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Dance*is*life

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Everything posted by Dance*is*life

  1. I can so empathise with Anna C's daughter about the non awarding of the allegro prize. When I was at RBS US we entered for a competition there - 20 senior girls. We all worked really hard on our chosen solos for 3 months - my Mum even found the money for private coaching for me. The day of the long awaited competition came and on the same day there was a late entrant - Wayne Sleep. Need I say more? He danced last and without even deliberating the judges called us all back on stage and awarded him the prize. Did he deserve it? Of course !! But until today, when I think about it, it really upsets me that the judges didn't even bother to consider our solos and to at least commend two or three of the girls! I once entered for a special modern dance cup in the All England comp. A wonderful boy won it hands down, but they took the trouble to praise me as runner-up and even to bother to make me a little replica trophy as the winner of the girls! It's all about having a little consideration for a dancer's feelings.
  2. Akh - I so agree with you. I did competitions, festivals and shows all through my pre-pro training and loved it! Sometimes I won, sometimes I didn't, but I just loved having the chance to get on stage and dance for an audience. In addition if our school won the section, even if it wasn't me, I was very proud! Although I think in today's competitive world that kind of loyalty to a school may be passé! Exams are marked quite differently from competitions, so the fact that your granddaughter, justme2, always got really high marks for exams, does not necessarily mean that what the examiners were looking for would be the same for the competition judges' as far as their decisions were concerned. I do also feel that, if getting second would have been such a blow to her that she would give up, there have to be other underlying influences.
  3. How about Class of Excellence or In pursuit of excellence? I must say I like the Elite Technique suggestion - very catchy phrase!
  4. "but equally we've seen a number of the phenoms fade from view very quickly, often with suggestion that they could not / would not integrate into a company if they got a contract on the strength of competition results / 'fisnishing school' place at at Upper school ... " I agree NJH. When a student has a huge internet following and is used to being a solo star it is hard to blend into the corps, where every movement has to match perfectly with the other dancers. Must be such a hard pill to swallow! I also get the point about UK trained dancers seeming to fall behind. I was rather astonished at the number of foreign students currently studying at RBS. Don't know if anyone else listened to the RBS Advent calendar film of Christmas greetings in a huge variety of languages from their senior students, but it made me wonder if there are actually any British dancers in the school! Hope someone can reassure me on that!
  5. We start our students on pointe in Intermediate Foundation when the majority are 12. As stated above there is very little pointework in the exam, but I do slowly introduce slightly more difficult work. Our policy is to let all the students start pointe together - working slowly and carefully and staying on the barre for several months. Usually they cope and continue, however there are always the exceptions, whose feet and ankles are not suitable. When that happens I advise them to stop and they work on demi-pointe. Sometimes working on pointe can help them. I have a student new to me this year in IF -she just doesn't point her feet especially when she jumps - a year and a half of Corona being to blame I suspect. Anyway, she put on pointe shoes and wow!!! She has the most beautiful feet! Now I'm working on getting her to use that point all the time! Funnily enough last year's IF class, who are now on Grade 7, started pointe work on Zoom and they are really, really strong! Because they are now 13 going on 14, I am able to push the best ones and they are dancing way above the normal level. I honestly don't see any advantage to starting earlier than 11 and certainly not as a blanket decision. However, the vocational junior schools offer their students many more hours of dance training than the average child dancing after school a few days a week will get, so students at RBS etc may well be strong enough to start younger.
  6. Lovely to hear that in spite of everything you are back dancing and enjoying it too! I would definitely concur with your feeling that talking things out is the best way. There can be so many misunderstandings when we text or mail - talking through a problem is honestly still the best way.... Misunderstandings happen and we don't always realise the true situation. Just this week a student who has lost her way this year finally opened up to me that she leaves home at 7am and comes straight from school to her ballet lesson at 5pm. No wonder she's always tired and messy when she arrives! Anyway, sincere condolences on the loss of your mother and congratulations on sorting out your problems so successfully!
  7. I teach Grade 7 between IF and Intermediate. The students are normally about 13 by that stage. I love teaching my students some ballet history with their syllabus work and as Grade 7 is based on the Romantic period it's ideal for that. In addition many of the new exercises help train them for their Intermediate. Last year, because of Corona and zoom classes, I taught Grade 6 instead of 7 as it was less of a jump for them, but this year I realised that this had left them with a gap in their knowledge that would normally have allowed them to access the Intermediate work more easily. In fact one keen Intermediate student joined this year's Grade 7 class as an extra and is really enjoying it and improving too. I use Grade 7 as a stepping stone to Intermediate and add in free work to prepare them even more - working on double pirouettes and posé turns and of course a lot of pointe. As well as my syllabus classes this year's Grade 7 group have also added on a free work ballet class with a Russian teacher. He often teaches them exercises differently from me and they turn to me for clarification. I tell them that that is perfect - they will need to be versatile if they want to advance, but correct technique -turn out, placing etc-is the same however you do or call an exercise. Grade 7 is a delightful syllabus to learn between the vocationals - it develops the students artistically as well as technically and they usually get much higher marks than for vocationals plus a medal! If I have a talented older student whom I want to push I get them to do both Grade 7 and Inter together, but to take only one of the exams - usually Inter. I do like exam work as it motivates and pushes the students to greater efforts, however not all our students suit them and not all parents can afford them, so we allow them all to go up to the next level whether they have taken the exam or not. Anyway we only work on the syllabus from about October to March and never start on the next syllabus until the following school year. Our students also learn other dance genres and many are really good at these, whilst struggling with classical technique, so I feel it's important to give them an all round training. I don't train them to pass exams but to learn to dance.........
