JulieW

Don't get me started on the problems of finding suitable leotards for big busts - my poor dd takes after me and has to wear a bra under a leotards. Caused a few problems when trying to find something suitable for her RAD Advanced 1 exam and ended up buying the Bloch (I think - I'd have to check) one that has a built in bra (well - kind of - does up inside at the back) plus a bra too I seem to remember. Her usual sports bras are rather noticeable under a normal leotard which she doesn't care about in class (and our school's not that fussy about what they wear).

I was going to say the same But good luck to her for the opening

Can't find it at the moment, but I think there were only that number of students (possibly one or two more at most). Oh - and don't forget that Lewis Turner was in that year, but left a year early to take up his PDL prize with BRB. Not sure what's going on with Vanemuine, but as my son and one of the girls start their contracts there in the summer I'm delighted that the AD seems to like the Elmhurst students . A couple of his best friends who left last year are already there, so he's looking forward to joining them.

I know it was a very small year group - but I'll look out the show programme and count the photos! Back later.....

M is also for Moderators Those of us with responsibility for ensuring the smooth-running of the forums - and making sure that people are sticking to the, few, rules. And we're not paid

I'm going back a few too - sorry (I might have a try to put them in the right order at some point!!): M is for MDS (Music and Dance Scheme) MDS places are offered at Royal Ballet School (all places are MDS places), Elmhurst (most places are MDS places), Tring Park, and Hammond and as you'll see from the link, they are also given at some music schools. http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/toolsandinitiatives/b0068711/mds The government fund these places which are means tested according to your income (with a small adjustment for having other children), meaning that someone on a low income wouldn't pay anything for a place at one of these schools, going up on a sliding scale until you get to paying full fees. You'll find all the info you need on the link, but just to add that you get more for your money at some schools than others (eg music lessons, dance uniform, private health care). I think you are invited back to audition for MDS places at Tring and Hammond.

An update from the Elmhurst website (I didn't have the official info for last year's graduates at the start of this thread): Graduate year students are already finding employment (2012): Anna Monleon - Birmingham Royal Ballet Olivia Holland - Royal Ballet of Flanders (Two other girls have already started contracts with classical companies, but as they haven't been announced on the website I won't put them here. And many now have contracts lined up to start from August - announcements will come at the end of the school year.) Students who graduated in 2011 went on to study further or found employment as follows: Orazio Di Bella - Slovak National Theatre Jack Henry - Disney Scarlet Hollands - Bratislava Ballet Yamato Mashiko - K-Ballet, Japan Lawrence Massie - Vanemuine Theatre, Estonia Lauren McCarron - Dortmund Ballet Shaun McLaughlin - Croatia Giulia Montesello - Vanemuine Theatre, Estonia Abigail Prudames - Northern Ballet Theatre Apprentice Sophie Rance - Vanemuine Theatre, Estonia Keith Reynolds - Vanemuine Theatre, Estonia Ben Roomes - Vanemuine Theatre, Estonia Charlotte Davies – Disney Park Lauren Rhodes - Disney Park And am delighted to add that Nicol Edmonds, who graduated in 2010 and went to Finnish National Ballet has now been offered a contract with The Royal Ballet and starts later this year

Congratulations everyone (and commiserations to anyone reading this with bad news). Takes me back about 8 years or so. My son danced with them as a JA for one year before he went to WL and my daughter for 2 years as a JA (plus a last-minute main part when someone was injured - right place, right time as she was often just sitting watching rehearsals waiting for her lift-share friend to finish). We all had a lovely time - the highlight for my son was dancing at Sadlers Wells - his first time on a big stage - gave him the taste for it and the drive to want to be a professional ballet dancer. And for my daughter the highlight was dancing at the Palladium - and seeing how cramped it was backstage!

That's interesting Tulip - haven't heard of them doing that before (perhaps they have, I just didn't know about it!). We always think of people on waiting lists as being put into some sort of order, so the next one gets the place that comes up, but I have always thought that's probably pretty unrealistic - you can maybe manage that with the first few on the list. This is a great idea. Good luck everyone

I don't have much to add to the subject, other than to say that one of the problems in the younger years at WL and Elmhurst (I can't speak for the others) is that they're actually not burning off as much energy as we might think. Ballet classes, particularly to start with, are quite "slow" affairs with everything being learnt slowly and carefully. I know lots of children find it quite a challenge to go from home where they were doing jazz, tap, PE at school (perhaps playing netball, football etc). And yes, I know they do more than just one ballet class a day for activity but it's still less than they were doing (and no walk to school either). Also there's another thread about eating disorders etc here if you want to read what people have said before: http://www.balletcoforum.com/index.php?/topic/558-dt-article-on-ballet-and-eating-disorders/

