the marks given by someone who sees you just once on a particular day.  Examiners don't know your history and background - they have to mark on what they see on that particular day and they are also human, so can be affected by circumstances beyond their control.  All this means that you may well not receive the mark you hoped for.  However,  in my opinion, the most important thing that results from taking an exam is the improvement that occurs from having the goal of the exam in sight.  Not all my students are equally talented and some may be but can't  cope with exam pressure - when exams are over I always see such an improvement in my students' work.  I always tell them that what is important to me as their teacher is to see how much the work leading up to the exam has pushed them on and allowed them to develop significantly, regardless of what their eventual mark will be.  I see the results in their technical and artistic advance. So please bear that in mind.  I sincerely hope that you'll get the mark you're  hoping for,  but even if you don't,  I'm sure you'll have improved considerably and benefited from working towards your exam.

Hear, hear! 

Morera every time. 

I think I possibly recorded it off the telly many years ago ? But my then toddler son wore it out constantly fast forwarding to the clog dances. He was with us last night and we all agree that it was far better than we remembered it!! 

First circle was fairly full, but admittedly many were special guests, lots of very familiar faces. 

So glad I took the family. 

Am smiling at the memory of the cymbal player in the Salvation Army dance!! 

Brilliant night all round. Great performances from everyone. Way better than I remember it but obviously the company dancers were going to be on top form tonight. It was a privilege to be there. I did miss some really good bits though because my eyes were drawn to the magnificent Marion Tait! 

Errol Pickford left to go to Royal just before I joined Hammond. 

I was there the same time as Daniel de Andrade and a few other people got classical work, mainly boys. I also had a performing career before going into teaching. 

Very happy memories of Hammond 

18 hours ago, alison said:

I'm guessing someone just paraphrased TSE? 

Most likely which is why it is proving elusive. But it was quite a moving reflection of Balthazaars point of view and as a family we would love a copy. I will try the school again directly if I don't hear back. 

On 04/01/2019 at 13:23, bridiem said:

 I haven't found anything, hfbrew; I'm wondering it it's possible that this was actually 'Balthazaar, adapted FROM TS Eliot'? i.e. an adaptation of The Return of the Magi?

"From "makes far more sense thank you! 

However despite my best efforts I still can't find it anywhere online. Journey of the Magi is the closest, which is not surprising as it is the inspiration for the version that I am looking for. 

It definitely began "It was cold especially the nights" and whilst I don't know whether it's still read at the White Lodge carol service, it was for at least two of the years that my son was there. Unbelievably that is ten years ago! If anyone does get back to me from RBS I will let you know. 

And thanks to those of you who have also tried looking! 

OK, so I wondered if any learned folks on here have a copy of "Balthazaar adapted by TS Eliot" that my son was once privileged to read at the White Lodge Carol Service. (Over ten years ago!) . It begins "It was cold especially the nights". Intensive trawling online has not yielded anything other than the more well known Journey of the Magi that is also by TS Eliot with similar verse. "Balthazaar adapted by TS Eliot" is the description that is on the carol service sheet that I kept all these years. 

I have emailed the school but obviously don't expect to hear back just yet. 

Another line we remember is "the camel men were unruly"! 

Have tried poetry sites, British library, TS Eliot sites etc etc so it's become a bit of an unimportant obsession. And no doubt there is a copy hidden in amongst my sons old books. 

But just maybe there may be another person on this site who once read the same poem as a White Lodger or knows someone who did. And can actually produce a copy? 

Please? 

Wow Bruce and Alison, you two are amazing

On 18/08/2018 at 15:29, balletgremlin said:

The school I dance at in Kettering has weekly boys' only ballet classes with a male ballet teacher on Friday afternoons. They're currently advertising it as one of the only boys-only classes in the country so I don't know how rare they really are.

 

I know my teacher often gets frustrated when RAD course skip the boys dances for higher grades because none of the other teachers have any boys in their classes.

I would not say that they are that rare and to advertise as such is incorrect. There is London Boys Ballet School for starters. At Associate and vocational level there are Boys only classes and as others have mentioned, Tring run Kick Start and the RAD have done plenty of Boys only workshops. I have taught boys only classes for years and know of two other schools in my area (Hertfordshire) who have or have had boys only classes My ds now teaches the boys at my school.

