Pas de Quatre

LinMM - when you say the Russian Syllabus has rather big jumps, do you mean gaps in the syllabus or grand allegro steps? If the latter, I don't see that as a problem, most children love to jump and I think a lot of the emphasis in the new RAD syllabus tries to emulate the Russian way of teaching.

Another vaccination that it is worth making sure is up to date for dancers and sports people in particular is Tetanus.

Agreed coloured is best, keep to one colour - two colours can produce strange optical illusions,cutting off the classical line. The same thing goes for straps, plain is better, avoid criss cross, etc.

At RBS Audition Insight days when they are talking about the upcoming auditions, they always recommend a coloured leotard rather than black. They suggest you get it in good time and have the photos taken in the leotard you will wear for the audition as this helps them recognise candidates more easily during the actual audition.

An ex pupil just graduated from Trinity Laban Conservatoire. She reported that they were streamed within each dance discipline, as students might have had different amounts of training. The girls in the top set for ballet who wished to often did pointe work.

I haven't seen these turnboards used in classical ballet, a pair of turnout discs (or turndiscs) are more common. I have a pair and I know RBS associates use them too. The discs work singly for pirouettes too. Ballet teacher has posted a good video on the thread Free resources ..... It is post no 10 at around 9.40 mins.

Over the years I have had pupils who didn't get into JAs (or I hadn't even put forward to audition as they were not ready) but then gained MA places. Conversely I have had JAs who didn't get into Mids, or who didn't want to continue Associates as it took too big a chunk of the weekend. Every dancer is different and every audition is a new beginning. Edited for spelling

Rather than doing ballet at home Louise, perhaps your dd could do some simple strengthening exercises which help ballet. There are Darcey Bussel's Pilates books and DVDs or New York City Ballet workout DVDs and I am sure there are many others out there too.

Is it a modern thing that graduates expect to walk into plum jobs in the West End? Many years ago it used to be that without a full Equity card you couldn't work in the West End at all. You worked with a Provisional card for a set number of weeks - can't remember exactly how many, 42 or thereabouts. The weeks would be made up in Panto, end of Pier show, cruises etc. As these were seasonal it could take several years to earn a full card. Only new entrants into very specific jobs such as Classical ballet companies could obtain a full card straight away.

Agreed, studying Contemporary as well as Classical widens the options, not narrows them. The world of dance has changed rapidly over the last few years with economic problems leading to many companies throughout Europe down-sizing or changing from a Classical to a Contemporary focus. Many Contemporary companies prefer older dancers and the auditions often ask for at least 3 years professional experience, so this is where the "Catch 22" happens. You can't get a job without experience, but you can't get experience without a job! Apprenticeships vary widely in what is offered. A very few companies still offer paid apprenticeships, but recent open auditions held in London for these were overwhelmed with candidates, literally hundreds of dancers were after just a handful of places. Some dancers move onto an MA after graduating with a BA, and some of these MAs involve apprenticeships with placing in a company or graduate companies. However, these are really just another year of tuition, with fees of £10,000+ and living expenses to be found - so you would need over £20,000. An MA is not funded by student loans although there are occasionally bursaries/grants available, but if you can't self-fund you need to take out a "Career development loan" from a bank. The companies with year round contracts are quite few, and most jobs in Contemporary dance are for specific projects, which may be a few days, a few weeks or a few months. Hence the term "Portfolio Career". Contemporary dancers in general will do various short term projects supplemented by other jobs in between such as teaching, coaching or indeed waiting at tables. I hope this has helped clarify things.

Katymac is right - this is often termed a "Portfolio Career", particularly in Contemporary dance - I will put more on that thread.

A great loss. Another great talent who was similarly depressive was Peter Sellers.

The factor which will give a good guide to the level of technique in a Dance degree is whether entry is by audition with many candidates competing for places, or whether it is only academic exams that are needed for entry.

Articles in the press this week say that scientists have discovered that milk, cheese, butter and eggs are good for you after all!

Not all Vocational students will be looking for work at 18/19. A friend of dd waited until she was 18 to audition and is currently in 1st year of one of the major London classical schools - and I doubt if she is the only one.

In general I welcome this competition and think it will benefit dance as a whole providing it is run seriously and the programme makers are not tempted to go to much into sentimental back stories. As others have said, the age range is interesting, my take on it is that these are the students who will have entered serious (vocational) three year training, whether starting at 16 or at 18. Personally I don't like the need for pas de deux and partners who may or may not be in the competition themselves. It certainly makes it harder for anyone who is not at Vocational school.

Shouldn't this be moved to a new thread - Graduate contracts 2014?

Interesting - fewer than in previous years, but we all know how hard it is to get contracts these days. But I am curious as to why they no longer give individual's names and have erased them from previous years lists too. Could it be that it is again mainly boys getting the contracts?

I don't think we are really discussing the children themselves here, but rather the RBS and their offers after summer school. Therefore I don't see a problem. We support RBS through our taxes so have a legitimate interest in their actions,in addition to our main interest as ballet parents and teachers.

I too feel this is a bit off, verging on poaching which is usually frowned upon.

Punch & Judy pub in Covent Garden market. I first took dd there as a pre-teen for meals. She still goes there as a student with friends!

We have friends & family in London and it is considered perfectly normal to cross London to go to school by bus and/or tube for Year 7 and above.

The trouble with most ballet competitions is that each candidate only has a few minutes to "wow" the judges. So catchy, flashy steps are pushed to extreme. Creating a role and sustaining it through a complete ballet is quite different, but too often these days flashy technique is being carried over and incorporated. The Prix de Lausanne stands apart, in that even though there are only a few dancers put through to the final, it is the marks for how they have worked all week long, not just for the solos they show in the final, that are added up to decide the winners.

Still in 20th century, what about Lorca's play House of Bernarda Alba written in 1936. MacMillan choreographed a dramatic ballet Las Hermanas based on it, with pointe shoes and classical technique. Mat Eks has made a more contemporary version. Edited for spelling.

I've always felt this must be a bit frustrating for those who are on the waiting list for a place at the school, either Upper or Lower. Either there is room or there isn't!