Lottie

Non DD is collecting her keys to her new flat tomorrow in Windsor and then moving out for good on Saturday. Starting work at Centrica/British Gas for 3+ years in Finance - she had a summer internship last year with them.

Also DS flying off to Romania tomorrow to start his first professional job in Constanta.

House a total mess with daughters things everywhere. Son has only 3 bags to go away with and is all packed.

Where in London will you be? Are you OK with travelling on buses and tubes?

Are shops or museums more more appealing? What interests do you all have?

True - I wonder if the vocational schools will enter, though?!

If they don't enter then it won't be 'the very best of young British dance talent'.

Yes, difficult to remember 11 years ago!

DS was doing one lesson of ballet and one of modern a week.

Now has just graduated from Central and off to Romania to a Classical Ballet Company.

Tissues packed as off to London today to see DS in his last Ballet Central performance on Saturday night and then their Graduation ceremony on Sunday afternoon. 

Then they are 'professional ballet dancers'!

If you follow ENBS on facebook,recently they had a graduation photo of them all and I think there were about 25 in that picture so I presume about 25 graduates. (but I may be wrong)

I too can empathise with you, 'thequays', as shortly after I left home at 18 to do a 2 yr course on the other side of the country, my stepmother threw out all my school things.

Didn't even leave me the tie or scarf to keep as a momento.

Central School of Ballet and also Ballet Central have their 'Summer Shows' coming up soon in just over a weeks time at the Platform Theatre, near Kings Cross.

Have a look: http://www.arts.ac.uk/csm/csm-culture/platform-theatre/

We have tickets for Ballet Central on Saturday evening. Anyone else going?

I know that some of the boys are getting offers of contracts but know nothing about the girls.

Sorry but I won't say where until contracts have been signed or Central give out information, as I know things can change.

In DS 1st yr there were 48 students, approximately, from memory. 18 young men and about 30 young women.

This year at Ballet Central there are 31 students, 11 young men and 20 young women. I think in the previous year there were 30 so that amount can vary.

Have a look at: http://www.balletcentral.co.uk/thecompany.php

As Tulip says it is usually due to injury that they will repeat a year. Many European students seems to have left after the 2nd year but have no idea why.

Just looked back at saved emails from last year!

DS was told verbally.

I had to email Central later in June to find out details of the code for the Ba(Hons) that is needed for Student Finance as it's a totaly different course.

What they have done so far is the 2Yr Foundation Degree and what they will be doing is the 1Yr Ba(Hons) course. If your DD has any Disability Allowence then you have to reapply as it's a new course.

I emailed Central and a very helpful person rang me up and told me what to do when I completed the Student Finance form out online.

Apparently looking back it took me an hour to do online with Student Finance, on behalf of my DS. There was one bit that I had to get right but that could be because DS was on the lower tuition fees and there was a box to 'tick' somewhere to make sure he didn't get charged the higher rate.

Once you know about Yr 3 then email Central to get advice.

If I remember correctly my DS heard verbally around early/mid June last year. I think there might have been a letter eventually but not sure.

Those that were to repeat yr 2, I think, had been spoken to beforehand - those that had had injuries in yr 2.

Good luck to your daughter.

From memory...travelling from Reading and got off at St Margaret's train station but had to change at Twickenham.

Cafes & newsagents near the station.

10-15 min walk to Rambert school. Have a look on Google maps.

It would be from Waterloo to St Margaret's if travelling from London.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Haunted-old-doll-Need-gone-asap-/111337877711?pt=UK_Doll_Bears_Dolls_EH&hash=item19ec4130cf

Looks more like a rabbit than a doll.

This should be the link for North Lodge:

http://www.unite-students.com/london/north-lodge

Good luck in finding somewhere suitable for your DC.

I think macnatt is talking about here:

http://www.unite-students.com/london/emily-bowes-court

DS stayed in a Unite property in his second year that was within 10/15 mins walk of Central and really convienient for him. Unfortunately the whole of that accomodation has been taken over by a University for their students. Unite were one of only a few companies that would have under 18's live there. Apparently, so I was told but unsure how true it is, it's an insurance thing' regarding under 18's and could vary from area to area in London.

Another place with accomodation near Old Street that was for over 18's and when we went to look at the place, with a view to staying in another property owned by the same company that would have under 18's, the manager once having met DS said he would be happy to have DS to stay even though he was under 18.