Only hadn't commented because we were waiting for the news to break officially Janet and then by the time it did we'd probably all talked about it between ourselves, if you see what I mean. My son thought it was funny that I was a bit slow on the uptake on this bit of news - it was "out" at Elmhurst for a couple of days before I knew Anyway - huge congratulations to her - I suspect she'd have liked the Elmhurst AD job so this is great timing and means she'll have more opportunities to see her son perform with ENB! I've never seen Sami dance but have known her since ds went to WL as our boys were in the same year, and when my ds had to leave and went to Elmhurst she was lovely.

I do see what you're saying Aileen, but I don't think these days people believe the UK schools are better than those in other countries, but some of them are certainly in with the best in the world - two pieces of evidence - that international students of great ability want to come and train at them, and that their graduates get jobs in some of the best companies in the world. I suppose sometimes people can be overly-patriotic, if that's possible, and think that we're the best at everything (but I'm sure that happens in all nations).

Certainly turned out OK for ds who was assessed out of WL due to his lack of flexibility (he'd grown 10 inches in two years - you'd think that would be pretty obvious). Miss Stock has been quoted as saying in a couple of interviews that they "assess out" children who, in their view, don't have the potential for a classical ballet career. Perhaps if they had been prepared to help him in the way that Elmhurst did they would have discovered that he could improve his flexibility (granted, he'll never be the most flexible dancer, but he makes up for it in other ways) and as he is soon to start a classical contract, I'm happy to say that on this occasion they were wrong. This is not a moan about the RBS, or the system of assessing out, it is what it is, and he loved his time at WL - it's just that Pas de Quatre struck a chord with her post. Rant over.....

As an aside.... some of the Elmhurst students are performing Don Q (well, probably not all of it ) when they go to Japan at the end of the year!! Good, I suppose, that they will at least be learning some of the choreography.

Never mind saving this for the future. Get in touch with them now and ask if they know of anyone who might help your daughter? You never know....

I was going to say "Welcome to the forum" Claire - but sounds like you're not exactly new - so I'll say "Congratulations on your first post" instead

And welcome from me too Love the name!

Thanks all - the show was great - really well produced and amazing costumes for the first half of ballet where they did Beatrix Potter - thought they must've hired or borrowed them, but no, all made by people involved with the school - so very well done to anyone reading this who was involved As for the pdd - it brought the house down They looked gorgeous and danced beautifully despite the fact they never usually dance together due to the difference in height . I heard there was much excitement in the afternoon when the younger girls first saw ds in his costume (it was the bare chest that did it!!). And his girlfriend's mum was surrounded by people at the end as they were all so impressed by her lovely daughter. And for a change, I didn't cry - very unusual for me - I usually cry at everything but I think it was just like watching some professionals so it almost didn't feel like it was my son up there. (I'll make up for it at the end of year performances - I'll be crying buckets there ) And as for the forum outing idea - if you're within striking distance of North Hampshire and are free at the end of May, do get in touch (dd is dancing quite a bit in that too) - I'll give you details.......

I just had to share with you all, as I'm very excited, that I'm watching my son and his girlfriend dance Le Corsaire pas de deux this evening as "guests" in her old dance school show I've only ever seen him do any pdd in a short class demo once, and a bit of partnering in groups in end of year performances, so this is a real treat (they're doing it again for our local dance school show at the end of May - I'm hoping to persuade him to do the solo too for that )

Further discussion here please (as there's already quite a bit of info on there ): http://www.balletcoforum.com/index.php?/topic/586-centres-for-advanced-training-cats/

Why don't you start another thread and ask the question - it'll get lost in here, as this was originally about Elmhurst's requirements

I think it comes under a rule about getting it while they're under 18 but still in full-time education

They publish them in their annual report - now available online I see (I used to get a hard copy every year). The audition facts and figures are near the back somewhere.... http://www.royal-bal...cations.php?s=1 I've never seen anything similar for Elmhurst - but you could request their figures under the Freedom of Information Act I suppose!

Welcome to the Forum Boogalou

All of it - but particularly ironing - only because I leave it and then there's too much!! And it's not like I iron things that some people do - I stick to shirts, crumpled t-shirts etc. And it's so frustrating that the house just can't stay looking nice for more than a couple of hours.....