Sandsfoot

One thing I would say that watching has improved my knowledge of ballet and other forms of dance immensely and made me really appreciate the skill and expertise of the professional dancers. I am now expanding my repertoire and going and seeing more productions. (Although I have to admit the longlaise step is a new one on me!) I can see that some teachers might find it daunting and there is potential for the children to play up but I think in our school it makes us all feel invested in the success of the school as a whole. I suppose like everything there are pros and cons however if I could only watch one week a term I would be glued to their every move. We don't have a suitable cafe nearby either.

Thanks - I have booked my tickets and persuaded a friend to join me. Looking forward to it. Thanks for the recommendation

We are allowed to watch and I often do although I feel guilty not doing any exercise myself so I walk the dog occasionally instead. I am sometimes on my phone as well but hopefully this is justified for work or general organisation ! It is a shame when parents are not interested but on the other hand my DD complains that it makes her worse and also she says I comment too much (this also applies to netball matches!) so you can't win. I think it is great to watch especially as I am paying haha, and I like to know what they are doing and how they are progressing, the other mums are great and we do tend to watch rather than look on our phones although sometimes we get told off for chatting too loudly. This week they have been doing their own choreography in some of the classes so they have had a little audience as well.

Congratulations to all of the DC who got a yes, Elmhurst seemed a really lovely and special place and I hope they have a happy and successful time there. So disappointed for those with a no but to even get into the finals is an achievement and shows they have potential and talent and they only have a few places so don't give up. I am sure there will be other opportunities and I am sure some waiting list places will become available.

Thanks for this review. I saw Rachel Gillespie at ISTD awards gala and she is a lovely dancer, I have not seen anything by the Northern Ballet before but I notice that they are coming to Southampton so might try and go if logistics allow.

This made me laugh, I have become addicted to youtube as well as this forum! Comparing all the different styles of ballet and seeing some of the more famous ballet dancers- I would love to watch more live ballet but it is difficulty because of cost and distance. We all need a passion in our lives- tell him that!

Me too

Don't give up hope - she must be super talented and have potential to have got through to the finals for the different schools. Keep positive and good luck

We had a lovely but long day on Sunday, my DD got into the finals which she was thrilled about. I also stayed for the Gala which was really wonderful to watch from the lovely little girls picking blackberries to the amazing principal dancers. Quite a treat.

My DD's teacher feels the costume should be quite plain and not distract too much from the dance, it depends on the feeling of the dance and whether it has a title or theme but I would have thought a unitard or leotard and shorts. If it is a bit more informal then I have seen boys wearing singlet vests and shorts or jazz style pants, which is very effective. Colour wise black seems most popular but I think it gets a bit tedious when they are all in black, perhaps grey, white or another muted colour, again it depends on the "theme" of the dance and his age. If you watch the Sergei Polunin video where he is doing a contemporary style ballet to "Take me to church" then he is just wearing his tattoos and some flesh coloured tights, but perhaps that is going a bit too far, nice to watch though! You could perhaps look at some images of the more modern ballets or the Prix de Lausanne/YAGP contemporary sections to get some ideas. Good luck

I am so sorry to hear of your rejections but I would echo what others have said about being a JA and getting one yes is a great achievement in itself. I can understand if you are a JA if must be extra difficult to be cut off from the RBS. I would also agree that the lack of feedback is frustrating however at least it is across the board but it did set me wondering if you could request anything under the Freedom of Information Act!! I would say the vast majority of DC will not end up being a professional, even those who go to vocational school so one needs to be realistic from the outset but if you truly want it then you have to keep trying until all hope is lost and take every opportunity that is offered. It certainly teaches them perseverance amongst other things. Good luck with the funding. I hope everything works out. Congratulations to you DD for getting into Oxbridge chaperone - what an achievement and no less that getting into vocational ballet school IMHO.

My daughter is 13 and only started on pointe last year, at her dance school all the girls progress together regardless of their ability which is nice in a way as they are all good friends. She is only studying ISTD Grade 5 ballet - got a while to go before IF although she has been doing ballet since she was 2! Her teacher does not like to rush it. She was desperate to start pointe work last year but I would agree that proper preparation is the key and I was interested to read the article (thanks for posting) which highlighted having good soft tissue strength and flexibility as well as good balance, proper alignment and a strong core was important. I think if they have a good underlying technique then there is no rush in my view. I know they are all so desperate to get on pointe, and getting their first pair is very exciting, but judging by some of their faces when they do it is not always an enjoyable experience! I would be interested to know what you use in the shoe for cushioning, we started with the ouch pouches but she is now using a bit of wool and some tape. Her teacher says you should use nothing but harden off your feet with surgical spirit.