  8. I have read through this thread with a growing sense of sadness. I went through a lot as a ballet student growing up in the UK, but somehow nothing seems to have been so bad that I lost my love for ballet or ever wanted to do anything else in life - well apart from getting married and having children! I am horrified at some of the stories here and so sad for your dancing daughters and sons that they suffered like that. Having been a ballet teacher now for about 40 years, I sometimes think that I should be tougher, but then I realise that I really couldn't teach any other way than how I do. I prefer that the students work hard and achieve their maximum, because I have given them encouragement and confidence and made them love this beautiful art of ours, rather than that I have tortured them into getting good results. Of course I don't teach at a vocational school, so it's different. Still although we start out with a handicap as we generally take whoever applies, over the years we have turned out quite a large number of professional dancers in various dance genres including classical ballet. What gives me the most satisfaction is to see that our students really do look on our school as a second home and are always upset to leave. I teach a number of siblings and even one or two children of former students - if the parents hadn't enjoyed their time with us, they certainly wouldn't want to enrol their children! I think as parents we always need to support our children's dreams, but we should also not be afraid to interfere, where we feel it's necessary. Their journey through ballet training shouldn't be as you have desribed here. If parents don't speak up things will not improve. The impression I get of England is that there seems to be a very strong set of rules to safeguard children's rights and well being. How does the treatment that you have desribed here slip through???
  9. There's a slightly old fashioned series of books about Drina by Mabel Esther Allen which I adored as a young student. I believe they're still in print and there are about a dozen of them. What's nice is that she grows up throughout the series, so it's great even for teenagers. I also loved the Lorna Hill books and The Ballet Family, which is also by Mabel Esther Allen. I loved Noel Streatfeild. My favourite was actually Dancing Shoes (though it was called something else in my day) and I also loved White Boots, which is now called Skating Shoes. Even though it was about skating and not dance, it spoke to me. I would also heartily recommend the abridged version of Mao's Last Dancer, simply because the adult version might have parts not suitable for a 12 year old.
  10. I would suggest waiting until she's 15 or 16 and capable of living on her own. Training in the US is much more intensive than in the UK and if she's at a good school, getting sound training and is happy there, I wouldn't rush into anything. Many students don't even make it from White Lodge to the Upper School. Family life is not an easy thing to give up on in the sensitive formative years of adolescence. There are so many fantastic schools in the US - why break up your family now when she is so young and needs you and you obviously want to be with her. If she's that good, she'll get in at 16 for the years that count most! Anyway that's my two cents worth, but reading through the posts here I think most posters agree with me. At least at 16 you'll know if her body has stayed the same and if she still wants it.
  11. Valentina - your post was excellent! Do not apologise for its length! I couldn't have put it better myself 🥰 One thing I would add, Farli, is to always use your head and eyes with your arm movements. That always makes you feel as if you're dancing even when you're doing a simple barre exercise!
  12. I spend half of my classes trying to get my students to lower their legs and correct their turnout and hip placement. I'm forever explaining that some exercises are better taken with lower legs and that a pure beautiful line is more important than legs round their ears at every opportunity! It's an uphill slog because of all those instagram and tiktok posts. Just before corona we were honoured with a visit from Natalia Osipova, who came to dance Giselle. She gave the most wonderful master class and really impressed upon the students how purity of line and the quality of arm movements were far more important than flinging legs around and no-one can say that she doesn't lift her legs to perfection!
  13. It is probably not relevant to the current situation, but I do wonder if parents should intervene more. In my last year at RBS upper school - many, many moons ago - my mother actually took matters into her own hands and sorted out my problems. At the beginning of the year I was placed in a class with a teacher I adored and then they suddenly transferred me to another class, where I was simply miserable. My brave mum went up to school and confronted them at this seemingly arbitrary decision - I had systematically been in the top four of my class for the first two years. Within two weeks, I was transferred back and had a magical year. I think they were so astounded that a parent would actually question their decisions, that they acted quickly. As a teacher I sometimes get parents coming to talk to me or our Dance Principal, in spite of their child telling them not to say anything. When this happens, we are always receptive to the real or perceived problem and act accordingly in the student's best interests. I do appreciate that an afternoon ballet school cannot be compared to the elite vocational schools, but I do believe that a child's wellbeing is more important than ruffling a few feathers.
  14. I was always friendly with the girls at my all girls grammer school, but they weren't really on the same wavelength as me. It was not until I went to a full time performing arts day school that I made real friends - they understood me - and we are friends till today. Interestingly I was not really close to my fellow student at RBS US in the same way - perhaps there was too much rivalry? At the school where I teach the students are close friends both at regular school and ballet school and it's a pleasure to see!
