Picturesinthefirelight

The exam fee has always been paid separately in advance (the amount charged by RAD/ISTD/BBO.). Extra classes were at the usual class rate (in fact they are cheaper than the usual rate at ds’s school). Ive never paid anything extra other than the entry fee for the exam day itself.

Never had to pay a separate pianist fee. At dds old school they had a pianist for every lesson anyway. At ds’s school it’s BBO so they use CD’s.

Both The non vocational school dd used to attend and the one ds now attends own/rent their own premises. At dd’s School there was one exam preparation class (run a bit like a mock exam). At ds’s school they tend to have 2-4 extra exam prep classes held on a Sunday and charged at £4 per class.

It would be Advanced 1 and the issue is pointe. Previous injury/ weakness means pointe is no longer an option. Her teachers have often made the girls do the boys work and vice versa. The teacher who has suggested this is male.

I know there have been several instances of transgender people (usually male to female) taking RAD exams and indeed the regulations state that candidates may take the exam according to whichever gender they identify with. However I wonder if anyone has heard of an exam being taken by a female dancing the male syllabus but not transgender and wearing female uniform? Specifically vocational grades.

Durham apparently are the opposite and anecdotally a lot of students accepted there will be county sports people etc. Which makes life interesting for a few friends whose children want to apply to both.

From what I gather (& this was based on a parent/6th former alk at a Cambridge open day) these universities want potential students to focus on what they call “supra curricular” so evidence of reading round the subject, attending workshops and lectures or listening to TED talks or podcasts or getting involved in activities related to the subject they are applying for.

Its really interesting because I'm in a cluster group of Year 12 parents online, most of whom are applying for universities and attending open days. A couple of the parents have been attendding talks on appliations and making notes. Some RG universities say thay are not interested in extra curricular AT ALL, advise you leave personal statements only for matters related to your subject wheras others (also RG) have said they value extra curricular achievments highly.

I’m finding similar in researching music courses for ds. Some state they will accept a Grade 8 theory or practical in lieu of A level music as they realise not all schools can offer A level music, but the majority of points have to come from traditional academic qualifications.

The highest grade obtained in each subject only would be counted.

They are not accepted for several dance/MT degrees either. I know that Hammond don’t accept them for their degree, only A levels, Btec & International equivalents. A good vocational style Level 3 btec provider will use the qualification as a means to an end (providing full time training for 16-18 year olds). There are however many such courses thstvpretty much accept anyone and so Standards are not as high or different units are chosen.

It’s Chester, not Liverpool but Mark Browes at Tenbridge Physio is very good. (Ex head physio for LFC)

I take it you’ve looked at the syllabus Optional set work 3: Singin’ in the Rain (Stanley Donen and Gene Kelly, 1952) Singin’ in the Rain Direction and choreography Stanley Donen and Gene Kelly Music Nacio Herb Brown Lyrics Arthur Freed Screenplay Betty Comden and Adolph Green Photography Harold Rosson and John Alton Released in March, 1952 Optional Area of study 3: American jazz dance 1940–1975 In the early 1900s the jazz dancing performed by African-American artists showed links to the dances of minstrelsy and ragtime using new syncopated rhythms. From the 1930s through to the 1960s the style became a more theatre-based form of dance, requiring trained dancers. Choreography involving jazz dance was created by practitioners from the ballet and modern dance world. These included Jack Cole, George Balanchine, Agnes de Mille, Michael Kidd, Katherine Dunham, Jerome Robbins, Bob Fosse, Stanley Donen and Gene Kelly. Jack Cole was an important figure in the development of jazz dance technique and its theatrical form. He inspired many practitioners, including Matt Mattox, Jerome Robbins and Bob Fosse. Katherine Dunham founded the anthropological dance movement and introduced African and Caribbean rituals into American choreography. Matt Mattox performed on Broadway and in many Hollywood musicals. His teaching of jazz was significant in the training of future generations of dancers. Gene Kelly’s physique and personality, combined with his training in acrobatics and athletics, contributed to the popularity of his dancing style with the public. He was very interested in the use of the camera for dance sequences. His collaboration with Stanley Donen produced exciting choreography and developments in the filming and locations used for dance. Jerome Robbins’ style of social dance combined with classical ballet allowed him to create choreography conveying characterisation, rhythmic complexity and dynamic variation. He followed Agnes de Mille’s lead in making dance of equal importance to drama and music in the development of the storyline. Different choreographers developed their own stylisation of jazz dance eg Bob Fosse. His early influences contributed to the creation of his distinctive style featuring angled lines, inverted limbs and a hunched over posture.