DS now lives near Borough/Elephant & Castle and gets the bus to Central. He's in a flat sharing with 2 others from his year for about £150 per person per week+bills.

Look at where the accomodation is in regard to how easy it is to get directly to Central without having to change.

From a post about Central in 2012: (unable to get the link to work between topics)

'DS is in Yr2 at Central. He has commented to me before that the boys in the year above him are possibly stronger in Contempory and the boys in his year are possibly stronger in Classical Ballet. So could vary from year to year.

They have 6 lessons a week for Classical Ballet (Monday to Saturday), 3 lessons a week for Contemporary, 2 lessons a week for Pas de Deux plus see below for other types of lessons covered. Day starts for DS at 8.45am but has to be warmed up before lessons start so trys to be there by 7.45am and finishes during the week between 4.30pm-5.30pm or later. Plus any AS/A levels studied are worked in around all the dance lessons. DS seems to survive OK.  :)'
 

• Choreography
• Spanish Dance
• Pilates
• Jazz Dance
• Drama
• Dalcroze Eurythmics
• Singing
• Contextual Studies

That is what I expected!! I think that almost anything Is possible but, if you have tried at 16 without success I think that you are unlikely to succeed later as time is against you. There are some that that doesn't apply to, like Swanprincess, for example, who has admitted to problems. If they can be overcome then you could go on to be succesful but i think if you give it your best shot at 16 under normal circumstances then it is probably time to bow out gracefully!! Perhaps I will be proved wrong but I am not optimistic!

My DS who was from a non vocational background got an offer from Central when he was 16. He would not have given up after trying for one year but would have done one year of AS levels and tried again for the following year and probably the year after that. Then we might have thought that time was against him.

There were a few girls in his year at Central who were from a non vocational background and had done one year of AS levels and were 17 when they started there. 

After the emotional roller coaster of auditioning for entry this year perhaps in a few months time you will feel like encouraging your daughter to audition for September 2015.

Two that I can quickly think of are:

London Junior & Senior Ballet - http://www.ljb.org.uk/

The Pre - Senior School at Central - http://www.csbassociateschool.co.uk/pscourseoutline.php

Here is the link for Ballet Central tour dates:

http://www.balletcentral.co.uk/ontourpage2.php

Years ago we had to increase DS's number of classes and his first ballet school asked us to look around for other places that might help. I rang up a ballet school in the Bath area and yes they could have DS for lessons but only if he went to them for everything, all ballet classes and modern. It was all or nothing and they weren't very helpful. 

We did find another ballet school about 10 miles away from home, so he went there twice a week for 2-3 years, while still at our local ballet school and it all worked out well in the end. He had to leave this second ballet school when he moved up the grades and the classes clashed. He had no problem doing the same grade at different schools.

YBSS has changed venues this year and is now further out of York - at Askham Byron College. 

So perhaps more DC can go?

http://www.ybss.co.uk/info.php

http://www.askham-bryan.ac.uk/

I would say get Piccadilly line to south kensington and then get on 14, 211, or 414 bus which stop at end of hortensia rd. Alternatively it is a short cab ride from south ken and there is a taxi rank near tube.

Have done this route several times in the past. You know that you're getting close to your stop after you past the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital on the left and the stop is shortly after that. There are a few cafes around the hospital that you can go into if you want as it's not too far to walk from Hortensia Road.

You can always go on the 'Transport for London' website, as mentioned above, put in your travel details and you will get several options given to you and you can look at the maps of the area to give you an idea of where to go.

If I remember correctly from 2010/2011 Central & Rambert addressed their letters to the student as they look upon them as adults. My son gave me permission to open his mail, thank goodness, as I couldn't have waited until he got home as the stress of not knowing was too great!

Sorry if this is the wrong question for here but is about upper school auditions. My dd is now 14 she will be 15 in october I know this makes me lokk stupid but which year does she apply for auditions. Is it later this year when she turns 15 or the next school year.

Sorry for silly question and thank you in advance for any answers

In England, N Ireland and Wales your DD is now in Year 9.

In the next school year (September 1st 2014 - 31st August 2015) she will be in Year 10 as she will be 15 in October 2014 and then 16 in October 2015, so from September 2015 is when you need to start applying for Upper School auditions and she will also be taking her GCSE's in that school year.

(I think that is correct!)

In Scotland the years are different I believe.