  15. Sadielou, I agree that that is really unfair and should be addressed! At the very least I would have expected the music operator to have slowed the music for each candidate individually. Under the circumstances the fact that this was thrown at the students was totally unacceptable. Some of the CD timings are impossibly fast at all levels! I really can't believe that at RAD headquarters they couldn't provide a pianist! When I took my Advanced (2) over 55 years ago, the examiner was known to be so tough that one candidate immediately dropped out, leaving myself and a student who was on her 6th try. Pass mark was then 50 or even 60 I believe and like today all sections had to be passed. The poor girl I was with failed for a 7th time and I got a pass. I was relieved to have passed, but thinking about it now, I imagine it was one of the reasons the Royal Ballet School did not let me enter for Solo Seal, which I have always regretted. Like your student, I really wanted to reach that final exam. In the old days you had to pass every section for all the vocational exams. I remember a case where a colleague entered a student for her Elementary exam and for whatever reason she failed the pointe. Undeterred her teacher entered her the following year for both Elementary (Intermediate today) and Intermediate (Advanced 1). She passed the one she had previously failed with Highly Commended and the Advanced 1 with Commended! As your student got decent marks for the rest of the exam, I would not let this go. It was not as if she'd got all 4s and 5s. Had they provided a pianist, she might very well have passed the pointe section. What did she get for the technique mark of the variation? That might help your quest.
  16. I have a male student at the moment and have trained quite a few others, one of whom trained at Elmhurst upper school and turned pro. My current one was one of the few in his class who simply couldn't cope with zoom. However, unlike the handful of girls who refused to do zoom, he came back, which has shown me that he is keen. Boys seem to take longer to mature and develop strength and co-ordination, but get there in the end! I would wait and send him at 16. I'm sure he'll be ready then. I was told about Saturday all boys classes at London Boys Ballet School in Finsbury Park. Something like that would be wonderful for all those lone boys in all girl classes!
  17. The RAD have introduced many overall concessions due to Covid, such as not having to prepare exercises on both sides - these have become teacher's or candidate's choice of sides. The special consideration is individual and not Covid related.
  18. I go back all the way to the '60s in turning dead pointe shoes into soft shoes - no ready made demi-pointes! In addition we only had lamb's wool to pad the pointe shoes -:no ouch pouches or whatever they call them. I always took the shank out to soften the inner sole as much as possible - it gave much more flexibility for allegro in particular. I would say that if you're using demi-pointes for regular class work, then do what you wish, but if it's for exams, I would take out the shank.
  19. In our school we found that kids who were not particularly talented and danced for a hobby, because they simply enjoyed it or because their friends went or whatever, discovered during the pandemic that there were other ways of spending their spare time than dancing every day after school and so gave up. However, the more serious students have kept going - I suppose Covid divided them up into two natural groups of those for whom dancing is the same as breathing - a necessity- and those who dance because their mums sent them to ballet class when they were little and they just stayed. So in answer to your question I believe that the pandemic has not significantly affected those students who would apply for Associate programmes and that they will still apply for them. However it may well be that it has affected the standards of technique - at least I can see it has in our school. Hopefully this can be revereed over time..........?.
  20. Thank you so much everyone! You've been really helpful ! I know that his mum is taking him on a tour of the Opera House, but haven't yet heard if they managed anything else. Anyway, I shall take note of your recommendations for other students. In the course of my enquiries, I discovered London Boys Ballet School. Unfortunately their trip wasn't over a Saturday, so he couldn't take classes there, but I see that they have a summer school. I know it's a pretty new school, but they apparently have about 150 boys currently training there. So incredible for all the normally lone boys to actually dance in a class of boys! Does anyone have any info about the summer school? That might be something very special to recommend to our few brave boys! Now that travel is opening up more - next summer might finally see us sending students away to a summer school!
  21. Would they be suitable for a boy of RAD IF standard?
  22. A 13 year old male student of mine is flying with his mum to London next week for a few days. Does anyone know of a drop in class he can take or anywhere that would allow him to watch a boys' class? He has a Covid recovery certificate. I've recommended that they do a tour of the opera house. Any other suggestions? Would the RAD centenary exhibit at the V & A interest him? They will be staying in the Covent Garden area, lucky them! Thanks in advance for any suggestions.
  23. Our Grade 1s do twice a week 45 minutes, which goes up to an hour twice a week in Grade 2. We tend to add on other genres gradually so that by Grade 5 they have 2 x 90 minute ballet, modern, jazz and flamenco. You do have to be careful not to overload growing bodies however much they love it and they do need to have playtime too! The quality of the teaching is more important than the quantity!
  24. If they seem to be taking a long time it might be worthwhile contacting them. We did and then discovered that they hadn't received all the forms! We resubmitted a couple and once that was done they did try to speed things up. We got the results eventually after about 10 weeks. I'm not holding my breath for receiving the certificates!
  25. I think it all depends very much on the school and the demands of the students. I am always rather surprised to see one hour ballet classes even at RAD headquarters in London, but I gather this is the norm in the UK. On the other hand, the UK has the excellent associate schemes and of course vocational schools for the serious students.
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