LinMM

Well it's a laugh a minute here this morning so far!!

Lots of luck then!! Great programme!!

Can't answer for all the others I'm afraid but there is also the British Ballet Organisation (BBO) which is graded very similar to RAD though there may be different jumps at some point as you put it because I'm sure the BBO grade one is much easier then RAD grade one but their grade 6 and Intermediate is very similar to RAD level........so very difficult to know. In the end probably initially at any rate choose a school that is not too far away. I always tend to think as a general rule though and .....because there are more of them .......RAD is the better one to follow especially if any of your DD are really keen on ballet. I like the Russian system myself but it does depend on a good teacher being near you etc.

Pastel am over the moon for your DD as well.....will email!! Xxxxxxxx

Yes sorry Clarke brothers!! Reece is the boy I saw at the 2013 Yorkshire Ballet Summer School and he stood out then Recently saw him again in Symphonic Variations so realised he had joined the Company. He was one of eight boys at that summer school who was coached by Anthony Dowell in an evening session there on Romeo and Juliet. All those boys were good but there was another who had been at Elmhurst and had just got a place at the RBS senior school so must be graduating this year. He was very good as well cannot remember his name......anyway way off thread!! It must be lovely to see pupils who started at your school go on to do so well later ......any ballet teachers that is. So now we'll be following YAGP with extra interest then in April. I believe Harrison Lee won this last year in his category.

Actually Aileen I think it IS the Reece brothers I have read about.......must investigate the Mackays then!!

I think this is just the usual nerves when you are trying to do something that's important to you......whatever it is!

Are they the Scottish brothers Ive heard about?

Thanks for that fascinating article Ellie. Janet the Mackay contingent at BRB? excusing ignorance in advance!!

Very good luck with this Swanprincess Try not to,be too nervous........I know easier said than done....but try to remember your joy in dance and hopefully this will communicate to the adjudicators etc

Michelle you will be very glad to hear have just finally bought a practise tutu!! Well I haven't got it quite yet but tried one of Just Ballets on at the Move It Event and she is sending me the next size up. But because the layers are tacked down it has a nice shape and doesn't flap up ......which I have seen .....and am not keen on. Just got back from London where today did a great workshop with Franziska Rosenzweig but am completely knackered so will report back in a day or two!!

I was looking at the streaming yet again!! And decided that I really liked Julian Mackay in the Contemporary as well.....he seems to get a joy of dancing across. His classical was really professional and brill too. You can just see he enjoys dancing. Great stuff. So looks like we can expect the "Mackay contingent " then !!

I don't know but thought you could just but tickets on the door if necessary

Went to Move it yesterday and apart from the main purpose to see BTUK students dance I also met Just Ballet and wonders of wonders have finally bought a practise tutu......which I need for LAB performance in July .....otherwise wouldn't be seen dead in one. Michelle will be pleased at least!! Anyway I like the way these are made as the skirt keeps down and doesn't flap up as some do but still needed to go to extra extra large size lol!! There were some beautiful leotards on her Ballet Rosa stand .....well worth a look in if you go. But Move It as a whole is definitely for the under 30's I think......it's SO noisy. It was lovely catching up with Pastel and her DD but trying to find somewhere to be able to actually here each other talk was a tad difficult. The best place is the cafe just over on the right as you go in.....near the entrance.

You are probably making the right decision though Beckyl It's better to find a class you can really work in at your level so you can gain some improvement. When you are on top of the material then you can really dance it rather than having to try to catch up with it all the time which in the end is not very satisfying. It might only need to be a temporary situation as at some point you could go back to it of course and then be able to get more out of it.

Yes I know Ballet West is a school! Sorry my mistake didn't read the post properly and see it says some ballet companies were interested in her......not the school itself!! Some of these younger Prix students do try for other schools first ....before companies.....which was why I was puzzled! Well a week later and have finally caught up with last Fridays Livestream of ALL the candidates solos so nice to see some not seen from the final and finally caught up with your DS CeliB. I thought he looked very good indeed in the contemporary piece so hopefully he was happy with that. This was the "stream" which didn't have the students names on as they came on to dance a bit frustrating. Although I love the "solo for Diego" piece to Greek music ...the other night I woke up with the tune of the other main work chosen by the boys going through my head....the one which the boy from Portugal won the main contemporary prize with and he did look really great in this piece.

Wasn't the other British candidate at Ballet West already anyway?

Forgot you are only travelling within UK taxi......why do you need a passport for this then?

Well her mother used to be but not sure now she is 17 how much she still travels with her these days. Sarahw I like her style because its very unhurried .....she always gives the impression that she has loads of time and doesn't look stressed when dancing. Her technique is reasonably what I call "clean" Her main prob is I think that she doesn't always project that well so not sure what she would do with a more "acty" type role ......but then she is still very young. She's not the best dancer Ive ever seen but a very good one and seems to take a lot of stick from people because of her mother when she was younger ....but in fact remains comparatively unspoilt in my view. Some seem to hold it against her that she was exposed at a young age in the film First Position but others were in this film too who don't seem to,be put down so much because of it.......one is now a very successful dancer with the young Dutch Company......which CeliB 's DS is interested in.

Oh I thought if you turned up in person on the day ......you'll pay over a hundred for this though.....you can fast track it. The passport office is virtually behind Victoria Underground station and I did this recently for my partner. As long as form filled in and all relevant docs with you although a bit of a palava and some hanging about but you can do it all in one day. However his was a normal renewal so not sure if you can fast track a new application though you are UK citizen presumably!! Can't see what the fuss is about for them. I cursed him at the time for forgetting but now realise both my passport AND driving licence are due by end of April!! I can see me forgetting to get done in time as well. Hope you get yours resolved!

Regards Miko I'm sure she went this year to get exposure to Company directors near the time she will be expecting to look for jobs. I'm pretty sure she has had offers before ......perhaps she has her eye on a couple of particular companies and just wanted to be seen by them!! She doesn't really need any more basic training I think ......needs to get into a Company now for more professional experience so hope she finds something she really wants.

I saw these too late really to fit in now round other things happening. I hope she will do more of these. I had a private lesson with her last week which was really helpful .......concentrating on feet ankles and knees ......I am working on things she normally teaches in her Friday eve short course sessions on technique .......and am also looking forward to the course this Saturday at the Place.

Love her too. Her era is really my era and used to go to the ROH such a lot in those days usually standing in stalls circle for about 50p Loved her and that whole cast in Dances at a Gathering..........just typing that brings back so many slightly mad and happy memories!! Great news about your DS CeliB ......he can virtually pop home for the weekend from there!

In fact I think I'm the comparative "newbie" here!!

Well Ann I recognise most of the names on this thread!! Do you ever post much in the Doing Dance thread? That's where all these "newbies" have been posting .....but even then some not exclusively there!