Peach3

The letters came in order of venue last year and 42 girls were at finals for yr 7 place.

Last year dd had her audition on 22nd of Jan and got results on the 9th of Feb which gave a couple of weeks notice for finals. I think! It is hard to remember because I think I have blocked the whole yr 7 audition process out! So glad not to be going through it again best of luck to you all. x

I agree also, will definitely be using again.

When we enquired about tickets we were told only "Friends of Elmhurst" were able to access them but others may have been luckier or may well be "friends". Perhaps the parents of finalists have been able to secure tickets.

ice lolly moulds are great for making ice on a stick for ice massage.My dd and non dancing son have both had encounters with Severs and Osgood Schlatters.

We have had experience of both schools of thought on teaching a child with hyperextended knees. My dd who has banana legs has been taught to have no space between her heels in first and also to have a small space between her heels which she finds more comfortable. I must stress at no time has she been allowed to sink back into her knees so they are fully hyperextended. The small space she is now allowed just makes it more comfortable and easier to hold her turnout where as before when she had her heels together in first she found her knees jostling for space! If that makes sense?!

At Elmhurst they are fitted early ( I think it was the first week) in yr 7 by the ballet teacher and the company/dance shop that supply the uniform. I'm not sure what makes they stock except I know they stock Grishko. If the girls already have pointe shoes when they get there that is ok and ballet teacher just checks them. If you choose to get pointe shoes elsewhere as long as they are a good fit it is not frowned upon. It wasn't officially said to parents but the girls seem to think Gayners are a no no. Don't know if anything was said to them. Best of all from a parents perspective the cost of pointe shoes is included in the MDS (up to that years allowance limit of course) very helpful considering dd is on her second pair since September.

Well done to your dd.Always nice to hear good news. Good luck to those still waiting for letters and still to audition x

180?

I have the 36 in my head for the number of girls who were at Elm lower school finals last year but I could be wrong. Somebody else might be able to recall with more clarity. There were 42 at White Lodge finals.

They have no audition numbers or name tags on them. My dd also says it doesn't look like any studio at Covent Garden or White Lodge but we could be wrong.

Chelsea Ballet run a summer school for adults.

My daughter saw this last week. She said it is the best Swan Lake she has ever seen, she has seen RB's production twice and ENB in the round at the Royal Albert Hall and then a couple of other productions at small theatres so has plenty to compare it to. Her favourite bit was the swans coming out of the mist. I haven't seen it so don't know which bit she means. Incidently we also prefered BRB's Nutcracker, so rich and theatrical.

I didn't see the interview but don't know if you are aware that everyone who gains a place at RBS and the majority of places at Elmhurst are funded by the government's Music and Dance Scheme. These are means tested scholarships that see parents making a contribution towards the fees according to their income. So yes technically anyone talented enough should in theory be able to go. It doesn't always work like that with other children, distance to travel to see children at weekends and other hidden costs. I may be wrong but the bursaries tend to go to kids who aren't offered MDS for whatever reason, you have to be a UK resident to be eligible for example. Anyway my point is the MDS can still work out very expensive when you factor in everything else and I know some families decide they just cannot afford it. It is a good scheme though, it does seem fair really. I think ballet training is just expensive and extremely time consuming and only if the child cannot live without it would a family be willing to make the sacrifices. I think RB and BRB and their associated schools are making a great effort to get out into the communities to inspire the young and change peoples perception of who can be a ballet dancer, I hope they keep on and find ways to expose more kids to it.

I think you might be right Fiz, the other side to that coin can be a child who wants to dance and has a parent in the know who can help the child go to a good school or oversee their training. I don't think it is a coincidence that quite a few kids who's parents are ballet or dance teachers end up a vocational school. Look at Nastia Lukin, father gymnast mother rythmic gymnast there was only one place that girl was headed and that was the Olympics. Some may say they are forced in to it but I think vocational training is so hard you have to have your own fire inside you or you just won't stick at it. Am I right in thinking Darcey Bussell's mum had been at White Lodge?? I have to admit pushy mums ( or dads) turn my stomach but luckily I don't come across them too often.

We have had experience of boarding facilities at Elmhurst and White Lodge, to be honest the majority of the accomodation is very similar, purpose built clean and comfortable bedrooms with showers and loos just down the hall. There is a common room in each house for relaxing in. The year 7 and 8 at W/L are in bigger dorms with more beds but they all have their own space and are clean and comfortable. The bedrooms at Elmhurst are never more than 2 sharing and the older girls yr 11 I think have single ensuite rooms. I agree with what has been said above that it really is the quality of pastoral care that will mean more to you and your dc when the time comes for boarding and it is a something that at the two schools we have had experience at, is taken very seriously and really seen as the key element...if they are happy boarding then they will do well at school and the house parents and medical staff seem to have this common goal in mind.

There will always be some who have a bad experience but many more who go through the schools happy. Like hfbrew's son my dd now has more room than she did at home!

We have no experience of Hammond or Tring so can't comment on those two.

Yes they are very spacious aren't they?

You get a tour of White Lodge on finals day and also a chance to talk to house parents and members of the PTA. At the prelims for Elmhurst you will be given a tour of the main building but it isn't until the final audition that you get to see the inside of the boarding house. Even then parents are permitted only in the common room and to talk to the house parent while the children are allowed to go to the dorms with current year 7's who will answer any questions they may have.

Perhaps I was mistaken then. Your best bet for info would be the schools own websites and the knowledgable folk on this forum.

The RBS audition insight day is classes and talks at the upper school in Covent Garden, you don't get to go to White Lodge and look round or anything. JA's are given the option of one of two mornings prior to preliminary auditions to go to White Lodge and look around if they wish but you must book this. I think Elmhurst might allow a tour of the school if you contact them I have seen one or two parents being shown around in the past but I don't know the circumstances these tours were requested or allowed under.

Thank you.

For anybody who might be interested Robert Parker and pupils of Elmhurst were on Midlands Today last night. If you go to BBC iplayer search for Midlands Today 10/09/2012 and go to about 23 minutes in to see the start of the interview. Perhaps someone more in the know could post a link.

All the best to your beautiful brave DD Charlie4dancin, hope she has a great time and you don't miss her too much. xx

Exactly the same thing happening in our house Angela, I feel the same way you do. See you in September xx

I was also going to say Cockfosters!