I have also had highs and lows at festivals, it is lovely when they get a medal but I always keep in mind it is a "festival of dance" and I just love to watch all the children from the tiny tots who are so cute to the young adults who would not disgrace a West end stage. Sometimes winning can also be a double edged sword as well, it can be just as disappointing to see your friends lose and I have found that some other parents (not their children) are not always so gracious in defeat. I would agree that groups are great fun and you get to share the glory or the disappointment which does help. I am always pleased if they have done their best, remembered their dance (not always the case!) and enjoyed the experience but it can be nerve wracking as a parent. As one adjudicator said - It is personal choice at the end of the day. I think all the children should be congratulated on having the guts to get up on the stage, I am not sure I would have done. Good luck to your dd, you are right that watching them is a memory to treasure.

Hope I didn't say the wrong thing. I wouldn't presume to second guess the RBS and I don't think you really know until you get the email so fingers crossed. It is just me trying to steal myself for more disappointment I suppose.

I am so sorry to hear this and know how you feel. My daughter also had a no and there were some tears and "nothing good happens to me". It is particularly hard when others she knows get a yes. This will be our 4th no from the RBS, I am not sure why she puts herself through it but you have to admire persistence. I like to support her however I don't want to be a delusional parent either and be realistic with her. I don't really know what they are looking for and while she does well in her ballet exams and at festivals (so she must have some talent) I can see at the auditions when they are warming up that there are some very gifted dancers with the desired physical proportions and I just think we are just not really in the same league. I console myself with the "she performed well" but I suspect that everyone gets this! She would most dearly love to be an MA more than anything but this is her last chance and as I have followed this forum in the past we did not get the "strongly being considered for MA's" that I know others have got so I am not holding out much hope and preparing myself. Can I just say a really big well done to all those who have got a yes. I know that this can be the beginning of a very tough journey however it is in itself a great achievement so enjoy the moment- My husband likens it to getting into the Manchester United first team! if you want a football analogy Congratulations

Well done everyone - I think it is a great experience just a little too far for us to commit - hopefully we can come and watch the show.

My daughter also got a no for year 9. Although we were not really expecting anything my DD is disappointed. I really liked my tour of the school as well, it seemed such a friendly place. Commiserations to all those with a no and congratulations and best of luck to those going through to finals.

I had this problem, the photo requirements are in flat shoes from 11-12 on 13th August 2015 and on pointe from 13 as of 31st August 2015 but when you do the application if you have ticked mid associates 11-13 it shows you the flat shoe pictures. My daughter is applying for the last year of mid-associates. I did a dummy test but changed her age to 14 and got the pointe shoe pictures so I think it is the way the form has been set up. I emailed them as I thought I would have to get them re-done but she suggested I send what I had, she pointed out that the audition itself is when they decide and the photos are an aide-memoire for the discussion. (as suggested by one a teacher above) They are very helpful if you e-mail them and I think you will get an audition if you apply before the closing date, which varies depending on which centre you audition at. In the end if they like you I don't think you will be penalised for having the wrong photos.

Retford is the nearest train station and is on the East Coast mainline from Kings cross. It takes 1.5 hours from London. The school is about 4 miles away, it is on a bus route but I suspect the bus stops in Ranby village which is just outside the school grounds. A taxi would be easier. There is also a train station in Worksop which is about 15 minutes away. It is linked to Sheffield but that is a much slower train route. It depends where you are coming from.My daughter went the second week. She learnt quite a lot and had the chance to do some pointe work which she has just started. The show at the end was amazing especially the older ones. I think they worked hard. My daughter did not board as I have family nearby ( hence knowledge of travel) and as she is a bit shy found it difficult to make friends however the other girls seemed really nice though and there was a friendly atmosphere. The teachers were good and kind and my daughter really enjoyed the lessons and I think it was a very high standard. Also I agree it is good value.

Hello. I wonder if anyone could give me some advice or has experience of the associate classes. My daughter is auditioning for the associates in London in June. Does anyone know how many places they have and what the teaching is like? There seemed to be quite a few audition classes. She is not studying the Cecchetti method (she is doing ISTD) although I understand that this is for all classical ballet students. Do they favour those studying the Cecchetti syllabus? Many thanks

Unfortunately it was a no again for my daughter. She does not seem that bothered though. As she says she wants to get in but realises there will be ups and downs. Although it mainly appears to be downs! Congratulations on all those who have a yes, it is a real achievement.

Thanks for the info, it is nail biting isn't it. We did get a post card from the maths teacher today though saying what a good term she had had! So at least there was something. My daughter has forgotten about the mids results I think so I haven't mentioned it to her. What will be will be!

London