That said, I share the teacher's frustration when boys dances get skipped at courses.

And I agree that some areas of the country will have more opportunities for boys than others. I am sad that I am no where near the OP ! And I also agree that there are limited options in boys dance wear and also gifts. But actually buying Ballet related gifts in general that don't pander to pink stuff is difficult.!

Quite a lot get jobs before the final year, certainly this was the case of the years around ds. 

It is interesting reading. However I remember reading it and being frustrated because the article was clearly leading up to the fact that that year (2012) no one was taken into the Royal Ballet having been at the school since year 7. But that is not the full story. As it happens there are now 3 from that year who are or were in the company. And there is at least one other in the company who is British trained ,not at WL but elsewhere before joining Upper School. ( I don't wish to mention names but it is my ds year group .)

And the article does not mention those who joined other companies other than the Royal. Likewise there were a few people who joined WL later on who went to US and got contracts. The statistics for this particular year are actually better than for some others, over half actually ended up dancing professionally  even though the path for some ended up being via other establishments. But it certainly vindicated their selection as JAs during primary school age.

The year above however was almost entirely different in year 11 to the original year 7 cohort but two are now RB Principals. And the years below have also produced dancers that are very successful and are rising stars.

I was lucky enough to observe US classes at a time when all these were training. And what a joy to see international talent ,everyone merited their place. However the UK trained students held their own and for me as a teacher it was very interesting to see past the multiple pirouettes and high extensions of some of the overseas students and note that they struggled with musicality, placement and control.

Obviously I am a bit out of the loop now as I currently don't have any students in full time vocational training. But I am sure that it is still true that percentages of UK students in Upper Schools in general vary from year to year and that there are many different reasons as to why the Ballet journey comes to an end sooner rather than later for those in full time training from an early age.  Thanks to my own DS , I have learnt a lot about overseas training from his fellow international professionals. And they envy the opportunities for training in the UK and the safer practices. They may have succeeded themselves but like with students in the UK, many fall by the wayside. 

7 hours ago, Pas de Quatre said:

It would be nice to have Rake's Progress (de Valois) too - perhaps in the middle of the Ashton triple bill instead of, or with fewer, of his divertissements.

I am very lucky to have seen an excerpt of this performed by ds and his class for WL graduation nine years ago. He also enjoyed doing Ashton's Facade. I don't know whether White Lodgers still get to do these pieces. Would love to see them performed by the company too especially as so many of the current young dancers were at WL at around the same time so have had exposure to these works from a young age.

I wonder if they will ask Bruce Sansom?

I've been sharing too albeit to much smaller network I'm afraid but very sympathetic due to our links both personal and work wise with people on the autistic spectrum.

There are no words that are adequate to comfort you Primrose but please know that there are many people out there who are trying to at least highlight your cause. I sincerely hope that the required number of signatures is reached. (Mine has been verified.)

Beautiful Bullfinch, one of my favourite birds. I remember gazing at one in the garden as a child ,holding a bird book in hand and thus identifying it!

Eh?

I have that thunderstorm on video!! Happy times with such lovely staff at the time.

I strongly suggest that you stay put with the fabulous local teacher and save your pennies for the later years and beyond. Pointe shoes alone will cost a small fortune when your DD is older.  I had a student join RBS in year ten who then subsequently went to Upper School and I know of many others,some who are now in major companies such as BRB and RB.

Now for us personally it was best thing for DS to go away at 11 as he had no other secondary school to go to! But you sound as if you have got a great academic school lined up plus the training. Teachers who are not teaching in full time vocational schools are often just as good,if not better. 

Your daughter is very young still and wise to keep her options open and save money into the bargain!

But perhaps more important is what is right for you as a family.

Fantastic marks,well done. Don't be worried about other people's marks though. I've known people with far lower marks make it professionally and people with higher marks not even get close.

A distinction is a distinction and your marks would have been honours in the old, old system of marking which is very special.

Every pupil of mine who has ever gone has always thoroughly enjoyed the experience.