I really can't add much to the thread other to say that I know how you feel to a certain extent having gone through the situation where a non dancing child was asked to leave a grammar school at the end of Year 8 due to the school not being able to accommodate a disability/disorder. It seemed like the end of the world at the time especially as our local school is dire (and has now finally been taken away from its academy trust) and his new school has no drama department and a minimal music department (which is his area of interest) but ultimately it has been better for him (and the school he was asked to leave has just failed a no notice ISI inspection for the exact same issues we faced!) I don't mean to pry but you say she has received no's from other schools. Have they been outright no's or just not offered funding as this year seems to have been a year where less MDS have been available at some schools than inprevious years and the situation might be different next year.

I’ve messaged you as I know we discussed things before but there have obviously been updates since then. Depending where the Level 3 Btec course is going from what you say I reckon gut instinct would say go there as your daughter obviously doesn’t feel the Levrl 6 with funding course is quite the right place for her. It’s a real shame that the other place hasn’t got funding but we were in a similar situation with a couple of places.

Whilst broadly correct it’s not totally accurate to say that all degree courses (including some of the institutions named) get full student funding. The difference lies lies in how the degree is accredited. If a university or Conservatoire runs its own degree (eg Chichester,Trinity) then full student finance is available to cover tuition fees. If a university sub-contracts a degree course out to a college (eg. Hammond/Chester, Bird/Greenwich, GSA/Surrey) then again full student funding is available. However if a college runs its its own independent degree course which is merely accredited by an awarding institution (eg. Arts Ed) then it is classed as a private college and a maximum of £6,000 per annum funding for tuition fees is available from Student Finance (fees at Arts Ed are £15,360 per annum) I’m in a caravan at the moment! But when im back at work I have a spreadsheet I created detailing exactly which degree courses offer what funding. It will be a little out of date as I created it in September (Urdang for example have made some changes since then) but it may be a starting point.

They are both Level 6 on the Qualifications Framework so are both the same standard but the diploma does not contain the academic content the degree does. Because of this you can top up the Level 6 diploma to a full degree by completing a distance learning course with a university. Most degree courses have academic entry requirements the average 16 year old will not have attained yet (the exception being a few classical ballet degree courses where you don’t need Level 3 Qualifications to gain entry) so the diploma is often offered on dance courses who admit 16 year olds. Also the maximum amount of tuition fees an institution offering the degree course gets is the £9,250 whereas tuition fees for diploma courses are often £12-14k. Some colleges feel they can offer more contact hours etc for the higher amount. No one looking to employ a performer is going to care about whether you have a degree or diploma. They will only care that someone has trained professionally at a recognised institution and can do the job. Its only if you want to move into sn area such as teaching in a school or college or a more academic field that a degree can make a difference

It depends on how long the child has been studying ballet, their aptitude and how much emphasis the dance school put on exams as opposed to non syllabus work or festivals but on average I’d expect a child just going into Year 5 to be working at around Grade 2/3 Level.

Birmingham Ormiston Academy. It’s a 14-18 state funded high school along the same lines as the BRIT school.

What’s her gut feeling? I know of young people who have trained at both places (I know more about the one at Performers than Urdang) but they are very different people/dancers. Both are working.

And also everything is a bit too sparkly.

The prices in dollars and lack of clarity with regards to shipping costs/import taxes puts me off instantly. Plus the photos of the leotards look rather home made. The sizings too (what exactly is 2T?) and the potential cost of returning something that doesn't fit to the US would again put me off.

Have you been sent a uniform list yet? I'd hold on unless you know they don't mind. For tap shoes a lot of colleges seem to like full sole Oxfords, the brand depends on your feet (Bloch for wide, Capezio for narrow etc etc). The college may have a preference between black or tan character heels/New Yorkers.

Having been pretty certain that LSC required level 3 qualifications which precluded most English educated 16 year olds it appears they are now accepting 16 year olds onto one of their dance courses (not Theatre dance though). This must be very new.

And of course you asked applicants. I have no idea what the total number of applicants including those who didn't get to finals was.